Simulating two Algerian cities' desalination plants coupled with solar energy systems using TRNSYS

Abstract

Abstract Our study aimed to design a prototype for a desalination unit coupled with a solar collector, utilizing TRNSYS 16, to address the needs of both Bouzaréah in northern Algeria and Ghardaïa in southern Algeria. The desalination unit is composed of vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) coupled with a solar collector, and the photovoltaic has been designed according to the climatic conditions of each region. In this work, the approach adopted is to integrate a model developed in the literature into a simulation environment (TRNSYS) coupled with the CODE-BLOCKS compiler and FORTRAN programming language to create a new component (i.e., VMD process). Simulation results showed that the optimum permeation flux obtained through the desalination unit is relatively higher in Ghardaïa than in Bouzaréah, with a flow exceeding 30 kg/h.m2. The permeation flux and the power to load reached their maximum values with the charge of solar irradiation 48 kg/h.m2 and 6300 kJ/h, respectively, for Ghardaïa at the sun irradiation value 800 W/m2 and temperature of 34 °C. Results showed that Ghardaïa had a higher GOR value than Bouzaréah over the year (10.947 vs. 8.3389). Moreover, both locations recorded thermal recovery ratio values exceeding 1, indicating the high efficiency of the desalination unit.