A new reverse electrodialysis design strategy which significantly reduces the levelized cost of electricity
Author(s)
Weiner, Adam Michael; McGovern, Ronan Killian; Lienhard, John H.
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We develop a framework for choosing the optimal load resistance, feed velocity and residence time for a reverse electrodialysis stack based on minimizing the levelized cost of electricity. The optimal load resistance maximizes the gross stack power density and results from a trade-off between stack voltage and stack current. The primary trade-off governing the optimal feed velocity is between stack pumping power losses, which reduce the net power density and concentration polarization losses, which reduce the gross stack power density. Lastly, the primary trade-off governing the optimal residence time is between the capital costs of the stack and pretreatment system. Implementing our strategy, we show that a smaller load resistance, a smaller feed velocity and a larger residence time than are currently proposed in the literature reduces costs by over 40%. Despite these reductions, reverse electrodialysis remains more expensive than other renewable technologies.
Date issued
2015-06Department
Center for Clean Water for Clean Energy at MIT; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical EngineeringJournal
Journal of Membrane Science
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
Weiner, Adam M., Ronan K. McGovern, and John H. Lienhard V. “A New Reverse Electrodialysis Design Strategy Which Significantly Reduces the Levelized Cost of Electricity.” Journal of Membrane Science 493 (November 2015): 605–614.
Version: Author's final manuscript
ISSN
03767388