Freshwater Production Using a Hybrid Solar Desalination Unit

Many countries have reached a point where the availability of clean water resources is limiting their economic progress. This problem is especially relevant in countries with limited water or water treatment, such as the Middle East. Solar desalination is a treatment process that can be used globally to produce freshwater. This project developed a pilot-scale, hybrid portable solar desalination system to treat saline water as well as produce freshwater from humid air. The saline water was collected from the local beach and used in the desalination unit, while an electrically powered humidifier was utilized to produce potable water from the humid air. The study investigated the water productivity and efficiency of the system. Using sensors, the times during the day when humidity and temperature peaked were monitored to determine the relationship between water production and climatic conditions. The water samples produced were tested for turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), conductivity, and pH. The system achieved 88.6% removal of TDS and a produced water turbidity of < 1.0 NTU. Both the desalinated water and the dehumidified water were within the general guidelines for potable water. The unit produced around 32 L/day of water with a cost of around $0.034/L of water. The developed desalination unit can produce potable water using renewable energy at low costs, therefore improving access to freshwater for communities with restricted access to freshwater.