Influence of feed groundwater characteristics on the mass transfer; its applications in the area between El-Negeila and Baqbaq - Northwestern coast - Egypt

Abstract

Water scarcity is the most dangerous problem facing human kind as water is the key of life for every living being. Since 2007, Egypt has been listed as one of the countries suffering from water scarcity. The overpopulation in the Nile Valley and the Delta areas and expected fast increasing in human needs such as clean water, food and habitation lead the Egyptian government to establish large reconstruction, desert reclamation projects and make them a first priority in the governmental plan of sustainable development fulfillment in the North Western coast of Egypt. The area of investigation is considered an arid area located at the Northwestern Mediterranean coast of Egypt between longitudes 25º 30′ & 26º 30′ E and latitudes 31º 21′ & 31º 39′ N. It covers about 70 Km along the coast from west El-Negila at shammas valley to Baqbaq area and 20 kilometers inland. Beduoins at this area depend on preserved rainwater which is insufficient to provide them with fresh water and doesn’t last until the next rain season. It is obviously noticeable that, the problem of water scarcity in study area represents an obstacle to the sustainable development and the tourism activity despite its charming coast and peaceful nature. The dry weather and the fresh water shortage make it necessary to search for a new way to provide clean fresh water and make the best use of the existed groundwater aquifers or seawater and this solution is the desalination. Because the vital importance of the membranes in desalination plants, This work aims at investigating the effect of different water types of the study area on the thin film composite (TFC) poly amide RO membranes and the mass transfer behavior of different ions during their