Multi-effect desalination plant combined with thermal compressor driven by steam generated by solar energy

This paper investigates the annual performance of multi-effect desalination plant combined with a thermocompressor MED–TC driven by a solar steam generation plant. The desalination model is coupled with solar steam generation plant model to supply the necessary thermal energy to drive the desalination plant. The developed model determines the fresh water production rate and the specific energy consumption. The desalination plant is located in Aqaba, Jordan which is located in a coastal region that receives high levels of solar radiation. Simulations of the system (desalination plant + steam generation plant) are carried out under different operating and geometrical conditions to investigate the plant performance. The desalination plant is sized to produce 50,000 m3/day of fresh water continuously to meet the expected commercial and tourism growth. Results show that with collector area equal to 1,080,000 m2 and storage size of 75 l per square meter of solar collector, the solar energy is capable of covering up to 68% of the total thermal energy required using storage capacity by the desalination plant with annual solar field efficiency of about 55%. The solar field oriented along a north– south axis presents the best performance and the solar fraction does not increase significantly as the pressure of the saturated steam generated varies. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This paper presents mathematical model for MET-TC system driven by steam generated from parabolic trough solar collector field. The governing equations for the MET-TC components have been modeled in EES. The model is used to predict the overall plant performance. The simulated plant is located in Aqaba, Jordan. The influences of storage tank, steam pressure, number of collector, control strategy, several designing and operating parameters on the performance of the collector field as well as the whole system are examined. It is found that increasing the temperature of the first effect (steam saturated pressure) in the desalination plant can improve the efficiency of the plant. For the site considered, the best performance of the desalination plant driven by a solar steam generation plant is obtained when the collectors are oriented along a north– south axis inclined at a fixed angle equal to the latitude. Furthermore, simulations results showed that there is an optimal temperature difference for steam generation which leads to maximum solar fraction. Simulations show that, with collector area of 1,080,000 m2, the solar fraction of the energy required for the desalination plant reaches 68%. Finally, the study show that the MED– Fig. 19. Data summary of system total efficiency, mode 4, saturated steam pressure = 21 bar, no. of collectors = 160,000.