Desalination of Water in Oman - Project Paper Example

Saline water is a huge problem in Oman. The government incurs huge costs to desalinate the water. We aim at provide a system that will help in desalinating the water. We chose a solar still system. The primary beneficiaries of the system are domestic families. That is single household of not more than three people.

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Water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Some unique problems require immediate attention. Like the neighboring Gulf countries, one shared factor is the lack of water resources and poor water management. The water table of this region has dropped tremendously, and at this rate, the natural freshwater resources will deplete. Even with a significant amount of desalination plants to reduce water deficiency, Oman needs to adjust its water use habits before it is too late (Ministry of Agriculture, 2012, 2).

Project Description

This project aims at providing a drinkable water source to the people of Oman. The system chosen is practical and easily serviced. It is also easy to set up the project.

The system employed is a water desalination system. The method used is a solar still. Since Oman experiences plenty of sunshine, this is an ideal set up.

We use a trough which has a black bottom to fill it with salty water. The black surface acts as a radiation absorber. We then cover the channel with a transparent glass. The glass slants at an average angle of 30 degrees. As the sunshine heats up the salty water, the water vaporizes and condenses at the slanted glass. Since the glass slants, the water droplets will flow towards the end of the glass. At the end of the slant glass is a water collector. The system is air-tight. It is effective during the day since maximum sunshine is available. Once all the water in the trough has evaporated, we remove the residue (salt). We chose this system as it will reduce the cost the government of Oman uses in desalination plants. It is also a cheap system to operate.

The system does not require much labor. One person operates this daily since it is a one-family model. The facilities in use are a water trough, transparent glass, a water collector, and a black base. The black base could be a polyethylene or a painted channel. These materials are readily available in Oman. They require little maintenance. Sun is the only source of energy. The interruptions by rain are little or not experienced at all. Oman is largely a desert country.

Conclusion

In this project, we aim at providing clean drinkable water using a solar still. It is important because most water sources found in Oman is saline. It is also a viable project that will reduce the costs the government incurs in desalination plants. Water is a vital resource for the Oman economics. Oman water strategy should aim to ensure security and sustainability of supply for priority use, maximizing the use of natural water resources. Matching water use to water availability and protecting water resources should be key.

Augmentation of water resources through increased artificial water resources, water conservation, and demand management.

References

Abu Taleb, MF et al 1992 Water Resources Planning and Development in Jordan: Problem Future Scenarios and Recommendations. World Bank, Washington, D.C.

Allan, JA 1992 Substitutes for Water are Being Found in the Middle East and North Africa. In: Geo Journal, 28 (3), S. 375 385

Isaac, J Hillel, S 1994 (Eds) Water and Peace in the Middle East. Amsterdam, Elsevier.

Jamal Saghir, Manuel Schieffler, and Mathewos Woldu, 2000, Water and Sanitation in the Middle East and North Africa RegionThe Way Forward (Washington: World Bank).

Public Authority for Electricity and Water, Sultanate of Oman, 2016

Soffer, A 1993 River of Fire the conflict of water in the Middle East. Tel Aviv

Tagar, Zecharya; Becker, Nir; and Bromberg, Gidon. (2004) Whose water is it? Privatization of Water and Sewage Services, Sea Water Desalination, and Public Participation. Friends of the Earth, Middle East.

World Bank, 1993, Water Resources Management: A World Bank Policy Paper (Washington).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2017). Retrieved 3 April 2017, from https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mechanical-engineering/2-500-desalination-and-water-purification-spring-2009/assignments/MIT2_500s09_sw03_report.pdfMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries (2017). Retrieved 3 April 2017, from https://maf.gov.om/Download.ashx?File=FCKupload/File/books/annex4.pdf