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Siemens
delivered the electrical , automation and instrumentation packages for a solar-powered RO desalination plant in Al Khafji , Saudi Arabia .
Water smarts : how technology can help to rehydrate a parched world
Water is a vital resource which is present in unchanging quantity , but only a small fraction of it is accessible and fit for human consumption . New technologies – including efficiency gains , recycling and automation – can be harnessed , and stainless steel is a vital part of the drive towards producing smarter water .
By James Chater
Background The earth contains an estimated 1,386 million cubic kilometres of water . This level is constant ; none of it escapes the earth ’ s atmosphere . There is a theory that this water comes from asteroids and comets that collided with earth ; whatever the truth , for the last few billion years , the figure has remained constant . However , it matters to human beings what form the water is found in . It can be in different phases ( ice , liquid , vapour ); most of it is unfit for consumption , because it is saline or contaminated ; and some of it is difficult to access ( for example , in glaciers or underground ). All in all , only about 0.001 % of water is readily available for human use . This partly explains why , in a world facing heavy population pressures , around 2 billion people do not have access to clean and safe drinking water , while 46 % of the world ’ s population lacks adequate sanitation services . Water availability is influenced by several factors : political , ecological , etc ., and many of the solutions are not a question of technology per se . For instance , carbon emissions cause global warming that gives rise to erratic weather patterns ; planting trees can help fix the water in the ground ; mobile laboratories or public transport can make it easier for rural populations to gain access to a water .
Technology However , technology can make a great deal of difference in a number areas , including efficiency gains , recycling and automation . Efficiency gains : Whether in terms of energy consumption , water consumption or carbon footprint , the latest wastewater and desalination plants are much more efficient than the older ones . Veolia ’ s seawater desalination plant at Hassyan , UAE , due to go online in 2026 , will be powered by solar energy and consume a low 2.9 kilowatthours per cubic metre , confirming the progress of RO plants , which have reduced energy consumption by 35 % over the last 10 years . The modernization of Veolia ’ s Greater Lyon wastewater treatment plant at Saint Fons will see a reduction in electricity consumption by 10 %, gas consumption by 72 % and chemical additives by
40 Heat Exchanger World October 2024 www . heat-exchanger-world . com