Technical and economic aspects of small-scale solar-pond-powered seawater desalination systems

The production of potable water from sea- or brackish water can be achieved using a solar pond as a heat source coupled to a desalination unit. This paper describes the self-regulating ATLANTIS "Autoflash" multistage desalination system coupled to a solar pond. The operating principles of the desalination unit as well as of the solar pond are reviewed. Performance and layout data were obtained both from computer simulation and experimental results with a small-sized solar pond and desalination subsystem in Switzerland. The economic assessment, which is presented for North African climate conditions, shows the economical boundary conditions for actual small-scale systems. Potential further cost reductions through upscaling and serial manufacture will lead to the use of solar desalinated water at competitive price levels.