Abstract
Since the costs of Reverse Osmosis technology remain high, an approach aimed at coupling a salt gradient energy production (SGE) process to the desalination operation is emerging. SGE consists of mixing fresh river water with salt seawater, which due to a salinity gradient generates usable electrical energy, which can potentially decrease the power requirements that take place in membrane processes. G It is important to highlight that SGE is considered one of the renewable energies with the highest potential; it is estimated that it can produce up to 23% of all the electrical energy required globally. One of the most studied technologies for the extraction of SGE is electrodialysis reversal (RED), whereby mixing 1 m3 of river water with seawater produces approximately 1.7 Mj, equivalent to the hydroelectric energy derived from a water height difference of 270-280 m. According to the above, this research focuses its efforts on an evaluation of the feasibility and performance, in terms of energy efficiency and water quality, of an integration between Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) with seawater desalination by Reverse Osmosis (RO), in the context of the Colombian Caribbean region.