Title: Analysis and simulation of a reverse osmosis unit for producing drinking water in Morocco

Authors: Maria Benbouzid; Jamal Mabrouki; Mahmoud Hafsi; Driss Dhiba; Souad El Hajjaji

Addresses: Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modelling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment (LS3MN2E-CERNE2D), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Av. Ibn Battouta BP1014, Rabat, Morocco ' Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modelling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment (LS3MN2E-CERNE2D), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Av. Ibn Battouta BP1014, Rabat, Morocco ' International Institute of Water and Sanitation, National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, Bouregreg Complex, Rabat, Morocco ' International Water Research Institute, University Mohammed 6 Polytechnic (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco ' Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modelling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment (LS3MN2E-CERNE2D), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Av. Ibn Battouta BP1014, Rabat, Morocco

Abstract: To produce freshwater from a surface water located in Middle Atlas of Morocco, reverse osmosis process is used. This surface water has variable quality depending on the seasons, and its average chloride content is about 295 mg/L. The questioning of water quality variation over the seasons, initiated to make several simulations of reverse osmosis system design with two different water qualities. The first quality is characterised by a conductivity of 1,230 μS/cm recorded in winter and the second one is characterised by a conductivity equal to 3,013 μS/cm recorded in summer. The results of those simulations shown a better recovery rate compared with what was initially expected; 88% for the first less salty quality versus 78% for the second quality which was taken into account for the reverse osmosis plant design. This is also reflected in the energy consumption that decreased by 0.09 kWh/m³.

Keywords: modelling; seasonal changes; simulation; reverse osmosis; water treatment; surface water; water salinity; Morocco; demineralisation; freshwater.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCC.2021.120400

International Journal of Cloud Computing, 2021 Vol.10 No.5/6, pp.645 - 654

Received: 12 Mar 2020
Accepted: 22 Apr 2020
Published online: 19 Jan 2022 *

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