DESALINATION TECHNIQUE

FOR WATHER SUPPLY

COLLEGE OF MILITARY ENGINEERING,

PUNE AFFILIATED TO JAWAHARLAL
NEHRU UNIVERSITY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE VIITH TERM

OF

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

BY

Lt Sangay Samphel

AND

Lt Saurabh Bhardwaj

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Dr K Nagraj

FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING COLLEGE

OF MILITARY ENGINEERING, PUNE

(JAWAHAR NEHRU UNIVERSITY)

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the seminar project titled “Desalination

Technique for Water Supply” is a bonafide work carried out
by Lt Sangay Samphel and Lt Saurabh Bhardwaj in partial
fulfillment to the requirement for the VIIth Term of TES-40
of Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering, College of
Military Engineering, Pune during the academic year 2022
under the guidance and supervision of Dr K Nagraj.

Dr K Nagraj
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to our guide Dr K Nagraj, for his
guidance, recommendation and unremitting support throughout our seminar. We really
appreciate all the support that he has given us, both in this report and during the entire period
of research in which we have been working under him.

pg. 1
Overview

As the world faces a scarcity of freshwater, various water treatment and alternative sources are being
explored. This included desalination which involves removing salt from seawater and contaminants from
brackish water. There are various desalination processes. This paper thus examined some of the most
advanced and widely used desalination processes. Of the six process studies, reverse osmosis was found
to be the most advanced and popular process due to its high efficiency and low-cost factors. Benefits
under each process have been discussed along with the overall limitations of the process which include
environmental impacts and high maintenance costs.

pg. 2
Table of Contents
Overview.................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................4
1.2 Why Desalination?....................................................................................................................4
2. Types of Desalination.......................................................................................................5
2.1 Reverse Osmosis (RO)...............................................................................................................6
2.2 Electrodialysis...........................................................................................................................8
2.3 Multistage flash Distillation (MSF)...........................................................................................8
2.4 Solar Distillation.......................................................................................................................9
2.5 Membrane Distillation..............................................................................................................9
2.6 Thermal vapor compression....................................................................................................10
3. Limitations.....................................................................................................................11
4. Analysis and Recommendation.......................................................................................12
5. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................12
6. References.....................................................................................................................13

List of Figures

Figure 1: Different desalination Processes.....................................................................................5

Figure 2: Reverse Osmosis............................................................................................................. 6

pg. 3
1. Introduction
According to Keiken 2023, water shortage is worsening as it already affects two-thirds of the world's
population. The utilization of alternate water sources is crucial since population increase and
industrialization are increasingly degrading the world's freshwater resources.

The world desperately needs clean water. With an average salinity of 3.5%, 97% of the water on Earth is
salted, making it unfit for drinking, industry, or agriculture (Chen et al., 2019). Water is essential to life,
yet sustainable freshwater supplies are becoming increasingly scarce in both quantity and quality.
Population expansion, shifting water consumption patterns, and climate change all pose threats to our
freshwater supply (Udalova, 2020). In line with such a scenario, various alternative sources have been
invented including desalination.

According to Britannica (2023), desalination, also known as desalting, is the process of removing
dissolved salts from saltwater, as well as, in some situations, brackish (slightly salty) waters found in
inland oceans, highly mineralized groundwaters (such as geothermal brines), and sewage from populated
areas. It is a great alternative source of water that aims at easing water shortage and scarcity in many
areas.

1.2 Why Desalination?

As the world's population expands, there is an increasing demand for freshwater, yet there are fewer
freshwater resources available because of things like pollution and climate change. Desalination offers a
method for getting access to a freshwater source that is independent of rainfall and other freshwater
sources. Some of the reasons to desalinate include:

 Alternate source of water: A river or a groundwater aquifer is often the only source of
water in many regions of the world. Desalination can offer a different source of water,
enhancing the water delivery system's resistance to droughts or other interruptions
(Sodimate, 2023)
 Desalination is a method that can be used to create water for non-potable purposes like
irrigation, industrial activities, and firefighting. The stress on freshwater resources, which
can be set aside for drinking water, can be lessened as a result (Ackerman, 2018)

pg. 4
  Addressing poor water quality: In some places, freshwater streams may contain excessive
amounts of salt or contaminants, making it unfit for irrigation or drinking. Desalination
can get rid of these impurities and create water that is of excellent quality (Sodimate,
2023).
 Desalination can supply a dependable source of water for sectors like agriculture,
tourism, and manufacturing, supporting economic growth in areas with limited access to
freshwater (Sodimate, 2023).

2. Types of Desalination
According to Kress (2019), desalination techniques can use either thermal processes (including heat
transfer and a phase change) or membrane processes (separating water from dissolved salt by utilizing
thin sheets of synthetic semipermeable materials). Large amounts of saltwater can be desalted thermally
using multistage flash distillation. The driving force used to facilitate the water-salt separation can be
broadly divided into three categories: pressure, thermal- and electron driven. The majority of techniques
used for brackish water desalination nowadays are electro- and pressure-driven (Patel et al, 2020).

pg. 5
Figure 1: Different desalination Processes

Source: Kabeel et al., (2013).

Although there are various processes, sources, and researchers have found that reverse osmosis is one of
the best desalination processes among the lot.

2.1 Reverse Osmosis (RO)

One type of desalination method is the reverse osmosis process. According to Keiken n.d.,
reverse osmosis (RO) is a very effective technique for desalinating salty water. It's a technique
that's popular in houses as well. RO technology in water purifiers may remove mineral
contaminants by up to 99%. This helps to improve the drinking quality of the water. The RO
desalination process includes the components (Krishna, n.d) such as:

a) Pretreatment system
b) High-pressure pumps
c) Membrane systems
d) Post-treatment

Figure 2: Reverse Osmosis

Source: (OAS, n.d)

pg. 6
Reverse osmosis desalination involves taking seawater and first treating it to get rid of contaminants like
oil, seaweed, trash, and other things. Reverse osmosis can be used to purify seawater after it has been
cleared of organic matter. We have two streams after filtering: one is brine and the other is freshwater.
Before being reintroduced to the ocean, the brine solution is diluted to reduce salt concentrations that
might be harmful to the ecology. After being re-mineralized and chlorinated, the freshwater is held in
tanks before being supplied to the distribution system for human consumption (OAS, n.d)

Moreover, case studies show the use of reverse osmosis in various locations. One such instance has been
developed in the Badghis province, Afghanistan. The RO system that WV has installed in the Ab Kamari
District is a first for Afghanistan. In the region, groundwater has been predominately used as a source of
water but due to its high contamination rate, an alternate water resource was required. Thus, a solar-
powered reverse osmosis process has been set up due to which 700 families (or roughly 4900 people) will
have access to clean, safe drinking water.

Kaihan Sanaat Technical Service Group, a supplier of RO systems in Afghanistan, provided construction
support. Up to 4300 liters of pure, healthy drinking water can be produced by it per hour (World Vision,
2017).

In addition, RO is known to be the most advanced desalination process.

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis:

 Nearly all contaminants are filtered by reverse osmosis

Reverse osmosis is regarded as one of the most all-around effective methods of removing water
impurities, in contrast to other types of water filtration (Sustainability for All, 2023).

 Most environmentally Friendly,

Not only is reverse osmosis the most sophisticated desalination system available today, but it is also the
most effective and advantageous for the environment: it produces up to four and a half times fewer
greenhouse gas emissions than all other technologies, doesn't harm the marine environment, and can
recover a significant portion of the energy used in the process (Crail et al., 2023)

 Efficiency

pg. 7
Due to its great energy efficiency, ability to remove a wide range of dissolved solutes, and comparatively
cheap initial investment costs, reverse osmosis (RO), a pressure-driven method, now dominates brackish
water desalination. RO uses a semipermeable membrane to selectively convey water while rejecting salt
(Crail et al., 2023).

2.2 Electrodialysis
Another method of the desalination process is electrodialysis. According to Mendeley_an electric field is
used in the membrane-based electrodialysis procedure to move ions through solutions through ion-
exchange membranes (Mendeley, 2020).

A well-developed technique, electrodialysis has gone beyond the limits of brackish water desalination and
continues to demonstrate its adaptability to other uses. The development of ion-exchange membranes has
been accompanied by the development of electrodialysis, which is now carried out in a variety of
configurations for unconventional applications and in hybrid systems with other technologies
(Scarrazzato et al., 2020).

Electrodialysis has been used for a very long time to treat brackish water. Ever since the first ED in the
1950s in order to demineralize brackish water, the process has come a long in terms of its processes
(Valero, 2011). One such example is the desalination plant at Sant Boi de Llobregat. Near Barcelona, in
Sant Boi de Llobregat, is where the project is situated. For portion of the wastewater handled in the
Depurbaix WWTP, which generates more than 57,000 m3/d utilizing EDR technology, it is a brackish
water desalination facility. This is one of the biggest facilities in the world for treating wastewater for
agricultural use. This facility employs this technique, and it serves as a brand-new illustration of how a
desalting technology has been used extensively to raise drinking water quality (Valero, 2011)

2.3 Multistage flash Distillation (MSF)

Another desalination process is the multistage flash distillation process. Incoming seawater is heated to
almost boiling temperature and pumped to a greater pressure during the multi-stage flash distillation
process. The pressure of the seawater is reduced over a number of phases to produce vapor, which is then
condensed by the incoming seawater. A steam heat source and a series of evaporators operating at
progressively lower pressures are used in the multiple-effect distillation process to produce water
(Keiken, 2023)

pg. 8
Benefits of MSF:

 A low operating cost when the distillation process uses extra heat;
 The source water's quality is not as crucial;
 The GOR (gain output ratio), or the proportion of pounds of water produced to pounds of
steam distilled down in the brine heater, is high for the multi-stage flash desalination
method (BARC, n.d)

2.4 Solar Distillation

One of the desalination processes is the solar distillation. Distillation with solar assistance is thought to
offer hope for off-grid communities' freshwater supply issues (Shi, 2022). For the process, a specially
made still that uses solar energy to boil seawater and collect the resulting steam, which is then cooled and
condensed into pure freshwater, is used in solar desalination to remove salt from water (Wang et al.,
2021). They still contain salt and other contaminants. In addition, in order to speed up the evaporation
process, solar distillation uses solar energy and the greenhouse effect. Incident short-wave solar radiation
enters the still cover and becomes trapped, heating the water in the basin to the point of evaporation and
leaving particulate pollutants behind (Naver, 2018)

Benefits of Solar Distillation (Chandler, 2022):

 Notably in harsh situations, high performance, and dependable operation. As a result,

wastewater treatment benefits greatly from it as well.
 Efficiency in terms of energy use: Solar distillation desalination is a very energy-efficient
process because it only uses energy from the sun.
 Sustainability: Because solar distillation desalination produces no waste or hazardous
emissions, it is a sustainable technique.

pg. 9
2.5 Membrane Distillation
One of the desalination processes is the membrane distillation process. Water desalination membrane
technology known as membrane distillation (MD) is currently only used sparingly in industry. A
hydrophobic synthetic membrane is employed in the hybrid RO/distillation process known as MD to
allow the flow of water vapor but not the solution itself through the membrane pores. The differential in
liquid vapor pressure across the membrane acts as the driving force of MD. According to Gonzalez et al.,
to power desalination, get rid of non-volatile pollutants, or recover other parts, MD requires low-grade
thermal energy. In MD, an aqueous solution's vapor travels through a hydrophobic membrane before
condensing on the other side of the membrane to produce a superior distillate. Recent developments in
MD have shown that this technique is practical for a variety of water purification uses.

On an isolated island in Vietnam, a pilot seawater MD desalination system was used to provide drinking
water. Based on an extremely energy-efficient AGMD design, the pilot MD system. The cost of
producing drinking water from the prototype MD system was 20.5 US dollars/m3, and the specific energy
consumption of the system was 87 kWh/m3 (Duong et al, 2021)

Benefits of MD:

 High water recovery: Membrane distillation desalination has a high water recovery rate,
usually over 90%, meaning that very little water is lost throughout the process.
 Energy-saving: Membrane distillation desalination uses less energy than other processes
since it can function at low temperatures and pressures.
 Membrane distillation desalination is easily scaled up or down to fit the requirements of a
particular community or place.
 Low fouling rate: Because the hydrophobic membrane used in membrane distillation
desalination has a low fouling rate, it is less likely to clog or become blocked, which
lowers maintenance expenses (Ameshwee et al., 2020)

2.6 Thermal vapor compression

In addition, one of the desalination processes is the thermal vapor compression. In places with limited
energy infrastructure and water resources, multi-effect distillation with thermal vapor compression

pg. 10
(MED-TVC) is a very energy-efficient desalination method that can offer a dependable and sustainable
source of high-quality water (Fergani et al., 2023). The condensing vapor produced by the evaporator on
the shell side heats the TVC feed water as it passes through the condenser's tubes (Cao et al., 2017)

The latent heat from compressed steam condensing on the shell side is absorbed by the remaining feed
water as it runs down along the inner wall from the top of vertical tubes inside the evaporator. A portion
of the input water evaporates and travels through the demister; the brine droplets that are entrained are
then filtered and released along with the residual high-concentration saltwater, rendering the outgoing
vapor salt-free.

Benefits

 Energy effectiveness: Because TVC desalination recycles the heat produced during the
process, less energy is needed to create fresh water.
 High water recovery rate: TVC desalination has a high-water recovery rate, usually over
90%, meaning that not much water is lost throughout the process.
 Scalable: To satisfy the needs of a particular community or place, TVC desalination may
be simply scaled up or down.
 Low fouling rate: Because the TVC desalination process has a low fouling rate, it is less
likely to clog or become blocked, which lowers maintenance expenses.

3. Limitations
Desalination does, however, have certain drawbacks, such as high energy consumption, high capital and
operating expenses, and environmental effects from brine outflow and chemical water treatment. In
addition, desalination offers a dependable source of freshwater, but it could not be a long-term sustainable
solution for areas with scarce water resources. Desalination ought to be taken into account as a
component of an all-encompassing water management plan that also includes water conservation and
reuse. Desalination plants must undergo routine maintenance and repairs, which can raise their overall
running expenses.

pg. 11
Desalination should therefore be taken into account as a component of an all-encompassing strategy for
managing water that also includes demand control, water recycling, and conservation.

4. Analysis and Recommendation.

From the above findings, it can be seen that desalination is one of the most advanced processes and
technology for separating and treating water. However, among the selected lot, it can be seen that reverse
osmosis (RO) is one of the most advanced technologies owing to its high efficiency and low-cost factors.
In addition, studies have also shown that due to its high-water rate recovery and water quality which is
why most places use RO as an option.

Thus, as efficient as a RO system is, it is important that the RO process further improves on its water
recovery and quality aspects. In addition, RO could also build on its energy efficiency capacity and
develop systems that are more versatile and operate in many situations and variables.

Further, as the other desalination procedures are pretty much similarly effective, it is important for these
techniques to work on water recovery and versatile factors which can adapt to variables and changing
surrounding atmospheres as well.

5. Conclusion
Owing to freshwater scarcity, desalination is probably one of the most effective alternative sources of
water. By eliminating dissolved salts and other contaminants, seawater or brackish water can be
converted into fresh water through the desalination process. Desalination has a number of drawbacks
despite being a reliable source of freshwater in the desert or coastal areas. Desalination also has several
limitations one of which includes maintenance and high capital costs. However, despite this, reserve
osmosis is a widely used procedure and process of desalination owing to its credibility, versatility, and
cost factors. Thus, it is important for the RO to advance further into these factors and tap into becoming
more efficient and agile. In addition, the other desalination methods should also work on these
improvements so that are more options to choose from depending on the circumstances and the
surrounding situation. In conclusion, desalination offers a dependable source of fresh water, but it may
not be feasible in some areas because of its high energy consumption, high capital costs, environmental

pg. 12
effects, and dependency on fossil fuels. When determining whether desalination is a viable option for
supplying water, it's important to take these restrictions into account.

pg. 13
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pg. 17