Desalination plants (reverse osmosis) to improve thermal power station. Yield and life cycle

• Published in: Desalination and water treatment 2016-10, Vol.57 (48-49), p.23420-23429
• Main Authors: del Río Gamero, Beatriz, Prieto Prado, Inés, Ovidio Pérez Báez, Sebastián, Gómez Gotor, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon footprint; Climate change; Cogeneration; Desalination; Desalination plants; Drinking water; Dual plants; Energy; Environment; Fossil fuels; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Osmosis; Policies; Power plants; Reverse osmosis; Sanitation; Thermal power; Thermal power plants; Thermal power station; Thermal powerplants; Thermoelectricity; Water; Water deficit; World population
• ISSN: 1944-3986; 1944-3994; 1944-3986
• DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2016.1173378

Nowadays, the most important problems that affect the world are carbon footprint decrease, fossil fuel use, and climate change. As proof of that, all environmental international agencies impose different laws and rules related to greenhouse effect. European Union policy is a clear example, which is explained in the document “2020 Strategies (COM/2010/2020 final)” [1]. Water deficit is another question that produces a lot of problems around the World. About 1,100 million people lack access to safe drinking water, which represents 18% of the world population. Approximately 42% of the population is not able to access basic sanitation. The project raised different problems related to water and energy production. The primary goal is to achieve low carbon emissions. Moreover, these dual plants (desalination and thermal power plants) should be more efficient and flexible. The project’s main goal is to study water and energy cogeneration in half power thermal power plants through different docking ways. The system is approached to be installed in areas where water is not sufficient.