with fresh water supply during the 2000s drought. As we are no longer drought-
stricken in South Australia, the plant currently operates at 10% of its 300
megalitre/day capacity. The sea water feeding the desalination plant along the coast of
Lonsdale has a salinity value of 35 grams/litre. The brine (salty water) output from
desalination plant is has a salinity of 75 grams/litre. The density of sea water can be
assumed to be 1020kg/m3 and the density of the brine as 1050kg/m3.
a. Determine the mass flow rates of the brine and pure water streams leaving the
desalination plant in kg/hr. [6.125 * 105 kg/hr]
b. If the salinity meter used to determine the salt content in the water is accurate to the
nearest 1g/L and has a precision level of ±5%, determine the uncertainty in the flow
rate of the brine. [Assuming independent ±4.4*104 kg/hr]
Fig: 1