Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/133796
RESEARCH research building includes 6 indoor test bays, a laboratory, office space for clients, a 30-seat conference room and office space for Reclamation staff. The indoor test bays 13 x 35 ft (4 x 10.6 m) are designed to supply source water up to 30 GPM (1.9 L/s). Each test bay is equipped with dedicated power (120, 240, and 480 V), data ports, potable water and wcompressed air. Other test areas outside the central research building consist of three outside test pads 20 x 60 ft (6 x 18 m) and a largescale testing area 80 x 100 ft (24 x 30 m) with similar features to the indoor test bays. The test pads and largescale test area are designed to supply source water up to 60 and 120 gpm (3.8 and 7.6 L/s), respectively. Areas within the complex are set aside for agriculture research and renewable energy application research. Three evaporation ponds are available for concentrate disposal and for research in areas such as enhanced evaporation and algal growth in concentrate. SouRCE wAtER The four source water wells at Alamagordo discharge water to storage tanks for distribution to the various testing areas. Two storage tanks have a capacity of 50,000 gal (189 m3) and one has a capacity of 100,000 gal (378 m3). A sampling of source water chemistry is presented in Table 1. Water from more than one source water well can be blended to create desired water chemistries. Special water (such as produced water) can be imported to the site after appropriate permits are acquired. Generally, four levels of service are provided to clients at BGNDRF. Table 2 depicts service levels, technology categories, client goals and associated client and Reclamation responsibilities. The table does not contain a comprehensive presentation of client's goals as they relate to BGNDRF. For example, a client may want a location to market new technology to potential customers. BGNDRF is well suited for such a goal and other goals that may not be listed. • A modern facility with the support features previously discussed • Nearby universities with engineering programs focused on desalination. New Mexico State University, located 70 miles (110 km) west of BGNDRF, entered into a cooperative agreement with Reclamation in 2010 to further research and education concerning Layout of the BGNDRF site in Alamagordo. desalination. Dr Abbas Ghassemi, Since the opening of BGNDRF in 2007, director of New Mexico State University's a wide range of desalination technologies (NMSU) Institute for Energy & the have been tested. A brief description of Environment, and Dr Sam Fernald, interim some of the research in recent years is director of NMSU's Water Resources presented below: Research Institute, are the principal investigators in the cooperative agreement. Often Dr Ghassemi and Dr Fernald have ElEctrodialysis rEvErsal (Edr) and PulsEd ElEctrodialysis (PEd) students in their programs able to assist Research By: NMSU and General clients with research. A student working Electric (GE) on a master's degree or doctorate can align Funding Source: Office of Naval Research their research and studies to closely match Research Period: 2007 to present the research goals of a client. The University of Texas at El Paso's Research focused on pushing product water recovery and salt removal limits. Center for Inland Desalination Systems Summarizing the outcome of the research, (CIDS), like NMSU, may assist a client by it was determined that the volume of providing students to assist with research. concentrate could be reduced with a CIDS is located 90 miles (145 km) south of minimal increase of energy and membrane BGNDRF. BGNDRF is supported by appropriated area could be reduced by increasing current density. PED did not improve EDR funds under the Water Desalination Act of performance. This research is ongoing. 1996. A small portion of operating revenue comes from fees charged to their clients. A rEvErsE osmosis (ro) and table of fees is contained in the BGNDRF Fact Sheet at www.usbr.gov/research/ nanofiltration (nf) AWT/BGNDRF/. Fees are waived for Research By: NMSU and GE clients working at BGNDRF using federal Funding Source: Office of Naval Research grant funds. Research Period: 2011 to present Table 1. Source water chemistry R&D ADvAntAgES There are several appealing characteristics about BGNDRF as a place to conduct research and development. These include: • The availability of multiple groundwater chemistries at a single location • Minimal permitting requirements. | 28 | Desalination & Water Reuse | May-June 2013