Desain dan Simulasi Sistem PLTS untuk Desalinasi Air dengan Teknologi Mechanical Vapor Compression di Sumba Tengah

Abstract

The clean water crisis in Central Sumba is a serious issue with far-reaching impacts. This phenomenon has led to crop failures, rising household expenditures, and prolonged hunger seasons. The scarcity of clean water is an urgent problem that requires immediate and sustainable solutions. One potential approach to addressing the clean water shortage is by utilizing seawater through a desalination process using the Mechanical Vapor Compression (MVC) method. The energy source for the desalination system is derived from a Solar Power Plant (PLTS). Geographic and solar radiation data for Central Sumba were obtained from the Global Solar Atlas and analyzed through simulations using PVSyst software. Based on the simulation results, the solar power system demonstrated a performance ratio of 66.7% and a solar fraction of 97.1%, indicating that the designed PLTS system performs efficiently under local conditions. Furthermore, it was found that the daily clean water demand of Central Sumba residents could be met by approximately 29% using a single desalination unit powered by the PLTS system. Further development is recommended by optimizing the photovoltaic (PV) cooling system to enhance the overall performance of the solar power plant. In addition, a detailed cost estimation for the water distribution network, system installation, and operation of both the PLTS and the desalination unit is essential to support large-scale implementation.