An Approximation of Using Vertical-Axis Tidal Turbine for Water Desalination in the Suez Canal Waterway

Abstract

Many countries are suffering from water shortage, especially Egypt, which is considered one of the limited regions in fresh-water resources. Desalination has been proven a feasible and promising technology for supplying potable water. However, the main challenge inhibiting the wider use of desalination technologies is the high economic cost especially due to the energy consumption. The main goal of this research is to provide an approach on the possibility of using vertical-axis turbines to harness the periodical tidal current and the hydrokinetic flow from ships and vessels, which run continuously in the Suez Canal waterway, for a desalination process. The turbine rotor type and the design parameters have been selected carefully looking for self-starting and best performance under low flow velocities with independency of the flow direction. Experimentally, the model has been fabricated using additive manufacturing process, and tested in a water flume under different upstream flow velocities. Power curves have been obtained for each operating condition. Additionally, the non-dimensional tip speed ratio and power co-efficient curve have been characterized. Numerically, an intensive three-dimensional simulation has been carried out in order to obtain a better understanding of the complex hydrodynamic flow phenomena around the turbine rotor.