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Salinity gradient energy recovery with Batch Reverse Osmosis

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  • Alnajdi, Sultan
  • Naderi Beni, Ali
  • Roldan-Carvajal, Mateo
  • Aboderin, Joel
  • Rao, Akshay K.
  • Warsinger, David M.

Abstract

Integrating desalination with energy requires dispatchable mechanisms to modulate power consumption. Blue Energy technologies like pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) have struggled for viability but may find a niche where regulations require brine dilution. This paper studies the technological and economic feasibility of coupling double-acting piston Batch Reverse Osmosis (BRO) with PRO through modeling. Two hybrid configurations were developed as demand-response methods to provide electricity to the grid and compared to stand-alone RO and BRO. We considered desalinating seawater with a 50% recovery ratio and PRO operating by mixing BRO brine with wastewater effluent. The hybrid configurations lowered desalination energy consumption by up to 26.6% compared to stand-alone RO and 10.2% compared to BRO. Sensitivity analysis reveals that high water permeability, low salt permeability, and high collapse pressure membranes favor energy recovery. While economics are location-dependent, the levelized cost of water in hybrid systems is higher than in stand-alone systems due to extra membrane modules. For hybrid systems to be cost-effective, electricity prices must exceed 0.4 USD/kWh. Nonetheless, hybrid configurations offer flexibility, either delivering electricity to the grid or reducing desalination energy consumption.

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  • Alnajdi, Sultan & Naderi Beni, Ali & Roldan-Carvajal, Mateo & Aboderin, Joel & Rao, Akshay K. & Warsinger, David M., 2025. "Salinity gradient energy recovery with Batch Reverse Osmosis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:246:y:2025:i:c:s096014812500463x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.122801
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