Optimal integration of small scale hybrid solar wind RO-MSF desalination system

• Published in: Renewable energy focus 2018-12, Vol.27, p.120-134
• Main Authors: Heidary, B., Hashjin, T. Tavakoli, Ghobadian, B., Roshandel, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1755-0084; 1878-0229
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ref.2018.05.003

•Hybridization of two renewable energy sources of solar and wind for seawater desalination to increase the sustainability and reliability of energy source (compare to only solar or wind source) and reduce the greenhouse gases and environmental pollutions (compare to fossil fuels).•Hybridization of membrane desalination (RO) and thermal desalination (MSF) to reduce the MSF scale, improved the performance of MSF, reduced the cost of RO membrane replacement, and reduced the cost of desalted water, produce suitable water quality, use of single-stage RO, long lasting membrane life, better control of the produced desalted water temperature, increase the RO efficiency.•Design and modeling of off-grid solar wind RO-MSF desalination system in small scale with 25 liters per hour capacity and size of seawater desalting.•Optimization, and sensitivity analysis of solar wind RO-MSF desalination system.•Developing a sizing methodology of hybrid solar wind RO-MSF plant.•The optimized model was manufactured and tested for evaluating the performance of hybrid solar wind RO-MSF desalination system. Solar and wind are two main resources of renewable energies that can supply the energy requirement in the most of world's regions. Iran has desirable condition in terms of solar and wind energy and also is faced with shortage of fresh water resources. Hybrid solar wind RO-MSF desalination system that works with two clean and renewable energy resources of solar and wind, could be a sustainable energy resource for water desalination. Hence, in this paper for evaluating the performance of salty water desalination by hybrid RO-MSF desalination plants, a hybrid system is designed and optimized. Different models of solar wind RO-MSF was considered and analyzed technically and economically. Finally a model which can be used in small scale desalination sites was presented. Design configurations of the hybrid solar-wind RO-MSF desalination systems was done, optimization and sensitivity analysis were done and simulation code of solar wind RO-MSF system for sizing the system were written. Hybridization of RO and MSF systems with two renewable energy resources of wind and solar were led to an increase in reliability and flexibility of system and quality of produced drinking water. The desalinated water price was 1.35–1.84$/m3 depends on different solar wind RO-MSF models. In small scale the solar wind integrated RO-MSF1 was shown the least desalinated water price and most produced desalted wa