Nikolay Voutchkov
Mr. Voutchkov is an internationally recognized expert in the field of desalination and membrane application technology with extensive experience in supporting the development, procurement, financing and implementation of large desalination projects worldwide.
Biography
Mr. Voutchkov provides independent engineering advisory services for all phases of desalination project implementation: from inception and feasibility evaluation; to commercial and technical development; environmental permitting and licensing; financial closing; and oversight of project design, construction, and long-term operation.Education
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M Sc Environmental Engineering, Techncial University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Seawater Pretreatment Technologies
Environmental Impacts from Desalination Plant Didcharges
Desalination Plant Engineeirng
Post-treatment of Desalinated Water
Personal Interests
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History of Art
Books
News
New Book on Desalination Plant Costs
By: Nikolay Voutchkov
Subjects: Water Science & Engineering
One of the key challenges associated with the wider implementation of seawater desalination is its relatively high cost. This book provides engineering guidelines for assessment of seawater desalination project construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and presents practical approaches for cost management using state-of-the art technologies and equipment.
The book describes step-by-step desalination cost estimating procedures and practices. It clearly explains key factors impacting desalination costs and available tools to manage such impacts. It also provides an overview of the main cost-saving features incorporated in some of the best-in-class seawater desalination plants worldwide and shares lessons-learned from the implementation of recent low- and high-cost desalination projects. This book contains example construction, O&M and water production cost estimates for a typical desalination project.
At present, membrane reverse osmosis (RO) desalination is the fastest growing technology for production of fresh water from saline water sources. Desalination plants use less energy to produce the same volume of fresh water than thermal desalination facilities. Therefore, this book focuses exclusively on the cost estimating of reverse osmosis desalination projects.
Preparation of cost estimates for the construction, funding and operation of desalination plants is more complex and demanding then that for conventional water treatment facilities in terms of professional skills, knowledge and understanding of treatment processes, technologies and equipment employed in the desalination processes. As the advances in desalination technology make desalination more competitive to other alternative sources of water supply, preparation of accurate cost estimates for construction and operation of desalination projects becomes of critical importance for identifying the size and role of desalination in the mix of alternatives that provide sustainable and reliable water supply portfolio for municipal coastal centers around the world.
This book provides detailed information on how to determine the costs associated with the implementation of seawater RO desalination plants. Book’s content covers practically all aspects of cost estimating: from fundamentals, to factors impacting project costs; type and accuracy of cost estimates; overview of existing cost models and their practical use; and detailed guidance for calculation of capital costs, operation and maintenance (O&M) expenditures and fresh water production costs of desalination projects. The book also has capital and O&M cost curves for key desalination facilities as well as examples for preparation of cost estimates.