Jordan University of Science & technology JUST

Chemical Eng. Dept.

Summer 2023
The single-effect mechanical vapor-compression desalination process
(MVC) is the most attractive among various single stage desalination
processes, it has the following advantages:

1. It is compact, confined, and does not require external heating source,

which is opposite to thermal, absorption, or adsorption vapor
compression.

2. The absence of the down condenser and the cooling water requirements.
This is because the compressor operates on the entire vapor formed
within the system.

3. Moderate investment cost.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 2
4. Proven industrial reliability to long lifetime operation.
5. Simple seawater intake and pretreatment.

6. The system adopts the horizontal falling film tube configuration,

which allows for high heat transfer coefficient.

7. The low temperature operation, 60 oC, allows for reduced scaling

and heat losses and minimum requirement of thermal insulation.

8. The system is modular type and it is simple to enlarge production

volume by adopting additional modules.

9. High product purity.

10. Simple system adjustment to load variations, through temperature

manipulation.
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 3
Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram for the single-effect mechanical
vapor-compression
The MVC system contains
five major elements, which
include:

1. Mechanical vapor
compressor.
2. Evaporator
3. Preheaters for the intake
seawater
4. Preheaters for the brine
5. Product pumps

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 4

o The feed seawater enters the evaporator at a flow rate of Mf and a
temperature of Tf.
o The feed seawater is sprayed over the horizontal tubes. The spray forms a
falling film over succeeding tube rows to enhances the heat transfer rate.
o The seawater temperature increases from Tf to Tb before evaporation
commences. The formed vapors, Md, are at a temperature of Tb.
o The vapors transfer from the evaporator section to the compressor through
the vapor suction tube.
o The vapors flow tangentially through the compressor, where it is
superheated from Tb to Ts.
o Upon compression, the vapors are forced inside the horizontal tubes,
where it loses the superheat energy and its temperature drops from Ts to
the saturation temperature Td.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 5

o Condensation takes place at Td and the released latent heat is
transferred to the brine film
o The temperature difference Ts-Tb affects the compressor power
consumption and is dictated by the temperature of the feed seawater.

o ***The balance of energy within the system is maintained by recovery of

the thermal load in the rejected brine and product streams.

a) In the preheater, the intake seawater is at a low temperature, Tcw, and a

flow rate Mf.
b) The rejected brine and product streams leaving the evaporator are at
higher temperatures of Tb and Td, respectively.
c) As heat is exchanged between the three streams the temperature of the
seawater is increased to Tf and the temperature of the rejected brine
and product streams is reduced to To.
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 6
Temperature profiles of the system are shown in the Figure below:

1. The temperature of
the feed seawater
increases from Tcw to
Tf in the preheater
unit.
2. Simultaneously, the
temperatures of the
rejected brine and the
product stream
decrease from Tb to
Td, respectively, to the
same temperature To

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 7

3. Inside the evaporator, the temperature of the feed seawater increases from Tf
to the boiling temperature Tb.

4. The formed vapor is at the same boiling temperature, which is higher than the
saturation temperature, Tv, by the boiling point elevation, Tb-Tv.

5. The formed vapor is compressed and superheated to a temperature Ts.

Condensation of the compressed vapor takes place at a temperature of Td.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 8

Two models are developed for the MVC system:

A. Simplified MVC Model

1. Includes several simplifying assumptions
2. Simple to use and generates useful results, which can be used for quick
assessment of design and operating data.
3. Does not require iterative solution method.

B. Detailed MVC Model

1. Negates the simplifying assumptions adopted in the first model.
2. This makes the equations non-linear; therefore iterative solution is needed
to determine the system characteristics.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 9

The assumptions invoked in development of this model include the following:

1. Different heat transfer areas for the preheaters,

2. Constant, but not equal, overall heat transfer coefficients in the evaporator
and preheaters.
3. Equal temperature for the effluent heating streams in the preheaters.
4. The heat capacity for all streams is constant and equal to 4.2 kJ/kg oC.
5. The latent heat of formed vapor and condensing steam are temperature
dependent.
6. Effect of the boiling point elevation is neglected.
7. The distillate is salt free.
8. The driving force for heat transfer in the evaporator is assumed constant
and equal to the difference between the condensation and evaporation
temperatures.
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 10
The model is into four parts, which include the following:

1. Material balances.
2. Evaporator and preheaters energy balances.
3. Evaporator and preheaters heat transfer area.
4. Performance parameters

1. Material Balances

Eq 1

Salaheddin Abu Yahya Eq 2 8/26/2023 11

2.1 Feed Preheaters Energy Balances

o Two preheaters are used to increase the feed temperature from the intake
seawater temperature Tcw to Tf
o The intake seawater is divided into two portions, ∝Mf and (l- ∝)Mf.
o In the first preheater, heat is exchanged between ∝ Mf and the condensed vapors.
o In the second preheater, heat is exchanged between (l- ∝)Mf and the rejected
brine
The thermal load of the two heat exchangers is given in terms of the intake
seawater
Eq 4 ( Qh1 + Qh2 )=Qh

The thermal load of the two heat exchangers is given in terms of the heat load of
the condensed vapor and the rejected brine,
Eq 5

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 12

Substitute Eq 2 in Eq 4 gives Eq 6

Substitute Eq 1 in Eq 5 gives Eq 7

Equating Eqs. (7) and (6) ⟹

(Md Cp (Td - To) + Md (Xf/(Xb - Xf)) Cp (Tb-To)) = Md Cp (Xb/(Xb - Xf)) (Tf - Tcw)

Re-arrange the above equation ⟹

Eq 8

The above equation ( Eq 8 ) is used to determine the outlet temperature of the

heating streams, To
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 13
2.2 Evaporator Energy Balances
o In the evaporator, heat is supplied to the feed seawater, where its temperature
increases from Tf to Tb.
o Latent heat is consumed by the formed vapor at a temperature of Tb.
o This energy is supplied by the latent heat of condensation for the compressed
vapors at Td and by the superheat of the compressed vapors, Ts- Td.
The evaporator thermal load is given by:

Eq 9

Substitute Eq 2 in Eq 9 gives
Eq 10
Re-arrange the above equation ⟹

Eq 11

Equation 11 used to determine the seawater feed temperature, Tf.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 14
3.1 Evaporator Heat Transfer Area
o The thermal load for the evaporator is equal to the sum of the latent heat of
formed vapor at Tb and the sensible heat added to the feed seawater to increase
its temperature from Tf to Tb.

o The driving force for heat transfer is assumed equal to the difference between
the condensation and evaporation temperatures, Td-Tb

From Eq 9, substitute Qe (thermal load for the evaporator ) ⟹

Eq 12

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 15

3.2 Two Preheaters Heat Transfer Area
o The heat transfer area for the two preheaters obtained in similar manner,
however, the driving force for heat transfer is taken as the logarithmic
mean at the preheater ends.
1. The distilled preheater ( upper one)

Eq 13 and 14

2. The brine preheater ( lower one)

Eq 15 and 16

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 16

4. Performance Parameter
Performance of the MVC is determined in terms of the following variables:
• The specific power consumption, kWhr/m3.
• The specific heat transfer surface area, sA.

1. The compressor mechanical energy is given

Where:
Eq 17 W : The specific power consumption.
v : The specific volume.
𝜂𝜂 : The compressor efficiency
𝛾𝛾 : The isentropic efficiency
P : The pressure such that:
Pv The inlet pressure = the vapor pressure of the formed vapor @ Tb
Ps The out let pressure = the vapor pressure of the compressed vapor @ Ts
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 17
2. The specific heat transfer surface area, sA

Eq 18

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 18

A single-effect mechanical vapor-compression system is to be designed at the
following conditions:
• The feed seawater salinity, Xf =
• Md = 1 kg/s. 42000 ppm.
• The heat capacity of the vapor is constant. • The salinity of the rejected brine,
Cp = 1.884 kJ/kg oC. Xb =70000 ppm.
• The heat capacity of all liquid streams is constant. • The compressor efficiency, 𝜂𝜂 =
Cp = 4.2 kJ/kg oC. 58.9%
• Ue = 2.4 kJ/s m C.
2 o
• 𝛾𝛾 =1.32 compression ratio
• Ub =1.5 kJ/s m C.
2 o

• Ud = 1.8 kJ/sm2 oC. Calculate:

• The intake seawater temperature, Tcw = 25°C. 1. The specific power consumption.
• The condensed vapor temperature, Td = 62 oC. 2. The heat transfer areas for the
• The compressed vapor temperature, Ts = Td + 3 = 65 oC. evaporator and preheaters.
• The evaporation temperature, Tb = Td - 2 = 60 oC. 3. The specific heat transfer area.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 19

For Xf = 42000 ppm, Xb = 70000 ppm, and Md = 1 kg/s ⟹

And

@ Tb = 60 ⟹ 𝜆𝜆𝑏𝑏 = 2358.98 k J / k g @ Td = 62 ⟹ 𝜆𝜆d = 2354.01 k J / k g

From Eq 11 ⟹

Tf
From Eq 8 ⟹

To
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 20
From Eq 12

⟹ 𝑨𝑨𝒆𝒆 = =

From Eq 14
=

From Eq 16 ⟹

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 21

 The heat transfer area for the two preheaters are determined from Eqs 13 and 15:

The specific power consumption, W, is calculated from Eq 17:

This requires determination of Po, Pi, vi, and 𝛾𝛾
Po =10.17246-0.6167302 (Ts)+1.832249xl0-2(Ts)2 - 1.77376x10-4 (TS)3 +1.47068x10-6 (Ts )4

Po @ Ts
Pi @ Tb

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 22

The specific volume of inlet vapor @ Tb can be obtained from steam tables or the
following correlation.

vi =163.3453-8.04142 (Tb) + 0.17102(Tb )2- 1.87812x10-3 (Tb)3 + 1.03842x10-5 (Tb)4 - 2.28215x10-8 (Tb)5

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 23

 ⟹

The specific heat transfer area is obtained directly by summing the values of Ae,
Ab, and Ad . This is because the distillate flow-rate is set at 1 kg/s. The value of
sA is equal to 492.78 + 42.78 + 148.94 = 684.49 m2.

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 24

A single-effect mechanical vapor-compression system has the following design data:

• Ae = 400 m2. Ad = 7m2 Ab = 15 m2

• Cp of all liquid streams is constant= 4.2 kJ/kg oC. Cpv 1.844 kJ/kg oC.
• Ue = 2.4 kJ/s m2 oC. Ub =6.3 kJ/s m2 oC. Ud = 6.7 kJ/sm2 oC.
• The intake seawater temperature, Tcw = 25°C. The compressed vapor temperature, Ts = Td + 7.
• Xf = 42000 ppm Xb = 70000 ppm Compressor efficiency, 𝜂𝜂 = 58.9%
Calculate: **See the solution in
1. The Flow rate of the distillate product. the text book: Trial
2. The Flow rate of the brine reject. and error
3. The Flow rate of the feed seawater
4. Temperature of the feed seawater
5. Temperature of the outlet brine and product streams
6. Temperature of the brine stream leaving the evaporator.
7. Temperature of the condensate product stream.
Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023 25
26

Salaheddin Abu Yahya 8/26/2023