Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Desalination and Demineralization with Solar Evaporation Array (SEA)
EPA Grant Number: SU833945Title: Desalination and Demineralization with Solar Evaporation Array (SEA)
Investigators: Tipping, Richard H. , DiMuro, Dave , Wofsey, Mike , Dixon, Randall
Institution: The University of Alabama
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2008 through August 14, 2009
Project Amount: $9,840
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2008) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
With this research we apply theoretical thermodynamic analysis to the problem of solar desalination, and produce a ready-to-use solar evaporation array (SEA) which produces zero brine output and has a low manufacturing cost. This will be deployed in the U.S.A., as well as developing nations in order to increase general health, increase stability of community reliance on salt and chemical contaminated ground water sources.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Over the last year, we produced a hand-made SEA unit to test the feasibility of our initial research. Initial results encouraged us to produce a unit that would closely resemble a deployable, mass-produced SEA unit. This required full-sized industrial plastic molds and thermoformed plastic SEA units. After about a year of working to achieve necessary funding to acquire evaluation samples of production SEA Panels, we began in-lab and field-testing of the units. Significant further research and development is needed to increase condensation-gathering efficiency of the units and test the units in real-world applications. Specifically, we hope to gather efficiency data to determine cost-benefit of using an active barrier-cooling system on the condensation barrier. We also hope to optimize geometry of the condensation barrier to encourage water-gathering efficiency.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, we have produced a fully functional system, which can provide potable water from any contaminated water source. Unlike methods that use molecular osmotic screens, the SEA requires minimal maintenance and cannot be rendered useless by dissolved chemicals like chlorine. Most important, the SEA is a good example of sustainable design in that it successfully captured crystalline salt rather than emitting toxic salt brine and the units double as rain-capture devices which may help to eliminate malarial vector breeding on flat roofs.
Our proposed Phase II objectives and strategies are to gather highly critical data from field tests and more controlled tests to determine optimal SEA design to maximize waterproducing efficiency while hopefully lowering manufacturing complexity and therefore cost per panel. We also need to determine if theoretical advantages provide a high enough cost-benefit ratio to justify increased manufacturing cost. We need to determine best use and types of biocides and /or ultraviolet treatment to control algae and pathogens. We need to determine optimum mixing ratios with untreated water for ground water demineralization. We also need agricultural field-testing to determine best use integration of the SEA system with low-pressure drip-irrigation systems. Finally, we need to test SEA in a variety of configurations and global locations to determine optimum installed best practice for untrained and minimally trained users.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 2 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
desalination, demineralization, solar desalination, saline brine, rain capture, cleantech, sustainable water, drought,Relevant Websites:
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20081121/NEWS/811200203
www.seapanel.com
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.