EXERGY AND THERMO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF MODIFIED MSF DESALINATION PLANTS CONFIGURATIONS
This paper presents the exergy and thermo-economic analysis of a Modified MSF thermal Desalination Plant Configurations. The modified configuration is based on the filed patent of Fath, [1] for MSF with inter-stage brine re-heater(s). The brine reheaters, placed at different inter-stages, are introduced to increase the unit flashing range. The Visual Desalination and Simulation (VDS) package, developed by authors [2], is used as a tool of analysis. The results are compared with the basic 5000 m3/day MSF configuration of Eoun Mousa (Egypt), [3]. An MSF process flow-sheet is developed of basic MSF desalination plant with interstage re-heater(s). The results showed that the use of reheating in the MSF desalination configuration reduces the unit water cost by 5.8 % and increases the distillate product by 3.7 % than that of the conventional MSF desalination plant. Using two re-heaters in the MSF flow-sheet cause a reduction in the unit cost of 6 % and increase in the distillate product of 5.2 % at the expense, of the performance ratio. Using re-heater in by pass of cooling stream (MSF_RH_CS) configuration shows 12.5 % increase in the distillate water product over that of the conventional MSF however, the performance ratio decreased. As a result, the water cost becomes higher than the conventional MSF by 3 %. The use of the re-heater in the MSF_M flow-sheet reduces the unit water cost by 9 % than that of the conventional MSF. The distillate product of MSF_M_RH is 4 % higher than that of the conventional MSF. Also the salt concentration is lowered by 20 % for the same brine recirculation.
Multi-stage flash desalination: present and future outlook
Abstract Multi-stage flash desalination (MSF) is currently the workhorse of the desalination industry with a market share close to 60% of the total world production capacity. As the turning point of the new millennium nears, the process faces many challenges dictated by industrial demands and public needs. The conservative nature of the desalination owner, as well as the strategic characteristics of the product, makes the MSF process favored over other competitive thermal desalination methods. In addition, the process has several merits, which include a large production capacity, proven reliability and well-developed construction and operation experience. This study offers an overview of the present and future developments in the MSF process, which aims to reduce the production cost. Special attention is given to the process fundamentals, which are the key elements for any serious and physically sound development of the MSF process. Also, a summary of the novel (MSF-M) configuration is given, which has recently been proposed by the authors. The process is based on the modification of operational MSF plants as well as the concept of once-through MSF. The modification involves removal of the heat rejection section and the addition of a mixing tank for the feed stream and the unevaporated brine recycle. This eliminates the amount of energy rejected in the cooling seawater stream and reduces the amount of energy rejected in the brine blowdown stream. Analysis of the MSF-M process shows an increase in the thermal performance ratio by a factor of 2–3 over conventional MSF.
Evaluation of CuAl2O4 as an Oxygen Carrier in Chemical-Looping Combustion
The chemical-looping combustion (CLC) process is a novel solution for efficient combustion with intrinsic separation of carbon dioxide. The process uses a metal oxide as an oxygen carrier to transfer oxygen from an air to a fuel reactor where the fuel, or gasification products of the fuel, reacts with the solid oxygen carrier. In this work, copper(II) aluminate (CuAl2O4) was assessed as a potential oxygen carrier using methane as fuel. The carrier particles were produced by freeze–granulation and calcined at 1050 °C for a duration of 6 h. The chemical-looping characteristics were evaluated in a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor in the temperature range of 900–950 °C during 45 alternating redox cycles. The oxygen carrier exhibited reproducible and stable reactivity behavior in this temperature range. Neither agglomeration nor defluidization was noticed in any of the cycles carried out at 900–925 °C. However, after reactivity tests at 950 °C, soft agglomeration and particle fragmentation were observed. Systematic phase analysis of the Cu–Al–O system during the redox cycle was carried out as a function of duration of reduction and oxygen concentration during the oxidation period. It was found that the CuAl2O4 is reduced to copper(I) aluminate (CuAlO2; delafossite), Cu2O, and elemental Cu. The CuAlO2 phase is characterized by slow kinetics for oxidation into CuO and CuAl2O4. Despite this kinetic limitation, complete conversion of methane with reproducible reactivity of the oxygen carrier is achieved. Thus, CuAl2O4 could be a potential oxygen carrier for chemical-looping combustion.