Investigation of the Performance and Use of a Solar Cell Integrated with a Reverse-Osmosis Water-Desalination System
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Experimental Procedures
3. Uncertainty Analysis
4. Physical Model
5. RO Desalination Plant
6. Validation of Software
7. Results
7.1. Solar Radiation
7.2. Electrical Power Output
7.3. Electrical Efficiency
7.4. Cell Surface Temperature
7.5. Reverse-Osmosis Simulation Results
8. Application of Results to Desalination Plant
9. Compression
10. Conclusions
- The electrical power generated from the cooled cell reached 6.75 W.
- The electrical efficiency of the cell could be enhanced to 51.4% if it was cooled with water.
- The maximum decrease in cell surface temperature was 9.44%.
- The increase in feed water temperature led to a decrease in the feed water pressure.
- TDS increased with the rise in feed water temperature.
- The specific energy consumed to produce 1 m3 of freshwater was decreased to 2.74 kWh with the increase in feed water temperature to 40 °C.
- A 3.2% reduction in consumed energy in the RO destination plant was achieved with the cooled system.
- The TDS increased from 50.51 to 62.71 ppm when the feed temperature was increased from 22 °C to 25.8 °C in the RO destination plant.
- A 6% reduction in feed pressure in the RO destination plant was achieved when the feed temperature was increased from 22 to 25.8 °C.
- In a real case study of a desalination plant, the energy consumed was reduced by 3.2%.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Nomenclature
A | Cell area (m2) |
D | Depth (mm) |
Normal solar radiation (W/m2) | |
Imp | Maximum-power current (Amper) |
Isc | Short-circuit current (Amper) |
Output current (Amper) | |
L | Length (mm) |
Pmax | Peak power (W) |
Power input (W) | |
Vmp | Maximum-power voltage (volt) |
Voc | Open-circuit voltage (volt) |
Output voltage (volt) | |
W | Width (mm) |
Greek symbols | |
Electrical efficiency of cell | |
Abbreviation | |
RO | Reverse osmosis |
PV | Photovoltaic |
MFS | Membrane fouling simulator |
PPM | Part per million |
WAVE | Water application value engine |
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Item | Specifications | Value |
---|---|---|
PV module | Cell type | Mono-crystalline |
Peak power (Pmax) | 10 W ± 3% | |
Dimensions (mm) W × L × D | 240 × 360 × 35 ± 2% | |
Maximum-power voltage (Vmp) | 18 Volts | |
Maximum-power current (Imp) | 0.56 Amper | |
Open-circuit voltage (Voc) | 21.6 Volts | |
Short-circuit current (Isc) | 0.612 Amper |
Parameter | Value | Unit |
---|---|---|
Active membrane area | 37 | m2 |
Permeate flow rate | 28 | m3/d |
Minimum salt rejection | 99.65 | % |
Stabilized salt rejection | 99.80 | % |
Boron rejection | 92 | % |
Element length | 1016 | mm |
Element diameter | 201 | mm |
Max. applied pressure | 83 | bar |
Max. chlorine concentration | <0.1 | ppm |
Max. operating temperature | 45 | °C |
pH operation range | 2–11 | |
Max. feed water turbidity | 1 | NTU |
Max. feed water SDI (15 min) | 5 | |
Max. pressure drop (ΔP) for each element | 1 | bar |
Time (h) | Efficiency of Cooled Cell | Efficiency of Uncooled Cell | % Increase in Efficiency |
---|---|---|---|
10:00:00 | 19.64% | 12.97% | 51.4 |
10:30:00 | 16.86% | 11.86% | 42.2 |
11:00:00 | 16.37% | 11.32% | 44.5 |
11:30:00 | 15.84% | 10.90% | 45.3 |
12:00:00 | 15.12% | 10.50% | 43.9 |
12:30:00 | 14.42% | 10.27% | 40.4 |
13:00:00 | 14.15% | 10.11% | 40.0 |
13:30:00 | 13.95% | 9.99% | 39.5 |
14:00:00 | 13.74% | 9.71% | 41.5 |
14:30:00 | 13.83% | 9.26% | 49.3 |
15:00:00 | 13.51% | 9.79% | 37.9 |
15:30:00 | 14.03% | 9.50% | 47.6 |
16:00:00 | 13.62% | 9.07% | 50.2 |
Time (h) | Surface Temperature of Uncooled Cell | Surface Temperature of Cooled Cell | % Decrease in Surface Temperature of Cell |
---|---|---|---|
10:00:00 | 35.8 | 34.7 | −3.07 |
10:30:00 | 37 | 36.2 | −2.16 |
11:00:00 | 38.6 | 37.4 | −3.11 |
11:30:00 | 40.3 | 37.9 | −5.96 |
12:00:00 | 41.3 | 38.9 | −5.81 |
12:30:00 | 41.8 | 39.3 | −5.98 |
13:00:00 | 42.3 | 39.5 | −6.62 |
13:30:00 | 43 | 39.7 | −7.67 |
14:00:00 | 42.8 | 39.4 | −7.94 |
14:30:00 | 42.5 | 39 | −8.24 |
15:00:00 | 42.2 | 38.9 | −7.82 |
15:30:00 | 41.7 | 38.5 | −7.67 |
16:00:00 | 41.3 | 37.4 | −9.44 |
Duct dimension | 240 × 360 mm | |
Water-filled duct | 2.5 L | |
Daily operating time | 8.3 h | |
Refilled times to 37 | Five times | |
Daily heated water for cell | 5 × 2.5 = 12.5 L/day/cell | |
Daily heated water/m2 | 12.5/(240 × 360) = 144.6 L/m2/day |
Number of solar panels | 552 panels | |
Solar panel dimension | 2274 × 1134 mm2 | |
Total area of solar panels | 552 × 2274 × 1134 = 1423 m2 | |
Brine pump flow rate | 50 m3/h | |
Operating time | 8.3 h | |
Daily brine water | 50 × 8.3 = 415 m3/day | |
Freshwater produced | 354 m3/day | |
Total membrane water | 415 + 354 = 769 m3/day | |
Temperature of water after mixing | = 25.8 |
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Alshareef, R.S.; Almohammadi, B.A.; Refaey, H.A.; Farhan, M.; Sharafeldin, M.A. Investigation of the Performance and Use of a Solar Cell Integrated with a Reverse-Osmosis Water-Desalination System. Energies 2024, 17, 4010. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164010
Alshareef RS, Almohammadi BA, Refaey HA, Farhan M, Sharafeldin MA. Investigation of the Performance and Use of a Solar Cell Integrated with a Reverse-Osmosis Water-Desalination System. Energies. 2024; 17(16):4010. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164010
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlshareef, Rayed S., Bandar Awadh Almohammadi, Hassanein A. Refaey, Mohammed Farhan, and Mahmoud A. Sharafeldin. 2024. "Investigation of the Performance and Use of a Solar Cell Integrated with a Reverse-Osmosis Water-Desalination System" Energies 17, no. 16: 4010. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164010
APA StyleAlshareef, R. S., Almohammadi, B. A., Refaey, H. A., Farhan, M., & Sharafeldin, M. A. (2024). Investigation of the Performance and Use of a Solar Cell Integrated with a Reverse-Osmosis Water-Desalination System. Energies, 17(16), 4010. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164010