By-product recovery from Saudi desalination plants

Abstract

Saudi Arabia has the largest capacity of desalination inventory in the world. Desalination in Saudi Arabia account for approximately 50% of the world capacity. In these massive desalination plants, huge amounts of drained brine are disposed. Besides the large flow rates of the disposed brine, sea water intakes in Saudi Arabia, Red Sea and/or Arabian Gulf, have the maximum salinity in the world. This increases the amount of the dissolved minerals in the desalination blowdown. In particular, the produced by-product brine from desalination plants will have a double salt concentration. The use of drained brine in appropriate processes can yield magnesium, calcium, potassium, chlorine and bromine as well as salt, sodium chloride. Recovery of such resources is considered very attractive in Saudi Arabia which has a limited natural resources. The hot weather and the unlimited spaces available in Saudi Arabia make the process more feasible. It also reduces the cost of water production and minimize the pollution problems associated with the brine disposal. The possible production of some by-products from Saudi desalination plants will be discussed in this paper together with the technical feasibility of the proposed processes.