Project and Implementation of an Educational Large-Scale Water Distillation Unit with a Closed-Circuit Condenser

Luís Carlos Matos, Ana Eulálio, Tiago Antunes, José Miguel Loureiro, Alexandre Ferreira and Adélio Mendes
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Luís Carlos Matos: Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Ana Eulálio: Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Tiago Antunes: Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
José Miguel Loureiro: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Alexandre Ferreira: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Adélio Mendes: LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Water is one of the scarcest resources in the world, and it is becoming rarer fast, year after year. Chemical engineers are particularly suited to addressing the challenges of saving water and producing more fresh water. Proper education is then critical to prepare them for the upcoming decades. All student laboratories need distilled water, which is typically produced using commercial distillation units, which consume up to 70 L of fresh water per liter of distillated water. This work reports the design, construction, optimization, and operation of a water distillation unit that produces 10 liters per hour at 4 µS?cm −1 and wastes no fresh water. Developed by a committed team made up of students, lab technicians, and instructors, this unit saves ca. 550 m 3 of fresh water annually while spending less electrical power.

Keywords: distilled water; heat transfer; distillation; automation and control; chemical engineering education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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