Search results for "Desalination"
showing 10 items of 131 documents
Simulation of stability and dynamics of multistage flash desalination
2011
gPROMS software was used to study the dynamics of a multistage flash desalination brine circulation system (MSF-BR) as a function of major operating parameters. Most of the previous studies focused on MSF-BR dynamic model development however; it gave very little information on dynamic response of the system to the most significant process independent parameters. The present model was first validated against available industrial data of different plants. System dynamics were obtained upon increasing/decreasing several of the operating parameters over a range of ± 15%. Results show that increase/decrease of the cooling seawater flow rate have limited effect on the system dynamics. Increasing/…
A neural network-based optimizing control system for a seawater-desalination solar-powered membrane distillation unit
2013
Abstract Several schemes have been proposed so far for coupling desalination processes with the use of renewable energy. One of their main drawbacks, however, is the nature of the energy source that requires a discontinuous and non-stationary operation, with some control and optimization problems. In the present work, a solar powered membrane distillation system has been used for developing an optimizing control strategy. A neural network (NN) model of the system has been trained and tested using experimental data purposely collected. Afterwards, the NN model has been used for the analysis of the process performance under various operating conditions, namely distillate production versus fee…
Membrane distillation: Solar and waste heat driven demonstration plants for desalination
2013
Abstract The development of small to medium size, autonomous and robust desalination units is needed to establish an independent water supply in remote areas. This is the motivation for research on alternative desalination processes. Membrane distillation (MD) seems to meet the specific requirements very well. This work is focused on experimental studies on full scale demonstration systems, utilizing a parallel multi MD-module setup. Three different plant concepts are introduced, one of them is waste heat driven and two of them are powered by solar thermal collectors. Design parameters and system design are presented. After the analysis of plant operation a comparison among the plants as we…
Steady State and Dynamic Models of Multistage Flash Desalination: A Review
2010
This article focuses on a review of literature studies on steady state and dynamic modeling of the multistage flash desalination process (MSF). The review shows that both steady state and dynamic models are based on lumped parameter approach. Differences in literature models are found in the assumptions used to model the flashing stage in addition to the correlations used to determine the heat transfer coefficients, thermodynamic losses, thermodynamic and transport properties. Interestingly, literature indicates a rapid progress made in software used for coding and solution of the model equations. The review shows a limited number of literature models for the internals of the flashing stage…
Development of a Membrane Distillation module for solar energy seawater desalination
2012
Abstract Membrane Distillation (MD) processes are gaining growing interest among novel desalination technologies, in particular for small scale applications also coupled with non-conventional energy sources. In the present work an original laboratory scale planar geometry Membrane Distillation unit was designed, built and tested for future coupling with solar energy. Though conceptually simple, the original geometry was developed in order to allow for multi-stage arrangement, compactness, internal heat recovery and possible integration with a polymeric heat exchanger for final brine heating by means of solar energy or waste heat. The laboratory scale unit was tested in order to investigate …
Performance evaluation of CHCP hybrid seawater desalination plants
2007
There are many ways to improve efficiency and reduce fresh water cost in desalination plants, like the integration of two or more desalination systems into a hybrid mechanical/thermal lay-out. Most common results that could be achieved by hybrid systems are savings in pretreatments, overall cost reduction and significant primary energy savings, especially when cogeneration unit are concerned. In this paper a small size (2000 m 3 /day) thermal desalination system (MEE) is coupled with a single-stage seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) system; the system is fed by a natural gas (NG) reciprocate engine, where heat is recovered both from exhaust gases and from the cooling jacket water circuit. Tech…
A critical assessment of desalination operations in Sicily
2005
In this paper a brief history of desalination plants in Sicily is presented together with an in-depth description of processes and operating data, relevant to the plants actually operating on the island. 5 multi stage flash (MSF) units and one reverse osmosis (RO) plant are operating in Gela (total nominal production of about 80,000 m 3 /d), thus providing drinking water for more than 300,000 people living in the southern coast of the island. A thermal vapour compression multiple effect distillation (TVC-MED) plant (36,000 m 3 /d) is operating in Trapani and a small mechanical vapour compression (MVC) unit (5000 m 3 /d) is located in Porto Empedocle. In the oldest MSF units in Gela, several…
Energy saving with MSF-RO series desalination plants
2003
Two major techniques are commercially used in different parts of the world: distillation and membrane processes. The dominant distillation process is multi-stage flash (MSF), and the main membrane process is reverse osmosis (RO). Although cost factors vary by site, the total cost of producing potable water from seawater with the RO process is today usually less than thermal desalting processes and the economic advantages of RO vs. evaporation process, such as MSF, are responsible for the rapid increase in use of seawater RO. In many countries both RO and MSF processes are operating. Reduction in product water cost could be achieved when a hybrid MSF-RO system is used, instead of a parallel …
Once t hrough m ultistage fl ash d esalination: gPROMS d ynamic and s teady s tate m odeling
2010
This study focuses on modeling the steady state and dynamic behavior of the multistage flash desalination process (MSF) using gPROMS. This modeling tool allows for simultaneous coding of the system dynamics and steady state performance. In addition, it allows the use of the most efficient solvers for a set of non-linear differential and algebraic equations describing the MSF process. The system model and analysis are based on actual plant data that includes 21 flashing stages and a capacity of 378 kg/s (32,000 m3/d). The simulated unit is part of a massive MSF installation in Doha, Kuwait. System's dynamic behavior is simulated by a step change in the input values of the main operating para…
Efficiency increase in thermal desalination plants by matching thermal and solar distillation: theoretical analysis
2005
Abstract The effluent streams from MSF and MED plants retain substantial thermal and mechanical energy which is usually wasted as the streams are rejected into the environment. Recent environmental studies pose the question of environmental sustainability of desalination due to the large amount of heat and brine dissipated into the sea. Moreover the use of renewable energy so far have been confined to experimental studies or to the use in remote areas and no studies have been carried out on the coupling of a solar still plant with an existing thermal desalination installation in order to take advantage of the heat streams generated by the thermal plants. The combination of a solar desalinat…