Performance Optimization of Brackish Water Reverses Osmosis Desalination Plants in Gaza Strip (Yasin and AlManar Plants:Cases study)

Abstract

Performance Optimization of Brackish Water Reverses Osmosis Desalination Plants in Gaza Strip (Yasin and AlManar Plants:Cases study) Brackish Water Reverse osmosis (BWRO) has become increasingly attractive source for potable water in the Gaza strip, so the brackish water source is preferable because of the lower investment required for maintenance and operation costs. More than 90% of Gaza's population depends on desalinated brackish water for drinking purposes by private, public, NGO and governmental BWRO desalination plants. It is important to mention that more than 150 of these plants are in operation throughout Gaza Strip. This research aims to study the optimum performance in BWRO desalination plants in Gaza strip with minimum cost as unit cost by using the most advanced technologies with respect to system configuration, pumping systems, membrane assembly leading to energy and cost saving, so this study focused on role of system configurations and performance of different types of Toray membranes in different stages. The system performance was measured in relation with other operating factors such as recovery ratio, feed concentration, productivity, feed pressure and power consumption.Toray DS, Version 2.5 is a comprehensive RO systems projection software that allows users to analyze and simulate the model and design configuration simpler and easier by using Toray membranes. The analysis results of case one Yasin BWRO plant and case two Al Manar BWRO plant, the energy consumption reduced from 1.0 kWh/m3 to 0.56 kWh/m3 and reduced from 1.1 kWh/m3 to 0.55 kWh/m3 ,respectively by using Toray membranes (TM720-440 ), rearrange system configurations, using high efficiency pump and also resulted the permeate quality. In addition, The optimization of operating parameters (pressure and conversion) and membrane type reduced desalted water as unit cost (US$/m3) by 42 % and 37 % in Yasin and Al Manar plant, respectively. The study concluded that operating parameters and selection of membranes type and flow configuration BWRO systems can be designed optimally leading to and minimize desalted water unit cost to the system as resulted from 1.04 $/m3 to 0.59 $/m3 and 0.65 $/m3 respectively in Yasin and AlManar desalination Plants. Key- words: Optimization, BWRO, Brackish, membranes, energy consumption