GreenPRO: A novel fertiliser-driven osmotic power generation process for fertigation

Volpin, F; Gonzales, RR; Lim, S; Pathak, N; Phuntsho, S; Shon, HK

GreenPRO: A novel fertiliser-driven osmotic power generation process for fertigation

Volpin, F

Gonzales, RR

Lim, S

Pathak, N Phuntsho, S

Shon, HK

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Desalination, 2018, 447 pp. 158 - 166
Issue Date:: 2018-12-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Accepted Manuscript VersionAdobe PDF (1.6 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Volpin, F https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6053-3605	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Gonzales, RR https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2175-2944	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lim, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9253-3693	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Pathak, N	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Phuntsho, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3917-3916	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Shon, HK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3777-7169	en_US
dc.date.available	2020-12-01T18:04:58Z
dc.date.issued	2018-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Desalination, 2018, 447 pp. 158 - 166	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0011-9164	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129118
dc.description.abstract	© 2018 This study introduces and describes GreenPRO, a novel concept involving fertiliser-driven osmotic energy generation via pressure retarded osmosis (PRO). The potential of GreenPRO was proposed for three objectives: (a) power generation, (b) water pressurisation for fertiliser-based irrigation, and (c) water treatment, as a holistic water-energy-food nexus process. Three pure agricultural fertilisers and two commercial blended fertiliser solutions were used as the draw solution and irrigation water as feed to test this concept for power generation. Theoretical thermodynamic simulation of the maximum extractable Gibbs energy, was first performed. After which, a series of bench-scale experiments were conducted to obtain realistic extractable energy data. The results showed that concentrated fertilisers potentially have 11 times higher energy than seawater. Even after accounting for the irreversibility losses due to constant pressure operation, the investigated pure fertilisers were found to have between 2.5 and 4.6 Wh/kg of energy. The outcomes from the flux and power density modelling were then validated with real experimental data. This study has successfully demonstrated that concentrated fertilisers can release a substantial amount of chemical potential energy when diluted for fertigation. This energy could be harnessed by transforming it into electric energy or pressure energy via PRO.	en_US
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140101208
dc.relation.ispartof	Desalination	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.desal.2018.09.013	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering	en_US
dc.title	GreenPRO: A novel fertiliser-driven osmotic power generation process for fertigation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	447	en_US
utslib.for	0904 Chemical Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	09 Engineering	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	447	en_US

Abstract:

© 2018 This study introduces and describes GreenPRO, a novel concept involving fertiliser-driven osmotic energy generation via pressure retarded osmosis (PRO). The potential of GreenPRO was proposed for three objectives: (a) power generation, (b) water pressurisation for fertiliser-based irrigation, and (c) water treatment, as a holistic water-energy-food nexus process. Three pure agricultural fertilisers and two commercial blended fertiliser solutions were used as the draw solution and irrigation water as feed to test this concept for power generation. Theoretical thermodynamic simulation of the maximum extractable Gibbs energy, was first performed. After which, a series of bench-scale experiments were conducted to obtain realistic extractable energy data. The results showed that concentrated fertilisers potentially have 11 times higher energy than seawater. Even after accounting for the irreversibility losses due to constant pressure operation, the investigated pure fertilisers were found to have between 2.5 and 4.6 Wh/kg of energy. The outcomes from the flux and power density modelling were then validated with real experimental data. This study has successfully demonstrated that concentrated fertilisers can release a substantial amount of chemical potential energy when diluted for fertigation. This energy could be harnessed by transforming it into electric energy or pressure energy via PRO.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129118