Desalination

Our current research foci include humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination, the energy efficiency of desalination and water purification processes, and membrane distillation.  HDH cycles operate by vaporizing water from seawater into an airstream, from which pure water is then condensed. HDH cycles depend upon regeneration and careful thermal design for energy efficient operation. Our work is directed at understanding and improving the thermodynamic performance of such cycles. We are studying the energy efficiency and irreversibilities of a variety of water purification and supply processes, and we are studying novel cycles for membrane distillation. We are particularly interested in the use of solar energy to drive desalination cycles and in the use of desalination in remote or off-grid regions. The importance of this work is described by the fact that roughly 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.

Much of this work is sponsored by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals through the Center for Clean Water and Clean Energy at MIT and KFUPM. Other major sponsors include the MASDAR Institute in Abu Dhabi and BP.

Online media related to this research:

Publications

2013
K. Mistry and J.H. Lienhard V, “Generalized least energy of separation for desalination and other chemical separation processes,” Entropy, accepted, May 2013.

K. Mistry, H.A. Hunter, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Effect of composition and nonideal solution behavior on desalination calculations for mixed electrolyte solutions with comparison to seawater,” Desalination, 318:34-47, June 2013. (doi link)

K.H. Mistry and J.H. Lienhard V, “Effect of Nonideal Solution Behavior on Desalination of a Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Solution and Comparison to Seawater,” J. Energy Res. Tech., accepted, May 2013.

G.P. Narayan, M.H. Sharqawy, S. Lam, S.K. Das, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Bubble Columns for Condensation at High Concentrations of Non-condensable Gas: Heat Transfer Model and Experiments,” AIChE Journal, 59(5):1780–1790, May 2013. (doi link)

G.P. Thiel, J.A. Miller, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Effect of mass extractions and injections on the performance of a fixed-size humidification-dehumidification desalination system,” Desalination, 314:50-58, April 2013. (doi link)

J.A. Miller and J.H. Lienhard V, “Impact of Extraction on a Humidification-Dehumidification Desalination System,” Desalination, 313:87-96, March 2013. (doi link)

F. Al-Sulaiman, G.P. Narayan, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Exergy Analysis of a High-Temperature-Steam-Driven, Varied-pressure, Humidification-Dehumidification System Coupled with Reverse Osmosis,” Applied Energy, 103:552-561, March 2013. (doi link)

G.P. Narayan, M.S. St. John, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Thermal design of the humidification dehumidification desalination system: an experimental investigation,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 58:740-748, March 2013. (doi link)

G.P. Narayan, K.M. Chehayeb, R.K. McGovern, G.P. Thiel, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Thermodynamic balancing of the humidi cation dehumidi cation desalination system by mass extraction and injection,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 57(2):756-770, Feb. 2013 (doi link)

R.K. McGovern, G.P. Thiel, G.P. Narayan, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Performance Limits of Single and Dual Stage Humidification Dehumidification Desalination Systems,” Applied Energy, 102:1081-1090, Feb. 2013. (doi link)

E.K. Summers and J.H. Lienhard V,  ”A Novel Solar Air-Gap Membrane Distillation System,” Desalination and Water Treatment, 51:1344–1351, Feb. 2013. (doi link)

M.A. Sievers and J.H. Lienhard V, “Design of flat-plate dehumidifiers for humidification dehumidification desalination systems,” Heat Transfer Engineering, 34(7):543-561, Jan. 2013 (doi link)

K. Mistry, M.A. Antar, and J.H. Lienhard V, “An Improved Model for Multiple Effect Distillation,” Desalination and Water Treatment, 51:807–821, Jan. 2013. (doi link)

A.K. Plappally and J.H. Lienhard V, “Cost of Water Treatment, Distribution, End Use, and Reclamation,” Desalination and Water Treatment, 51:200–232, Jan. 2013. (doi link)

2012

E.K. Summers, M.A. Antar, and J.H. Lienhard V,  ”Design and optimization of an air heating solar collector with integrated phase change material energy storage for use in humidification-dehumidification desalination,” Solar Energy, 86(11):3417-3429, Nov. 2012. (doi link)

M. Ali, E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, J.H. Lienhard V, “Effects of Membrane Properties on Water Production Cost in Small Scale Membrane Distillation Systems,” Desalination, 306:60–71, Nov. 2012. (doi link)

G.P. Narayan and J.H. Lienhard V, “Thermal Design of Humidification Dehumidification Systems for Affordable Small-scale Desalination,” IDA Journal, 4(3):24-34, Sept. 2012.

A.K. Plappally and J.H. Lienhard V, “Energy Requirements for Water Production, Treatment, End Use, Reclamation, and Discharge,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(7):4818-4848, Sept. 2012. (doi link)

G.P. Thiel and J.H. Lienhard V, “Entropy generation in condensation in the presence of high concentrations of noncondensable gases,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 55:5133–5147, Sept. 2012. (doi link)

R. Saffarini, E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, J.H. Lienhard V, “Economic evaluation of stand-alone solar-powered membrane distillation systems,” Desalination, 299:55-62, August 2012. (doi link)

J.H. Lienhard V, A. Bilton, M.A. Antar, G. Zaragoza, and J. Blanco, “Solar Desalination,” in Annual Review of Heat Transfer, Vol. 15. New York: Begell House, Inc., 2012.

R.K. McGovern, G.P. Narayan, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Analysis of Reversible Ejectors and Definition of Ejector Efficiency,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 54(4):153–166, April 2012. (doi link)

E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Energy efficiency comparison of single stage membrane distillation (MD) desalination cycles in different configurations,” Desalination, 290:54-66, Feb. 2012. (doi link)

R. Saffarini, E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, J.H. Lienhard V, “Technical evaluation of stand-alone solar-powered membrane distillation systems,” Desalination, 286:332–341, Jan. 2012. (doi link)

G.P. Narayan, R.K. McGovern, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “High-temperature-steam-driven, varied-pressure, humidification-dehumidification system coupled with reverse osmosis for energy-efficient seawater desalination,” Energy, 37(1), pp. 482-493, Jan. 2012 (doi link)

M.A. Gondal, S.G.Rashid, M.A. Dastageer, A.Khalil, S.M. Zubair, M.A.Ali, J.H. Lienhard V, G.H. McKinley, K.K. Varanasi, “A study of morphology and Optical properties of nano engineered (Au/Cu/TiO2) composites,” Proc. 9th International Conference on High Capacity Optical Networks and Enabling Technologies (HONET), Istanbul, 157-161, 12-14 Dec. 2012. (doi link)

K.H. Mistry and J.H. Lienhard V, “Effect of Nonideal Solution Behavior on Desalination of a Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Solution and Comparison to Seawater,” Proc. ASME 2012 Intl. Mech. Engr. Cong. & Exp., IMECE2012-88261, Houston, November 2012. (pdf)

L. Banchik and J.H. Lienhard V, “Thermodynamic Analysis of a Reverse Osmosis Desalination System Using Forward Osmosis for Energy Recovery,” Proc. ASME 2012 Intl. Mech. Engr. Cong. & Exp., IMECE2012-86987, Houston, November 2012. (pdf)

G.P. Narayan, M.H. Sharqawy, S.K. Das, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Advances in humidification dehumidification desalination,” Singapore International Water Week, July 2012.

B.Y. Yu, T. Honda, G. Zak, A. Mitsos, S.M. Zubair, M.H. Sharqawy, M.A. Antar, J.H. Lienhard V, K.H. Mistry, and M.C. Yang, “Prognosis of component degradation under uncertainty: A method for early stage design of a complex engineering system,” ASME 2012 11th Biennial Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis, Nantes, France, 2-4 July 2012. (pdf)

R.K. McGovern, K. Busulu, M.A. Antar, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Parametric study of ejector efficiency and critical assessment of one dimensional models of ejector performance,” 25th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation (ECOS) and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, Perugia, Italy, June 2012.

2011
G.P. Narayan, R.K. McGovern, G.P. Thiel, J.A. Miller, M.H. Sharqawy, S.M. Zubair, M.A. Antar, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Status of humidification-dehumidification desalination,” IDA World Congress on Desalination and Water Reuse, Perth, Australia, 5-9 Sept. 2011. Received Best Paper Award (pdf) (presentation)

K.H. Mistry, G.P. Narayan, A.H. Mitsos, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Optimization of multi-pressure humidification-dehumidification desalination using thermal vapor compression and energy recovery,” ISHMT-ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conf., Chennai, India, Dec. 2011.

G.P. Narayan, R.K. McGovern, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Helium as a Carrier Gas in Humidification Dehumidification Desalination Systems,” Proc. ASME 2011 Intl. Mech. Engr. Cong. & Exp., Denver, Nov. 2011.

M.H. Sharqawy, I.S. Husain, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Thermal Design of Seawater Cooling Towers,”Proc. ASME 2011 Intl. Mech. Engr. Cong. & Exp., Denver, Nov. 2011.

M.H. Sharqawy, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Second Law Analysis of Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plants: An Alternative Design Using Pressure Retarded Osmosis,” Energy, 36(11):6617-6626, Nov. 2011 (doi link)

R. Saffarini, E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, J.H. Lienhard V, “Performance review of stand-alone membrane distillation systems,” 1st Intl. Conf. on Desalination and the Environment: Recent developments in non-reverse osmosis desalination and related technologies – ICODE-2011, Abu Dhabi, 29 October 2011.

R. Saffarini, E.K. Summers, H.A. Arafat, J.H. Lienhard V, “Assessment of solar-powered membrane distillation systems,” International Workshop on Membrane Distillation and Related Technologies, Ravello, Italy, 9-12 October 2011

K.H. Mistry, R.K. McGovern, G.P. Thiel, E.K. Summers, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Entropy generation analysis of desalination technologies,” Entropy, 13(10):1829-1864, Sept. 2011 (pdf).

M.H. Sharqawy, M.A. Antar, S.M. Zubair, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Mobile Solar Desalination System for Water Production in Arid and Off-grid Areas,” IDA Conference, May 2011, Portofino, Italy.

K.H. Mistry, A.H. Mitsos, and J.H. Lienhard V, “Optimal operating conditions and configurations for humidification–dehumidification desalination cycles,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 50(5), May 2011, pp. 779-789. (doi link) (pdf)

M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “On thermal performance of seawater cooling towers,” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 133(4), April 2011. (doi link) (PDF)

G.P. Narayan, R.K. McGovern, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Variable pressure humidification dehumidification desalination systems,” Proc. 8th ASME/JSME Thermal Engineering Joint Conference, March 2011, Honolulu. (pdf)

E.K. Summers, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Air-heating solar collectors for humidification-dehumidification desalination systems,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 113(1) 011016, 14 Feb. 2011.(doi link) (PDF)

M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “On Exergy Calculations for Seawater with Application to Desalination Systems,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 50(2), Feb. 2011, pp.187-196. (doi link)

2010
G.P. Narayan, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Entropy Generation Minimization of Combined Heat and Mass Transfer Devices,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 49(10), Oct. 2010, pp. 2057-2066. (doi link)

K.H. Mistry, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Effect of Entropy Generation on the Performance of Humidification-Dehumidification Desalination Cycles,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 49(9), Sept. 2010, pp. 1837-1847. (doi link) (pdf)

G.P. Narayan, K.H. Mistry, M.H. Sharqawy, S.M. Zubair, J.H. Lienhard V, “Energy Effectiveness of Simultaneous Heat and Mass Exchange Devices,” Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, 1(2), Aug. 2010, pp. 1-13. (doi link)

G.P. Narayan, M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Thermodynamic analysis of humidification-dehumidification desalination cycles,” Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 16, pp.339-353, April 2010.(pdf)

G.P. Narayan, M.H. Sharqawy, E.K. Summers, J.H. Lienhard V, S.M. Zubair, and M.A. Antar, “The potential of solar-driven humidification-dehumidification desalination for small-scale decentralized water production,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp.1187-1201, May 2010. (doi link)

M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “The thermophysical properties of seawater: A review of existing correlations and data,” Desalination and Water Treatment, Vol. 16, pp.354-380, April 2010.(pdf)

M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Formulation of Seawater Exergy Using Accurate Thermodynamic Data,” Proceedings of the ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition, Vancouver BC, November 2010.

M.H. Sharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “On thermal performance of seawater cooling towers,” Proceedings of the 14th International Heat Transfer Conference, Washington DC, August 2010.

E.K. Summers, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, “Air-heating solar collectors for humidification-dehumidification desalination systems,” Proceedings of the 14th International Heat Transfer Conference, Washington DC, August 2010.

Patents

Water Desalination Using Directional Solvent Extraction, A. Bajpayee, D. Kraemer, A.J. Muto, G. Chen, J.H. Lienhard, and B.B. Mikic, US Patent #8119007, 21 Feb. 2012.

Water Separation Under Varied Pressure,  P. Narayan Govindan, M.H. ElSharqawy, J.H. Lienhard V, and S.M. Zubair, US Patent #8252092, 28 August 2012.

Water Separation Under Reduced Pressure, M.H. Sharqawy, G.P. Narayan, J.H. Lienhard, and S.M. Zubair, US Patent #8292272, 23 October 2012.

Comments are closed.