Environmental Impact of Seawater Desalination Plants: Case Study in Algeria

Abstract

This paper focuses on Environmental impacts associated with concentrated brine rejection in the Mediterranean arising from seawater desalination plants in Algeria. We present a case study on the environmental impacts of Cape Djinet Power/MSF seawater desalination plant. These impacts are mainly due to brine discharge but also to a lesser degree the chemicals used in the cleaning of various modules, thermal pollution, etc.. We performed the measurement of four parameters (temperature, pH, salinity and conductivity), exergy analysis and numerical simulation to visualize the effects of rejection. Measurements of temperature and pH are compliant Algerian liquid discharges indicated in the legislative knowing that there are no limits imposed on the conductivity and salinity. Global results show no effect while there is a local impact due to the relatively small size of the resort of Cape Djinet (4x500 m3/day). CFD simulation was used to visualize the effect of brine discharge in the sea.