Energy consumptions and costs of different desalting systems

Abstract Energy consumptions and costs of desalting systems are among the main parameters affecting the choice of certain desalting system and desalted water final cost. The cost of the consumed energy depends, beside the performance of the plant, on the quality of energy, i.e., either mechanical or thermal, and if thermal at what temperature. The cost depends also on the way this energy is applied (e.g. thermal energy can be directly applied from a boiler or from cogeneration steam turbine, or from heat recovery steam generator of a gas turbine). This paper uses the concept of availability to bring different kinds of energy to a common basis of comparison. The way energy applied was considered in comparing the energy consumptions of different desalting systems, namely, multi stage flash MSF, multi effect boiling MEB, thermovapor compression TVC, mechanical vapor compression MVC and reverse osmosis RO desalting systems. Rational basis for costing thermal and electrical energy were used in comparing the energy cost of different types of exsisting desalting systems.