First self-sustainable hotel on the coast of Peru. Prototype of water treatment through innovative technology in the country: electro-dialysis (First part)

About the project

A self-sustaining hotel is one that seeks to integrate the values and principles associated with sustainable development into all its business processes. One of the most important processes in a hotel is ensuring a supply of potable water. However, Zorritos (Tumbes) suffers from water shortages and poor water quality. According to the 2018 Regional Sanitation Plan of the Regional Government of Tumbes, 37,315 inhabitants lack access to potable water. Therefore, obtaining this resource becomes critical for solving water access problems in northern Peru.

In some areas of the region where water is available, it has a high salt concentration and therefore does not meet the parameters established in DS 031-2010-SA. Conventional treatments for this type of water are very expensive. For this reason, the purpose of this project is to develop an innovative prototype for purifying brackish water using electrodialysis. There are no records in the country of companies or institutions that apply this technology for water purification.

Laboratory results

The prototype was constructed using a series of anionic and cationic membranes, employing electrodes at its ends. Its operation involves transferring salts from one water flow (diluted flow) to a parallel water flow (concentrated flow). In tests, the prototype achieved a reduction of 891% in the amount of salts. The indicator used was electrical conductivity, which decreased from 7780 µS/cm to 842 µS/cm. The volume of water treated, operating for 8 hours, was 100 liters.

The production of low-salinity water can be increased without major problems by adding cells in parallel. This increase in volume is proportional to the number of cells. From an economic standpoint, this treatment alternative is less expensive compared to conventional equipment used in desalination processes.

Conclusion

The hotel aims to differentiate itself through technology: a water purification process using electrodialysis. In this way, the hotel seeks a transformation that will make it the first self-sustaining hotel on the Peruvian coast.

Financier

Innóvate Perú Program.

Coordinator

Eduardo Sánchez.