MODELLING AND THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF A MULTI EFFECT

DISTILLATION (MED) PLANT FOR SEAWATER DESALINATION

Artin Hatzikioseyian, Roza Vidali, Pavlina Kousi

National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering
Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering
Heroon Polytechniou 9, 15780 Zografou, Athens, GREECE
Tel: +30 210 772 2271, Fax: +30 210 772 2173
artin@metal.ntua.gr; vidali@metal.ntua.gr; pkousi@central.ntua.gr

ABSTRACT
The present paper focuses on the modelling and thermodynamic analysis of the Multi Effect Distillation
plant (MED) installed in PSA. The plant has been used as a demonstration unit for seawater desalination in
many European Research projects. The authors have reviewed and developed a modelling and simulation
program based on the design parameters of the plant. The model is based on the mass and energy balances
for the streams flowing through each stage of the MED unit to predict the performance of the unit in terms of
energy requirements.
Keywords: Modelling; Multi Effect Distillation (MED); Thermodynamic analysis; Seawater desalination.

INTRODUCTION
The MED plant installed in PSA (Figure 1a) was developed for the Solar Thermal Desalination (STD)
project, was manufactured and delivered by Weir Entropie to PSA in the year 1987. Figure 1b shows a
simplified scheme of multiple effect stacked horizontal-tube film evaporator distiller as installed in the PSA.
The basic principle of the MED process is that energy is provided only in the first cell from an external
source. In PSA, low-pressure steam is provided in the first cell at 70°C, 0.35 bar generated by a low pressure
boiler heated from the oil storage tank connected with the ACUREX solar collector field (Figure 2) [2]. The
steam generated in the first cell from brine evaporation is condensed in the second cell producing more
steam, which cascades to the third cell and so on. In a conventional MED system a final condenser cooled by
seawater is required in order to condense the steam produced in the last effect. The first cell of the unit is
located at the top of the plant where the seawater is first introduced and sprayed over a bundle of evaporation
tubes. From cell 1, seawater passes in the subsequent cells by gravity, condenses progressively in salt
content, before being extracted as brine from cell 14 by the brine pump.

(a) (b)
Figure 1: (a) Multieffect Distillation Plant (MED) installed in PSA for seawater desalination (Courtesy of
PSA, Plataforma Solar de Almeria), (b) Simplified drawing of multiple effect stacked horizontal-tube film
evaporator
Seawater enters the condenser at the last cell and is partially rejected as cooling water. The rest is directed
through the 13 preheaters of each cell to the top of the plant and is sprayed in the first cell near the boiling
temperature. The desalination plant installed in PSA makes use of sprayed horizontal tube bundles for
seawater evaporation. For the seawater evaporation process, there is a temperature limit of around 70°C to
limit scale formation, which restricts the maximum operating temperature of preheated seawater feed
sprayed in the first cell. Above this temperature, scale is quickly formed and should be avoided by
appropriate pretreatment of the seawater. The steam produced from the evaporation of the seawater is used
for preheating the seawater flowing from the preheater of the cell 2 to the preheater of cell 1.
Initially the vacuum was maintained in the MED plant by a hydroejector system, consisting of two ejectors
driven by seawater at 3 bar pressure delivered by an electric pump operating in a closed tank cycle. Today,
this system is replaced by a steam ejector system at the aim of reducing the power consumption of the unit.
The vacuum system is used to evacuate the air from the unit at start up and to compensate for the small
amounts of air and gases released from the feed water and from small leaks through the gaskets.
Such operating scheme has been proven to be inefficient in terms of energy saving, as from the power input
of 200 KW introduced in the first cell only about 80 KW is needed for the desalination process, whereas the
rest of about 100KW (power difference minus losses) is rejected through the condenser by the seawater
reject flow. For this reason the MED plant in PSA has been connected to a Double Effect Absorption Heat
Pump (DEAHP), in order to recover the energy from the steam produced in the last cell (Figure 2). The
integration of the DEAHP to the desalination unit enables the recovery of all dissipated heat from the
seawater reject stream (100 KW) to drastically reduce the heat demand of the desalination unit.

Figure 2: Schematic flow sheet of the improved MED unit implementing the Double Effect Absorption Heat
Pump for energy recovery (adopted from reference 2)

Creating a simulation enevironment for the MED plant

MED plant and Double Absorption Heat Pump Simulation software have been developed since 1993 by the
University of Bremen and Munich during the first and second phase of the Solar Thermal Desalination
(STD) project. The models named MEDAM (Multiple Effect Desalination Analysis Model) and AHPAM
(Absorption Heat Pump Analysis Model) were developed in FORTRAN 77 code and have many different
design and simulation options. The models are based mainly on the configuration of MED plant and the
coupled DEAHP unit installed in PSA. As the FORTRAN code written by these research groups is very
difficult to be followed or modified by people who haven’t worked for the developing of that, it seems
significant and necessary to create a much simpler simulation environment to model the installed MED
system. Toward this aim, the present work is based mainly on the previous modelling work of MEDAM
simulation but implements the much more simple and creative environment of Microsoft EXCEL worksheets
instead of the FORTRAN code.
The MED plant is composed of 14 cells or effects, operating at successively decreasing temperature and
pressure (Figure 3). Each cell of the MED plant is composed of the following real or virtual components
according to the assumptions of the model:
Flash chamber: The brine stream that enters the effect is superheated, thus it flashes at the operating
pressure of the cell resulting in the formation of a steam stream and the subsequent condensation of the brine.
Especially in the first cell, there is no such process because the temperature of the incoming seawater is
assumed to be the same as the operating temperature of the first cell. This temperature determines the
operating pressure of the first cell. For the next cells, the operating pressure has been set to be equal to the
product of the minimum vacuum coefficient (as defined in Table 2) times Psat(TN-1).
Evaporator: In this part of the cell, the brine is spread in the form of a thin film on the surface of the tubes of
the horizontal heat exchanger (evaporator), where steam is produced and brine is further condensed. The
steam circulating inside the tubes of the evaporator provides the heat needed for the evaporation of the brine.
This steam is coming from the steam mixer of the previous cell and is partially condensed. Especially in the
first cell, the steam is provided from the low-pressure boiler.
Demister: Removes the particles of salt from the steam stream that condenses on the surface of the preheater.
If there were no demister, the distillate would be contaminated with salt particles. From conceptual point of
view, the steam produced from the flash and the evaporator processes is mixed in this unit before condensing
on the external side of the preheater.
Preheater: This unit partially condenses the steam produced in the cell by preheating the seawater moving
upwards to cell 1. Especially in the last cell, a steam condenser replaces this unit.
Steam condenser: This unit is used at the last cell to condense all the steam from the last steam mixer, by
using seawater as coolant.
Steam Mixer: This device is virtual and is used for modelling purposes. It collects steam from the internal
side of the evaporator of the effect, steam from the condensate mixer and the steam coming from the
preheater. The combined steam stream is used for heating the next effect.
Condensate mixer: This device is virtual and is used for modelling purposes. It collects condensate from the
internal side of the evaporator of the effect, condensate from the condensate mixer of the previous cell
(unless the cell is 5, 8 and 11) and the condensate coming from the previous preheater. Especially, in
condensate mixers 7, 10 and 13, there is an additional input stream of condensate originating from mixers 4,
7 and 10 respectively. The condensate from the mixer combined with the condensate from the preheater is
directed towards the next condensate mixer.
The typical operating conditions according to the design specifications are presented in Table 1 whereas
Table 2 presents the main assumptions of the model. The enthalpy of the brine is calculated based on an
equation taken from reference 1 whereas the vapour thermodynamic properties have been adopted from
reference 5.

Table 1: Design parameters of the

Table 2: Model main assumptions
MED plant installed in PSA
Parameter Value Parameter Value
Number of cells (effects) 14 Energy exchange in
Nominal output 3 m3/h distillate 120 KW
evaporators in cells 2 to 14
Power delivery in cell 1 200 KW Seawater temperature increase
2.3 °C
Seawater feed in cell 1 8 m3/h seawater in each preheater
Seawater temperature in cell 1 < 70°C Psat (TN)/
Minimum vacuum coefficient
Seawater concentration 35 g salt/Kg seawater Psat(TN-1)
Figure 3: Schematic diagrams of cells 1 to 14

Symbols
Stream names Cell units
BR Brine P Preheater
ST Steam E Evaporator
SW Seawater M Steam Mixer
SWR Seawater rejected F Flash
Stream properties C Condensate Mixer
m Flow rate D Demister
h Enthalpy Con Steam Condenser
x Salt conc.
Q Power input in cell 1
 Table 3: Mass and energy balances for the MED plant
Unit Stream mass balance Salt mass balance Energy balance
First cell (N=1)
Flash mSWP1 = m BRF1 mSWP1x SWP1 = m BRF1x BRF1 mSWP1h SWP1 = m BRF1h BRF1
Evaporator m BRF1 = mSTE1OUT + m BRE1 m BRF1x BRF1 = m BRE1x BRE1 Q + m BRF1h BRF1 = mSTE1OUT h STE1OUT + m BRE1h BRE1
Demister mSTE1OUT = mSTD1 - mSTE1OUT h STE1OUT = mSTD1h STD1
Outside mSTD1 = mSTP1 + m COP1 -
Preheater mSTD1h STD1 + mSWP2 h SWP2 = mSTP1h STP1 + m COP1h COP1 + mSWP1h SWP1
Inside mSWP1 = mSWP2 -
Steam Mixer mSTP1 = mSTM1 - mSTP1h STP1 = mSTM1h STM1
Next cells (N=2…13)
Flash m BREn −1 = m BRFn + mSTFn m BREn −1x BREn −1 = m BRFn x BRFn m BREn −1h BREn −1 = m BRFn h BRFn + mSTFn h STFn
Outside m BRFn = mSTEnOUT + m BREn m BRFn x BRFn = m BREn x BREn m BRFn h BRFn + mSTMn −1h STMn −1 =
Evaporator
Inside mSTMn −1 = m COEn + mSTEn - mSTEnOUT h STEnOUT + m BREn h BREn + m COEn h COEn + mSTEn h STEn
Demister mSTEnOUT + mSTFn = mSTDn - mSTEnOUT h STEnOUT + mSTFn h STFn = mSTDn h STDn
Outside mSTDn = mSTPn + m COPn - mSTDn h STDn + mSWPn +1h SWPn +1 =
Preheater
Inside mSWPn +1 = mSWPn - mSTPn h STPn + m COPn h COPn + mSWPn h SWPn
Steam Mixer mSTPn + mSTEn + mSTCn = mSTMn - mSTPn h STPn + mSTEn h STEn + mSTCn h STCn = mSTMn h STMn
m COPn −1 + m COCn −1 + m COEn
m COPn −1h COPn −1 + m COCn −1h COCn −1 + m COEn h COEn =
Condensate Mixer (+ m COCr _ n −3 when n = 7,10,13) = -
mSTCn h STCn + m COCn h COCn
mSTCn + m COCn (+ m COCr _ n when n = 4, 7,10)
Last cell (N=14)
Flash m BRE13 = m BRF14 + mSTF14 m BRE13 x BRE13 = m BRF14 x BRF14 m BRE13 h BRE13 = m BRF14 h BRF14 + mSTF14 h STF14
Outside m BRF14 = mSTE14OUT + m BRE14 m BRF14 x BRF14 = m BRE14 x BRE14 m BRF14 h BRF14 + mSTM13 h STM13 =
Evaporator
Inside mSTM13 = m COE14 + mSTE14 - mSTE14OUT h STE14OUT + m BRE14 h BRE14 + m COE14 h COE14 + mSTE14 h STE14
Demister mSTE14OUT + mSTF14 = mSTD14 - mSTE14OUT h STE14OUT + mSTF14 h STF14 = mSTD14 h STD14
Steam Outside mSTM14 = m COCon - mSTM14 h STM14 + mSW h SW =
Condenser Inside mSW = mSWCon + mSWR - m COCon h COCon + mSWCon h SWCon + mSWR h SWR
Steam Mixer mSTE14 + mSTC14 + mSTD14 = mSTM14 - mSTE14 h STE14 + mSTC14 h STC14 + mSTD14 h STD14 = mSTM14 h STM14
m COP13 h COP13 + m COC13 h COC13 + m COE14 h COE14 =
Condensate Mixer m COP13 + m COC13 + m COE14 = mSTC14 + m COC14 -
mSTC14 h STC14 + m COC14 h COC14
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Performance Ratio (P.R.) is one of the most important parameters for evaluating the performance of a
MED plant and is defined as follows:
Distillate flow rate ( Kg / s ) * 2300 ( KJ / Kg )
P.R. =
Power Input in Cell 1 ( KW )
Table 4 presents detailed simulation results obtained from the model for each effect of the MED plant. It
presents the operating temperature and pressure of each effect as well as the increasing concentration of the
brine, the vapour and water produced in each cell and the total distillate collected. For the conditions
presented in Table 1 and Table 2, seawater at a flow rate of 20 m3/h is pumped into the steam condenser of
the last effect at 27.5°C and is heated until 36.4°C in order to condense the steam coming from the steam
mixer of cell 14. A portion of 12 m3/h is rejected as cooling water, whereas the rest 8 m3/h enters the system
producing an amount of 3 m3/h distillate and 5 m3/h brine. The performance ratio for the above conditions
has been calculated to a value of 9.6.
Figure 4a presents the sensitivity analysis of the model after modifying the amount of energy introduced in
the first cell. As it can be seen, the performance ratio increases as the energy delivered in the first cell
decreases up to a value of 80 KW because the additional energy provided above this value is dissipated at the
steam condenser by the cooling seawater. This means that only 80 KW are really absorbed by the plant for
the needs of water distillation (excluding losses).
20 160
25 160

140 140

Power dissipated by seawater (KW)

Power dissipated by seawater (KW)

20 16
120 120
Performance Ratio (P.R.)

Performance Ratio (P.R.)

100 100
15 12

80 80

10 8
60 60

40 40
5 Performance ratio 4 Performance ratio
20 20
Heat dissipated Heat dissipated

0 0 0 0
70 90 110 130 150 170 190 210 230 250 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
Power exchange in evaporators (KW)
Power input in first cell (KW)

(a) (b)

Figure 4: The effect of power input in first cell (a) and energy exchanged in each evaporator (b) on the
performance ratio and the heat dissipated by the rejected seawater
Figure 4b presents the sensitivity analysis of the model after modifying the amount of energy exchanged in
the evaporator of each cell. This simulates the fouling in evaporators due to scaling. Reducing the amount of
energy transferred has a direct effect on the performance ratio due to reduction of the distillate produced. The
energy dissipated remains constant because it is only determined by the power input in the first cell, which
remains constant for this scenario at 200KW.
900

800 Seawater temp. 30°C Figure 5 presents the effect of seawater

700
Seawater temp. 25°C temperature and power input in cell 1 on the
Seawater temp. 20°C energy dissipated. As the seawater temperature
Energy Loss (KW)

600
increases (i.e. in summer), the amount of
500
seawater required for the condensation of the
400
steam also increases, thus more energy is
300 dissipated by the seawater reject stream,
200 provided that the seawater feed in the first cell
100 remains 8 m3/h.
0
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210
Power input in first cell (KW)

Figure 5: Effect of the seawater temperature and power

input in the first cell on the energy dissipated
 Table 4: Simulation of the MED plant based on the design values presented in Table 1 and Table 2

Water Water
Conc. Conc. Vapour Water Water
Cell Operating Operating Salt Salt Vapour Condensate Condensate
Factor Factor Produced Condensate Condensate
Number Temperature Pressure Input Conc. Output Conc. Produced Outside Inside
In Each Cell Overall cumulative in each cell cumulative
in Preheater in Evaporator
°C bar g/Kg g/Kg % Kg/h Kg/h Kg/h Kg/h Kg/h Kg/h
1 66.3 0.265 35.00 36.40 3.99 1.04 307.1 307.1 31.6 0.0 31.6 31.6
2 64.5 0.245 36.40 37.40 2.77 1.07 207.3 514.3 31.5 184.0 215.6 247.2
3 62.7 0.226 37.40 38.47 2.84 1.10 206.9 721.2 31.5 183.6 215.1 462.2
4 60.8 0.207 38.47 39.59 2.92 1.13 206.6 927.8 31.4 183.2 214.6 676.8
5 58.8 0.189 39.59 40.78 3.00 1.17 206.3 1134.1 31.3 182.8 214.1 890.9
6 56.8 0.172 40.78 42.04 3.09 1.20 206.1 1340.2 31.2 182.4 213.7 1104.6
7 54.7 0.155 42.04 43.38 3.19 1.24 205.9 1546.0 31.2 182.0 213.2 1317.7
8 52.4 0.139 43.38 44.81 3.29 1.28 205.8 1751.8 31.1 181.6 212.7 1530.4
9 50.1 0.124 44.81 46.34 3.40 1.32 205.7 1957.5 31.0 181.1 212.1 1742.5
10 47.5 0.109 46.34 47.97 3.53 1.37 205.8 2163.4 30.9 180.7 211.5 1954.1
11 44.9 0.095 47.97 49.73 3.66 1.42 206.1 2369.5 30.8 180.1 210.9 2165.0
12 41.9 0.082 49.73 51.62 3.81 1.47 206.6 2576.1 30.7 179.6 210.3 2375.3
13 38.7 0.069 51.62 53.68 3.98 1.53 207.4 2783.5 30.6 179.0 209.5 2584.8
14 35.2 0.057 53.68 55.91 4.17 1.60 208.6 2992.1 0.0 178.2 178.2 2763.0
Cond 0 2992.1 2992.1
Total 405 2358 2763.0 2992.1
CONCLUSIONS
In general, the main purpose of a computer model is to interpret and extrapolate the experimental results, to
predict the influence of boundary conditions, which cannot be adjusted with the existing experimental
equipment or to estimate the effect of design changes. The model developed in this work, can simulate
efficiently the performance of the MED plant installed in PSA. It is based on the detailed mass and energy
balances of the streams flowing in each cell. Provided that more detailed engineering data, such as tube
dimensions and exchange areas, would be available for the heat exchangers (evaporators and preheaters in
each cell and the final steam condenser of cell 14), some parameters that are now assumed could be precisely
calculated, such as the power exchanged, the heat transfer rates etc. The model developed is flexible and can
be modified easily to accommodate changes in the design parameters. Thus, modelling of DEAHP is also
possible to be implemented and linked to the developed model in a similar way.
Concerning the model developing environment it can be concluded that:
- Microsoft EXCEL is a reliable modelling and simulation tool for engineering applications. Models
developed can be easily extended or modified without significant effort. The model can run in any MS
Windows-based computer with Microsoft Office installed. The results of the calculations can be inspected
for all stages in any detail required by the user. In addition, the model is easily understandable by third
party users.
- Modelling in the powerful environment of Microsoft EXCEL with use of macros, built in functions and
coding in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) provides more error-free code for simple calculations and
easier debugging, because of minimum effort for writing computer code for trivial calculations.
- The models developed are characterized by simplicity and transparency. The data are introduced in
spreadsheets and the results are presented in tables and figures. It is also possible to compile sensitivity
analysis tables and presents the data in an easy and attractive way.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to the European Commission for the financial support
of this work in the frame of the "IMPROVING HUMAN POTENTIAL PROGRAMME. ACCESS TO
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES ACTIVITY", Transnational access to the Plataforma Solar de Almería:
The European Solar Thermal Test Centre. Contract HPRI-CT-2001-00160.
Special thanks also to Mr. Diego Martinez, IHP Project Manager at PSA, Dr. Julian Blanco, head of the
Solar Desalination Plant at PSA, Dr. Eduardo Zarza, Mr. Diego Alarcon and Mrs. Carmen Montesinos for
their help and dedication offered for this project and all the PSA staff for their kind hospitality, co-operation
and support during the period of this work.

REFERENCES
1. "AQUASOL", Zero Discharge Seawater Desalination Using Hybrid Solar Technology, First Year
Technical Report, March 2002-February 2003, EVK1-CT2001-00102.
2. Zarza Eduardo, Solar Thermal Desalination Project Phase II Results and Final Project Report, Ciemat,
August 1994.
3. Lourdes Garcia Rodriguez, Current Status and Perspectives of Multieffect Distillation.
4. MEDAM, Multiple Effect Distillation Analysis Model, Computer Program Report, Fachbereich
Produktionstechnik of the Technical University of Bremen, Germany.
5. http://www.cheresources.com/iapwsif97.shtml, Water97_v13.xla, Add-In for MS Excel providing a set
of functions for calculating thermodynamic and transport properties of water and steam using the
industrial standard IAPWS-IF97.