DESALINATION

ELSEVIER

Desalination 152 (2002) 191-194

w ww.elsevier.com/iocate/desal

Steady state analysis of the Tripoli West LT-HT-MED plant

Mukhtar M. Ashour
Tajura Research Center, P.O.Box 91538, Tripoli, Libya
Tel. +218 (21) 3614131; Fax +218 (21) 3614143; email: ashour60@yahoo.com
Received 21 April 2002; accepted 2 May 2002

Abstract

Two units of 5000 mVd low temperature horizontal tube multi-effect distillation (LT-HT-MED) have been recently
commissioned by the General Electricity Company at Tripoli West plant to replace the old multi-stage flash (MSF)
units to supply the required makeup water to the boilers. The two units are the first LT-HT-MED units that went into
operation. Thermodynamic analyses for the units have been done. A computer program was written based on the
mathematical models of the different plant components of the parallel feed system with thermo-vapor compression.
The results show good agreement with the available data. A study on the effect of the different process variables on
the plant performance have been carried out.
Keywords: Modeling - HT; MED evaporation

1. Introduction

Tripoli West power plant contains seven units.

Each unit has a separate boiler. Makeup water for
the boilers was supplied from two desalination
plants. The old units are o f MSF type, they are
not reliable any more. The General Electricity
Company decided to install new units of horizontal
tube low temperature multi effect distillation (HTLT-MED), with t h e r m o - c o m p r e s s o r . Sidem

designed the new units. Each unit consists o f 4

effects and a final condenser. The thermo-compressor utilizes 20 t/h o f the vapor produced in
the last effect and 32 t/h o f life steam at 23 bar
from the boiler, with 52 t/h of steam at 80C
interring the first effect. One preheater is used to
increase the feed temperature o f the first effect
using life steam at 215C. Fig. 1 shows the schematic
diagram of the plant.

Presented at the EuroMed 2002 conference on Desalination Strategies in South Mediterranean Countries:
Cooperation between Mediterranean Countries of Europe and the Southern Rim of the Mediterranean.
Sponsored by the European Desalination Society and Alexandria University Desalination Studies and Technology
Center, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, May 4-6, 2002.
0011-9164/02/$- See front matter 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
PII: S 0 0 1 1 - 9 1 6 4 ( 0 2 ) 0 1 0 6 2 - 7

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M.M. Ashour / Desalination 152 (2002) 1 9 1 - 1 9 4

Steam Steam
i)

Vaporfromlasteffect

~akeup

~
~

~ ~ R e j e c t

BrineI

Fig.1.Schematicoftheplant.

Seawater

1
VDistillate

2. Mathematical model

Considering the shell side:

The purpose of this model is to describe mathematically the various mass and heat transfer processes in the MED plant with parallel feed system.
The main assumptions made are:
Vapor and brine are at saturation temperature;
All steam interring tube side will condense at
saturation temperature;
Constant specific heat;
Heat losses from the evaporator surface is
negligible.

Mass and material balance:

Balance equations for each component were

developed taking into consideration the above
assumptions. The simplified control volume used
for the evaporator is shown in Fig. 2.

M a (n) = M f (n) - M b (n)

(1)

X b (n) = M r (n) / M b (n) * X r (n)

(2)

Energy balance:
Q(n) = Mv (n) * H v (n) + M b (n) * Cp
T(n) - M s (n) * Cp * T ( n )

(3)

For tube side

Mass balance:
M-Ma:0orM

=M a

(4)

L v + MFF * L v

(5)

Mf

Vaportonexteffect
Vapor

/x /__N/x

l___L

>

Energy balance:
Q(n)=Mv(n-l)*

For the first effect:

Q(1) = M * L,

-Distillatestream
Fig.2. Evaporatorschematicdiagram.

(6)

Heat transfer across tube wall:

Q ( n ) = U ( n ) * A * (T(n - i) - r(n))

(7)

M.M. Ashour / Desalination 152 (2002) 191-194

Life steam temperature has minor effect on the

p e r f o r m a n c e ratio as shown in Fig. 3, also
increasing the first cell feed temperature to reduce
the temperature difference in the parallel feed

Vapor produced by flashing brine and distillate

streams.

MFF(n) =

M(i) - ~ MFF(i) * Cp *
i=1

i=1

193

(8)

( r ( n - 1) - T(n))/Lv(n )

7.04
.~ 7.02

The preheater

The seawater feed o f the first effect is preheated using life steam from the boiler.

t~ 6.98
E 6.96

M s *L.,=My *Cp*(ri2-Ty,)
T[, = L~,, + AT,.

(9)

~. 6.94

6.92

(10)

65

70

75

80

85

90

Steam temperature,C

For the condenser:

Qc =M~ *Cp *ATc

(11)

Q~ = (M v (n) + MFF(n)) * L v (n)

(12)

Fig. 3. Steam temperature vs. performance ratio.

7.5
0

(13)

Qc = Ac * Uc * (LMTD)c

7.3

oe- 7.1

Proper correlations were used to define various

properties.

~ 6.9

~6.7
6.5

3. Results and discussion

44

The model predictions were tested against

available data of the plant. Results show good
agreement with actual plant data as in Table 1.

46

48

50

52

54

First effect feed temperature, C

Fig. 4. First effect feed temperaturevs. performance ratio.

Table 1
Comparison between model results and plant data

Feed temperature, C
Saturation temperature, C
Total distillate produced, t/h
Condenser range, C
Brine content, g/kg
GOR

Model results
E1
E2
44.94
41.64
59.89
54.97

E3
41.64
50.06
222
14.65
52.86
6.9

E4
41.64
45.15

Plant data
E1
E2
45.2
41.5
60.1
54.8

E3
41.5
49.4
208.3
14.5
53.0
6.51

E4
41.5
45.4

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M.M. Ashour / Desalination 152 (2002) 191-194

system has minor effect on performance ratio.

Adding another preheater to the second cell has
no effect on performance ratio.
4. Conclusion

The presented simple model gives reasonable

results. Some modification can be added to increase
the accuracy o f the model. The performance
analyses of the existing plant show that the plant
is operating at optimum conditions. No changes
needed to increase the performance of the plant.
Symbols

- - Surface area, m 2
- - Vapor enthalpy, kJ/kg
- - Latent heat, kJ/kg
M,,
-- Brine flow rate, kg/s
Distillate flow rate, kg/s
Feed flow rate, kg/s
MFF - - Mass o f vapor produced by flashing
brine and distillate streams, kg/s
m
Supplied steam flow rate, kg/s
s
M
- - Evaporation rate, kg/s
Q
- - Total heat entering the evaporator, W
Brine temperature, C
Tf
- - Feed temperature, C

A
ttar
L

T t'I
U

Seawater temperature, C
- - O v e r a l l heat transfer coefficient, W/
m2.K
- - Brine salt content, kg/kg
- - Feed salt content, kg/kg
--

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