Desalination by a "compact SMADES" autonomous solar-powered membrane distillation unit

A small-scale stand-alone solar-driven membrane desalination unit was designed and manufactured under project funding agreement number ICA3-CT-2002-10025 (SMADES). The desalination plant is intended for autonomous operation in arid and semi-arid remote regions with a lack of electricity and drinkable water but with high solar irradiation. The plant integrates solar thermal and PV energy. The desalination energy is supplied entirely by flat-plate solar thermal collectors and the electrical auxiliary energy is supplied by a PV panel. Feed water is directly heated in the absorber of the collector. The desalination system is composed of a spiral-wound air-gap membrane distillation module with internal heat recovery function. The main advantages of the plant are: no need for external electricity, no additional water for cooling, and no impact on the environment. The plant was installed at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) campus and prepared for long-term testing in the weather conditions of Irbid, Jordan. The plant has been continuously operated producing as high as 120 L/d with an approximate distillate conductivity of 5 mu S/cm. The thermal energy required by the process was in the range of 200-300 kWh/m(3).