Solid-salt pressure-retarded osmosis with exothermic dissolution energy for sustainable electricity production

Wook Choi , Harim Bae , Pravin G. Ingole , Hyung Keun Lee , Sung Jo Kwak , Nam Jo Jeong , Soon-Chul Park , Jong Hak Kim , Jonghwi Lee , Chul Ho Park

Abstract

Salinity gradient power (SGP) systems have strong potential to generate sustainable clean electricity for 24 hours. Here, we introduce a solid-salt pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) system using crystal salt powders rather than seawater. Solid salts have advantages such as a small storage volume, controllable solubility, high Gibbs dissolution energy, and a single type of water intake, low pretreatment costs. The power densities with 3 M draw solutions were 11 W/m2 with exothermic energy and 8.9 W/m2 without at 35 bar using a HTI FO membrane (water permeability A = 0.375 L m-2 h-1 bar-1). These empirical power densities are ~13% of the theoretical value.

Key Words

salinity gradient power; pressure-retarded osmosis; exothermic; calcium chloride; solid salt

Address

(1) Harim Bae, Sung Jo Kwak, Nam Jo Jeong, Soon-Chul Park, Chul Ho Park — Jeju Global Research Center (JGRC), Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), 200 Haemajihaean-ro, Gujwa-eup, Jeju Specific Self-Governing Province 695-971, South Korea
(2) Wook Choi, Pravin G. Ingole, Hyung Keun Lee — Greenhouse Gas Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), 71-2 Jang-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, South Korea
(3) Wook Choi, Jong Hak Kim — Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-Ro, Seondaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749 South Korea
(4) Harim Bae, Jonghwi Lee — Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, 221 Heukseok-Dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 156-756, South Korea.

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