Desalination of soils is still a great calamity for agriculture of many countries of the world. According to the FAO data, no less than 50% of the world's irrigated soils are affected by salinization. This activity is aimed to develop and study the new technology of chemical reclamation of soda-saline soils of Ararat Plain based on electrodialysis method. Earlier, saline soils in Armenia were treated (neutralized) with dilute solutions of sculptures (sometime with hydrochloric) acid and subsequent leaching with fresh water. By means of this technology developed by Armenian scientists a thousand hectares of soda-saline soils has been renovated and good crop of agricultural products was obtained. A necessary amount of technical sulphuric acid was delivered from the various regions of the Soviet Union, and a small part of the acid was produced in Armenia. However, after the collapse of USSR, blockade and energetic crisis in Armenia all activities in chemical reclamation of soils have been stopped due to absence of acid.
The aim of this project is a study, development and demonstration of the new technology for in-the-site producing the acids and fresh water needed for saline soil reclamation. This technology is based on groundwater electrodialysis method. As it is known, the groundwater is located under saline soils at a depth of about 1 meter and contains significantly amount of salts, particularly, SO-4 and Cl- anions. The method of electrodialysis allows separating these anions from the saline water and obtaining the needed solutions of the mixture of sulphuric and hydrochloric acids and pure desalinated water. One part of this water will be used for the production of 1% acid solution (usually employed for soil neutralization) while the reminder of this will be reserved for soil leaching and other objectives.
The station for 1 ha soda-saline soil treatment will has the following parameters:
Power consumption ………………………………………………………………………………… 20 kW
Productivity on treated water…….. ……………………………………………………………… … 100 m3
Initial salt content in the groundwater…………………………………………………………………… 3 g/l
Weight without water………………………………………………………………………………. 1500 kg
Size………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 x 2.5 x 2.3 m3
The station which be exploited in the field conditions must be equipped by autonomous energy sources, such as solar PV panels, wind turbines, diesel generators, or small hydro turbines.
This step of the work will take also 6 months.
