A Sustainable Water Management Concept for Auroville and its Bioregion - Desalination: A Pre-Feasibility study

Nagelschmidt, Dirk; Schimanski, Martina; Wagner, Walter (2007) A Sustainable Water Management Concept for Auroville and its Bioregion - Desalination: A Pre-Feasibility study. Technical Report. Dirk Nagelschmidt.

Text Nagelschmidt, Schimanski, Wagner - 2007 - A Sustainable Water Management Concept for Auroville and its Bioregion - Desalination A Pre-Fe.pdf Download (12MB)

Abstract

The outcome of an international water seminar, which was held in Auroville in September 2004, was a variety of proposals for the future water supply for Auroville, its Bioregion and for the Matrimandir Lake. One possibility to guarantee a safe and future water supply is to desalinate seawater. The CO2 emissions and the impact on the world climate of conventional energy devices are uncontroversial. It is clear that with every liter of freshwater produced with conventional energy; the CO2 emission has a negative impact on the world climate. Therefore emphasis was laid on an alternative desalination plant combined with renewable energy devices. In this document the author explains different desalination technologies as well as renewable energy systems. An economical cost calculation was made for selected combined desalination systems with various plant sizes of 500 m3/d; 1,000 m3/d; 5,000 m3/d and 10,000 m3/d. The question: “What would be the right desalination plant for Auroville and its Bioregion” was answered by a discussion of different possible desalination methods powered by renewable energy devices, e.g. reverse Osmosis powered by Photovoltaic etc. Seven important aims with different weight were defined: 1. Easy handling, maintenance and minimum of personnel 2. Economical investment in combination with a long lifetime 3. Flexibility and easy extendibility 4. Maximum efficiency in energy consumption, 24 h production 5. Minimum use of chemicals, Environmental impact 6. Multi Type Plant (brackish/ seawater) 7. Optimal use of the land All Aims were discussed, rated and assessed with a matrix. The outcome from the evaluation was that a Reverse Osmosis desalination plant powered by a wind turbine is the best solution to produce fresh water. The economical cost calculation showed up that water can be produced for Rs 22 per m3 with this combination. The low cost price of the fresh water is supported through the re-selling of the surplus electricity.In case “waste steam” would be available a MEDfree-steam system would be the best option concerning the pre set seven aims. For example a 10,000 m3/d MEDfree-steam powered by PV could produce fresh water for Rs 35 per m3. Again the cheapest option would be to combine the system with a wind turbine; then the water price will be app. Rs 20 per m3. Not included in this price are the storage facilities, distribution/ piping network, pump station as well as the necessary treatment facility for the brine. A separate study has to be done to clarify this costs. For the second planning phase of the desalination plant several questions, like exact location, land availability, well tests, brine disposal treatment, Wind Park and TNEB connection etc. have to be answered by separate studies. It is important to include an environmental and social impact study at this stage already.

Item Type:	Monograph (Technical Report)
Subjects:	Water > Water (General) Water > Sourcing (rainwater, stormwater, surface water, groundwater, treated water, desalinated water) Water > Management Water > Matrimandir Lake Water > Bioregion
Depositing User:	Aditi Rosegger
Date Deposited:	13 Apr 2021 09:17
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2021 09:17
URI:	http://aurorepo.in/id/eprint/187

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