Model-free controller and method for solar-based distillation system
AssigneeKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology
InventorsTaous Meriem Laleg, Paul Bendevis, Ayman Mustafa Karam
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Abstract
A method for controlling a membrane distillation system includes determining whether there is a day time or a night time at a location of a solar collector system associated with the membrane distillation system; applying a first control mode during the day time to a flow velocity of a feed used by the membrane distillation system; and applying a second control mode, different from the first control scheme, during the night time, to the feed. The first control scheme is a model-free mode.
Claims14
A method for controlling a membrane distillation system over a day time and a night time, the method comprising:
- determining, with a controller, whether there is the day time or the night time at a location of a solar collector system associated with the membrane distillation system;
- applying a first control mode during the day time to a flow velocity of a feed used by the membrane distillation system;
- and
- applying a second control mode, different from the first control mode, during the night time, to the feed,
- wherein the first control mode is a model-free mode, which is configured to start and stop the feed used by the membrane distillation system, to keep a temperature of the feed in a feed tank within a threshold defined by a first set temperature and a second set temperature, for maximizing a daily fresh water production of the membrane distillation system.
A membrane distillation system comprising:
- a solar collector system configured to collect solar energy and supply heat;
- a feed tank configured to hold a feed that is heated by the heat from the solar collector system;
- a membrane that is configured to receive the feed on one side and allow only water vapor to pass through the membrane on the other side to generate fresh water;
- a feed pump configured to circulate the feed with a flow velocity, from the feed tank to the membrane and back;
- and
- a controller configured to control the feed pump by applying a first control mode during a day time, to the flow velocity of the feed, and by applying a second control mode during a night time, different from the first control mode, to the flow velocity of the feed,
- wherein the first control mode is a model-free mode, which is configured to start and stop the feed used by the membrane distillation system, to keep a temperature of the feed in the feed tank within a threshold defined by a first set temperature and a second set temperature, for maximizing a daily fresh water production of the membrane distillation system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.