about SOLMIDEFF

SOLMIDEFF (SOLar Micro gas turbine-driven Desalination for Environmental oFF-grid applications) is a multidisciplinary project aimed at conceptually developing and experimentally demonstrating an innovative, small-scale technology for water production in remote, off-grid locations thanks to its integration into a solar microturbine power generator. The target cost of water in the project is set to <2.5 €/m3. Out of this general objective, the project is markedly multidisciplinary and involves areas of technology which are usually approached separately. Indeed, even if water and energy are the two most essential needs of humankind, these are seldom researched together and it is much more frequent to have independent projects or joint projects emphasizing one of the two at the expenses of the other.

Solar micro gas turbines in the range from 5 to 30 kWe have recently been demonstrated in Europe (OMSoP project), crediting the potential to produce solar electricity at 0.10-0.15 €/kWh and high-grade heat at 250ºC, and enabling easy hybridization with liquid or gas fuels for extended (even continuous) operation. This stems as an ideal and cost-effective solution for electricity supply in underserved communities, since it enables just one power system with much lower maintenance and operating costs than other combined technologies like photovoltaic+battery or photovoltaic+diesel. Desalination is also vital for the progress of these communities, both for human consumption and agricultural services. There are readily available technologies but either they require electric power that is not available (on-grid reverse osmosis) or they rely on systems that are no able to deliver electricity continuously. In addition, the cost of this technology might be unaffordable in certain locations.

In this scenario, SOLMIDEFF joins research groups with expertise in power generation (in particular the development of the solar micro gas turbine demonstrator in Europe) and desalination to propose the integration of a solar microturbine and a bottoming desalination system made up of an electric-driven reverse osmosis system and a heat-driven Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) unit, both of which incorporate profound innovations with respect to the current technology.

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Solar Micro Gas Turbine

Conceptual development of a Solar Micro Gas Turbine (SMGT) with optimised-design tailored to theneeds of the bottoming desalination process, and potentially to other water treatment processes.

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Desalination

Experimental development of a bottoming desalination and water treatment system operating on electricand thermal energy produced by the micro gas turbine and enabling Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).

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Zero Liquid Discharge

Zero Liquid Discharge is a process that is beneficial to the industry as well as to the environment because it cuts down on expenses and no effluent - or liquid discharge - is being generated.