Damping Pressure Pulsations in a Wave-Powered Desalination System
Author(s)
Padhye, Nikhil; Torres, James, Ph. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.; Thomas, Levon; Ljubicic, Dean M.; Kassner, Mortiz P.; Slocum, Alexander H.; Hopkins, Brandon James; Greenlee, Alison S.; ... Show more Show less
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Wave-driven reverse osmosis desalination systems can be a cost-effective option for providing a safe and reliable source of drinking water for large coastal communities. Such systems usually require the stabilization of pulsating pressures for desalination purposes. The key challenge is to convert a fluctuating pressure flow into a constant pressure flow. To address this task, stub-filters, accumulators, and radially elastic-pipes are considered for smoothing the pressure fluctuations in the flow. An analytical model for fluidic capacitance of accumulators and elastic pipes are derived and verified. Commercially available accumulators in combination with essentially rigid (and low cost) piping are found to be a cost-effective solution for this application, and a model for selecting accumulators with the required fluidic-capacitance for the intended system is thus presented.
Date issued
2014-04Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical EngineeringJournal
Journal of Energy Resources Technology
Publisher
ASME International
Citation
Hopkins, Brandon J., Nikhil Padhye, Alison Greenlee, James Torres, Levon Thomas, Dean M. Ljubicic, Mortiz P. Kassner, and Alexander H. Slocum. “Damping Pressure Pulsations in a Wave-Powered Desalination System.” Journal of Energy Resources Technology 136, no. 2 (April 9, 2014): 021205.
Version: Author's final manuscript
ISSN
0195-0738