Designing for a more Sustainable future in a fresh water new way!
UCSD Team 28 | Sponsor: Ocean Well | Manager: Dr. Porter
Project Sponsors Vision
Company Goals
Subsea Modular Water Farms
Innovations and Benefits
Up to 50% energy reduction
Reduced marine life mortality
Reduced brine outfall
No onshore plant
Project Scope
Develop a test bed to characterize/compare different RO membranes. Results determined by:
Flow Rate through membrane vs. Thruster Power
Pressure drop across membrane vs. Thruster Power
IMG_4557.MOVSystem in Action
Wet run of the testing rig! All sensors are operational and collecting power, pressure, and flow velocity.
Final Design Model
Project Overview
The overarching goal of OceanWell is to provide fresh water to land, while protecting marine ecosystems and ocean health. The scope of this technical report focuses on a small aspect to this larger goal. The intent of this project was to design, manufacture, and empirically test a Reverse-Osmosis membrane with the intent of finding flow rate and pressure drop due to an axial thruster. To achieve the deliverables of this project, a testing apparatus was developed, integrated with submersible flow and pressure sensors whose data was then collected and displayed for the user. An understanding of flow dynamics, flow and pressure curves was essential to the characterization and empirical collection of data.
Performance Results
Pressure Curve Results
Collection: Measurements taken across the membrane from two pressure transducers
Data Points: Measurements taken at 50, 75, and 100 % thruster power
Curve Fitting: Appears to be linear but more data is needed.
Flow Curve Results
Measurements: Taken with an ADV to develop a velocity profile
Velocity Profile: Taken with an ADV at discrete locations
Velocity Profile
Cross-Sectional view of tube from center to tube edge
Assumptions
Flow is a steady state
There exists no spiraling of the flow
Flow is symmetric about the radial axis
Project Poster
