Study on the Operation of the LUTsCO2 Test Loop with Pure CO2 and CO2 + SO2 Mixture Through Dynamic Modeling

Study on the Operation of the LUTsCO2 Test Loop with Pure CO2 and CO2 + SO2 Mixture Through Dynamic Modeling

por | May 2, 2023 | Publications, Results - CO2 Mixtures in thermodynamic cycles

Within the framework of the Horizon 2020 DESOLINATION (DEmonstration of concentrated SOLar power coupled wIth advaNced desAlinaTion system in the gulf regION) project, CO2-based mixtures will be used as the working fluid of the power cycle coupled with the desalination plant. Desalination technologies require temperatures above 50℃, therefore a fluid with a critical temperature above 70 ℃ is required to perform the compression step in the liquid phase, minimizing compression work and increasing cycle efficiency. Blending CO2 with other fluids, such as SO2, leads to an increase in the critical temperature of the mixture and makes it suitable for transcritical cycles in concentrated solar power applications, while preserving the advantages of pure CO2 over steam cycles. Throughout the DESOLINATION project, CO2 blends will be tested in the LUTsCO2 test loop to provide validation data for the design of heat exchangers. In this work, the adaptation of the test loop to the CO2 blend is investigated. A dynamic model of the test loop is built in MATLAB-Simulink, which allows each component to be modeled independently and to realize a closed-loop cycle model coupled with a controller and real gas property tables. Steady-state simulations of the system are performed and the dynamic model of each component is verified with the design values. As a result, the study highlights the key performance and fluid dynamic differences which arise from the use of a CO2 blend instead of pure CO2.

Keywords:

  • CO2 mixtures
  • Transcritical refrigeration cycle
  • Dynamic model
  • Simulink
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Authors:

Giuseppe Petruccelli Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Lappeenranta, Finland

Teemu Turunen-Saaresti Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Lappeenranta, Finland

Aki Grönman Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Lappeenranta, Finland

Afonso Lugo Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Lappeenranta, Finland

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Techno-Economic Analysis of Brine Treatment by Multi-Crystallization Separation Process for Zero Liquid Discharge

Techno-Economic Analysis of Brine Treatment by Multi-Crystallization Separation Process for Zero Liquid Discharge

por | Oct 8, 2022 | Publications, Results - Brine treatment

This study analyses the concept of a novel multi-crystallization system to achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD) for desalination plants using an innovative heat recovery system consisting of a heat transfer fluid and a compressor to reduce energy consumption. The main focus is to recover water and separately extract salts from seawater brines with high purity, including calcite, anhydrite, sodium chloride, and epsomite, which can be sold to the cement industry. The system is compared with a conventional brine treatment system. The energy demand and economic feasibility of both systems are assessed to evaluate profitability at a scale of 1000 kg/h. The results estimate that the utilization of a heat recovery fluid reduces energy consumption from 690 kWhth/ton of feed brine to 125.90 kWhth/ton equaling a total electric consumption of 60.72 kWhe/ton. The system can recover 99.2% of water and reduce brine discharge mass by 98.9%. The system can recover 53.8% of calcite at near 100% purity, 96.4% of anhydrite at 97.7% purity, 91.6% of NaCl at near 100% purity, and 71.1% of epsomite at 40.7% purity. Resource recovery accounts for additional revenues, with halite and water accounting respectively for 69.85% and 29.52% of the income. The contribution of calcite and anhydrite to revenue is very low due to their low production. The levelized cost of water (LCOW) of the multi-crystallization system is 13.79 USD/m3 as opposed to 7.85 USD/m3 for the conventional ZLD system. The economic analyses estimate that the conventional ZLD system can achieve payback after 7.69 years. The high electricity cost, which accounts for 68.7% of the annual expenses, can be produced from renewable sources.
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Authors:
Mr. Kristofer Poirier
School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK
Department of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, German University of Technology in Oman, Halban 1816, Oman
Prof. Dr. Kumar Patchigoll School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK
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World Utilities Congress 2022 | Abu Dhabi

World Utilities Congress 2022 | Abu Dhabi

por | May 9, 2022 | Events, News

Our project partner Aalborg CSP received a very warm welcome at the World Utilities Congress, from May 9-11, 2022 and an excellent response from attendees, with around 150 visits to its stand presenting the DESOLINATION project.

Hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), and organised by dmg events, the World Utilities Congress is the global meeting place for senior local, regional and international utilities professionals to connect with governments, policy makers and industry leaders, to discuss trends and to explore technologies and innovations that influence future demand for energy and water.

More information about the event
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Press release: DESOLINATION presented in the French Plein Soleil Webzine!

Press release: DESOLINATION presented in the French Plein Soleil Webzine!

por | Jun 19, 2021 | Article, Comunicado de prensa

Plein Soleil, una destacada revista digital francesa dedicada a las energías renovables en edificios, ha destacado nuestro innovador proyecto DESOLINATION. Le invitamos a visitar su sitio web para leer el comunicado de prensa completo y obtener más información sobre esta apasionante aventura.

DESOLINATION, un neologismo evocador, representa un proyecto europeo pionero de 10 millones de euros en el que participan 19 socios de 12 países de la UE. La iniciativa pretende desarrollar una combinación única y eficaz de energía solar concentrada y técnicas de desalinización del agua de mar. La primera planta piloto se instalará en Arabia Saudí, lo que supondrá un gran paso adelante en la producción sostenible de agua.

A partir del 1 de junio de 2021 y hasta mayo de 2025, el proyecto DESOLINATION de Horizonte 2020 introducirá tecnologías pioneras para mejorar los sistemas independientes y acoplados de energía solar y desalinización. El sistema de demostración final será una central eléctrica de 2 MW en Arabia Saudí, que combinará estas dos prometedoras tecnologías para lograr eficiencias sin precedentes.

Agua dulce solar, asequible y baja en carbono

Destinado a la región del Consejo de Cooperación del Golfo (CCG), DESOLINATION probará y desplegará su prototipo en la Universidad Rey Saud de Riad (Arabia Saudí). Aprovechando los elevados recursos solares y la importante demanda de agua desalada, el prototipo pretende suministrar electricidad renovable a bajo coste (<90€/MWh) y agua dulce asequible (<0,9€/m3). Además, el sistema reducirá sustancialmente las emisiones de CO2 en comparación con los métodos tradicionales de desalación: 30% de reducción en comparación con los sistemas de ósmosis directa, 40% en comparación con la ósmosis inversa, y 70% en comparación con la desalación térmica.

DESOLINATION innovará en varios ámbitos. En el ámbito de la energía solar, las mezclas de CO2 impulsarán ciclos energéticos más eficientes y rentables con parámetros controlables. En la desalinización del agua, se desarrollará la ósmosis directa y se vinculará a la destilación por membranas, aprovechando el calor residual del ciclo energético para producir agua dulce. Esta combinación única permitirá que el disruptivo sistema acoplado logre una alta eficiencia en la conversión del calor residual en agua dulce.

A lo largo del proyecto, la UE y los países del CCG colaborarán para ofrecer un demostrador tecnológico de alto nivel. DESOLINATION reúne a algunos de los mayores expertos mundiales en energía solar concentrada, diseño de ciclos energéticos de CO2, procesos de desalinización, membranas de separación e integración de sistemas para cumplir los objetivos del proyecto y garantizar una fuerte implantación en el mercado tras su finalización. En el proyecto participan 19 socios de 9 países de la UE y 3 del CCG, entre ellos 13 universidades y centros de investigación de primer orden y 6 socios industriales y PYME.

Visite el sitio web de Plein Soleil para leer el comunicado de prensa completo y descubrir más cosas sobre el innovador proyecto DESOLINATION.

Leer el comunicado de prensa completo
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