This document summarizes a project to evaluate a solar desalination technology from Waterl'eau Plc. The objectives are to simulate freshwater productivity under different scenarios, investigate suitable materials, build a table-top scale model, and design a large field demonstrator. The deliverables will be a technical report on the technology's potential and a demonstration table-top model. Preliminary results show daily freshwater productivity of 23.1 liters without heat storage and 35.5 liters with heat storage. A 1:100 scale working model and 1:20 scale field demonstrator design were developed.

1. Solar Desalination
Large Scale Water Recovery Technology
Students: J. Andreu L. Perillaud
V. Fleury G. Shirley
K. Kocot S. D. Sonntag
V. Lambert A. Zapata
Supervisors: Dr. X. Tonnellier
Dr. C. Sansom
Waterl'eau Plc
Email: waterleaux@gmail.com
Address: 9 Perseverance Works, Kingsland Road, London, E2 8DD
Phone: +44 (0)207 613 8161
Email: x.p.tonnellier@cranfield.ac.uk
Address: Building 90, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL
www.cranfield.ac.uk
2016
Aim
To evaluate patented solar desalination
technology from Waterl’eau Plc by
simulating freshwater productivity,
prototyping a working scale model and
designing a field demonstrator.
Objectives
• Evaluate freshwater productivity for different
scenarios
• Investigate suitable materials for structure
and heat storage
• Build and design a table-top model
• Design and costing of a large scale field
demonstrator
Deliverables
• Provide a detailed technical report about
technology potential in term of throughput,
investment, design and materials,
• Demonstrate a table-top working scale
model suitable for investors meeting.
Conclusions
 The field demonstrator design operates with an external condensation system driven by fans, extracting humid air from the geodesic dome, condensing
steam in underground pipes and feeding dry air back into intake canal
 A system transferring the latent heat from condensate to incoming flow of seawater was designed
 Continuous water production is provided using heat storage technology
 Low energy approach using seawater collection from below sea level to ensure flow through canals to the dome
 Coatings on glass panels and frame structure to protect the materials and enhance the efficiency of condensation and evaporation
 CSP technologies (Heliostats & Parabolic through) could enhance plant productivity
Freshwater Productivity
• Customised model developed (Simulink)
• Water surface energy calculations achieved
using solar ray tracing software (Tonatiuh)
• Preliminary productivity results for field
demonstrator (𝑟 = 2𝑚)
• without heat storage: 𝟐𝟑. 𝟏 𝒍
𝑫𝒂𝒚
• with heat storage (1.5𝑘𝑊): 𝟑𝟓. 𝟓 𝒍
𝑫𝒂𝒚
Working Scale Model
• Proof-of-concept (1:100 scale)
• Understanding of solar desalination plant
technology
• Organisation of plant layout
• Visualisation of technology scalability
• Exploration of manufacturing processes for
prototype production
Field Demonstrator
• Technical solution generation
• Final design decisions according to weighted
key value attributes: Performance, Cost,
Durability, Installation, Eco-friendliness,
Maintenance, Safety
• Field demonstrator CAD model (1:20 scale)
• Initial costing assessment
Materials
• Borosilicate glass with enhanced properties
• Coatings applied on dome structure:
Anti-reflective, anti-soiling, self-cleaning,
spectrally-selective absorber, condensation
enhancement
• Heat storage techniques:
Phase-change materials, solar pond,
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) combined
with heat storage medium
Table-top working scale model (CAD model - 1:100 scale)
Yield𝑙
ℎ
Time [ℎ]
Productivity𝑙
Time [ℎ]
Temperature[℃]
Solarpower𝑊
𝑚2
Time [ℎ]
Time [ℎ]
Results from preliminary productivity calculations (with heat storage)
Field demonstrator (CAD model - 1:20 scale)
Solar ray tracing simulation
(Tonatiuh)