Distillation in the desalination process as an alternative solution to the drought in Brazilian Northeast

Abstract

This research aims to present the historical context of droughts in the Northeast of Brazil and, based on this, seek a viable solution to the problem, focusing on social and economic needs. Based on this, obtaining potable water through the desalination of seawater is necessary due to the water shortage that affects the population in several ways, since normally the water supply comes from rain and the Brazilian Northeast is a vulnerable area in terms of climate change because it is located in an area with air currents that transfer heat to higher latitudes, which favors the stability of the weather and the absence of rain. The technology used in the desalination process is influenced by the quality of the water, the costs generated, the volume of water to be produced and the energy consumption required. The target of this research was distillation by vapor compression because it is one of the processes most welcomed by researchers due to the fact that it generates good results, has an optimized energy consumption and a good percentage of yield in relation to more modern models, and a lower cost compared to processes that use membranes.