Pasqualin, Paris

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  University of BirminghamAddressing water and food scarcity through a novelsystem for greenhouses, experimental validationand model predictionsPasqualin, Paris; Davies, PhilipLicense:None: All rights reservedDocument VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordCitation for published version (Harvard):Pasqualin, P & Davies, P (ed.) 2023, 'Addressing water and food scarcity through a novel system forgreenhouses, experimental validation and model predictions', STEM for Britain 2023, London, United Kingdom,6/03/23 - 6/03/23. <https://stemforbritain.org.uk/2023-Posters/Paris%20Pasqualin.pdf>Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portalGeneral rightsUnless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or thecopyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposespermitted by law.•Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication.•Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of privatestudy or non-commercial research.•User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?)•Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain.Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document.When citing, please reference the published version.Take down policyWhile the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has beenuploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.If you believe that this is the case for this document, please contact UBIRA@lists.bham.ac.uk providing details and we will remove access tothe work immediately and investigate.Download date: 29. May. 2023ADDRESSING WATER AND FOOD SCARCITY THROUGH A NOVEL SYSTEM FOR GREENHOUSES, EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION AND MODEL PREDICTIONSPhD student: Paris Pasqualin        Supervisor: Philip DaviesSchool of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UKProposed solutionReferencesWhat next?The issues1. International Decade for Action 'WATER FOR LIFE' 2005-2015, https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml (accessed on 19 February 2023)2. World Bank Group. Catalog Sources: Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture (% of total freshwater withdrawal), https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.H2O.FWAG.ZS?view=map (accessed on 19 February 2023)3. Global Issues: Population, https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population (accessed on 19 February 2023)4. P. Pasqualin and P.A. Davies. Experimental and theoretical investigation of nanofiltration membranes for liquid desiccant regeneration in air conditioning applications. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2022. 221: p. 1196445. P. Pasqualin and P.A. Davies, Concept design of a greenhouse cooling system using multi-stage nanofiltration for liquid desiccant regeneration. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2022. 216: p. 1190576. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meeting-our-future-water-needs-a-national-framework-for-water-resources (accessed on 19 February 2023)• Water scarcity is a growing issue that will affect two-thirds of the world's population by 2025 [1], not only due to short supply but also due toincreasing use for agriculture. In fact, agriculture uses 14% of freshwater in the UK, and 72% globally [2].• Water scarcity will limit agriculture and lead to food scarcity. Food scarcity will be intensified by the increasing world population, estimated toreach 9.7 billion by 2050 [3].Concept design:• To tackle these issues, we developed a solution that recovers freshwater from greenhouses by utilising liquid desiccants to absorb moisture generatedby crop transpiration.• The novelty lies in the multi-stage system which simultaneously establishes closed-loop water and liquid desiccant cycles.• The proposed solution is theoretically six times more energy-efficient than conventional systems that do not recover freshwater [4].Experimental validation:• We constructed a two-stage membrane system designed to concentratemagnesium chloride, a non-toxic liquid desiccant. In case of leaks, thesecan be beneficial because magnesium chloride is a fertiliser that enhancesquality and yield of crops.• The liquid desiccant was concentrated from 51 to 55 g/L. Higherconcentration was not possible due to the maximum allowable workingpressure of the membranes, equal to 40 bar.Model predictions:• We developed a model to predict performance. Experimental and modelresults agree within 5%. However, to meet the needs of greenhouses, aconcentration above 180 g/L is required [5].• According to the validated model, a four-stage system operating at 80 barcould concentrate the liquid desiccant from 184 to 196 g/L.• Excluding public water supply, East of England is estimated to require more than 60% of its water needs for agriculture [6]. The proposed solution candecrease irrigation by at least 90% and thus can be integrated into England’s national framework for water resources, which involves agriculture andenvironmental protection.• However, research funding is needed to make the proposed solution a reality since some of the membranes for the multi-stage system are not yetcommercially available. These can be fabricated, but so far this has not happened because of lack of demand.[6]Westminster March 2023 

Addressing water and food scarcity through a novel system for greenhouses, experimental validation and model predictions

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Addressing water and food scarcity through a novel system for greenhouses, experimental validation and model predictions

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