TY - JOUR
T1 - Solar energy desalination for arid coastal regions
T2 - Development of a humidification-dehumidification seawater greenhouse
AU - Goosen, M. F.A.
AU - Sablani, S. S.
AU - Paton, C.
AU - Perret, J.
AU - Al-Nuaimi, A.
AU - Haffar, I.
AU - Al-Hinai, H.
AU - Shayya, W. H.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study has been made possible through funding from the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) through contract number 97-A-005b. We also wish to acknowledge the support of H.M. Strategic Research Fund SR/AGR/BIOR/02/01 (SQU) to S. Sablani and J. Perret.
PY - 2003/11
Y1 - 2003/11
N2 - The long-term aim of our research is to develop humidification-dehumidification desalination technology for farms in arid coastal regions that are suffering from salt-infected soils and shortages of potable groundwater. The specific aim of our current study was to determine the influence of greenhouse-related parameters on a process, called Seawater Greenhouse, which combines fresh water production with growth of crops in a greenhouse system. A thermodynamic model was used based on heat and mass balances. The dimension of the greenhouse had the greatest overall effect on the water production and energy consumption. A wide shallow greenhouse, 200 m wide by 50 m deep gave 125 m3 d-1 of fresh water. This was greater than a factor of two compared to the worst-case scenario with the same area (50 m wide by 200 m deep), which gave 58 m3 d-1. Low power consumption went hand-in-hand with high efficiency. The wide shallow greenhouse consumed 1.16 kW h m-3, while the narrow deep structure consumed 5.02 kW h m-3. Analysis of the local climate indicated that the structure should be built facing the NE direction. We are also in the process of building a commercial size Seawater Greenhouse at a site by the sea. The aim is to demonstrate the technology to local farmers and companies in the Arabian Gulf. The system will allow for the reclamation of salt-infected land by not relying, at all, on groundwater resources.
AB - The long-term aim of our research is to develop humidification-dehumidification desalination technology for farms in arid coastal regions that are suffering from salt-infected soils and shortages of potable groundwater. The specific aim of our current study was to determine the influence of greenhouse-related parameters on a process, called Seawater Greenhouse, which combines fresh water production with growth of crops in a greenhouse system. A thermodynamic model was used based on heat and mass balances. The dimension of the greenhouse had the greatest overall effect on the water production and energy consumption. A wide shallow greenhouse, 200 m wide by 50 m deep gave 125 m3 d-1 of fresh water. This was greater than a factor of two compared to the worst-case scenario with the same area (50 m wide by 200 m deep), which gave 58 m3 d-1. Low power consumption went hand-in-hand with high efficiency. The wide shallow greenhouse consumed 1.16 kW h m-3, while the narrow deep structure consumed 5.02 kW h m-3. Analysis of the local climate indicated that the structure should be built facing the NE direction. We are also in the process of building a commercial size Seawater Greenhouse at a site by the sea. The aim is to demonstrate the technology to local farmers and companies in the Arabian Gulf. The system will allow for the reclamation of salt-infected land by not relying, at all, on groundwater resources.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0242573759&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0242573759&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solener.2003.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2003.07.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0242573759
SN - 0038-092X
VL - 75
SP - 413
EP - 419
JO - Solar Energy
JF - Solar Energy
IS - 5
ER -
