Optimizing the Energy Recovery Section in Thermal Desalination Systems for Improved Thermodynamic, Economic, and Environmental Performance

Ahmad Jamil, Muhammad, Goraya, Talha S., Ng, Kim Choon, Zubair, Syed M., Xu, Bin and Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil (2021) Optimizing the Energy Recovery Section in Thermal Desalination Systems for Improved Thermodynamic, Economic, and Environmental Performance. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 124. p. 105244. ISSN 0735-1933

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2021....

Abstract

Integration of energy recovery section with thermal desalination systems improves their performance from thermodynamics, economics, and environmental viewpoints. This is because it significantly reduces input energy, heat transfer area, and capital cost requirements. Above all, the system outlet streams can achieve thermal equilibrium with the environment by supplying heat for useful preheating purposes thus reducing the environmental impacts. The plate heat exchangers are generally employed for this purpose as preheaters. The current paper presents a comprehensive investigation and optimization of these heat exchangers for thermal desalination systems applications. An experimentally validated numerical model employing Normalized Sensitivity Analysis and Genetic Algorithm based cost optimization is developed to investigate their performance at assorted operating conditions. The analysis showed that the heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and outlet water cost were improved by an increase in feed flow rate. However, with an increased flow rate, the comprehensive output parameter (h/ΔP) decreased due to the high degree increase in pressure drop. Moreover, an increase in the chevron angle reduced the heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and water cost. Finally, the optimization lowered the heat transfer area by ~79.5%, capital investment by ~62%, and the outlet cost of the cold stream by ~15.7%. The operational cost is increased due to the increased pressure drop but the overall impact is beneficial as Ctotal of equipment is reduced by ~52.7%.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding information: The authors acknowledge the support provided by Northumbria University, UK under reference # RDF20/EE/MCE/SHAHZAD and MCE QR funds 2020/21. Ben Xu would like to thank the support from EPSRC grants EP/N007921/1.
Uncontrolled Keywords: plate heat exchangers, preheaters, desalination, energy recovery, Genetic Algorithm, optimization, economic analysis
Subjects: H700 Production and Manufacturing Engineering
H800 Chemical, Process and Energy Engineering
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Mechanical and Construction Engineering
Depositing User: John Coen
Date Deposited: 12 Mar 2021 09:55
Last Modified: 12 May 2023 13:45
URI: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/45682

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