Operation experience with solar powered 10 M3 per day MSF-plant in Kuwait and results of upscaling experiments

Abstract

This paper reports on the progress which was made in the field of solar desalination in order to obtain reliable equipment capable to both operate under the severe requirements associated with the use of solar energy as a variable source of heat and to yield favourable economic conditions in view of larger scale utilisation of the undepletable source of energy for the generation of fresh water. The results of a 2 year experience with a selfregulating solar MSF desalination plant under the extreme environmental conditions in the middle east will be discussed. A new type of a solar selfregulating fluidized bed MSF desalination unit will be presented for the first time. The new development which has been carried to a mass-production-level is the result of the experience gained in this field over the last years. The operation of the Atlantis desalination unit with different types of solar collection systems, in particular the salt gradient solar pond energy collection and storage system, will be discussed from the technical and economical point of view to demonstrate the feasibility of future larger scale solar desalination.