Anton A. Kiss, Edwin Zondervan, Richard Lakerveld, Leyla Özkan (Eds.

)
Proceedings of the 29th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering
June 16th to 19th, 2019, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818634-3.50029-1

Optimisation of multi effect distillation based

desalination system for minimum production cost
for freshwater
O.M.A.Al-hotmania, M. A. Al-Obaidia, b, G. Filippinic, F. Manentic, R.Patela,
and I. M. Mujtabaa,*
a
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics.
University of Bradford. Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK
b
Middle Technical University, Technical Institute of Baquba, Dayala – Iraq
c Chemical Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
I.M.Mujtaba@bradford.ac.uk

Abstract
The multi effect distillation (MED) process has been extensively used for seawater
desalination as a prominent process to produce high quality freshwater. However, the
impact of number of effects in the MED process-based seawater desalination on the
fresh water production cost has not been critically evaluated in the literature. Therefore,
the aim of this study is to resolve this particular challenge via the simulation for a given
seawater concentration and temperature conditions. The simulation is carried out using a
comprehensive MED process model coupled with appropriate cost functions within
gPROMS model builder software. The simulation results show that selecting the
optimal number of the MED effects as 17 is important to achieve the lowest fresh water
production cost for a given seawater operating conditions.
Keywords: Seawater desalination, MED process, Simulation, Fresh water production
cost.

1. Introduction
The Multi Effect Distillation (MED) process is the oldest technique for seawater
desalination and was first reported back in the middle of the 19th century. Essentially,
the thermal and membrane processes are considered as the main adopted technologies
used for seawater desalination. These technologies are employed to overcome the
scarcity of fresh water due to restricted available resources (Sadri et al., 2017).
Specifically, the thermal process characterises by using heat to evaporate and distil the
seawater. However, massive research efforts need to be paid to improve the system's
efficiency and decrease the fresh water production cost. In this respect, the main
concern of thermal process is to improve the steam economy and specifically the
Gained Output Ratio GOR (defined as the ratio of the produced distilled water in
kilograms to steam consumed in kilograms) (Darwish and AL-Juwayhel, 2006).
Recently, MED process gained more attention than other thermal processes (such as
Multi Stage Flash, MSF) due to its high effectiveness, straightforward operation and
maintenance and feasible economic characteristics. Ettouney and El-Dessouky (1999)
stated that the thermal desalination processes, in particular MED process is the more
170 O.M.A. Al-hotmani et al.

significant method for desalting seawater to obtain conductivity in very low level,
which has a strong impact in power plant. More specifically, the MED process becomes
a superior desalination processes due to its low specific energy consumption (Darwish
and Abdulrahim, 2008) and low top brine temperature which ranges between 60 – 70 °C
(Al-Sahali and Ettouney, 2007). Therefore, it is not surprised to notice that about 65%
of the total capacity of production in the desalination industry is attributed to the
thermal desalination including the MED process. Up to the authors’ knowledge, the
research on MED process is still required to alleviate the fresh water production cost by
enhancing the performance efficiency besides keeping high-quality water. Specifically,
the optimal number of effects in the MED process-based seawater desalination that
attains the lowest fresh water production cost via model-based simulation has not been
yet explored. Therefore, this research focuses on the implementation of an earlier model
developed by the authors for MED process and an economic model gathered from the
literature to investigate the optimal number of effects which can attain the lowest fresh
water production cost for specified sweater operating conditions.

2. MED process model

Figure 1 shows the MED process that involves of a number of effects. External heat is
used to rise the brine temperature within the first stage in order to evaporate the brine.
The vapour from each stage supplies energies to the brine in subsequent stages. MED
process is typically designed at different capacity that vary from 600 to 30,000 m3/day,
and the design is made according to two main arrangements: (a) the seawater boils in a
vertical tube in a thin film flowing within the tube and vapour condensate on the heat-
transfer tubes (b) the horizontal tube where the seawater feed is sprayed onto the outside
surface of the tubes and vapour flows inside the horizontal tubes, which is condensed to
produce the water. Table 1 shows the process model taken from our earlier work
(Filippini et al., 2018)

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of MED process (Adapted from Alkaraghouli, 2013)

3. Economic model of MED process

The economic model developed by Druetta et al. (2014) and given in Table 2 was used
to calculate the total production cost for MED process. In this respect, Table 3 presents
the parameters used in the economic model of MED process. In this respect, the fresh
Optimisation of multi effect distillation based desalination system for 171
minimum production cost for freshwater

water production cost is the division of total annual production cost and the total annual
productivity of MED process. Specifically, for any seawater thermal desalination
process, the total annual cost (ܶ‫ )ܥܣ‬is the sum of the total capital cost (ܶ‫ )ܥܥ‬and annual
operational cost (‫)ܥܱܣ‬. Principally, the total capital cost comprises the installation,
equipment, and indirect costs. However, some other related costs such as the steam cost,
chemicals cost, labour, etc. are listed in the operational and maintenance cost.

Table 1. The model equations of MED process (Filippini et at. 2018)

No. Title Unit Equation
1 Temperature drop among effects (oC) ο ൌ
୘ଵି୘ୠ
or οܶ ൌ
୘ୱି୘ୠ

first attempt ୬ିଵ ୬

2 Temperature drop among pre- (oC) οܶ ൌ ο‫ݐ‬

heaters first attempt
3 Mean temperature in the plant (oC) ܶͳ ൅ ܾܶ
ܶ௠௘௔௡ ൌ
ʹ
4 Mean salinity (ppm) šˆ ൅ š„
‫ݔ‬௠௘௔௡ ൌ
ʹ
5 Fraction of flashed distillate (-) …’ሺܶ௠௘௔௡ ǡ ‫ݔ‬௠௘௔௡ ሻοܶ
‫ן‬ൌ
ɉሺܶ௠௘௔௡ ሻ

6 Fraction of total distillate boiled in (-) Ƚሾš„ሺͳ െ Ƚሻ௡ െ ‫݂ݔ‬ሿ

each evaporator ߚൌ
ሺš„ െ šˆሻሾͳ െ ሺͳ െ Ƚሻ௡ ሿ
7 Heat load in i-th effect (kJ/s) ܳ݅ ൌ ‫ܦ‬௕௢௜௟௘ௗǡ௜ିଵ ߣሺܶ‫ݒ‬௜ିଵ ሻ
8 Sensible heat used in first effect (kJ/kg) ்ଵ
ܳ௦௘௡௦௜௕௟௘ ൌ ‫ ݂ܯ‬න ܿ‫݌‬ሺܶͳǡ ‫ͳݔ‬ሻ݀ܶ
௧ଵ
9 Feed flowrate (kJ/s) • ɉሺ•ሻ
‫ ݂ܯ‬ൌ
ܳ௦௘௡௦௜௕௟௘ ൅ ܳ௟௔௧௘௡௧
10 Latent heat in first effect (kJ/s) ܳ௟௔௧௘௡௧ ൌ ‫ߣͳܦ‬ሺܶ‫ͳݒ‬ሻ
11 Rejected brine flowrate (kg/s) ‫ ܾܯ‬ൌ ‫ ݂ܯ‬െ ‫݀ܯ‬
12 Feed flow rate (kg/s) ‫ ܾݔ‬െ ‫݂ݔ‬
‫ ݂ܯ‬ൌ †
š„
13 Distillate produced by boiling in i- (kg/s) ‫ܦ‬௕௢௜௟௘ௗǡ௜ ൌ ߚ‫݀ܯ‬
th evaporator
14 Total distillate produced in i-th (kg/s) ‫ܦ‬௜ ൌ ‫ܦ‬௕௢௜௟௘ௗǡ௜ ൅ ‫ܦ‬௙௟௔௦௛ǡ௜
effect
15 Brine rejected in the i-th effect (kg/s) ‫ܤ‬௜ ൌ ‫ܤ‬௜ିଵ െ ‫ܦ‬௜
16 Mean salinity in the plant (ppm or ‫ݔ‬௜ିଵ ‫ܤ‬௜ିଵ
w/w%) ‫ݔ‬௜ ൌ
‫ܤ‬௜
17 Feed temperature in first effect (oC) ‫ ͳݐ‬ൌ ‫ ݊ݐ‬൅ ሺ݊ െ ͳሻο‫ݐ‬
18 Temperature of the vapour phase (oC) ܶ‫ ݒ‬ൌ ܶ െ ‫ܧܲܤ‬ሺܶǡ ‫ݔ‬ሻ
in i-th effect
19 Driving force for heat exchange in (oC) ο–
i-th pre-heater ο‫ݐ‬୪୭୥ǡ௜ ൌ
ܶ‫ ݒ‬െ ‫ݐ‬௜ାଵ
Ž‘‰ሺ ௜ ሻ
ܶ‫ݒ‬௜ െ ‫ݐ‬௜
20 Gained Output Ratio (-) †
‫ ܴܱܩ‬ൌ
•
21 Performance Ratio (-) ʹ͵͵Ͳ  Ȁ‰
ܴܲ ൌ

ɉሺ•ሻ
22 Specific total area (m2 s/kg) –‘–
‫ݐ݋ݐܣ‬௦ ൌ
†
23 Specific seawater intake (-) ™
‫ݓܯ‬௦ ൌ
†
24 Area of i-th effect (m2) ܳூ
‫ܣ‬௘௩ǡ௠௘௔௡ െ
ܷ௘௩ǡ௜ ᇞ ܶ௘௫ǡ௜
172 O.M.A. Al-hotmani et al.

Table 2. The economic model of Druetta et al. (2014)

No. Title Unit Equation
1 Total Capital cost ($) ܶ‫ ܥܥ‬ൌ ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬ௗ௜௥ ൅ ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௜௡ௗ௜௥

2 Indirect CAPEX ($) ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௜௡ௗ௜௥ ൌ Ͳʹͷ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬ௗ௜௥

3 Civil work cost ($) ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௖௜௩௜௟̴௪௢௥௞ ൌ ͲǤͳͷ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௘௤௨௜௣௠௘௡௧

4 MED process cost ($) ‫ܥ‬௠௘ௗ ൌ ‫ܭ‬ொ஽ ‫ܥ‬௠௔௧̴ொ஽ ‫ܣ‬ொ஽బǤలర

5 Fresh water production cost ($/m ) 3 ்஺஼

‫ܥܹܨ‬ொ஽ ൌ
ெ೑ೝ೐ೞ೓ǡಾಶವ ்ு௒ ሺଷ଺଴଴ሻ

6 Annual operating cost ($/yr) ‫ ܥܱܣ‬ൌ ‫ܥܱܣ‬௖௛௘௠ ൅ ‫ܥܱܣ‬௟௔௕ ‫ܥܱܣ‬௣௢௪ ൅ ‫ܥܱܣ‬௠௔௡

൅ ‫ܥܱܣ‬௦௧௘௔௠

7 Seawater intake and pre- ($) ௄೔೙೟ೌೖ೐ ଶସଷ଺଴଴ெೞ೐ೌೢೌ೟೐ೝǤಾಶವ

‫ܥ‬௜௡௧௔௞௘ ൌ
ଶ௔
treatment cost
8 Capital recovery factor (1/yr) ”ሺͳ ൅ ”ሻ௟௜௙௧
‫ ܨܣܥ‬ൌ
ሺͳ ൅ ”ሻ௟௜௙௧ ̴ͳ
9 Cost of human labor ($/yr) ஼೗ೌ್ ்ு௒ଷ଺଴଴ெ೑ೝ೐ೞ೓ǡಾಶವ
‫ܥܱܣ‬௟௔௕ ൌ
஡

10 Cost of manutention ($/yr) ‫ܥܱܣ‬௠௔௡ ൌ ͲǤͲͲʹܶ‫ܥܥ‬

11 Cost of external steam ($/yr) ஼ೞ೟೐ೌ೘ ்ு௒ሺ்௦ିସ଴ሻெೞ೟೐ೌ೘

‫ܥܱܣ‬௦௧௘௔௠ ൌ ൅ ͲǤͲͲͷܶ‫ܥܥ‬
଼଴

12 Total Annual Cost ($/yr) ܶ‫ ܥܣ‬ൌ ‫ ܥܱܣ‬൅ ‫ ܨܴܥ‬ൈ ܶ‫ܥܥ‬

13 Equipment cost ($) ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௘௤௨௜௣௠௘௡௧ ൌ ‫ܥ‬௜௡௧௔௞௘ ൅ ‫ܥ‬ொ஽ ൅ ‫ܥ‬௖௢௡ௗ

14 Direct CAPEX ($) ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬ௗ௜௥ ൌ ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௘௤௨௜௣௠௘௡௧ ൅ ‫ܺܧܲܣܥ‬௖௜௩௜௟̴௪௢௥௞

15 Cost of power for pumps $/yr ஼೛బೢ ்ு௒ଵ଴଴ ெ೑ೝ೐ೞ೓ǡಾಶವ

‫ܥܱܣ‬௉ைௐ ൌ ݂ሺοܲሻ
஡ρ

16 Final condenser cost ($) ‫ܥ‬௖௢௡ௗ ൌ ‫ܭ‬௖௢௡ௗ ‫ܥ‬௖௢௡ௗ ‫ܥ‬௠௔௧̴௖௢௡ௗ ‫ܣ‬௖௢௡ௗబǤఴ

17 Cost of chemical treatment ($/yr) ஼೎೓೐೘ ்ு௒ଷ଺଴଴ெೞ೐ೌೢೌ೟೐ೝǡಾಶವ

‫ܥܱܣ‬௖௛௘௠ ൌ
஡

Table 3. Parameters used in the economic model of MED process (Al-Obaidi et al.,
2019)
Parameter Description Value Unit Parameter Description Value Unit
‫ܥ‬௠௔௧ିொ஽ Material of 3644 ($/ଶ ) ‫ܭ‬ொ஽ Coeff. for 1.4 -
MED process MED process
Ir Interest rate 0.07 (-) ‫ܥ‬௅௔௕ Labour 0.05 ($/ଷ )
‫ܥ‬௠௔௧ି௖௢௡ௗ Material of 500 ($/ଶ ) THY Total hour per 8760 (hr/yr)
condenser year
f(ǻP) Pressure 3571 (-) ‫ܥ‬௖௛௘௠ Chemical 0.024 ($/ଷ )
losses treatment
ߤ Efficiency of 0.75 (-) ‫ܥ‬௣௢௪ Power 0.09 ($/kWh)
power
generation
life Life of the 25 (year) ‫ܭ‬௜௡௧௔௞௘ Seawater 50 $ day/ଷ
plant intake
‫ܥ‬௦௧௘௔௠ External 0.004 ($/kg) ‫ܭ‬௖௢௡ௗ Coeff. for 2.8 -
steam condenser
Optimisation of multi effect distillation based desalination system for 173
minimum production cost for freshwater

4. Simulation of the MED Process

The simulation of the MED process is carried out at specified seawater conditions of
feed concentration and temperature of 39000 ppm and 25 °C, respectively. Moreover,
Steam flow rate Ms and steam temperature Ts are assumed to be known as 8 (kg/s) and
70 (°C), respectively. The case study analysed in this paper corresponds the desalination
plants installed in Gulf regions with somehow high seawater salinity. Figure 2 (a) shows
the fresh water production cost ($/m3) against the number of effects in MED process.
This in turn showed that the optimum number of effects of 17 has entailed the lowest
fresh water production cost for seawater desalination at the selected seawater operating
conditions. Specifically, the lowest fresh water production cost is around 0.615 $/m3.
Interestingly, the fresh water production cost exponentially decreases with number of
effects below 17. However, a slow progress in the fresh water production cost is
observed as a result to increasing number of effects up to 17. Also, the simulation
results of the Figure 2 (b) shows that the total annual cost is increased with increasing
the number of effects. Basically, this is attributed to increasing both capital costs (from
5118362.5 $ to 19055098 $) and operating costs (from 862693.1 $/yr to 1190574 $/yr)
as a result to increasing the number of effects from 8 to 20 in the MED process.
Therefore, the minimum fresh water production cost observed in Figure 2 (a) can be
ascribed to the progress of distillate flow rate that rapidly increased as a result to
increasing number of effects. This in turn causes a rapid decrease in fresh water
production cost despite the increase of total annual cost (Eq. (5) presented in Table 2).
However, the increase of distillate flow rate beyond 17 effects was insignificant
compared to a continuous increase in the total annual cost, which in turn results in a
slow increase in the fresh water production cost (Figure 2 (a)). Figure 2 (c) shows the
improvement in Gained Output Ratio (GOR) due to increasing number of effects. GOR
value raised to its optimum of 17.06 as the number of effects hits 20. However, GOR
alone cannot be the unique tool to measure the performance of thermal process as it
does not account the impact of capital and other operating costs (such as pumping etc.).
More important, the minimum fresh water production cost corresponds to an optimum
GOR of 14.5 at 17 effects.

5. Conclusions
In this paper, an earlier model developed by the authors for multi effects desalination
MED process was coupled with cost model to estimate the fresh water production cost
under different number of effects and fixed seawater operating conditions. The cost
model accounts for both capital and operating costs (such as steam, pumping, etc). The
optimum number of effects was investigated via repetitive simulation, which illustrates
the lowest fresh water production cost for seawater desalination. In this research, the
optimum number of effects was obtained to be 17 with the corresponding minimum cost
of 0.614 $/m3. In this respect, the optimum GOR has been discovered for the optimum
design. This current research can be used as a powerful tool to design the MED process
and specially to address the optimum number of effects for any specified seawater
operating conditions. It is fair to realise the insignificant implementation of the current
methodology for an already instilled MED plant. Therefore, a comprehensive
simulation-based optimisation methodology needs to be explored to investigate the
optimal seawater operating conditions and steam flow rate that minimises the fresh
water production cost for a fixed number of effects. This would be an interesting scope
of the future research.
174 O.M.A. Al-hotmani et al.

Figure 2. (a) Fresh water cost against number of effects (b) Total annual cost against
number of effects (c) Gained output ratio against number of effects

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