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Solar thermal desalination technologies

  • Jordan Univ. of Sci./Technology

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

487 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of solar energy in thermal desalination processes is one of the most promising applications of the renewable energies. Solar desalination can either be direct; use solar energy to produce distillate directly in the solar collector, or indirect; combining conventional desalination techniques, such as multistage flash desalination (MSF), vapor compression (VC), reverse osmosis (RO), membrane distillation (MD) and electrodialysis, with solar collectors for heat generation. Direct solar desalination compared with the indirect technologies requires large land areas and has a relatively low productivity. It is however competitive to the indirect desalination plants in small-scale production due to its relatively low cost and simplicity. This paper describes several desalination technologies in commercial and pilot stages of development. The primary focus is on those technologies suitable for use in remote areas, especially those which could be integrated into solar thermal energy systems.

Original languageBritish English
Pages (from-to)633-644
Number of pages12
JournalDesalination
Volume220
Issue number1-3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2008

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
    SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
  2. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
    SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

  • Desalination
  • Solar energy
  • Solar stills

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