As part of the DESOLINATION project’s ongoing mission to decarbonize the desalination process, a major milestone has been achieved at LUT University: the experimental validation of a 3D-printed heat exchanger. This breakthrough demonstrates that additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) can significantly enhance the performance of heat exchangers used in supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycles, paving the way for more efficient energy systems.

Recently, the DESOLINATION project team reached a major milestone by successfully validating their experimental setup at LUT University. This validation process involved several key steps:

1. Design: The team developed a blueprint for the 3D-printed heat exchanger, focusing on optimizing its shape and function.
2. Simulation: Using tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the team simulated how the heat exchanger would perform under real-world conditions.
3. Additive Manufacturing: The heat exchanger was printed using advanced 3D printing techniques, allowing for a more intricate and efficient design.
4. Assembly: The printed parts were then assembled into a fully functional heat exchanger.
5. Testing: The final step was to test the heat exchanger to ensure it could withstand the pressures and temperatures expected in the sCO2 Brayton cycle.

The successful completion of these steps demonstrates that 3D-printed heat exchangers can perform effectively in high-pressure, high-temperature environments. This breakthrough marks an important step toward integrating these advanced designs into real-world concentrating solar power (CSP) systems.

What This Means for the Future of Sustainable Energy

The ability to use 3D-printed heat exchangers in sCO2 Brayton cycles has far-reaching implications for the DESOLINATION project and beyond. By improving the efficiency of energy conversion, these innovations will make it easier to generate clean electricity from renewable sources like solar power. This is particularly important for the project’s goal of decarbonizing desalination, which requires large amounts of energy to produce fresh water in arid regions.

The Role of Heat Exchangers in Desalination and Energy Generation

Heat exchangers are crucial in systems that convert heat into usable energy. In the DESOLINATION project, they are key components in the sCO2 Brayton cycle, a thermodynamic process that uses heat to generate electricity. When combined with concentrating solar power (CSP)—which concentrates solar energy to produce high levels of heat—these systems offer a more efficient way to produce power while reducing carbon emissions.

However, creating heat exchangers that can handle the extreme conditions required by sCO2 Brayton cycles (temperatures up to 600°C and pressures around 250 bars) presents significant challenges. That’s where additive manufacturing comes in.

As DESOLINATION moves forward, the continued development and testing of 3D-printed heat exchangers will play a crucial role in creating more sustainable, efficient energy systems. With each milestone, the project is getting closer to its vision of a world where desalination is powered by clean, renewable energy. By combining cutting-edge technologies like additive manufacturing and advanced thermodynamic processes, the DESOLINATION project is paving the way for a greener, more water-secure future.

The DESOLINATION project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, is making remarkable strides in its mission to decarbonize desalination. One of the most exciting developments comes from our work on optimizing heat exchangers for use in supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycles. These innovations could revolutionize how we generate power from renewable energy sources like solar power. Here’s a closer look at how Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is playing a key role in this effort.

Designing heat exchangers that can operate under these extreme conditions is no small feat. To ensure the best possible design, DESOLINATION is using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)—a powerful computer tool that models how fluids flow and how heat is transferred in complex systems.

CFD allows the project team (particularly TEMISTh) to simulate the performance of the heat exchanger in a virtual environment. This includes analyzing key factors such as:

• Thermal efficiency: How well the exchanger transfers heat from one fluid to another.
• Pressure drop: The reduction in pressure that occurs as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger, which can impact overall system performance.
• Thermomechanical constraints: The structural stresses the exchanger must withstand at high temperatures and pressures.

By using CFD, the team can find the optimal balance between thermal efficiency and pressure drop, ensuring the heat exchanger performs well while remaining durable.

Real-World Testing at King Saud University

After fine-tuning the design using CFD, the next step is real-world testing. The team plans to run these heat exchangers for 4,000 hours at a pilot plant in King Saud University. These tests will move the project closer to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7, meaning the technology will be ready for deployment in real-world systems.

The Role of CFD: Optimizing Heat Exchanger Performance

The preliminary results from these simulations are promising. The team believes that their designs could push the limits of what’s possible for heat exchangers in sCO2 Brayton cycles. If successful, these innovations will pave the way for more efficient concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, where solar energy is concentrated to generate high levels of heat, which can then be used to produce electricity.

CFD: More Than Just an Engineering Tool

Beyond its technical capabilities, CFD has also proven to be a powerful communication tool. The simulations it creates provide visually engaging representations of how heat and fluids move through the system, making it easier to explain the science behind the project to a broader audience.

By using CFD to design and optimize these cutting-edge heat exchangers, the DESOLINATION project is taking a huge step toward more sustainable and efficient energy systems, bringing us closer to a future where desalination can be powered by clean, renewable energy.