LESSON

1
LECTURE
SYSTEM THEORY AND CONSTRUCTION
SUB-OBJECTIVE
At the end of the Lesson the Tranees !"" #e a#"e to de$onstrate an %nderstandn&
of desa"naton s'ste$ theor' and (onstr%(ton)
1)* +RINCI+LE O, ,LASH DESALINATION
Sea water or brine at a given pressure has corresponding saturation temperature.
As pressure is reduced the saturation temperature is lowered. A liquid at
saturation temperature contains maximum amount of heat energy and will boil or
vaporize if either additional heat is supplied or pressure is lowered.
When a liquid at saturated temp. flows into a chamber which has a lower
pressure than that which corresponds to its temperature it immediately boil or
vaporizes. This phenomena is called "lash !vaporation". This phenomena
utilizes to convert sea water or brine into fresh or product water. See ig. "#$#$
that is a single stage flash plant.
,&) --1-1) Sn&"e sta&e f"ash e.a/orator)
MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE MODULE 8
LESSON 1 PAGE 1 DESALINATION
0)* CONDENSATION
The rising vapor comes into contact with tubes carrying cooler sea%salt water& and
this cooling in turn changes the "state" of the vapor bac' into water again. These
cooling water tubes "(ondense" the vapor& so we call them the ()*+!*S!,.
See ig. "#$#$.
The cooling water flowing through the condenser gains some heat from the
change of state" of vapor to fresh water. This fresh water is called +istillate.
-n ig. "#$#$ we can see what happens in a S-*./! # STA.! lash !vaporator.
SALT CONCENTRATION
-n a Single#Stage lash !vaporator where fresh water is being distilled from sea
water& it means that the sea water left over has to be saltier than before if fresh
water has been removed from it.
This more concentrated or saltier sea water is named 0,-*! See ig. "#$#$.
1)* MULTI-STA2E DISTILLATION SYSTEM
*ow& the single#stage flash plant can be extended to any number of stages as
shown in simplified forming ig. "#$#1. The pressure in each stage is
successively reduced until the interaction between vapor volume& equilibrium and
heat re2ection helps fixing the minimum temperature of the last 3nth4 stage. or
most purposes& this temperature -
n
is 56.7 ( 3$88 4.
The multi#stage flash distillation can be a once through type or re circulating type.
-n the brine re circulating system the stage condensers of the evaporator are
divided into a heat re2ection section and a heat recovery section. After passing
through the condenser of the heat re2ection section as cooling water& a part of the
seawater flows into the last#stage flash chamber as ma'e#up water while the rest
is discharged out of the system.
9ost of the brine diluted with the ma'e#up water in the last stage& re circulates as
cooling water through the condensers of the heat recovery section& one by one.
The brine blow down pump without mixing with ma'e#up water discharges the
remaining brine. See ig. "#$#1.
After passing through the condensers of the heat recovery section& the brine is
heated in the brine heater and fed to the first#stage flash chamber.
lash evaporation continues in the flash chamber of each stage as the brine
flows toward the last stage. After being mixed with the ma'e#up water& the brine
flows into the brine re circulating pump and the process is repeated.
MODULE 8 MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE
DESALINATION LESSON 1 PAGE 2
lashed vapor is condensed into distillate by re circulating the brine and the
cooling water flowing through the tubes. +istillate is cascade and flashed from
stage to stage and is finally collected in the last stage& where it is delivered by the
distillate pump.
+ischarged by the brine blow down pump without mixing with ma'e#up water.
See ig. "#$#1.
After passing through the condensers of the heat recovery section& the brine is
heated in the brine heater and fed to the first#stage flash chamber.
lash evaporation continues in the flash chamber of each stage as the brine
flows toward the last stage. After being mixed with the ma'e#up water& the brine
flows into the brine re circulating pump and the process is repeated.
lashed vapor is condensed into distillate by re circulating the brine and the
cooling water flowing through the tubes. +istillate is cascade and flashed from
stage to stage and is finally collected in the last stage& where it is delivered by the
distillate pump.
,&) --1-0) S$/"fed #"o(3 da&ra$ of at'/(a" M)S),) e.a/orator)
MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE MODULE 8
LESSON 1 PAGE 3 DESALINATION
4)* BASIC ,LO5 +ROCESS
4)1 RECYCLE BRINE
The flashing brine which has come from stage $: is circulated into the condenser
of stage $;& and is used as cooling water to condense the vapor.
-t then gains heat as it travels from stage $; to stage $.
)n leaving the condenser of stage $ the brine is heated in the brine heater is the
required temperature and enters stage $ flash chamber.
-n the 9.S.. evaporator it is called ,!(<(/! 0,-*!.
4)0 HEAT IN+UT SECTION
0rine =eater> The brine heater is a shell and tube heat exchanger which you will
be familiar with from 9odule ". The recycle brine is heated by the condensation
of exhaust steam from the power plant steam turbine generators. The
condensate of the exhaust steam is pumped bac' to be recycled again in the
boilers.
4)1 HEAT RECOVERY SECTION
The recycle brine is heated up as it passes from stage $; to stage $.
The vapor produced between stage $ and stage $; condensed by the recycle
brine.
4)4 HEAT REJECTION SECTION
The vapor produced in stages $" and $: is separately condensed by the
())/-*. S!A WAT!,.
The sea water comes from the -*TA?! STAT-)*& and after having flowed
though stages $: and $" 3in order4 it is mainly discharged%re2ected to the out fall
canal.
The heat removed from the vapor in these stages is transferred to the cooling sea
water& and is finally re2ected out of the system.
4)6 DISTILLATE +RODUCTION
@apor is produced in all stages of the 9.S.. evaporator as the flashing brine
moves from stage $ to stage $:.
The distillate flows through a common trough towards stage $: decreasing in
temperature until it is pumped out as A,)+B(T WAT!,.
MODULE 8 MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE
DESALINATION LESSON 1 PAGE 4
4)7 BRINE BLO5 DO5N
The salt content of the flashing brine increases to its maximum in stage $:.
Some of this brine is discharged to waste. This brine is called 0/)W+)W*.
4)8 MA9E-U+ SEA 5ATER
A part of the cooling sea water is fed to the +eaerator after it has passed through
stages $: and $" to 2oin the recycle brine.
This sea water is called 9A?!#BA& and is used to compensate the flow rate of
recycle brine reduced by product water and the blow down.
6)* VACUUM CONDITIONS
The whole system can only operate because of vacuum conditions inside the
evaporator. The vacuum increases from stage $ to stage $:.
rom 9odule $ you should remember that atmospheric pressure is approx. $88
?pa absolute& an absolute or "full vacuum" being ) ?pa.
Stage $ has a vacuum 3absolute pressure4 of C8 ?pa under normal operating
conditions& which means that the flashing brine "boils" at approx :8 deg (. Stage
$: has a vacuum of " ?pa however& which enables the brine to "boil" at about 68
# 78 deg (. The vacuum is carefully monitored so that each stage has its
required absolute pressure. )rifice plates and vent sizes help to control this.
To maintain the vacuum all non#condensable gases such as air and ()
1
must be
removed from the system using steam e2ectors. This operation of removing these
non#condensable gases is called @!*T-*.. ig. "#$#6.
MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE MODULE 8
LESSON 1 PAGE 5 DESALINATION
,&) --1-1) Va(%%$ Jet S'ste$)
:UESTIONS;
*on#condensable gases are also removed from the brine heater and the deaerator by
the vacuum 2et system.
Which stage has the greatest vacuumD
Where does the steam come from that supplies the brine heaterD
Where does the brine blowdown goD
What is the name of the condensed vaporD
What is a non#condensable gasD
MODULE 8 MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE COURSE
DESALINATION LESSON 1 PAGE 6