INVASMART

Seawater desalination is necessary in different parts of the world where fresh water is scarce. The quality of the seawater is decisive for the choice of the methodology to be applied and therefore the cost of obtaining the final product to be consumed. Algal blooms and other forms of harmful phytoplankton (HABs) can be a limiting factor for this industry. The ability to monitor and predict algal blooms at the water intake of desalination plants will allow better process efficiency as well as avoid plant shutdowns due to blockage by activating specific systems that can remove microalgae from the water or activate the operation of different plants. Proliferation prediction models have recently started to be applied to aquaculture to prevent fish mortalities or human intoxication. The same methodology can be applied to the desalination industry. The design of these models has to be adapted to each geographical area. The integration of different sensors together with real-time prediction models will be decisive in the management of these plants that ensure the supply of drinking water to many coastal areas of the world. The aim of the project is to bring a real prediction system to the market by testing it around a desalination plant.