Multistage Pressure-Retarded Osmosis

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dc.contributor.authorBharadwaj, Devesh
dc.contributor.authorFyles, Thomas M.
dc.contributor.authorStruchtrup, Henning
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-10T22:12:44Z
dc.date.copyright2016en_US
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractOne promising sustainable energy source is the chemical potential difference between salt and freshwater. The membrane process of pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) has been the most widely investigated means to harvest salinity gradient energy. In this report, we analyse the thermodynamic efficiency of multistage PRO systems to optimize energy recovery from a salinity gradient. We establish a unified description of the efficiencies of the component pumps (P), turbines (T), pressure exchangers (PX), and membrane modules (M) and exploit this model to determine the maximum available work with respect to the volume of the brine produced, the volume of the sea water consumed, or the volume of the freshwater that permeates the membrane. In an idealized series configuration of 1–20 modules (P–M–T), the three optimization conditions have significantly different intermediate operating pressures in the modules, but demonstrate that multistage systems can recover a significantly larger fraction of the available work compared to single-stage PRO. The biggest proportional advantage occurs for one to three modules in series. The available work depends upon the component efficiencies, but the proportional advantage of multistage PRO is retained. We also optimize one- and two-stage PX–M–T and P–M–T configurations with respect to the three volume parameters, and again significantly different optimal operating conditions are found. PX–M–T systems are more efficient than P–M–T systems, and two-stage systems have efficiency advantages that transcend assumed component efficiencies. The results indicate that overall system design with a clear focus on critical optimization parameters has the potential to significantly improve the near-term practical feasibility of PRO.en_US
dc.description.embargo2017-07-12
dc.description.reviewstatusRevieweden_US
dc.description.scholarlevelFacultyen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipNSERC Discovery Granten_US
dc.identifier.citationJ. Non-Equilib. Thermodyn. Vol 41, pp327-347, 2016en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1515/jnet-2016-0017
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/8094
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherJ. Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamicsen_US
dc.subjectpressure-retarded osmosisen_US
dc.subjectrenewable energiesen_US
dc.subjectpressure exchangersen_US
dc.titleMultistage Pressure-Retarded Osmosisen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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