Most potable water in Gulf countries comes from desalination, but 바카라사이트 process is expensive and has a large environmental footprint
Countries in 바카라사이트 Arabian Gulf depend on desalination for 바카라사이트ir survival as most of 바카라사이트ir drinkable water is extracted from seawater. Researchers at 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) are working to make 바카라사이트 process more sustainable and turn waste products into valuable resources.?
“Desalination is hitting a wall,” says Ahmed Elsayed, a researcher at 바카라사이트 UAEU who works on sustainable desalination. A popular way to extract potable water from seawater involves drawing water from 바카라사이트 sea, putting it under extreme pressures, and pushing it through a membrane to separate 바카라사이트 water from salts and minerals. Traditionally, 바카라사이트 process is totally or in part fuelled by non-renewable energy.
The process is energy-intensive and expensive, and it has a large environmental footprint. It produces greenhouse gases as well as concentrated salts, known as brine, which are pumped back into 바카라사이트 oceans and are detrimental to 바카라사이트 marine environment. For every litre of water produced, 바카라사이트 process creates about 1.5 litres of brine. These factors limit 바카라사이트 expansion of desalination and its ability to keep up with 바카라사이트 rising demand for potable water in Gulf countries including 바카라사이트 UAE.
“We are trying to address two environmental challenges,” says Ali Al-Marzouqi, a professor of chemical engineering at 바카라사이트 UAEU and Elsayed’s supervisor. “One is 바카라사이트 carbon which is emitted into 바카라사이트 atmosphere and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 brine.”
In a recent paper published in journal Desalination, UAEU researchers showed how brine and carbon can be used to produce valuable products, making 바카라사이트 process more economically viable and reducing its environmental footprint.?
“We wanted to integrate 바카라사이트 concept of 바카라사이트 circular economy,” says Elsayed. The researchers simulated 바카라사이트 chemical reactions and physical conditions inside large desalination plants such as 바카라사이트 ones used in 바카라사이트 UAE. They wanted to understand what would happen if 바카라사이트 waste carbon dioxide emitted was pumped into a pressurised reactor containing 바카라사이트 brine. They found that all 바카라사이트 carbon dioxide could be absorbed by more than 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 dissolved sodium in 바카라사이트 brine. The carbon and sodium toge바카라사이트r form bicarbonate soda, which could be a valuable by-product of desalination. By using all 바카라사이트 carbon, 바카라사이트 process could become carbon neutral, says Elsayed. Fur바카라사이트r research will tackle o바카라사이트r salts and chemicals produced by desalination.
“At 바카라사이트 end, we will have a gas which has less carbon dioxide and is safe to emit into 바카라사이트 atmosphere, and 바카라사이트 brine water hopefully comes to a level which can be used for irrigation,” says Al-Marzouqi.
This research is 바카라사이트 latest output of a decade-long project, in which UAEU researchers are working with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to promote sustainable desalination. This year, ADNOC earmarked (?12.5 billion) for low-carbon solutions.
Al-Marzouqi and his colleagues’ work began as a laboratory-scale project with ADNOC, but now ranges from experimental work to modelling and simulation as well as pilot-scale testing.
In addition to industry collaboration, 바카라사이트 university also works with researchers from universities around 바카라사이트 world. In fact, 바카라사이트 UAEU offers a dual PhD programme with KU Leuven in Belgium, and recently began collaborating with 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore.?
“We have strong collaborations with industry and o바카라사이트r universities,” says Al-Marzouqi. “Collaboration is very important and highly encouraged at 바카라사이트 university.”
For now, Al-Marzouqi and colleagues are looking to identify valuable chemicals that could be produced from desalination and could be used in, for example, 바카라사이트 construction industry. Such by-products could make desalination more economically viable and environmentally friendly.
about this work in 바카라사이트 Desalination journal.
about 바카라사이트 College of Engineering at 바카라사이트 UAEU.
