Leonardo Quevedo Ribeiro

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Áreas de atuação

Projetos de pesquisa

• 2014 - 2014

  Australian Potential for Combined PRO-RO Schemes, Descrição: This study investigates a possible solution to two important issues related to Australian desalination plants, namely i) the excessive consumption of energy in the desalination process and ii) the high rate of underutilization of these plants, observed during long periods of abundant water in the environment. The possible solution proposed in this study is based on the use of the available desalination infrastructure to generate power through Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO), in addition to the usual production of potable water accomplished through Reverse Osmosis (RO). PRO is a relatively recent technology for harnessing the energy released from salinity gradients between solutions of different salt concentrations. In this investigation, 3 major Australian desalination plants were analysed for the possible generation of energy using PRO. Calculating the energy released from the salinity gradient between brine the main seawater desalination by-product and seawater, and estimating the quantity of energy that could be potentially harnessed using the PRO technology, were the main objectives of this study. Another objective was to investigate the possibility of using the RO infrastructure for the production of energy, rather than potable water, from the salinity gradient between seawater and freshwater from reservoirs, in periods when freshwater is abundant in the environment. It was hoped that combining desalination and power generation in one same facility would increase plant utilisation rates, justifying investments and reducing operational costs in the desalination process, at the same time as promoting a new source of renewable energy.. , Situação: Concluído; Natureza: Pesquisa. , Alunos envolvidos: Graduação: (1) / Doutorado: (1) . , Integrantes: Leonardo Quevedo Ribeiro - Coordenador / Fernanda Helfer - Integrante., Financiador(es): Griffith University - Bolsa.

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