Abstract Existing desalination plants face the challenges of high energy costs and environmental impacts from brine disposal. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is a technology that could mitigate these issues. PRO works by capturing the potential energy in the salinity gradient between brine and dilute (e.g. freshwater/wastewater) solutions. In this study, we developed a Python-based model called Propmod that uses both internal and user-defined inputs to simulate how a full-scale PRO system performs energetically and economically. The Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant was used as a case study, and if a PRO system was installed in this plant, it could potentially save 9% of the energy consumed per m3 of permeate, while also diluting the brine from 66 to 41 ppt. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis on the net present value of potential full-scale PRO systems indicated that the most influential parameters on PRO system performance are membrane characteristics (salt permeability, water permeability, and structural parameter), as well as energy price and feed water transmission pipe size and length. Overall, PRO systems were found to be competitive with other forms of renewable energy in areas that allow systems to be designed with higher rates of energy generation and minimal capital and operational costs.

中文翻译：

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基于压力延迟渗透的海水淡化厂能量回收的技术经济过程模型

摘要 现有的海水淡化厂面临着高能源成本和盐水处理对环境影响的挑战。压力延迟渗透 (PRO) 是一种可以缓解这些问题的技术。PRO 的工作原理是捕获盐水和稀释（例如淡水/废水）溶液之间盐度梯度中的势能。在这项研究中，我们开发了一个名为 Propmod 的基于 Python 的模型，该模型使用内部和用户定义的输入来模拟全尺寸 PRO 系统如何高效和经济地执行。以坦帕湾海水淡化厂作为案例研究，如果在该厂安装 PRO 系统，每立方米渗透水可以节省 9% 的能源消耗，同时还将盐水从 66 ppt 稀释到 41 ppt。对潜在全尺寸 PRO 系统净现值的敏感性和不确定性分析表明，对 PRO 系统性能影响最大的参数是膜特性（盐渗透率、水渗透率和结构参数），以及能源价格和给水传输管道尺寸和长度。总体而言，在允许系统设计为具有更高的发电率和最低的资本和运营成本的领域中，PRO 系统被发现与其他形式的可再生能源相比具有竞争力。