What is the cost of setting up a desalinated water plant

The cost of setting up a desalinated water plant varies based on several factors. To obtain the best value for the desalination plant to be constructed. As it is one of the most important directions of the Kingdom to keep pace with the latest technologies in the field of maximizing water resources and facing water challenges.

Desalinated water is used for several purposes, including:

1- Drinking water:

Many countries or cities are located far from natural sources of drinking, such as fresh rivers or lakes, such as desert areas, and therefore depend on well water or seawater so that the desalination process is carried out for them.

There are countries located on beaches and seas and there are no rivers, so seawater is exploited and large central desalination plants are built to desalinate seawater.

Inside the giant ships, seawater desalination technology is introduced to provide water for use either for drinking, washing, or even cooling engines.

2- Factories:

Desalination plants are part of the construction of some factories that require large amounts of water, such as the electronics and food industries.

3- Irrigation:

As a result of water scarcity and the lack of fresh water in some countries, water is desalinated for use in irrigating agricultural lands.

The prices of desalinated water plants are determined based on several factors

• Feedwater type.
• Bacterial chemical analysis of water.
• The amount of water to be produced.
• The purpose of using water, whether for drinking, for agriculture, or for the industry.

Factors that determine the cost of a desalinated plant

First: electrical energy

Second: the source of water nutrition

Third: the size of the station

For example, if it is intended to establish a water plant for a factory. The station is determined based on several factors, including the activity of the factory, the amount of water per hour, and the source water pollution rate.

Factories that must have a desalinated plant:

• Medicine factory.
• Food factories.
• Coloring and flavoring factory.
• Cosmetic factories.
• Detergent factory.
• Glass and crystal factory.
• Metal coating.
• Chemical plants.

Wastewater generally undergoes the following main treatment stages

• Primary treatment stage.
• Secondary treatment stage (biological).
• Sterilization;
• Sludge treatment.

The biological treatment of sewage water is one of the most important stages of treatment that must be applied to the water in the plant. This treatment aims to oxidize the various organic substances present in the sewage water and turn them into stable compounds that can be separated from the water and treated separately, thus obtaining water that is practically free of organic pollution. The presence of oxygen and bacteria are the two most important elements required for the success of biological treatment in addition to other conditions such as temperature and the presence of some auxiliary nutrients.

One of the most common methods of biological treatment

• Biological filters
• Rotating Biological Discs
• Activated sludge
• Prolonged ventilation
• Oxidation pools

The activated sludge treatment method is considered one of the most common methods nowadays because of its high treatment efficiency. It is called by this name because part of the sludge settled in the secondary sedimentation ponds is returned to the aeration basin.

Components of an active sludge desalinated water treatment plant

1. Refineries

In which large suspended or floating materials are kept on the surface of the water, and they are channels equipped with manual or mechanical filters.

2 . Sand removal basins

Sands and suspended inorganic materials with a diameter of 0.2 mm or more and a specific density of 2.65 or more are deposited in it, and they consist of channels with space for sand to collect.

3 . Primary sedimentation basins

In which the largest amount of sedimentable organic and inorganic materials are deposited in the wastewater in addition to the disposal of buoyant materials.

4 . Aeration basins

It represents the stage of biological treatment. The purpose of this stage is to convert the dissolved organic materials into suspended materials capable of sedimentation, by activating aerobic bacteria and microorganisms, after providing them with the necessary oxygen by stirring using rotating brushes, which constantly stir the water.

5 . Final sedimentation basins

The suspended solids formed in the ventilation ducts are deposited and are conventional activated sludge.

6 . Contact basins with chlorine

In which free chlorine is added to the treated wastewater immediately before final disposal to the drain to get rid of bacteria and living organisms present in the treated water after the final sedimentation basins.