Sustainable desalination for industrial water supply: a technical feasibility study using brine dam resources

Shohreh Sharifi, Mahmoud Makki Abadi, Mohammad Mehdi Rashidi and Mohammadreza Azimi

International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, 2025, vol. 20, 679-689

Abstract: Access to a reliable source of freshwater is vital for the uninterrupted operation of industrial factories and the economic development of regions facing water scarcity. In areas near the brine tailing dam, securing an adequate water supply is a prominent challenge. This study presents a comprehensive technical analysis of a desalination project aimed at providing water to industrial factories (pelletizing plant in Sirjan, Iran) in the proximity of the brine tailing dam. The strategy of this company is to supply water from the water wells around this company as well as the waste water of other industrial companies. The study commences by assessing the existing water supply infrastructure, industrial water demand, and the limitations of conventional freshwater sources. It also takes into account the environmental implications of extracting water from the brine tailing dam with total dissolved solids of between 15 000 and 25 000 ppm. In this article, the technical study of the construction of a conical desalination solar farm on a brine tailing dam is investigated. In this plan, a good proposal for supplying the water required for the pellet factory is presented. The results showed that by building 20 000 conical solar desalination systems on the waste dam with an area of 8 hectares, it is possible to produce about 30–35 cubic meters of water per day. The main purpose of this article is that, considering the recent droughts in the Middle East region, policies to reuse inappropriate water such as water in tailings dams or wastewaters by using renewable solar energy. Industries can reduce the amount of water entering their factory by recycling the water used in their cycle and help nature to prevent environmental damage and reduce water consumption costs. The Capital expenditure (CAPEX) and Operating expense (OPEX) of this project are about 82 000 dollars and 6888 dollars, respectively.

Keywords: desalination; conical solar still; brine dam; technical analysis; pelletizing plan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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