Performance Data for a Solar Membrane Distillation Desalination Plant in Gran Canaria

Performance data for a solar membrane distillation desalination plant in Gran Canaria, Spain have been analysed for a five-year period. There is a direct correlation between solar radiation and the feed and distillate volume. This technology is suitable for small supplies, isolated populations, and autonomous systems. Desalination technology has a high energy demand, which is currently mainly supplied from fossil fuel sources. Solar energy is a real alternative, and solar desalination could be an ideal solution for isolated areas which receive high daily solar irradiation. Solar membrane distillation (MD) is a developing technology that is of particular interest for small supplies, isolated populations, and autonomous systems. MD is a low-temperature process, which makes it highly suitable for integration with thermal solar systems and/or waste heat recovery units. In contrast to other desalination technologies, only coarse filtration of the water is required as pre-treatment. However, the commercial availability is currently quite limited. This work – by researchers at the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC) in Las Palmas and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany – reviews the promising five-year experience and data analysis of a compact solar MD demonstration plant installed at the ITC facilities on Gran Canaria. The unit was designed and installed at the end of 2004, as part of a co-funded European Commission Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) DGTREN research project, Development of stand-alone, solar thermally driven and PV-supplied desalination systems based on innovative membrane distillation (MEMDIS). The unit has been continuously tested within the subsequent European FP7 co-funded project, MEmbrane DIstillation in Remote AreaS (MEDIRAS). Source: workingwithwater.filtsep.com