Next-Generation Seawater Desalination Technology to Be Demonstrated in Gangneung

Technology Utilizing Solar Thermal Energy and Membrane Distillation Developed by KIST
"Contributing to Drought Relief"

As regional water shortages intensify due to climate change and severe droughts, the government will conduct a demonstration of next-generation seawater desalination technology before it is applied in the field.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced on September 15 that KIST plans to demonstrate its next-generation seawater desalination technology, which utilizes solar thermal energy and membrane distillation, in Gangneung.

Research facility combining solar energy and water-source heat pumps. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

The next-generation membrane distillation method is a technology in which water vapor generated from heated seawater passes through a membrane with microscopic pores due to a vapor pressure difference and then condenses in a cold freshwater tank. Compared to widely known desalination technologies such as reverse osmosis and evaporation, it produces freshwater at lower temperatures and pressures, resulting in higher energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.

This demonstration technology uses solar thermal energy in the membrane distillation process, reducing energy consumption by 30% while increasing freshwater production efficiency by 9.6%. However, as the technology is still in its early stages and has only been proven at the laboratory level, further demonstration and technological advancement are needed for field application.

Through this on-site demonstration, KIST aims to secure a variety of foundational data and identify follow-up research tasks and improvement measures for further advancement and commercialization of the technology.

The Marine Science Education Center at Gangneung-Wonju National University, the demonstration site, is located adjacent to the sea and is equipped with facilities to directly supply seawater to the desalination equipment, enabling long-term and continuous demonstration. The demonstration will begin after the desalination equipment is transported and installed in Gangneung in September, and will run from October to the end of November.

Koo Hyukchae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, stated, "Through this demonstration, we will verify the field applicability of our existing research achievements and identify improvement measures, ultimately producing more effective and advanced research outcomes that can directly contribute to alleviating drought."

Oh Sangrok, President of KIST, said, "We expect that science and technology-based solutions can play a key role in overcoming national crises," adding, "We will accelerate field-oriented and innovative research and development to take a leading role in addressing not only droughts but also climate and environment-related social issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.