MVR Membrane Distillation
Started: Jun 1, 2018
Energy-efficient seawater desalination through mechanical vapor recompression with membrane distillation.
Revived the project after telling Thomas about my new hobby: vibe coding. In one afternoon we walked away not just with an interactive Python simulation, but also with a feasibility study. First feedback: fouling and contamination make the whole thing extremely difficult. On the other hand, the competing process (reverse osmosis) has the same problem. Needs to be included in the next iteration.
Python + CoolProp for thermodynamics — the property library is solid, but the unit hell (SI, not bar) costs time the first time around. Model neglects membrane thermal resistance, pump work and fouling — the 1.23 kWh/m³ SEC figure is more optimistic than it should be. The thermal demand of 11.8 kWh_th/m³ is the real killer, not the electrical consumption. Break-even at <$0.07/kWh electricity is real at some solar locations; whether membrane costs negate that is open.