CANDESAL - A CANADIAN NUCLEAR DESALINATION SYSTEM

The CANDESAL Nuclear Desalination System integrates two well establish ed and proven technologies - reverse osmosis seawater desalination and CANDU nuclear power generation - into a single facility for the co-ge neration of both fresh water and electricity in relative proportions d ictated by local requirements. By coupling the desalination plant with the reactor both thermally and electrically and by optimizing the sys tem design, increases in the range of 20-40% in water production effic iency are achieved, depending on seawater conditions. These improvemen ts result in significant reductions in desalination plant capital cost s as well as levelized water costs. Through the illustrative use of si te-specific applications studies, the real issues of designing a nucle ar desalination plant for an actual operational situation, as opposed to simply addressing a single set of design conditions, are discussed. Fresh water production targets are achieved, without compromise in wa ter quality or reverse osmosis system efficiency, over annual variatio ns in inlet seawater temperature and total dissolved solids. The deman d for water and electrical energy is critical in many parts of the wor ld and the CANDESAL Nuclear Desalination System provides a readily ava ilable and economically attractive solution which meets both these nee ds without contributing to the ever-increasing global pollution proble m. In addition, the installation and operation of such a system contri butes positively to regional and national economies through the creati on of jobs, industrial benefits and technology transfer.