A tool for assessing the scalability of pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manzoor, Husnain; Selam, Muaz A.; Abdur Rahman, Fahim Bin; Adham, Samer; Castier, Marcelo; Abdel-Wahab, Ahmed
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 149(2020)
• Page Start: 987
• Page End: 999
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: Pressure-retarted osmosis -- Simulation -- Equation of state -- Energy recovery -- Pressure exchangers -- Produced water; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.10.098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: Osmotic energy recovery from hypersaline waters, such as produced water from oil and gas reservoirs and concentrated brine, is strategically significant to water utilization and sustainable energy production. Much attention has been given to pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) as a potentially viable process for osmotic energy recovery. To predict the performance of various operable PRO configurations in conjunction with prior art membranes, a robust simulation tool has been developed in this work that is based on an equation of state for electrolyte solutions and a detailed mass transfer model. The salinities of draw and feed inlet streams are specified such that they are representative of produced water and seawater, respectively. By integrating fluxes over discrete elements, the simulator is able to capture the effects of continuous dilution on thermodynamic property profiles across the membrane area. This has implications for the scalability of coupon-scale power density measurements. The quantitative impact of electrolyte solution non-ideality on calculated energy recovery is evaluated based on a representative PRO process configuration. Highlights: The pressure-retarded osmosis simulator accurately predicts net energy recovery. Pressure exchanger is an essential component for the viability of the PRO process. Osmotic driving force diminishes appreciably along plant-scale modules.