Techno-Economic Evaluation of an Ultrasonic Desalination System: Toward Energy-Efficient Freshwater Production

Water scarcity is an urgent global concern due to rapid population growth, industrial development, and depletion of freshwater resources. Desalination technologies have emerged as a vital solution for securing potable water. However, conventional systems like reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-stage flash (MSF) face challenges from high energy requirements and operational complexity. Integrating ultrasonic technology into desalination processes offers a promising way to overcome these limitations, as ultrasonic waves enhance mass and heat transfer, improving evaporation and condensation efficiency while lowering total energy demand. This study evaluated an ultrasonic desalination system designed and fabricated at Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) from an economic perspective using the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) method, which includes fixed capital, operating, and production costs. Under optimized conditions, the system achieved a freshwater output of ۴.۸۱ L/day (۱۷۵۸.۳۴ L/year) with a specific energy consumption of ۲.۲۵ kWh/L. The annual cost of ownership was estimated at ۵۹.۱۶ USD, with ultrasonic transducers accounting for only ۱۶% of total energy consumption, while the majority was attributed to heating elements. The system required no chemical additives, reducing both cost and environmental concerns. The results showed that the operating and energy costs of the ultrasonic system were considerably lower than those of RO and MSF technologies. Although current limitations related to non-standard piezoelectric transducers restricted water production, improvements in component quality and scaling to industrial capacity could significantly enhance output. Overall, ultrasonic desalination represents a cost-effective and sustainable alternative for future water treatment.

کلیدواژه ها:

Desalination ، Techno-economic assessment ، Total cost of ownership ، Ultrasound