Asking about graduate themes

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hello I'm a student in water desalination and I'm going to prepare my graduate project (thesis) and I am wondering what theme I could discuss, I’d be grateful if you could suggest me some themes.
I will really appreciate the help.

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16 Answers

  2. There are a lot of concerns about how to handle the "reject" brine from SWRO processes, a paper on the various options for treatment and disposal options would be great if it could be comprehensive and to add issues of the adverse characteristics, e.g. high NaCl or CaCl concentrations in the brine, can they be recovered or disposed of, lack of dissolved oxygen and immediate impact of receiving waters even if blended into BW during a tidal event and the impact on the estuary habitat of fish and mammals. SWRO is becoming the answer for drought as in Cape Town over the past half decade, but at what cost to the environment and the health of the receiving waters. The same applies for backwash water disposal when membranes are flushed to prevent blinding.

  3. Water desalination could be the answer to the lake of water around the world. But this technology can be destroying from nature's point of view. In other words, the quantity of salt that we have to face after desalination could be annoying . This can be your point of departure of your thesis.

  4. Dear Nada,

    compliments for the topic of your thesis. The desalination world needs for young people coming on and boost innovations.

    Whe you dissolve salts in pure water you will note that some heat is released (dissolution heat). Hence going backwards (desalination) needs at least the same energy to be given for the process. This minimum amount of energy is the same for whatever desaination process is applied. This energy is for going over the osmotic pressure (care of RO) or over the Boiling Point Rise (case of Thermal process).

    Hence Desalination is rated as an energy intensive process (whatever technology) in compliance with the 2nd principle of Thermodynamics.

    Because of the growing concern about the generation and the use of energy, I  suggest to focus  desalination energized by the recovery of waste energy (an impressive amount is available still to be exploited) or by renewable energies.

    IPlease write to me at wet@wetbyrognoni.com  and I shall be happy to copy you some of my published articles and provide additional information.

    1 Comment

    1. it looks ​interesting ​thank you , here is my email nadamissbr@gmail.com 

  6. Hi Nada, why not explore the 'thin layer' evaporation of seawater using fine bubbles (microbubbles at 25um) of very hot air in a recirculated fluid flow.  As a proof of concept we proved we could evaporate a supply of tap water at ~40C, at a rate of close to 0.75 lph using a Nikuni fine bubble generator and a hot air blower.  The power consumed was less than 1kW. How does it work?  We heat the gas phase not the fluid. The clusters of hot 25um bubbles of air at ~500C require a lower energy input than heating the fluid.  Worth exploring?  Contact Aeration & Mixing - enquiries@aerationmixing.co.uk.

    1 Comment

    1. yes il looks interesting thank you

  7. Dear nada missbr

    Thin differently  Prospect for deep-sea desalination. Going deep in sea, water is free of organic & inorganic contamination. At 400m below, the 40 bars of hydrostatic pressure needed for Reverse Osmosis is free, constant and abundant

    At 400m below, each gallon of desalinated water requires 80% less energy than in traditional plant on ground.

    rana

    mtplimited@gmail.com

    1 Comment

    1. This concept was patented about 20 years ago but hasn't gained in popularity because of piping issues and storm related issues, maybe the solution is off shore platforms similar to oil platforms?

  8. Comparison of Thermal & RO process of desalination ( Specially efficiency , effectiveness & problems encountered)

  9. Another possibility could be how conventional RO membranes handle water with low concentrations of hydrocarbons

  10. Study removal of pathogens in RO systems

  13. I have provided consultancy to several water utilities reliant on desalination during the last 15 years. You will be aware that cost is a major issue, mainly energy costs but also membrane replacements for RO plants. MSF plants don't require RO quality membranes but have even higher energy costs. Use of fuel oil for MSF heating also causes air pollution. Another environmental concern is brine return causing increased salinity in the discharge area. An operational concern is intake blockage and output reduction from membrane fouling. For example one intake I know of had been badly affected by growth of zebra mussels. You have a great subject for your thesis - solving any of these problems will be a huge benefit to water engineers.

  15. One of the most important aspects of water today is water recycling. i.e. how to reuse wastewater for everything from irrigation to eventually, drinking water. 

    This was my Master's thesis.

    Good luck

    1 Comment

  16. Dear nada missbr,   here is a far fetched but potentially very influential idea.  I have always wondered about the feasibility of setting up elevated solar farms in arid regions near an ocean coast.    Use the photoelectric power to run desalination while cultivating crops in the partial shade of the solar panels.   A portion of the pure water could be allocated to irrigation.     Over time this will create organic soil in a desert and contribute to carbon sequestration.    Whatever topic you chose for your thesis it will be valuable for humanity.   Best wishes.  

    2 Comments

    1. Dear Nada Missbr,   I found an article that is similar to my suggestion; https://imaginethat.org/stories/a-unique-farm-project-shows-promise-in-one-of-the-worlds-most-challenging-environments/?fbclid=IwAR3U3wpHfRkQoB_mS1LyzIrLq3u2Y0KT20qO8UO5kXJTJ1GAytwWjTnc1CU

    2. Desert sand will require addition of nutrients maybe from composting off the cuttings and clipping of the overhead crops to offset high concentrations of silica and salts. Great use of space and multitasking, but requires a long term outcome and money to fund it.