Exergoenvironmental analysis and evaluation of coupling MSF, MED and RO desalination plants with a combined cycle plant

Abstract

In this paper, freshwater production through multi-effect desalination (MED), multistage flash (MSF), reverse osmosis (RO), hybrid (MED-RO), and hybrid (MSF-RO) units have been investigated based on environmental impacts associated with life cycle assessment (LCA) modelling tool and exergoenvironmental analysis. The integration of Qom combined cycle as a real case study with selected desalination plants has been studied. In this regard, thermodynamic simulation has been performed in computer code with high accuracy. Furthermore, computer code has been developed to perform exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental analyses. Results show; the environmental impact rate associated with the integrated combined cycle with the MED unit decreased by 23% compared to the stand-alone power plant. Also, in the integration of combined cycle with MSF, RO, MED-RO, and MSF-RO, it has been found that 25%, 60%, 27%, and 25% decrease can be obtained in the environmental impact rates, respectively.