The optimal allocating pumping rate of a multi-well system for a brackish water desalination plant Original Research Article

I applied perspectives on operations research (OR) to propose a non-linear mathematical model, termed the APWs (allocation of pumping wells) model, to address problems associated with allocating pumping rates of a multi-well system for a brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) plant. In some arid and inshore regions, feed water mostly preferred to exploit groundwater, owing to its easier desalted characteristic than seawater. However, the operations of most multi-well systems are always arbitrary, and we could not guarantee the strategies of operation might be optimal; additionally, the pumping quantity and quality variation of each well would all induce the unstable quality of feed water, and then lead to the problem of scaling. Though adding acid could treat the problem of scaling, the acidification, on the other hand, means the increasing cost and damage risk of a reverse osmosis (RO) system. Therefore, the overriding objective of this study is to decide the optimal allocating pumping rate among wells for a RO system on the premise of no acid added and under finite groundwater resources, to ensure feed water has no scaling potential and achieve marginal usage of groundwater resources.