IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v8y2019i2p65-d220815.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Spatially Resolved Thermodynamic Assessment of Geothermal Powered Multi-Effect Brackish Water Distillation in Texas

Author

Listed:
  • Catherine I. Birney

    (Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 204 E Dean Keeton St, Stop C22000, Austin, TX 78712, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Michael C. Jones

    (Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, 23 San Jacinto Blvd and E 23rd St, Austin, TX 78712, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Michael E. Webber

    (Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 204 E Dean Keeton St, Stop C22000, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

Abstract

Brackish groundwater desalination is increasingly being considered as a means to supplement drinking water in regions facing scarce freshwater supplies. Desalination is more energy intensive and expensive than traditional freshwater sources. One method of offsetting carbon emissions is to pair desalination technology with renewable energy sources. This research assesses the geographical feasibility of using a geothermal multi-effect distillation (MED) plant to produce freshwater from brackish aquifers in Texas. The system is analyzed using a thermodynamic model of a binary cycle MED plant. The thermodynamic model is integrated with spatially resolved information of Texas’ geothermal gradient and existing brackish well data (such as depth, salinity, and temperature) to quantify production potential. The results from this study allow for a comparison of potential geothermal desalination plant implementation across all of Texas, rather than a single site assessment. Although this water treatment approach is technologically viable across much of Texas, the system proves to be very energy intensive in all areas except for two hot geopressured fairways in Southeast Texas, the Frio and the Wilcox. In both locations, our research concludes the binary cycle-MED plant can operate self-sufficiently, producing both freshwater and electricity. One well in the fairways can produce 121–1132 m 3 of water per day, enough for 232–2133 people. The framework outlined in this paper can be useful to policymakers and water planners considering where to build desalination facilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine I. Birney & Michael C. Jones & Michael E. Webber, 2019. "A Spatially Resolved Thermodynamic Assessment of Geothermal Powered Multi-Effect Brackish Water Distillation in Texas," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:8:y:2019:i:2:p:65-:d:220815
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/8/2/65/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/8/2/65/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Raluy, Gemma & Serra, Luis & Uche, Javier, 2006. "Life cycle assessment of MSF, MED and RO desalination technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(13), pages 2361-2372.
    2. Mahmoud Shatat & Saffa B. Riffat, 2014. "Water desalination technologies utilizing conventional and renewable energy sources," International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 1-19.
    3. Gary M. Gold & Michael E. Webber, 2015. "The Energy-Water Nexus: An Analysis and Comparison of Various Configurations Integrating Desalination with Renewable Power," Resources, MDPI, vol. 4(2), pages 1-50, April.
    4. Mattheus Goosen & Hacene Mahmoudi & Noreddine Ghaffour, 2010. "Water Desalination Using Geothermal Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 3(8), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Jill B. Kjellsson & Michael E. Webber, 2015. "The Energy-Water Nexus: Spatially-Resolved Analysis of the Potential for Desalinating Brackish Groundwater by Use of Solar Energy," Resources, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-14, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. John Luczaj, 2016. "Groundwater Quantity and Quality," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-4, February.
    2. Ram Avtar & Saurabh Tripathi & Ashwani Kumar Aggarwal & Pankaj Kumar, 2019. "Population–Urbanization–Energy Nexus: A Review," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Calise, Francesco & Cipollina, Andrea & Dentice d’Accadia, Massimo & Piacentino, Antonio, 2014. "A novel renewable polygeneration system for a small Mediterranean volcanic island for the combined production of energy and water: Dynamic simulation and economic assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 675-693.
    4. Sharan, Prashant & Bandyopadhyay, Santanu, 2016. "Energy optimization in parallel/cross feed multiple-effect evaporator based desalination system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 756-767.
    5. Antonio Colmenar-Santos & Elisabet Palomo-Torrejón & Enrique Rosales-Asensio & David Borge-Diez, 2018. "Measures to Remove Geothermal Energy Barriers in the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-29, November.
    6. Francisco Berenguel-Felices & Antonio Lara-Galera & María Belén Muñoz-Medina, 2020. "Requirements for the Construction of New Desalination Plants into a Framework of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Caulk, Robert A. & Tomac, Ingrid, 2017. "Reuse of abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal energy production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 388-397.
    8. Lee, Young Duk & Ahn, Kook Young & Morosuk, Tatiana & Tsatsaronis, George, 2015. "Environmental impact assessment of a solid-oxide fuel-cell-based combined-heat-and-power-generation system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 455-466.
    9. Michael Papapetrou & George Kosmadakis & Francesco Giacalone & Bartolomé Ortega-Delgado & Andrea Cipollina & Alessandro Tamburini & Giorgio Micale, 2019. "Evaluation of the Economic and Environmental Performance of Low-Temperature Heat to Power Conversion using a Reverse Electrodialysis – Multi-Effect Distillation System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-26, August.
    10. Ahmed S. Alsaman & Ahmed A. Hassan & Ehab S. Ali & Ramy H. Mohammed & Alaa E. Zohir & Ayman M. Farid & Ayman M. Zakaria Eraqi & Hamdy H. El-Ghetany & Ahmed A. Askalany, 2022. "Hybrid Solar-Driven Desalination/Cooling Systems: Current Situation and Future Trend," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-25, October.
    11. Karagiannis, Ioannis C. & Soldatos, Peter G., 2010. "Estimation of critical CO2 values when planning the power source in water desalination: The case of the small Aegean islands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 3891-3897, August.
    12. Rosales-Asensio, Enrique & Borge-Diez, David & Pérez-Hoyos, Ana & Colmenar-Santos, Antonio, 2019. "Reduction of water cost for an existing wind-energy-based desalination scheme: A preliminary configuration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 548-560.
    13. Anwar Aljuwaisseri & Esra Aleisa & Khawla Alshayji, 2023. "Environmental and economic analysis for desalinating seawater of high salinity using reverse osmosis: a life cycle assessment approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 4539-4574, May.
    14. Jamil, Furqan & Hassan, Faisal & Shoeibi, Shahin & Khiadani, Mehdi, 2023. "Application of advanced energy storage materials in direct solar desalination: A state of art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    15. Dehmas, Djamila Abdeslame & Kherba, Nabila & Hacene, Fouad Boukli & Merzouk, Nachida Kasbadji & Merzouk, Mustapha & Mahmoudi, Hacene & Goosen, Mattheus F.A., 2011. "On the use of wind energy to power reverse osmosis desalination plant: A case study from Ténès (Algeria)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 956-963, February.
    16. Bundschuh, Jochen & Ghaffour, Noreddine & Mahmoudi, Hacene & Goosen, Mattheus & Mushtaq, Shahbaz & Hoinkis, Jan, 2015. "Low-cost low-enthalpy geothermal heat for freshwater production: Innovative applications using thermal desalination processes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 196-206.
    17. Olabi, A.G. & Elsaid, Khaled & Rabaia, Malek Kamal Hussien & Askalany, Ahmed A. & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali, 2020. "Waste heat-driven desalination systems: Perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    18. Galvez-Martos, J.L. & Morrison, J. & Jauffret, G. & Elsarrag, E. & AlHorr, Y. & Imbabi, M.S. & Glasser, F.P., 2016. "Environmental assessment of aqueous alkaline absorption of carbon dioxide and its use to produce a construction material," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 129-141.
    19. Alirahmi, Seyed Mojtaba & Behzadi, Amirmohammad & Ahmadi, Pouria & Sadrizadeh, Sasan, 2023. "An innovative four-objective dragonfly-inspired optimization algorithm for an efficient, green, and cost-effective waste heat recovery from SOFC," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    20. Molinos-Senante, María & González, Diego, 2019. "Evaluation of the economics of desalination by integrating greenhouse gas emission costs: An empirical application for Chile," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 1327-1337.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:8:y:2019:i:2:p:65-:d:220815. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.