Investigation on the operating characteristics of a pilot-scale adsorption desalination system.

With a serious global shortage of freshwater resources, the use of adsorption desalination technology has great potential. A pilot-scale adsorption desalination system with water production of 100 kg/h was developed based on the optimization and improvement of the small-scale system in this paper. The seawater evaporation and water production of the system was investigated experimentally under steady conditions. The results showed that the rate of water production was >100 kg/h when the temperature of the hot-water entering the desorber bed was 55 °C and the flow rate was 28 m3/h. With an increment of hot-water temperature and flow rate, the water production rate increased, reaching 191.3 kg/h when the temperature of the hot-water was 80 °C. However, the volatile phenols, Fe, pH and chroma of the water that was produced exceeded the limits prescribed in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality in China (GB 5749-2006). • A pilot-scale AD system with water production of 100 kg/h was developed. • The pilot-scale AD system was improved based on the small-scale system. • The system could operate at the hot-water temperature of 55 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]