A Smart IoT Based Water Desalination System: A Kuwaiti Case Study

Kuwait was one of the pioneering countries in the Gulf region to initiate desalinating water in the early 1950s. However, the country has continually grappled with the challenge of meeting the capital demand for its distillation units, as the gross maximum consumption exceeds the available capacity. Kuwait is committed to realizing its 2035 vision, which is centred on sustainability and aims to minimize the utilization of underground water to preserve it for future generations. This paper recommends a sustainable and autonomous small-scale system that can filter, desalinate, and disinfect seawater. Unlike existing prototypes, the proposed system incorporates a multistage desalination process that is powered by a battery pack recharged by integrated solar panels. The system has the capability to produce fresh potable water for drinking and domestic use, heat the water to a preset temperature for multiple applications, and provide an electrical outlet for charging and powering electronic devices in remote locations. In addition, cooling and illumination features exist in the prototype. The quality of the water and its chemical properties are monitored through an IoT system, and the empirical results show that the production rate of potable water is 10 Liters per 0.84 hours. The chemical properties of the filtered water obtained is at an average of 139 parts per million (ppm) and a pH value ranging between 6.5 and 8.5.