This course provides an introduction to the important aspects of promoting sustainable operations in the desalination industry. By examining the principles of sustainability, including cost, society, and the environment, the course analyzes the advancements and trends within the desalination industry. The primary objective of the course is to cultivate a mindset of sustainability among students when approaching the desalination field.

Given the rapid growth of the desalination industry and the continuous introduction of new systems, designs, processes, and products, the course emphasizes the evaluation of these developments based on their sustainability. Key topics covered in the course include the environmental impacts of desalination processes, the integration of water production through desalination within the water-energy-cost nexus, the design of safe and sustainable intake and outfall systems for desalination plants, the economic feasibility assessment of new desalination processes, the evaluation of renewable energy-powered desalination processes, and the exploration and application of novel desalination systems such as membrane distillation and forward osmosis. The course also addresses recent technological advancements aimed at enhancing desalination processes and concerns related to fouling in reverse osmosis (RO) membranes.

To enhance understanding of the course concepts, case studies will be presented, allowing students to apply the principles learned to real-world scenarios.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

Apply and gain in-depth knowledge on the operation, heat balance, performance, optimization, start-up and troubleshooting of MSF and RO water desalination plants
Develop a good understanding of thermal and flash desalination, single and multiple effects of evaporation, fouling, scaling and the recent trends desalination
Describe the RO membrane desalination processes and the basic principles of MF and UF, including the fouling and cleaning of these systems
Develop a good understanding of the basic principles and design of reverse osmosis technology (RO)
Discuss fouling, pre-and post-treatment for RO and NF systems

Who Should Attend?

This course is intended for all engineers, scientists and technologists involved in the planning, management and operation of water desalination systems and also for manufacturers, consultants, designers, researchers and water personnel. This course is also suitable for water laboratory staff including lab managers, chemists, scientists, analysts, technologists and other labs technical staff.

Course Outlines:

PRE-TEST
The global water crisis
The desalination market
Desalination and sustainability

Fouling in RO plants
Safe and sustainable intake and outfall systems
Environmental impacts of desalination processes

Renewable-energy powered desalination
Novel desalination technologies: membrane distillation

Assessing the economic feasibility of new desalination processes
Recent advances in desalination

The Singapore experience: WATER
TBD: The Boron issue in desalination

Filters