DESIGN OF A SOLAR POWERED DESALINATION SYSTEM FOR USE IN SOUTH AFRICA

GR Hartwig and AB Sebitosi

University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa ABSTRACT This paper looks at the feasibility and design of a solar powered desalination system for use in South Africa. Furthermore, a simulation is constructed in order to predict the fresh water output of such a system for a specific location from a meteorological database. The chosen system uses a Multi Effect Distillation (MED) unit coupled with a flat plate solar collector to deliver 200 litres of fresh water per day from a collector area of 10.42 m2. Experimental verification of the solar collector is undertaken and compared to the Meteonorm data used in the simulation. 1. INTRODUCTION The chosen concept for the project is the flat plate collector. The main reasons for this decision are the following. No tracking device is necessary for the operation. Also the design is simple resulting in a reduction in costs, operation requirements and maintenance. Finally, an industry exists in South Africa to support and aid flat plate solar collectors. 3. DESALINATION METHOD

Water is the most valuable resource for the survival of human beings. Without water, a human being will not survive for more than a couple of days. Globally water is becoming a scarce resource and our constant development of the world is increasing the pressure on our water resources. Eventually over development will start destroying the environments which sustain these water resources. The goal of the project is thus to ascertain whether it is feasible to desalinate sea and brackish water for use in the Western and Northern Cape areas and if by using available meteorological data for a given location, one can predict the fresh water output of such a system for the specific location. Included in this report is a literature study on desalination and solar collections system and analytical calculations in conjunction with simulations to design a system from a given specific fresh water output. Furthermore the report contains a simulation using meteorological data to attain the feasible amount of fresh water produced by a system for the given location and finally an experimental setup to evaluate the solar collector output. Not included in this report are detailed designs for a solar collector and evaporation unit discussed in the report and also no experimental evaluation of the distillation unit. 2. SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTORS

Desalination of saline water can be achieved through variety of methods and although most show great potential, only the most appropriate methods are considered and analysed. Methods include multi-stage flash distillation (MSF), multiple effect evaporation (MED), vapour compression (VC), freeze separation, electro dialysis reversal, reverse osmosis (RO), nano filtration and solar still [1]. It is found that the MED process is the most suited for the given project. The forward feed configuration together with horizontal falling film evaporators is decided on by comparing various attributes described by Ettouney and El-Dessouky [2]. Other reasons include simple design, construction, operation and maintenance that all contribute to creating a remote system capable of operating with minor attention and care. This cannot be said for systems such as RO and MSF and is very much needed for areas where technical knowledge and monitoring is limited. 4. COMBINED SOLAR AND DESALINATION METHODS

Collecting the energy of the sun is a simple process, yet there are many methods to accomplish it. There is the direct method, which includes among other salinity gradient ponds, flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors. Indirect methods include parabolic trough collectors, dish collectors and tower collectors. All of the methods are evaluated and compared against the requirements of the current project

With both the solar collector and the evaporation processes chosen, combining the two systems does not necessarily constitute the best combination. RO combined with photo-voltaic collectors is a highly attractive system that is currently widely available as can be seen by the various suppliers available on the internet. Research on the subject has been done by Eduardo Zarza et al. [3], who compared a RO coupled with photovoltaic system and a MED coupled with a parabolic trough system. The results showed that the solar powered MED system proved to be the better option. Furthermore, boiling of the water through the MED system ensures no harmful bacteria and organisms are present in the fresh water produced. This is a highly

valuable quality of the system for developing countries such as South Africa and the rest of Africa. 5. MULITPLE EFFECT DISTILLATION MODELLING AND SIMULATION

The platform used is MATLAB. Other platforms such as Microsoft Excel and FLUENT are encountered in simulations found in literature [4] [5], but are not favourable since the author is proficient with the MATLAB platform. The simulation model chosen is a model used by Ettouney and El-Dessouky [2]. Two models are described, a complex and a simplified one. The simplified model is decided on since it is not only a simplified mathematical model but also does not incorporate components such as pre-heaters and flash boxes. These components are associated with large complex plants and do not fit into a robust simple plant designed for ease of maintenance and operation. Certain assumptions are made to develop the model for the forward feed MED system. Firstly, constant specific heat for seawater at different temperatures and concentration. Secondly, constant thermodynamic losses and constant heat transfer area for all of the effects in the system. There is no flashing of vapour inside effects and formed vapours are free of salt particles. The feed seawater entering the first effect is at saturation temperature of that effect. Energy dissipation to the environment is negligible and lastly the driving force behind the heat transfer in the effects is the difference between the condensation and evaporation temperatures. A flow diagram of the model is provided in Figure 1. The flow diagram shows the main steps involved in the model and how the iterations occur. 6. SOLAR COLLECTOR MODELLING AND SIMULATION

The simulation of the solar collector is conducted in a similar manner to the MED simulation. Again MATLAB is used as the preferred platform to work with for the same reasons as before. For the task at hand, a simple model is chosen, as with the evaporation model, to assist with the interconnectivity between the two simulations and input data.

Figure 1: MED simulation flow diagram

Figure 2: System layout A highly comprehensive handbook for the study of solar collection is provided by Duffie and Beckman [6]. In depth calculations and evaluations are provided as well as simulation techniques and examples. Al-Ajlan et al [7] provides a simple simulation model for a flat plate solar collector incorporating various equations provided by Duffie and Beckman [6] with the main equation being considered independent from each other. Collector properties are not influenced by temperature. Ambient temperature is constant. The influence of dust on the glass cover and shadows created by the collectors sides are negligible. Figure 2 provides a layout diagram of the entire proposed system. Various subsystems are shown on the layout. Detailed designs of these systems are needed but have thus far not been undertaken. As is the case with the MED model, a flow diagram is presented in Figure 3 which depicts the major steps in the model. 7. RESULTS

As always since a simple model is used, many assumptions are made. For the given model the following assumptions are made by Duffie and Beckman [6] for use of the equations. Steady state performance is assumed. A sheet and tube type collector is simulated. The header pipes are small enough in area to be neglected and provide inform fluid flow for the riser pipes. The glass cover does not absorb solar energy that can affect losses from the collector, is assumed to be opaque to infrared radiation and the temperature drop through the cover is negligible. Furthermore, heat flow through the glass cover and back insulation is one dimensional. The sky is assumed to be a black body at a given temperature. No temperature gradients are assumed to exist around pipes. Temperature gradients in the flow direction and between pipes are

Data from the experiment and the simulation are formulated in the following section. The two sets of data take various steps in order to produce a format from which results can be visually attained.

Input the parameters of the solar collector and the solar radiation

7.2

SOLAR COLLECTOR EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Assume mean absorber plate temperature

Calculate the overall heat loss, efficiency factor and heat removal factor

Calculate useful energy gain

Calculate mean absorber plate temperature

Determine difference between initial and end mean absorber plate temperature

The experimental results start at the Steca controller. The collector logs the data from three temperature probes and one flow meter and stores it on a SD memory card. The data is presented in a comma separated value format which Microsoft Office Excel can read. By viewing the data with the Steca TS Analyser [8], provided free of charge by Steca on their website, a visual representation of the data is provided as well as the function to view the data in Excel where it is organized in cells. From this format the data can be saved as an Excel workbook and processing can occur to render custom presentations of the data. The Steca TS Analyser provides a selection of the various input and output values that needs to be presented. This includes temperature readings, flow rate and pump output percentage. Another useful tool incorporated into the analyser is the calculation of the power output in Watts. This calculated value is also presented in the Excel output document. Figure 5 provides a photo of the experimental setup.

Difference greater than tolerated error?

Yes

Calculate new mean absorber plate temperature

No Output useful energy gain

Figure 3: Solar collector simulation flow diagram 7.1 SIMULATED RESULTS

The results from the simulation start with the dataset provided by Meteonorm. The dataset is provided in a Microsoft Office Access format which is then converted to the Microsoft Office Excel format. From here the dataset is converted to a text file format for easy transfer to MATLAB. MATLAB reads the text file and arranges the data in a manageable matrix. The simulation is then able to read the matrix and use the data to produce a new set of data which reflects the simulated solar collector output in Watt hours per square meter. The daily energy dataset is then used to provide a graphical representation of the daily energy acquired by the simulated solar collector. Figure 4 provides the daily energy output of the simulation as well as the daily energy data input provided by Meteonorm.

Figure 5: Experimental system for solar collector 7.3 SIMULATED MULTIPLE DISTILLATION SYSTEM EFFECT

The distillate production rates are found through the use of various formulas. Together with the solar collector energy output the distillate output for the system is calculated. Figure 6 provides a yearly output of theoretical fresh water output per square meter of collector per day. From this graph an estimated collector area can easily be attained for a required distillate water production.

Figure 4: Solar simulation output versus Meteonorm input

Unfortunately various problems still exist that hamper the feasibility of the project. This includes the gathering of sea water for use in the system. Ideally the system would need to be located close to the ocean. However, using brackish water as an alternative source is also possible and would increase the possible usable sites. The total cost of the experimental evaluation of the solar collector is R10 500. The total cost for a system using a single flat plate solar collector is estimated to be around R20 000. This cost would increase five times if a system is needed that must support an entire household. Figure 6: Simulated fresh water output 7.4 SIMULATED RESULTS VERSUS EXPERIMENTAL 9. CONCLUSION

In Figure 7 the results from the experiment on the solar collector is presented in comparison with the simulated solar collector data for the same time period.

The project undertaken here examined a solar thermal operated desalination system. The motivation for the project sprung from the need to look at solar energy as an energy source to power desalination. Fresh water is an ever increasing requirement for the growing world population and the sources are diminishing. By using solar energy to create fresh water from the ocean, a possible limitless source of fresh water is unlocked. The area that was investigated is South Africa with the main focus being on the western coast. The West Coast of South Africa holds great potential for a solar powered desalination system due to large amounts of solar radiation in close proximity with the ocean. The goal for the project was to design a solar desalination system for a given target fresh water output. The target was the free of charge six kilo litres of fresh water per month per household that the Free Basic Water Scheme of the South African government provide. Furthermore, it was needed to be able to predict the fresh water output of a specific system for a given location. This is done by using solar radiation from a meteorological database, Meteonorm, to serve as an input to a simulation that predicts the fresh water output for that specific location and system. The project looked at various solar thermal collection methods and desalination processes in literature. Previous work on the subject was investigated to better understand the current environment that exists for solar desalination. From this certain methods and processes were further examined and compared. The final chosen concept for solar collection was the flat plate solar collector and for the distillation process a multi effect evaporator system was chosen. For each of the systems a mathematical model was also decided on to form part of the required simulation. Designing of the solar desalination system for a specific output made use of the mathematical models of the processes to provide parameters for the system. The resulting system uses a solar collection area of 10.42 m2 to provide the prescribed six kilo litres of fresh water with the location being Cape Town. The system is designed to be accompanied by a rain water harvesting system. This is due to the solar collector doubling in size if the required

Figure 7: Solar Collector Experimental Results versus Simulated Results 8. DISCUSSION

With a performance ratio of nearly 4, the system produces a maximum fresh water output per day of around 45 L/m2 and an average of 29 L/m2. This is comparably with a simulated system by Kalogirou [9] which produces a maximum of 130 L/m2 per day with a performance ratio of 8 and using parabolic solar collectors. Although more than double the output, the performance ratio is also more than double and the excess can be attributed to using parabolic collector instead of flat plate collectors. The solar basin stills near Ladysmith [10] in South Africa produces a maximum of 6 L/m2 per day which is well below 45 L/m2 per day from the simulated system. A considerable increase in fresh water production is thus possible for these communities. Another experimentally verified simulation described by Qiblawey and Banat [11] produces on average 25 L/m2 per day with a performance ratio of 3.5 which is very similar to the given simulated results. Similarly a three effect multiple effect evaporator described by Ahmed et al. [4]} produces up to 14 L/m2 per day of fresh water. Unfortunately the solar radiation received by all these systems is different and thus the systems cannot be compared directly in terms of output per square meter of collector.

amount of fresh water needs to be produced with winter solar radiation values resulting in an overly expensive system. Simulation of the system was carried out together with the Meteonorm data. Hourly solar radiation values are provided by Meteonorm which are fed into the solar collector model. The output from the model is summed up into daily usable energy values. This daily value is converted into a feed sea water flow rate at 70 Celsius which can then be fed into the multi effect evaporator. The evaporator model then provides a fresh water output according to various parameters. The simulation is run for each day of the year to produce a yearly fresh water yield for a given system. Experimental verification of the simulation was the next step. Unfortunately only the solar collector part could be verified due to time constraints. An experimental setup was done for a flat plate solar collector. Temperature sensors, a system controller, circulation pump and holding tank filled with sea water was used in the setup. Collection of the sea water was an intensive process and close proximity of the system to the ocean is preferred. Data was captured by the controller and stored on a memory card that was regularly downloaded onto a computer. Data was processed into a more manageable form and subsequently visually presented as graphs. Results from the simulation showed that a given system can produce an average of 29 litres of fresh water per day per square meter of solar collector. The performance ratio of the system is 3.76 which is in line with the assumption for multi effect evaporator systems that state that the performance ratio of the system is nearly equal to the amount of effects used in the system. The results also compare favourably with other similar systems in literature. The experimental results were not as ideal as would have been hoped for. This is mainly due to a large number of cold weather fronts that passed over the Western Cape as well as temperature sensors malfunctioning on certain days. The experimental data acquired did however, not match the simulation data but a similar upward trend can be seen. Furthermore, the simulation results always seemed to be more conservative compared to the experimental results. Valuable knowledge in terms of sea water acquisition and practicality of the system was also provided through the experiment. The project has thus been able to design a framework for a system capable of providing a targeted fresh water output and also to predict the fresh water output from a specific system for a given location. Experimental verification of the multi effect evaporators and the evaluation of a rainwater harvesting system are recommended for future development of the project. Also the ability of the system to be totally powered by solar energy should be investigated as this will further enhance the value of the system. Finally the construction of a pilot

plant is envisaged to provide fresh water for a rural household. The potential for this technology to help with alleviating water problems in South Africa is enormous. The system would also not put pressure on an already lacking power system as is the case with reverse osmosis systems that is currently being implemented in coastal towns. Water would be free of harmful bacteria which is a very large problem in not only South Africa but also the whole of Africa. This technology can thus be the answer to many of our countries problems and it has the benefit of being powered by renewable energies, a must in the current global energy environment. Currently the project is shifting focus from being exclusively a sea water desalination system to a more widely applied system. This includes using the system to recycle grey water from households. By implementing the system in such a way, various current problems are overcome or simplified. This includes the collection of feed water and the upper temperature limit of the feed water. 10. [1] REFERENCES Al-Karaghouli, A., Renne, D. and Kazmerski, L.L.: "Solar and wind opportunities for water desalination in the Arab regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 13, 2009, pp. 2397-2407 Ettouney, H. M. and El-Dessouky, H. T.: Fundamentals of Salt Water Desalination: Elsevier Science Ltd, 2002. Zarza, E., Ajona, J.I., Len, J., Genthner, K. and Gregorzewski, A.: "Solar thermal desalination research project at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria," International Solar Energy Society, Vol. 1, Part II, 1991, pp. 608-622. Ahmed, M., Shayya, W. H., Hoey, D., Mahendran, A., Morris, R., Al-Handaly, J., "Use of evaporation ponds for brine disposal in desalination plants," Desalination, Vol. 130, 2000, pp. 155-168. Hatzikioseyian, A., Vidali, R. and Kousi, P. National Technical University of Athens. [Online]. May 2009. HYPERLINK

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11.

Principal Author: Gerhard Hartwig holds a BEng degree in Mechatronics from the University of Stellenbosch. He is currently working on his masters degree on the topic of this paper. Co Author: Ben Sebitosi holds a PhD degree in Engineering from the University of Cape Town and is currently a senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Studies at the University of Stellenbosch. Presenter: The paper is presented Gerhard Hartwig.