| Abstract |
The Kimolos Geothermal Desalination Project is concerned with the exploitation of the low enthalpy geothermal potential of Kimolos island for the production of fresh water through geothermal water desalination, with the intent of achieving water sufficiency for the island. Funding for the project was provided by the THERMIE EU-DGXVII program through contract No. GE-438-94-HE. The island of Kimolos, faces pronounced water scarcity problems, as other Aegean Sea islands also do. Nevertheless, Kimolos Isl. is fortunate enough to possess a very significant source of environmentally friendly energy which is renewable and of low cost, that is the low enthalpy geothermal energy potential. The desalination method applied is that of Multiple-Effect Distillation (MED) with distillation under vacuum in vertical tubes. The unit will use low enthalpy geothermal energy (with a wellhead temperature of approximately 61oC) as the heating and feed-water medium. The unit, built during the period of 1998-1999 produced, in average, 3.24 m3/h of fresh water, when a geothermal water flow-rate of 50 m3/h at a wellhead temperature of 61oC was utilized. The fresh water produced had a Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) content of less than 10 ppm, according to the plant |