Can Desalination and Clean Energy Combined Help to Alleviate Global Water Scarcity?

The major present hindrance in using desalination to help alleviate global water scarcity is the cost of this technology, which, in turn is due to energy cost involved. This study examines historical trends in desalination and breaks up the cost of desalination into energy based and nonenergy based. It then develops the learning curves (relationship between cumulative production and market price) for desalination. Assuming that the photovoltaic (PV) technology will be the dominant form of energy used in the desalination process, the existing PV learning curve and desalination learning curve are combined to explore the viability of large‐scale adoption of desalination in the future. The world has been divided into seven regions and it is assumed that water demand from desalinated water will be met only within the 100‐km coastal belt. It is shown that, in most of the regions, other than sub‐Saharan Africa, Central America, and South Asia (where water tariffs are low), the desalination (without considering energy) becomes viable by 2040. For PV technology, less than 1 million MW per annum growth is required till 2050 to make it affordable. Globally, desalination with renewable energy can become a viable option to replace domestic and industrial water demand in the 100‐km coastal belt by 2050.     

Monitoring of Distribution Water Qualities Under Various Source Water Blending

The main goal of this large-scale pilot distribution study was to systematically investigate the impacts of blending different source waters on distribution water qualities. The principal source waters investigated were conventionally treated ground water (G1), surface water processed by enhanced treatment (S1), and desalted seawater by reverse osmosis membranes (RO). Due to the nature of raw water quality and associated treatment processes, G1 water had high alkalinity, while S1 and RO sources were characterized as high sulfate and high chloride waters, respectively. One year of pilot pipe study demonstrated that water quality was significantly deteriorated by increased color when source water blends with characteristics different from historic groundwater were introduced to pipe distribution systems. Elevated color was associated with release of iron corrosion products, mainly from aged unlined cast iron pipes. Iron release increased significantly when exposed to RO and S1 waters: that is, the greater iron release was experienced with alkalinity reduced below the background of G1 water. Lead and copper release to water, on the other hand, enhanced with the application of RO and G1 waters, respectively.     

三醋酸纤维(CTA)正渗透膜活性层朝向对正渗透过程的影响

本文通过在线实时监测研究了三醋酸纤维(CTA)正渗透膜的活性层在朝向料液(AL-FS)和汲取液(AL-DS)两种模式下的正渗透水通量、反向溶质通量、特性反向溶质通量等因素及其变化规律。在实验室条件下模拟了三醋酸纤维膜(CTA)对于不同浓度苦咸水的处理,当苦咸水浓度为2000ppmNaCl、5000ppmNaCl、8000ppmNaCl时,CTA膜活性层朝向对脱盐率几乎没有影响,AL-FS模式和AL-DS模式的脱盐率分别为96.49%和96.13%、97.40%和96.38%、98.04%和96.81%。研究结果对于进一步开发CTA正渗透系统和实用化具有重要意义。     

ECONOMIC DECISION MAKING IN THE USE OF MEMBRANE DESALINATION FOR BRACKISH SUPPLIES1

ABSTRACT: An analysis is undertaken to determine the conditions under which membrane desalination becomes an economically preferable alternative for treating brackish water supplies. While membrane desalination is more expensive than conventional treatment, it affords benefits beyond those of conventional processes by reducing salinity related damages. An important and largely unexplored issue regards how the added cost of desalination compares to its benefits in terms of damages avoided. A comparative analysis is undertaken over a range of scenarios with the objective of identifying the treatment technology the leads to the lowest “total economic cost,” a term described by the sum of costs related to supply, treatment, and salinity related damages. Using data from a representative region, desalination yields the lowest total economic cost for source waters that exceed “threshold” salinity concentrations below 1,000 mg/l total dissolved solids (TDS). In instances where standard conventional processes require upgrades to maintain compliance with pending regulations (e.g., disinfection byproducts), the cost gap between membrane and conventional processes is reduced and the threshold concentration lowered. Given the inherent uncertainty in both treatment cost and damage estimates, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine which factors have the greatest impact on the treatment decision. Results suggest that considering salinity related damages when selecting a treatment technology makes membrane desalination of brackish waters economically attractive under a wider range of circumstances.     

ECONOMICS OF CONTROLLING NATURAL SALT SOURCES IN THE ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN1

ABSTRACT: The methodology underlying, and the estimates incorporated in the Corps of Engineers' economic evaluation of the Arkansas River Basin Chloride Control Project are evaluated and judged deficient in several ways. An improperly specified alternative cost analysis probably results in overestimates of the total regional demand for water, the demand for Arkansas River Water, and the cost-savings realized with the project in place. The quantitative effect of these errors is not determined. However, other adjustments are identified which are evaluated using the Corps' data. These adjustments reduce B/C from 2.64 to 0.57; principally as a result of corrections for over-estimates of cost-savings in steam-electric generation, and for use of improper discounting procedures and gross output-earnings ratios.     

纳米SiO2改性聚偏氟乙烯离子交换膜对单组分电解质溶液的脱盐性能研究

对纳米SiO2改性聚偏氟乙烯(SiO2/PVDF)离子交换膜电渗析处理单组分电解质溶液进行了试验研究。结果表明,在不同操作条件下,SiO2/PVDF离子交换膜的极限电流密度和脱盐率均大于未改性聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)离子交换膜。SiO2/PVDF离子交换膜的极限电流密度随着淡水流量和电解质浓度的增加而增加;随着电流强度的增加,SiO2/PVDF离子交换膜的脱盐率也相应增加;随着淡水流量增加,脱盐率会逐渐降低。为使SiO2/PVDF离子交换膜用于电渗析过程获得良好的脱盐效果和节约能量,NaCl质量浓度为500mg/L时电流密度应控制在1.17mA/cm2。     

海水淡化低温多效蒸馏工艺(LT-MED)沿程溴代消毒副产物的生成

研究了海水淡化低温多效蒸馏(LT-MED)工艺沿程水质和溴代消毒副产物(Br-DBPs)变化特征.LT-MED工艺进水海水的Br-浓度和比紫外吸收值(SUVA)分别为54.6 mg·L~(-1)和1.7 L·(mg·m)-1,其荧光特征有机物主要有色氨酸类芳香族蛋白质、富里酸类有机物和溶解性微生物代谢产物.进水海水经Na Cl O消毒后,DBPs的种类和浓度显著增加,且增加的主要为Br-DBPs,三溴甲烷(CHBr3)占总三卤甲烷(THMs)的100%;一溴乙酸(C2H3Br O2)和二溴乙酸(C2H2Br2O2)分别占总卤乙酸(HAAs)的31.9%和68.1%;四溴苯酚(C6H5Br O)占总卤代酚(HPs)的100%.LT-MED海水淡化产品水中THMs、HAAs和HPs均未检出,但是其浓水中的THMs、HAAs和HPs浓度分别为56.9、35.0和0.1μg·L~(-1).     

黄河对滨海湿地地表水可溶性盐的影响研究

对滨海湿地黄河周边地表水的可溶性盐分差异进行研究,结果表明:距离黄河越远,地表水pH越小,电导率越大;垂直河道地表水全盐含量为,黄河水<距河道5 Km农田附近地表水<距河道7 Km柽柳附近地表水<距河道8 Km碱蓬附近地表水,反映出黄河对周边的淡水补给.在雨季,地表水中HCO3-含量被稀释,使得pH高于旱季,而电导率、全盐含量小于旱季;阴离子中的氯离子以及阳离子中的钠离子含量较大、尤其是碱蓬群落附近的地表水,反映出植被对环境的适应与改善.     

石化废水深度处理及脱盐的中试研究

针对石化行业污水回用处理设施很快失效的现状,开发了“集成式悬浮载体生物氧化－砂滤－臭氧活性炭处理－超滤反渗透”的组合工艺对炼油厂外排水进行深度处理.连续7个月的中试结果表明,处理后外排水中COD、NH3-N、BOD5、油和浊度等均优于回用水标准,可作为工业循环冷却水、绿化用水和办公等用水;常规深度处理的出水经过超滤反渗透处理后,电导率稳定在35~40μS/cm,可作为动力车间的新鲜水,不会发生膜污染和堵塞问题.尽管外排水的水质波动很大,但是组合工艺运行稳定、可靠,具有突出的抗冲击性能.     

载钛活性炭电极电吸附除盐性能的研究

采用sol-gel法制备载钛活性炭(Ti-AC),并用此活性炭制取了Ti-AC电极,利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线荧光光谱(XRF)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)和电化学工作站等对活性炭电极的表面形貌、元素组成、化合物形态以及电极的电化学性能进行分析,并考察载钛前后活性炭电极的除盐能力,而且对Ti-AC电极与碳纳米管电极和活性炭纤维电极的实用性进行比较.结果表明,Ti-AC电极含有一定量的Ti元素,其形态为金红石型TiO2,并在电极表面积聚为很多的絮状结构,载钛后双电层形成速率更快,电吸附容量显著提高.对NaCl的吸附试验表明,Ti-AC电极物理吸附降低,电吸附明显提高,除盐率提高了62.7%.实用性分析表明,Ti-AC电极更适宜应用于电吸附除盐.