Engineer Juan Carlos Borrero Plaza
Aero-Desalinator is a wind-powered desalination plant that uses reverse osmosis technology.
Aero-Desalinator is a system that integrates wind energy technology with a desalination system to desalinate and purify brackish water from total dissolved solids (TDS) of up to 14,000 ppm to 500 ppm. Wind energy is harvested to abstract saline water from wells and transport it to a desalination system composed of a series of filters and membranes integrated with copper and silver ions for the removal of pathogens. Additionally, a reverse osmosis process is used to produce potable water. The equipment is also designed to work with photovoltaic systems connected with battery banks and inverters.
This equipment was invented by engineer Juan Carlos Borrero Plaza and was first applied to solve the water problem of the Uletsumana Wayuu community on Colombia’s Guajira Peninsula. Currently, this is a commercialized technology and more than 80 units have been installed in Colombia.
The manufacturers have provided the overall cost of the system based on 30 years of a lifetime which includes:
Product cost: 35,000 USD (including georeferencing, well analysis, installation, and start-up)
Annual operation and maintenance cost: 2,800 USD
Liter value per day (including operation and maintenance costs): 0.0039 USD
Desolenator, however, it also competes with other diesel-powered or on-grid electricity-powered desalination plants worldwide.
Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
Target users include communities especially from the desert of Colombia’s Guajira Peninsula, while the target buyers include humanitarian organizations and local governments.
Manufactured and marketed by ACTIVA M&O CONSTRUCCIONES S.A.S in Colombia. This product is produced in batches and is mostly manufactured according to the needs of the community.
Users can obtain this equipment and service by directly contacting the company itself or contacting Juan Carlos Borrero Plaza.
As of 2018, 80 Aero-Desalinators have been installed in the desert of the Colombian Guajira.
Description of the treatment system
Manufacturer-specified water treatment rate, measured in liters per hour
Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of bacteria
Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of viruses
Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of protozoa
Reduction levels of heavy metals and/or arsenic through this treatment system
Power and/or solar energy required for water treatment
Is there safe water storage integrated into this product?
The Aero-desalination system consists of six modules: a pre-installed windmill, a concrete tank for storage of untreated water, dual Pre-Filters, wind pumping module, reverse-osmosis chamber, and the drinking water storage tank.
The system operates by pumping the saline or brackish water from the standard well which is hooked up to a pre-installed windmill. The pumped water from the well is then stored in a concrete storage tank which is designed for a certain height for gravity to do the job. The water from the tank is then allowed to flow through a dual pre-filter previously doped with nano-technological copper and silver ions to stop the incursion of suspended particles, algae, molds, fungi, or bacteria. Further on, the water is allowed to pass the reverse osmosis membrane through a pipe or tank regulating flow and pressure of cross flows where the permeate is stored in another freshwater tank of 2,000 L capacity and the concentrate is sent to a separate reservoir where the water eventually evaporates.
Some of the details of the Aero-Desalinator are as follows:
- Pump used: piston-check design which allows a double suction and drive effect more efficient.
- Membrane: SW30HRLE-4040
- Active membrane area: 7.9 m2
- Permeate flow rate: 6.1 m3/day
- Minimum % of salt rejection: 99.6 %
There is no technical support provided and users are expected to maintain the product on their own with the help of training or pictorials provided by the manufactures at the time of project implementation.
There are no specified replacement components by the manufacturer; prefilters and specific components of the wind turbines may need replacement after a period of use.
The average lifecycle for this product is 20 years; if handled with care the system can last much longer up to 30 years.
Designer specified performance targets include:
- Off the grid system
- Use of nanotechnological ionization as a part of pre-filtration
- Low per liter cost
- High water output i.e. 2 m3/day
- Efficient salt removal i.e. from 14000 ppm to 500 ppm
The testing of the Aero-Desalinator is done by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance), an international certifying company. Testing was carried out by SGS’s office and laboratories in Colombia.
No known safety hazards are related to this product other than electrical hazards related to the operation of electrical equipment such as solar panels or wind turbines. Users must wear protective equipment to avoid electrical burns or electrocution while operating electrical equipment.
Pre-filters, micron filter and activated carbon filter, wind turbines, storage tanks, pumps
Emmanuel, K. and Clayton, A., 2019, Water Quality and Alternative Energy Nexus in the Americas, Water Quality in the Americas, p.148.
Ma, Q. and Lu, H., 2011, Wind energy technologies integrated with desalination systems: Review and state-of-the art, Desalination, 277(1-3), pp.274-280.
Swift, A et al., 2009, Wind power and water desalination technology integration. Wind Science and Engineering Research Center and Water Resources Center, Texas Tech University, Bureau of Reclamation, Lubbock, TX.
Harris J., 2016, Outsmarting Climate Change: Affordable Solutions to the Climate Crisis, Discover Magazine.
The manufactures claim the water quality of this product complies with World Health Organization (WHO) regulations.
Aero-Desalinator was a winner during the 2018 H2O Challenge.
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