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Solar Thermal Processes

A Review of Solar Thermal Energy Technologies for Water Desalination

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Seawater Desalination

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

The use of solar energy for desalination purposes was one of the first processes developed for producing fresh water from salt water. The process is based on the use of solar thermal energy to evaporate water, thus separating pure water from brine. In this chapter an overview of solar thermal desalination processes is presented. The first sections introduce the use of the simplest devices, i.e. solar stills, as stand alone systems or integrated into more complex geometries such as greenhouses. Couplings of the most recent technologies for solar thermal energy collectors with conventional thermal desalination processes are then presented. In all cases, a study of the feasibility and potential for further developments are presented. Solar thermal systems seem to be a very good option in remote areas with high insolation and where the use of conventional energy sources for desalination is not a viable option. Moreover the rising energy cost and continuous improvements of solar technologies are making such technologies more and more competitive compared with conventional ones.

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Abbreviations

CPC:

compound parabolic collector

ETC:

evacuated tube collector

FPC:

flat plate collector

ITG:

integrated solar water desalination green house

LCZ:

lower convective zone

MED:

multiple-effect distillation

MES:

multiple-effect stack

MSF:

multi stage flash

MVC:

mechanical vapour compression

NCZ:

non-convective zone

PAR:

Photosynthetically Active Radiation

PR:

performance ratio

PSA:

Plataforma Solar de Almeria

PTC:

parabolic trough collector

RO:

reverse osmosis

SEGS:

solar electric generating systems

SGSP:

salt gradient solar pond

TVC:

thermal vapour compression

UCZ:

upper convective zone

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Institute for Rural Engineering Water and Forestry, B. P 10, 2080, Ariana, Tunisia

    M.T. Chaibi

  2. 22 Ahmed Gharbo Street, Apt. 703, Zizinia, Alexandria, Egypt

    Ali M. El-Nashar

Authors
  1. M.T. Chaibi
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  2. Ali M. El-Nashar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M.T. Chaibi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dipto. Ingegneria Chimica dei, Università Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, 90128, Italy

    Giorgio Micale

  2. Dipto. Ingegneria Chimica dei, Università Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, 90128, Italy

    Lucio Rizzuti

  3. Dipto. Ingegneria Chimica dei, Università Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, 90128, Italy

    Andrea Cipollina

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© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Chaibi, M., El-Nashar, A.M. (2009). Solar Thermal Processes. In: Micale, G., Rizzuti, L., Cipollina, A. (eds) Seawater Desalination. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-01150-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-01150-4_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-01149-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-01150-4

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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