As a new source of renewable energy, salinity gradient energy (SGE) has attracted attention recently. The difference in the salinity of water bodies is the main driving force of power generation using the conversion technologies of salinity gradient energy. Two main conversion technologies of SGE are reverse electrodialysis (RED) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO). To exploit the SGE by conversion technologies, it is necessary to assess the power potential of SGE in the locations where a fresh body of the water (river) runs into the saline body of water (Lake or ocean). Exergy analysis of SGE can be considered as a method for measuring the power potential of SGE between rivers and saline water reservoirs (lake, sea, and ocean). Unfortunately, due to considering the ideal thermodynamic model for describing the thermodynamic properties of seawater, there is not any precise and reliable study about regional and global potential of SGE in the literature. Great salt lake is considered as one of the most saline lakes in the world with the average salinity around 240 gr/L which makes it an ideal site for constructing a salinity gradient energy power plant. However, there is not an exact and precise assessment of the maximum power potential of the SGE in this lake using a precise thermodynamic model. Three main rivers flowing into the Great salt lake are Bear River, Weber River, and Jordan River. In this paper by employing the Pitzer’s thermodynamic model, an exergy analysis of the power potential of SGE in the system of the Great salt lake and following rivers is investigated. Different parameters including the flow rate of rivers, sediments of the lake and the rivers, temperature of rivers and the lake are considered for obtaining a precise and reliable assessment for determining the best locations of SGE power plants.

Chemical exergy analysis of salinity gradient energy case study: Great Salt Lake

2019 Fall National Meeting

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