A comparative study of the potentials of Oman and UAE in condensate water recovery

Abstract

Freshwater is essential for everyday activities including drinking, irrigation, farming and many industrial processes. However, freshwater is less than 1% of the total water resources in the planet and, therefore, it is considered a very valuable commodity. Limited resources and growing needs for freshwater triggered global exploration for alternatives to produce enough freshwater for human needs. Today’s most widely used methods to produce freshwater is desalination. However, critical appraisal of the desalination procedures raised the alarm about sustainability of desalination and indicated that significant research is needed to develop alternative green resources of freshwater. Countries in the Gulf area such as Oman and UAE experience hot and humid climates and use air-conditioning units to achieve acceptable comfort levels and create a healthier indoor environment. The cooling process release a large amount of condensate water through cooling coils. This amount of water is usually considered as a problem rather than opportunity and, thus, is wasted into municipal sewerage systems via a system of drainage pipes. This alternative source can be utilized in various drainage, irrigation, and cooling applications to reduce the use of considerable amount of municipal potable water. This source not only takes part in controlling the water scarcity, but also in saving energy and to reducing the carbon footprint. This paper focus on highlighting the opportunities for Oman and UAE to utilize the condensate water from air-conditioning process, as a viable alternative source of green fresh water. It provides a comparison of the potentials of both countries to collect condensate water, based on meteorological data, location and climate. It was concluded that both countries have great potentials and opportunities to utilize this wasted resource.