Int. J. of Thermal & Environmental Engineering Volume 2, No. 2 (2011) 107-112 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +213 0552236791 Fax: +2130816370; E-mail: mohammedik@yahoo.com © 2010 International Association for Sharing Knowledge and Sustainability DOI: 10.5383/ijtee.02.02.008 107 Simulation and Exergy Analysis of a Small Scale Seawater Desalination/ Electricity Production Prototype Powered with Renewable Energy Kamal Mohammedi*, Abdelkrim Sadi, Idir Belaidi, Abdelkader Bouziane, Djamel Boudieb LEMI, Boumerdès, Algeria, 35000 Abstract The objective of the FP6 Open-Gain project is to develop a new model-based optimal system design approach to economically improve the overall performance, dependability, reliability and availability of co-generating water- electricity plants powered by renewable energy for remote arid areas using a high level of automation to meet specific cost requirements and to disseminate the new technology in Mediterranean and Middle East/Northern Africa Countries. The design of a small scale prototype in Tunisia for RO desalination and hybrid power generation from conventional (e.g. Diesel GenSet) and renewable energy sources (e.g. wind energy conversion and photovoltaic power generation) will help to gain real experience with the new system concept characterized by flexible design, fast implementation, energy efficiency and low emissions. The challenge of such systems stems from the integrative character for the solutions: Usually only simultaneous water and power production and hybrid utilization of conventional and renewable energy sources make reliable and cost-effective solutions feasible. The integrative character of the engineering approach is illustrated by a case-study concerning a 48 m³/day seawater Reverse osmosis desalination plant on the east Mediterranean coast of Tunisia nearby Burj Cedria with additional power supply to the consumers of the water. The water and power cogeneration process is powered from PV and wind energy conversion including short time battery storage and a backup Diesel generator. Keywords: Keyword One, Keyword Two, Keyword Three, etc. (minimum 3 keywords) 1. Introduction Systems analysis environments for pre-feasibility and feasibility studies assessment based on local infrastructure, climate, load profile and economic boundary conditions are necessary tools in order to identify opportunities for reliable and competitive integration of renewable energies with conventional power supply to medium and small scale water treatment processes. On one hand, the Mediterranean and MENA areas are experiencing the most ambitious implementation program for central large scale water desalination plants to improve supply to a growing population and industry. On the other hand, the development of extended arid remote areas on a large territory asks for de-central solutions integrating water and power generation locally. Such settlements of few hundred people with no grid power connection at reach may have a simultaneous problem of water and power supply. In general, freshwater distribution and electricity production from Diesel GenSets depend on long distance transport by trucks of water and fuel respectively. The OPEN-GAIN EU FP6 project stands for Optimal Engineering Design for dependable Water and Power Generation in Remote Areas using Renewable Energies and Intelligent Automation [1]. The OPEN-GAIN global objective is "To develop a new model-based optimal system design approach to economically improve the overall performance, dependability, reliability and availability of co-generating water-electricity plants powered by renewable energy for remote arid areas using a high level of automation to meet specific cost requirements and to disseminate the new technology in Mediterranean Participant Countries and Middle East and Northern Africa wide", i.e.: 1. To design a fault-tolerant, dependable water-electricity cogeneration concept for remote arid areas based on renewable energy supplies 2. To design an energy management subsystem to combine different renewable energy sources and supplementary conventional energy sources such as diesel power generators. 3. To develop a dynamic mathematical model for analysis, design and control purposes and to carry out simulation experiments for the whole system 4. To develop a Decision Support System for the integration of the plant at site conditions 5. To develop strategies for real-time control, supervision, remote monitoring and diagnosis of components as well as for the whole plant. 6. To build a laboratory prototype to gain real experience with the new system concept.