International Journal of Energy and Water Resources

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-023-00253-0

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Predicting the amount of salt deposition in the solar desalination

pond experimentally and mathematically
A. Baghizade1 · F. Farahbod2 · O. Alizadeh1

Received: 29 December 2022 / Accepted: 8 August 2023

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Iranian Society of Environmentalists (IRSEN) and Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University 2023

Abstract
Today, economic crises and issues such as the limitation of fossil resources, environmental concerns, population congestion
and high energy consumption are important topics that have engaged the minds of researchers in finding suitable solutions
to solve energy problems. The access of developing countries to all kinds of new sources of energy is essential for eco-
nomic development. New researches have shown that there is a direct relationship between the level of development of a
country and its energy consumption. Considering the limited resources of fossil energy and increase in energy consumption
in the world, it is no longer possible to rely on existing energy sources. Despite all these problems, more energy is needed
to achieve industrial development and more prosperity. This energy can be provided by using solar ponds. As can be seen
in the results of this research, the maximum and minimum average ambient temperature occurs in the months of July and
January. The results of this research show that the maximum radiation intensity occurred in June. The laboratory data show
that the maximum and minimum average temperature of the saline effluent is related to the months of July and December.
The obtained theoretical results from the mathematical model state that the maximum and minimum average temperature
of the effluent occurs in the months of July and December, respectively. This shows a good agreement between the results
of the mathematical model and the experimental data.

Keywords Solar pond · Solar radiation · Water production · Experimental data · Mathematical results

Introduction longer possible to rely on existing energy sources (Mania-

Today, economic crises and issues such as the limitation
of fossil resources, environmental concerns, population
congestion and high energy consumption are important
topics that have engaged the minds of researchers in find-
ing suitable solutions to solve energy problems (Adam
et al., 2023). The access of developing countries to all
kinds of new sources of energy is essential for economic
development. New researches have shown that there is a
direct relationship between the level of development of
a country and its energy consumption (Tawalbeh et al.,
2023). Considering the limited resources of fossil energy
and increase in energy consumption in the world, it is no
* F. Farahbod
mf_fche@yahoo.com; Farshad.Farahbod@iau.ac.ir
1
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Rasht
Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
2
Department of Chemical Engineering, Firoozabad Branch,
Islamic Azad University, Firoozabad, Iran
kova et al., 2023). Despite all these problems, more energy
is needed to achieve industrial development and more pros-
perity (Roccamante et al., 2023). This energy can be pro-
vided by using solar ponds. The basis of a solar pond used
for solar energy storage is a stable density gradient region
that is placed on the storage density region that is uniform
in terms of salinity and temperature (Vassalle et al., 2023).
This gradient region prevents convective movements that
cause energy loss and causes energy to be stored in the
storage layer of the pond floor. In this way, the stored solar
energy can be used (Arslan et al., 2023). From this path,
it is possible to provide the required energy from the sun
by using solar ponds. Due to the geographical location of
Iran and exposure of most of the country’s industrial areas
to sunlight, solar energy can be used in various fields such
as power plants, heat production required for chemical
processes, textile industries and oil refining (Montemez-
zani et al., 2023). Therefore, it is possible to save energy
in industrial areas and use new energies, especially solar
energy. A combination of desalination processes is one of

13
Vol.:(0123456789)

the most promising technologies to overcome the current
limitations of desalination technologies (Everhart et al.,
2023). In some studies, the combined desalination pro-
cess of multifunctional distillation and absorption desali-
nation has been used in order to maximize the use of input
energy in desalination (Zheng et al., 2023). Two different
thermal desalination technologies were integrated, and
the synergistic effect of energy utilization increased the
performance of the combined system (Ding, 2023). The
synergistic thermodynamic model has been developed in
some studies. In other studies, desalination systems with
different floor coverings have been investigated. In other
studies, the effect of environmental conditions on the per-
formance of distillation units has been investigated (Jesus
et al., 2023). In other studies, it has been mentioned to
investigate the thermodynamic characteristics of the efflu-
ent in the solar desalination pond (Oertli et al., 2023).
In other studies, the mechanism of heat transfer through
solar pond effluent has been investigated. In other studies,
the rate of freshwater production and its relationship with
solar energy have been investigated (Arslan et al., 2023).
In other researches, the effect of the roof angle of solar
ponds on the amount of absorbed energy has been inves-
tigated (Everhart et al., 2023). In other researches, it has
been mentioned to investigate the thermal characteristics
of the structure of solar desalination ponds (Zhang et al.,
2023).
This research deals with the treatment of the effluent
from the seawater desalination unit. For this reason, a solar
concentrator unit has been used with the aim of producing
freshwater and final wastewater treatment.
Fig. 1  Mobin petrochemical multi-purpose distillation unit
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International Journal of Energy and Water Resources
Materials and methods
Figure 1 shows Mobin petrochemical desalination unit.
Mobin petrochemical desalination plant uses 5 multi-pur-
pose distillation units. About 78% of the salt water entering
to this desalination plant is returned to the sea as a saltier
effluent. Therefore, this water desalination unit is able to
convert only about 22% of seawater into freshwater.
The total hardness of the effluent from this system is
very high. Therefore, in a very short period of time, we can
expect the occurrence of unfortunate events for the marine
ecosystem. Also, the salinity of this effluent is so high that
it will increase the salinity of seawater in the long term. The
effluent from the treatment units has a significant amount of
salt. Therefore, for the outflow from this unit, a solar desali-
nation pond has been installed with the aim of producing
freshwater and separating water from salt solutions. This
pond works only with free and clean solar energy. There-
fore, it does not need to consume energy and thus optimizes
the process in terms of operation. The length, width and
thickness of the solar pond floor are 2 m, one meter and
one centimeter, respectively. The bottom of the solar pond
is divided into three parts, and the salty wastewater enters
to the middle part. Freshwater is produced in the side parts
of the pond. The material of the solar pond floor is selected
from stainless steel to be resistant to the corrosion process.
The roof of the solar pond is made of glass so that maximum
solar heat is transferred into the solar pond. The coefficient
of passing solar energy through glass is about 96%. There-
fore, a significant percentage of solar energy is transferred
into the solar pond. The angle of the roof of the solar pond is
International Journal of Energy and Water Resources
proportional to the geographical angle of the city of Tehran
and equal to 36 degrees toward the south. The saline effluent
enters to the pond through the hole built in the roof of the
solar pond. The height of the saline effluent in the middle
part of the solar concentration unit is 15 cm. The schematic
of the solar desalination unit is presented in Fig. 2.
Results and discussion
The thermodynamic–thermal equations of saline effluent,
glass walls and the bottom of the solar desalination pond are
shown as relations 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
R𝛼ba Sba − Hc,b−ba − Hloss = mba cba (dTba ∕dt)
R𝛼b Sb + Hc,b−ba − Hc,b−g − Hr,b−g − He,b−g = mb cb (dTb ∕dt)
(2)
R𝛼g Sg + Hc,b−g − Hr,g−s − Hc,g−a + Hr,b−g + He,b−g = mg cg (dTg ∕dt)
Investigation of freshwater production according
to changes in the intensity of solar radiation
Figure 3 shows that thermodynamic and thermal relation-
ships have been able to predict the amount of produced
freshwater from the solar pond. The results of this research
show that the percentage difference between the theoretical
results and the laboratory data of produced freshwater is
Fig. 2  Schematic of the solar
concentrator unit
about 2.7%. Figure 3 shows that the main driven equations
have been able to predict the experimental results well.
Examination of the temperature gradient
in the highest and lowest layer of saline wastewater
The laboratory data show that the maximum and minimum
operational temperature gradients in the highest and lowest
layers of saline wastewater are in April and March, respec-
tively. The spring equinox can be the cause of this issue.
Basically, the existence of maximum and minimum tem-
perature gradient is related to the distance and angle of the
sun from the surface of the earth in spring equinox. Figure 4
shows the temperature gradient, the average temperature of
the environment and the intensity of the sun’s radiation in
(1)
different months of the year in a comparative way.
Examination of the relationship
between the radiation intensity and the average
temperature of the environment
(3)
As can be seen, Fig. 5 examines the relationship between
the intensity of the sun’s radiation and average temperature
of the environment in the year 2021. As shown in Fig. 5,
the maximum and minimum average ambient temperatures
occur in the months of July and January, respectively. The
results of this research show that the maximum radiation
intensity occurred in June. The reason for this issue can be
attributed to factors such as the direction of the sun’s rays,
the speed and direction of the wind. As a result, the average
ambient temperature in July is maximum value.
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 International Journal of Energy and Water Resources

Fig. 3  Investigation of fresh- 0.3

water production according to Evaporation rate-Experimental
11
changes in the intensity of solar data
radiation 0.25

Intensity of radiation (kW/m )

Evaporation rate (lit/m .day)

2
9 Evaporation rate-Theoretical
0.2

2
curve

7
0.15 Intensity of radiation

5
0.1 o
The latitude=36 , Solar pond
2
floor area=1.5m , Thickness of
0.05 3
glass wall=4mm

0 1
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Months-2021

Fig. 4  Examination of efflu- Months-2021

ent temperature gradient and Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
intensity of solar radiation and
40 0.3
average ambient temperature
35
0.25

Intensity of radiation (kW/m 2)

30
Temperature (oC)

0.2
25

20 0.15

15
0.1
10
Temperature gradient in the upper and lower layers of the waste water 0.05
5 Average ambient temperature
Intensity of radiation
0 0
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Months-2021

Examination of the relationship
between the average temperature of the effluent
and the intensity of solar radiation
In Fig. 6, the variables of radiation intensity, average ambi-
ent temperature and average effluent temperature in 2021 are
given. The average laboratory temperature of the effluent in
Fig. 6 is obtained from the average of 5 temperatures taken
from different depths of the saline effluent. Also, the theo-
retical average temperature is obtained from the energy mod-
eling done for the solar concentrator unit. The laboratory data
show that the maximum and minimum average temperature
of the saline effluent is in July and December, respectively.
The obtained theoretical results from the mathematical model
also state that the maximum and minimum average tempera-
ture of the effluent occurs in the months of July and Decem-
ber, respectively. This shows a good agreement between the
results of the mathematical model and the experimental data.
Also, the data in Fig. 6 show that the difference between the
laboratory data and the theoretical results of average effluent
temperature in July and December is about 0.7% and 1.1%,
respectively. This amount of difference indicates the accurate
prediction of the mathematical model with the experimental
data.

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International Journal of Energy and Water Resources

Fig. 5  Examination of the rela- o 2

The latitude=36 , Solar pond floor area=1.5m , Thickness of glass wall=4mm
tionship between the average 0.3 40
temperature of the environment
and the intensity of the sun’s
radiation in 2021 35
0.25

Average ambient temperature (oC)

30

Intensity od radiation (kW/m2)

0.2
25

0.15 20

15
0.1

10

0.05
5

intensity of radiation average ambient temperature

0 0
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Months-2021

Fig. 6  Examination of the rela- Intensity of radiation (kW/m2)

tionship between the average 0.183 0.215 0.235 0.239 0.274 0.285 0.279 0.284 0.264 0.211 0.184 0.238
temperature of the effluent and 80 40
the average temperature of the
Average temperature in different layers of

environment with the intensity 70 35

Average ambient temperature (oC)

of solar radiation in 2021
60 30
waste water (oC)

50 25

40 20

30 15

20 10
Theoretical average temperature in different layes of waste water

10 Experimental average temperature in different layers of waste water 5

Average ambient temperature
0 0
0.183 0.215 0.235 0.239 0.274 0.285 0.279 0.284 0.264 0.211 0.184 0.238
Months-2021

Conclusion is related to the distance and angle of the sun from the
surface of the earth in spring equinox. As can be seen in
The results of this research show that the percentage dif- the results of this research, the maximum and minimum
ference between theoretical results and the laboratory data average ambient temperature occurs in the months of July
of produced freshwater is about 2.7%. The laboratory data and January, respectively. The results show that the maxi-
show that the maximum and minimum operational tem- mum intensity of radiation occurred in June. The labora-
perature gradients in the highest and lowest layers of saline tory data show that the maximum and minimum average
wastewater are in April and March, respectively. The temperature of the saline effluent is related to the months
spring equinox can be the cause of this issue. Basically, the of July and December, respectively. The obtained theo-
existence of maximum and minimum temperature gradient retical results from the mathematical model state that the

13

maximum and minimum average temperature of the efflu-
ent occurs in the months of July and December. Also, the
results show that the difference between the laboratory
data and the theoretical results of average effluent tempera-
ture in July and December is about 0.7% and 1.1%, respec-
tively. This shows a good agreement between the results of
the mathematical model and the experimental data.
Acknowledgements This research did not receive any specific funding.
Authors contributions AB was involved in software, data curation,
reviewing and editing. FF was involved in supervision, writing—orig-
inal draft preparation, conceptualization and methodology. OA was
involved in visualization, investigation and validation.
Funding Not applicable.
Availability of data and material Not applicable.
Code availability (software application or custom code) Not applicable.
Declarations
Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Ethical approval (include appropriate approvals or waivers) Not appli-
cable.
Consent to participate (include appropriate statements) Not applica-
ble.
Consent for publication (include appropriate statements) Not appli-
cable.
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