Open AccessConcentrating solar power multi-effect desalination in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Alberto Boretti,
Stefania Castelletto,
Wael AlKouz,
Jamal Nayfeh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iop conference series. earth and environmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1755-1307
pISSN - 1755-1315
DOI - 10.1088/1755-1315/633/1/012004
Subject(s) - condenser (optics) , environmental science , desalination , multiple effect distillation , thermal energy storage , solar energy , electricity generation , distillation , solar desalination , thermal power station , environmental engineering , waste management , nuclear engineering , engineering , power (physics) , electrical engineering , chemistry , physics , biochemistry , membrane , light source , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , optics , thermodynamics
As about two-thirds of the thermal energy to the power cycle of a concentrated solar power plant is dumped to the condenser, typically air or evaporative cooling, there is the opportunity to achieve energy savings by using a multi-effect distillation system to condensate the steam and at the same time produce desalinized water. Preliminary design considerations and computations for a concentrated solar power plant located in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, are here proposed. The solar field has an aperture of 1,230,000 m 2 , it uses oil as the receiver fluid, it uses a six hours’ thermal energy storage by molten salt, and it features a 140 MW turbine. It is expected production of up to 413 GWh of electricity annually, for a capacity factor of 0.36, by using an air-cooled condenser. Adoption of a glass enclosure and a multi-effect distillation plant replacing the air-cooled condenser may permit the same electricity production plus the production of desalinized water in an environment protected by sand and dust.