Solar-powered Desalination Unit from NEWater

NEWater solar desalinators can augment freshwater sources with brackish and saline water. They are manufactured under the careful observation of environmental protection engineers, with over 15 years of experience, and are environmentally friendly devices using renewable energy sources.

Our solar powered desalination system either makes use of photovoltaic cells which convert light energy into electrical energy which can then power desalination systems, making use of reverse osmosis technology, or solar stills are used where salt is removed from water by using solar energy to boil seawater and capture the resulting steam. Cooled water is freshwater that does not contain any of the salt and impurities which are left behind in the still.

Send over an email to NEWater now and get all your questions and queries regarding our solar powered desalination unit & solar powered water maker answered!

The Ultimate FAQ Guide for Solar Powered Desalination Unit

Over 97% of the 332.5 million mi³ of earth’s water is salty meaning we only have less than 3% fresh water available at our disposal. Exhaustion of freshwater reservoirs and continued pollution of waterways have rendered billions of people water-stressed. To cover the deficits, communities, and industries have resorted to saltwater desalination. This has been enabled by state-of-the-art desalination machines that extract up to 99.7% of dissolved salts. Underneath, we evaluate solar powered reverse osmosis water purifiers and the impact they have had on the global water supply.

➣What is a Solar Powered Desalination Unit?

A solar powered desalination unit is a specialized unit reliant on solar power to extract dissolved salts from saline water consequently producing potable water. Saltwater with a concentration of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) surpassing 1,000 is generally considered unfit for most potable water applications. Solar powered reverse osmosis water purifier s can treat varying grades of saline water ranging from brackish water to extremely salty seawater at 45,000 ppm.

They make fresh water out of salty water by exploiting elaborate desalination technologies such as reverse osmosis, thermal distillation, and electrodeionization tech. By relying on solar energy, they offer viable water treatment solutions to off-grid users. They have diverse application fields thanks to their broad-range production capacities and flow rates. NEWater tailors solar-powered desalination units to operate optimally under your exclusive operational specifications.

➣How Do Solar Desalination Systems Function?

Owing to the alarming deterioration of freshwater sources, there has been a proliferation in the number of people reliant on saline water sources. This has provoked the development of top-notch saltwater desalination mechanisms and equipment. Primarily, contemporary desalination machines eliminate dissolved salts using thermal desalination and reverse osmosis.

● Thermal desalination.

Thermal desalination extracts dissolved salts and other impurities by evaporating the saltwater to alienate it from the harbored impurities. Owing to the relatively lower boiling point of water, it converts into vapor leaving deposits of objectionable impurities at the bottom of the boiling chamber. The vapor is consequently condensed to produce high-grade distilled water.

The energy used to boil the salty water is harvested from the sun using solar collectors. Thermal distillation is primarily accomplished using three processes.

• Multi-effect desalination.
• Multi-stage flushing.
• Vapor compression.

● Reverse osmosis.

Reverse osmosis is an advanced saltwater desalination mechanism often deployed to convert brackish water and seawater into high-grade product water. The pressure-driven process exploits semipermeable membranes to separate dissolved salts from pure water. High-pressure pumps are used to exert pressure on the saltwater resulting in feed water pressure that is greater than the osmotic pressure.

Forcing the saline water through partially permeable membranes results in the generation of two streams. A permeate stream that contains filtered water devoid of dissolved salts and a concentrated stream harboring the retained contaminants. The dissolved salts as well as other undesirable pollutants are blocked off by the membrane perforations based on size exclusion.

The following is an illustration of solar desalination using reverse osmosis.

➣What Are the Chief Advantages of Using Solar Powered Desalination Units?

Solar powered reverse osmosis water purifiers have over time proven they can be dependable solutions to the devastating freshwater insufficiency. They generate sufficient volumes of freshwater consistently, economically, and conveniently. Furthermore, they massively help in preserving the planet by decreasing the amount of carbon emitted by fossil fuels. The following are additional rewards reaped from utilizing solar powered desalination unit.

• Reduced power bills due to reliance on free solar energy.
• High-grade potable water with a TDS level of 300-600ppm.
• High desalination rates of up to 99.7% thanks to highly efficient and high-rejection reverse osmosis membranes.
• Protection of natural freshwater reservoirs and habitats by mitigating over-exploitation.
• Energy recovery, which makes their power consumption quite efficient.
• Affordable maintenance and operational costs.
• Stress-free installation and operation thanks to plug-and-play configuration.
• High recovery rates, make the machines economical.

➣Which Types of Solar Powered Desalination Units Do You Provide?

The need for solar powered desalination units in different sectors has driven manufacturers into developing a diverse array of equipment. As a comprehensive manufacturer of solar desalination equipment, we have several systems custom-made for distinct applications and saltwater types.

● Seawater solar powered desalination units

The lion’s share of earth’s water, which is salty water, is found in seas and oceans. For coastal civilizations, seawater is an essential resource that is often exploited as an alternative source of fresh water. This is accomplished with the help of seawater desalination equipment. Solar desalination equipment designed to treat seawater has a TDS range of 15,000 to 45,000 ppm. They include solar distillation equipment and reverse osmosis systems for salty water.

● Brackish water solar desalination kits

Characteristically, brackish water is not as salty as seawater hence it requires specialized desalination equipment. NEWater’s array of brackish water desalination equipment includes solar-powered reverse osmosis systems with a TDS range of 1,000ppm to 12,000ppm.  Comparatively, brackish water desalination machines consume less power than seawater desalination systems. We also manufacture standard and customized thermal distillation machines for brackish water.

● Reverse osmosis solar-powered desalination units

Reverse osmosis solar-powered desalination units are systems designed to eradicate dissolved salts from saline water using partially porous membranes. The machines constitute pressure booster pumps, which generate pressure that drives the reverse osmosis process. Reverse osmosis desalination machines have TDS levels varying from 1,000ppm to 42,000ppm thereby catering to brackish water and seawater desalination.

● Solar-powered thermal distillation systems

Thermal distillation machines extract dissolved salts by evaporating and consequently condensing salty water. They derive the energy needed to heat the salty water from solar energy and by enforcing energy recovery, they are pretty energy-efficient. Typical thermal distillers consist of a heating source, boiling chamber, condenser, and control board.

➣What Are The Main Components of Solar Powered Desalination Units?

Solar desalination systems are chiefly configured depending on how they utilize solar energy (directly or indirectly) and the desalination methodology they employ. Direct solar-powered desalination units rely on direct sunlight to evaporate salty water. A good example of these systems is a marine solar still that is primarily used to desalinate seawater. Indirect solar desalination plants are made of two separate systems; an elaborate solar power system and a desalination machine.

A comprehensive solar power system consists of solar collectors, photovoltaics, and high-power batteries. The solar panels harvest energy from the sun and the energy is subsequently turned into electric energy by photovoltaics. Batteries are called upon to preserve excess energy for use during low-power seasons. Below is a brief elaboration of the essential components that make a functional reverse osmosis system.

● Pretreatment system

The pretreatment system can be set up separately from the reverse osmosis machine or integrated into the system. Typical solar desalination systems include sediment filters to extract suspended solids, carbon filters to extract volatile chemicals, and ion exchange filters to remove water hardness and dissolved ions. The pretreatment system shields the desalination machine from scaling, corrosion, or membrane clogging.

● Pressure booster pumps

Pressure booster pumps are high-pressure pumps tasked with generating pressure to propel the reverse osmosis process. In solar powered desalination units, the pressure booster pumps are primarily powered by solar energy.

● Reverse osmosis membranes

The RO membranes are thin-film composite sheets that alienate dissolved salts from water through size exclusion. They are semipermeable with pores measuring roughly 0.0001 microns. Furthermore, reverse osmosis membrane filters eradicate other unwanted impurities such as microbes, minerals, dissolved ions, and proteins.

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➣How Much Do Solar Powered Reverse Osmosis Water Purifiers Cost?

The cost of purchasing desalination machines and deploying them to generate freshwater has dipped progressively over the years. The price of solar-powered desalination units is largely subjective hence it is quite challenging to approximate. Factors that determine the machine’s price tag include primary features like production capacity and design, desalination mechanism, quality of components, and the manufacturer. To mitigate the spread of misinformation, we have an inquiry section on our website that allows you to ask for actual price quotations.

Moreover, the price of solar desalination systems is not necessarily constrained to the investment cost only. It also entails expenses incurred when running the machine to produce fresh water. These expenditures include installation, pretreatment, maintenance, repairs and replacements, power bills, and labor fees.

Practical usage of solar-powered desalination units in filtering seawater commands between $0.79/m3 and $2.38/m3 while filtering brackish water commands $0.29/m3 to $0.66/m3. For the market’s leading prices and exclusive discounts on solar powered reverse osmosis water purifiers, procure your equipment from NEWater.

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➣What Should I Look for When Purchasing a Solar Powered Desalination Unit?

Attempting to procure a solar desalination kit without the right information or guidance could have catastrophic repercussions. Our engineers have summarized a number of factors new and return buyers can refer to for direction when purchasing solar powered desalination systems.

● What is the concentration and composition of your feedwater?

Salty water from distinct sources exhibits different levels of salinity. As such, different desalination systems are needed to desalinate different types of saltwater. Our experts advise testing samples of your feed water to determine the exact TDS, TOC, TSS, microbial count, and acidity of your feed water. At NEWater, we use laboratory test results to prescribe or manufacture the perfect solar desalination plant for you.

● What grade of potable water are you targeting?

Although there are varying factors that determine the quality of water generated by desalination systems, it is imperative that you acquire the right equipment. You should be aware of the quality of potable water your application demands and the industry regulations in effect.

● How many gallons of potable water do you need?

Understanding the scale of your application and the exact quantity of potable water you need over specified timelines is crucial. Typical solar powered desalination plants are available in capacities of up to 600,000 GPD. If you feel the available systems do not sufficiently meet your production quota, order a customized system.

● Financial aspects.

In essence, you should contemplate the machine’s purchasing price as well as its possible operational costs. Make certain that the machine you opt for fits well within your financial capabilities to prevent future setbacks. Additionally, scrutinize the system’s quality to ensure you get good value for your money.

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➣What is the Salt Rejection Rate of Solar Desalination Systems?

Typical solar powered desalination systems extract 95% to 99% of salts dissolved in brackish water or seawater. Reverse osmosis desalination machines have salt rejection rates as high as 99.7% while thermal desalination machines can extract up to 98% of dissolved solids. The impeccable desalination rate of solar powered reverse osmosis water purifiers is enabled by the high rejection membranes exploited. The semipermeable membranes have miniature pores measuring roughly 0.0001 microns.

This means that any element present in the water with high molecular weight is seized by the RO membranes. The salt rejection score of thermal distillation equipment is equally high thanks to the low boiling point of water, which allows dissolved salts to be left behind when water turns to vapor. The effectiveness of solar powered desalination units is further augmented by their impressive ability to extract other objectionable elements. These contaminants include minerals, dissolved ions, bacteria and viruses, organic compounds, and chemicals.

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➣Which is the Best Pretreatment Method for Solar Powered Desalination Unit ?

Solar powered desalination plants are principally deployed to convert saltwater into product water. Salty water, be it brackish water or seawater naturally harbors numerous contaminants, some of which might be detrimental to the solar desalination kit. To mitigate any form of untimely damage, the salty water is initially pretreated to extract possible foulants. Here are some of the technologies widely deployed to pretreat feed water.

● Sediment filtration

Using sediment pre-filters, impurities likely to clog the RO membranes such as colloids, seaweed, suspended solids, dust, and debris are weeded out. Sediment filtration also decreases water turbidity consequently making the feed water quite clear.

● Carbon filtration

Chlorine, Volatile Organic Compounds, pesticides, and herbicides are some of the chemical pollutants found in seawater. Deploying activated carbon filters prior gets rid of these objectionable constituents resulting in feed water without unpleasant odors or tastes.

● Chemical dosing

Chemical dosing entails injecting specific portions of reagents into the feed water to extract or nullify certain pollutants. The injection of antiscalants removes minerals and ions likely to cause scaling e.g. calcium, iron, and magnesium. Chlorination or injecting chlorine sterilizes the water by getting rid of microbial parasites.

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