"Economic Analysis of a Tower-Shaped Hybrid Desalination Plant Integrating (HDH- PSD) Humidification-Dehumidification with Pyramidal Solar Distillation" | ||
| Industrial Technology Journal | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 11 October 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/itj.2025.419952.1036 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Mohamed G. Kandel* 1; emad M.S. El-Said2; Mohamed Ali Dahab3; Ahmed Al-Nagdy4; Gamal B. Abdelaziz5 | ||
| 1Mechanical Department, Faculty of Technology and Education, Suez University, P.O. Box:43221, Suez, Egypt | ||
| 2Faculty of Engineering, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt | ||
| 3Mechanical Department, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | ||
| 4Mechanical department, faculty of technology and education, Suez University, Egypt. | ||
| 5Mechanical department, Faculty of Technology and Education, Suez university, Suez, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Economic factors are the primary determinants of the selection and deployment of desalination technologies. This study provides an in-depth economic assessment of an innovative tower-configuration desalination facility that combines two synergistic technologies: humidification-dehumidification (HDH) processes and pyramidal solar still (PSS) systems. The economic evaluation utilized a comparative framework that examined three distinct operational scenarios: the integrated hybrid configuration alongside each technology functioning as a standalone system. This methodology facilitates a comprehensive evaluation of economic benefits and viability indicators across various operational frameworks in the field. The analysis implemented the Cost Per Liter (CPL) approach, incorporating diverse cost elements including initial capital expenditures, operational expenses, production costs, energy expenditures, internal rate of return, and other pertinent economic variables. The integrated HDH-PSS system achieved a daily production yield of 17.05 L/m2, representing a 180% increase over that of the standalone pyramid solar still (PSS). Utilizing current Egyptian energy tariffs, the economic assessment demonstrated that the hybrid HDH-PSS configuration produced potable water at an estimated unit cost of 0.045 $/L. However, the standalone PSS system exhibited superior cost efficiency at 0.016 $/L highlighting a key trade-off between production capacity and unit cost. Water production costs decrease proportionally with an extended system operational lifetime. Production costs increase correspondingly with higher rates. Costs decline significantly as system capacity expands, demonstrating substantial economies of scale. These findings confirm that larger-scale water treatment installations deliver considerably superior economic efficiency compared to smaller-capacity systems, highlighting the importance of strategic capacity planning for desalination project development. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| hybrid system; economic analysis, low cost, system capacity, water cost | ||
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