Seawater desalination is one of the most promising fields for the application
of solar thermal energy due to the coincidence, in many places of the world, of water scarcity, seawater availability and good levels of solar radiation. During the 90s the Plataforma Solar de AlmerÃa (PSA) carried out a research project that successfully demonstrated the technical feasibility of solar seawater desalination using parabolic-trough solar collectors coupled with conventional Multi-Effect Desalination plants.However, and besides significant achievements in the process energy efficiency, by the development and implementation of a double-effect absorption heat pump, the technology cannot yet compete in cost reduction with conventional thermal distillation or reverse osmosis processes. To palliate this situation, a new research project has been launched at PSA during 2002, aiming to the further enhancement of economic efficiency and environmental protection. This new project will incorporate improved solar collectors and a new absorption pump, as well as zero discharge of brine to the environment. A first analysis shows that the new technology proposed will be fully competitive if the achieved associated total cost of the solar system is around 90 –155 €/m².
www.psa.es
