%0 Journal Article
%T A Demonstration of High Temperature MED-TVC Desalination Technology in the Gulf Area
%J American Journal of Chemical Engineering
%@ 2330-8613
%D 2019
%X This work focuses on a multiple effect desalination system with thermal vapor compressor (MED-TVC) operating at a top brine temperature (TBT) of 85ˇăC which is significantly above the common operation temperatures of conventional MED-TVC systems, limited to a range below 70ˇăC mainly due to scale risk. Such increase in TBT would enhance the production and system economics. A pilot plant installed at the Desalination Technologies Research Institute (DTRI) of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) in Jubail, Saudi Arabia was operated at the TBT of 85ˇăC over a 5-month test period. Visual inspection of tube bundles after the test, in conjunction with chemical scale analysis showed that scaling was limited to a soft thin film scale, which was easily removed by flushing with water, which confirmed a low fouling potential analyzed from operation data. Techno-economic analysis of the MED-TVC system operating at a TBT of 85ˇăC, indicated up to 34% reduction in steam consumption and up to 16% reduction in the levelized cost of water (LCOW), when compared with a MED-TVC unit operating at a conventional TBT of 65ˇăC. Accordingly, the high temperature MED-TVC systems operating at a TBT of 85ˇăC can be considered as a financially competitive and technologically reliable desalination option for the Gulf area which has challenging seawater characteristics
%K MED-TVC
%K Top Brine Temperature (TBT)
%K Scaling
%K Fouling Factor
%K Levelized Cost of Water (LCOW)
%U http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=224&doi=10.11648/j.ajche.20190702.11