REAPOWER – USE OF DESALINATION BRINE FOR POWER PRODUCTION THROUGH REVERSE ELECTRODIALYSIS

Abstract

Salinity Gradient Power (SGP) represents a viable renewable energy source associated with the mixing of two solutions of different salinities. Reverse Electrodialysis (SGP-RE or RED) is a promising technology to exploit this energy source and directly generate electricity. However, although the principle of this technology is well known since several years, further R&D efforts are still necessary in order to explore the real potential of the SGP-RE process. With this regard, the aim of the REAPower project (www.reapower.eu) is the development of an innovative system for power production by SGP-RE process, using sea (or brackish) water as diluted solution and brine as concentrate. The use of sea or brackish water (instead of fresh water) as diluate allows reducing the electrical resistance of the diluate compartment, increasing the achievable output power. This work presents the R&D activities carried out so far within the REAPower project, particularly focusing on the relevant progresses in membranes development, stack design and process modelling. An extensive experimental campaign has been performed on a lab-scale unit, allowing to reach a power density among the highest so far presented in the open literature. These results provided useful information for the final goal of the project, i.e. the construction of the first SGP-RE system on a small pilot-scale, in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the future scale-up for this technology.