The thermal characteristics and economic analysis of a solar pond coupled low temperature multi stage desalination plant

The paper discusses optimisation of the size of the pond and the number of stages for three different storage zone temperatures taking into account the large variation in quantity of energy supplied by the pond between summer and winter. One result is that over-sizing the pond, leading to some rejection of the heat collected during the summer (which is referred to as peak clipping), will result in a higher utilisation factor of the desalination plant and a reduction in the summer/winter yield ratio. Optimum peak clipping days, leading to the minimum product water cost, for each storage zone temperature and performance ratio is presented. The sensitivity analysis of the various factors affecting the overall water costs show that the capital costs comprise about two thirds (2/3) of the total desalinated water costs. This demonstrates and re-emphasises the inherent and basic fact that solar desalination is a capital intensive enterprise. Each 1% increase in interest rate increases solar pond thermal energy costs by about 13-15% and desalinated water costs from SP/MSF combination by about 10-13%. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.