This book presents the latest developments and advances in solar desalination technology, including the concept, design, testing, modeling, economics and innovation. The chapters in this volume are contributed by leading international researchers and are based on original research material. The contents of this volume will be of interest to researchers, professionals, and policymakers alike.

Thermal Solar Desalination: Methods and Systems presents numerous thermal seawater desalination technologies varying from the very simple, easy to construct and operate solar stills, to the more advance membrane and indirect distillation methods. All types of solar thermal desalination technologies are presented in detail to enable readers to comprehend the subject, from design details to enabling further research to be carried out in this area. The various units used in desalination are outlined, along with diagrams of all detailed working principles of desalination methods and systems. The authors consider the economic aspects of these processes, demonstrating successful implementation of desalination units suitable for areas where supplies of fresh water in natural ways is limited or non-existent. - Includes detailed descriptions and design of all types of solar thermal desalination systems - Lists a comprehensive record of seawater and fresh water thermophysical properties required in the design of desalination systems - Contains equations to calculate and analyze the performance of the processes examined and assesses their practicality and application

Solar Energy Desalination Technology explains how to obtain clean water from sea water using solar energy. Special methods and types used in solar desalination are introduced, providing new thoughts, concepts, and feasible solutions in the desalination field, along with the thermal and economic efficiency relating to current technology. Many places in the world are suffering from fresh water shortage. However, those places are often rich with solar resources, sea water, and/or brackish water resources that could dramatically benefit from solar energy as a viable solution for the production of fresh water. - Explains the principles of solar thermal energy usage to produce clean water from sea water - Introduces and explains new kinds of solar desalination systems, including their technical level and working principle - Provides fundamental knowledge on water treatment and solar collection

This book essentially summarises the water shortage crisis in the world and its possible solution by using solar energy through solar stills. The world is facing an urgent problem. By 2015, 40 per cent of the world's population will be living in regions without adequate fresh water supply. Presently, almost all sea water desalination plans are electricity based and highly power intensive. With more than half the world likely to become dependent on sea water desalination such an energy-expensive scenario is clearly not sustainable.The aim of the book is to provide the most recent information on various practices, developments and improvements in water distillation, heat and mass transfer in solar distillation, thermal modelling and embedded energy of solar stills, and the applications of solar distillation in today's world. The concluding chapter also deals with economic analysis of solar distillation. To simplify the subject, figures, tables, solved examples and problems with hints are given at the end of each chapter, and there are appendices and a glossary of meaningful terms to assist the reader. The authors have written an outstanding academic work which carries weight and resonance beyond university courses and libraries, and which impacts on the global population.

This book of the NATO Science Series presents the state-of-the-art of Desalination Technologies driven by Renewable Energies, highlighting the results achieved in the research field and presenting the potentialities of such technologies. It provides an up-to-date point-of-reference on the topic, giving an extensive overview of the current status of solar desalination, both from the research and industrial point of view.

A growing proportion of the world’s population is dependent on Seawater Desalination as a source of fresh water for both potable and civil use. One of the main drawbacks of conventional desalination technologies is the substantial energy requirement, which is facing cost increases in the global energy market. "Seawater Desalination" presents an overview of conventional and non-conventional technologies, with a particular focus on the coupling of renewable energies with desalination processes. The first section of this book presents, in a technical but reader-friendly way, an overview of currently-used desalination processes, from thermal to membrane processes, highlighting the relevant technical features, advantages and disadvantages, and development potential. It also gives a rapid insight into the economic aspects of fresh water production from seawater. The second section of the book presents novel processes which use Renewable Energies for fresh water production. From the first solar still evaporators, which artificially reproduced the natural cycle of water, technology has progressed to develop complex systems to harness energy from the sun, wind, tides, waves, etc. and then to use this energy to power conventional or novel desalination processes. Most of these processes are still at a preliminary stage of development, but some are already being cited as examples in remote areas, where they are proving to be valuable in solving the problems of water scarcity. A rapid growth in these technologies is foreseen in the coming years. This book provides a unique foundation, within the context of present and future sustainability, for professionals, technicians, managers, and private and public institutions operating in the area of fresh water supply.

The need for fresh water is increasing with the rapid growth of the world's population. In countries and regions with available water resources, it is necessary to ensure the health and safety of the water supply. However, in countries and regions with limited freshwater resources, priority is given to water supply plans and projects, among which the desalination strategy stands out. In the desalination process, membrane and thermal processes are used to obtain fresh water from salty water that is in abundant amounts in the sea. This book will outline valuable scientific contributions to the new desalination and water treatment technologies to obtain high quality water with low negative environmental impacts and cost. The editors would like to record their sincere thanks to the authors for their contributions.