COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DESALINATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMALL SCALE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The growing demand for drinking water has led to the exploration of sustainable and efficient alternatives in the desalination process. Conventional methods, such as reverse osmosis and flash multistage evaporation, face challenges in small-scale applicability, especially in rural areas with electricity access restrictions. This article focuses on comparing these technologies with the innovative air humidification-dehumidification (HDH) process for the production of 100 liters/hour of desalinated water. Mass and energy balances were used to evaluate the efficiency of each technology, specifically the amount of thermal energy needed per volume of desalinated water, and the area of solar collectors necessary for the process. Open and closed circuit configurations with and without regeneration were considered. Initial results reveal that in an open-loop configuration without regeneration, the thermal energy consumption in the HDH process is 3,6 and 5,5 times higher compared to the MSF and MED processes, espectively. In conclusion, despite higher thermal energy consumption, compared to MED and RO technologies, the HDH process presents significant advantages in terms of reduced initial and maintenance costs. Furthermore, the modularity of the system allows it to be adapted to various water demands, from small quantities to more significant volumes. In this way, the HDH process is an effective and accessible solution for water desalination in areas with limited access to electricity and maintenance. The combination of low costs and the use of renewable sources reinforce the potential for implementation of this technology in diverse environments, from rural areas to more extensive applications.