In many storage and containment ponds, high winds are something that can do damage and pose a lot of problems, but in a brine pond, wind can be used to make the evaporation process more efficient. In fact, in some places, brine pond locations are selected based on local average wind speeds. This is because wind speeds the evaporation process, which allows a quicker harvest time for solids and other byproducts that can be harvested once the evaporation process is complete.
The common term for encouraging wind to evaporate brine ponds is “wind aided intensification of evaporation,” commonly shortened to “WAIV.” WAIV systems can vary based on locale and a producer’s needs. It can include choosing locations with favorable winds or even generating wind to facilitate evaporation. Another method for wind assistance in evaporation is to install membranes that are similar to a ships sails. These membranes are designed to soak up brine so that evaporation occurs as wind blows around the membranes. This speeds the process drastically compared to the evaporation that occurs naturally over the surface of a pond that is not using a WAIV system—but it does require extra equipment not just in the form of membranes, but also pumps that can be used to wet the surface of the membranes.
