Apply thermodynamic principles to calculate energy demands in water treatment

Designing energy-efficient water treatment systems requires quantitative methods that most engineering curricula fail to provide. Fundamentals of Energy Analysis of Water Treatment Systems delivers the first dedicated textbook connecting thermodynamic fundamentals to water treatment energy calculations. Charles J. Werth, a recognized authority in environmental engineering with over 170 publications, presents a systematic approach for analyzing energy requirements across treatment technologies.

The book covers the First, Second, and Third Laws of Thermodynamics through the lens of water treatment applications. Engineers learn to calculate internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy for both closed and open systems. Chapters address energy analysis of membrane desalination, thermal distillation, electrodialysis, and electrochemical oxidation processes with worked examples throughout.

Readers will also find:

• Energy balance calculations for reverse osmosis, multi-stage flash distillation, and electrodialysis systems with step-by-step worked examples
• Methods for quantifying thermodynamic efficiency of treatment technologies to improve design decisions and reduce operational costs
• End-of-chapter problems enabling students to apply principles to realistic water treatment scenarios and energy optimization challenges
• Modular chapter structure supporting standalone thermodynamics courses or integration into water-energy electives at multiple levels
• Direct connections between theoretical principles and real-world sustainability goals in water infrastructure design and assessment

Environmental engineers, civil engineering students, and water treatment professionals will find this textbook indispensable for energy-aware design. Whether used in upper-undergraduate thermodynamics courses, a graduate water-energy course, or as a professional reference, this resource provides a quantitative foundation for sustainable treatment system development.

Charles J. Werth, PhD, PE, BCEE, is Professor and Bettie Margaret Smith Chair in Environmental Health Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, and at the time this was published is a Program Director at the Department of Energy Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). A Fellow of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology from 2014 to 2023 and has published over 170 peer-reviewed journal articles in environmental chemistry, treatment processes and modeling, and sustainable engineering. He received the NSF CAREER Award, was named a Mercator Fellow of the German Research Society, and served on the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board.