Towards Solar Pond Design and Development for Masdar City Environment

Abstract

Salinity-gradient solar ponds (SGSP) are water bodies that serves as a solar thermal energy storage system. Establishing a salinity gradient and observing the role of gravity and diffusion between the different zones is key-point in achieving optimal system performance. In this work, a numerical model is developed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) acting as an initial step in designing and building a solar pond located in Masdar City for the usage of space cooling and desalination. The model is governed by continuity, species transport, momentum, and energy equations of naturally convicted, transient and non-isothermal flow. Results show the stability of the three working zones of the pond if carefully are injected and established. Although diffusion lingers for long time, it is balanced by the gravity forces that slows its propagation and confined it to a thin layer located at corresponding interfaces between zones. This work numerically shows the diffusion influence on the extent of stability of the three core zones of the solar pond. It demonstrates how one could achieve sustainable salinity and temperature gradients to ensure reliable working principle of the sola pond.