UNIDAD DE APLICACIONES SOLARES TÉRMICAS

Bio-Mimetic and Phyto-Technologies designed for low-cost purification and recycling of water (INDIA-H2O)

Participants: UOB (coordinator), PDPU, CIEMAT, AQP, AQPA, IHE, LEITAT, GBP, MOD, BGU, DAV, ACWADAM, JU, OPC, CETIM, AU, CEERI

Contact:  Guillermo Zaragoza, guillermo.zaragoza@psa.es

Funding agency: European Commission, H2020-SC5-2018-2019-2020

Background: INDIA-H20 will develop, design, and demonstrate high-recovery, low-cost water treatment systems for saline groundwater and industrial wastewaters, focused on the arid state of Gujarat, with scarce surface water resources. Solutions will be demonstrated in small-scale rurally relevant low-cost systems, and a centre of excellence will be established in water treatment membrane technologies, design operation and monitoring.

Objectives: Develop novel batch-reverse osmosis technology for a 10-fold reduction in specific energy consumption with high water recovery (80%) reducing operating costs. Develop forward osmosis at pilot scale for use in wastewater recovery applications including hybrid arrangements with reverse osmosis for further reduction in energy consumption. Develop business models, policy briefs and governance arrangements for adoption of the developed systems.

Achievements in 2021: CIEMAT participated in the design of a conceptual model to monitor different process parameters of the batch reverse osmosis (BRO) and the forward osmosis (FO) unit. One of the schemes works over wireless connection (at PDPU) and the other one works over wired RS-232 support (at Lodhva village). Sub-modules used in the monitoring scheme have been developed. In addition, CIEMAT has used the models described in Deliverable D4.2 and the operation manual to test, in simulation, the operation of the BRO-FO system designed for PDPU location. The model assumptions used were: PV peak installed power 3.24 kW, batteries (2 kWh), and no grid connection. Finally, a preliminary definition of the energy management strategy has been completed. The objective is to minimize the cost of the water but assuring that we are supplying the water demanded by the school and halophytes.