Abstract
This paper presents an exergy analysis of an actual two-pass (RO) desalination system with the seawater solution treated as a real mixture and not an ideal mixture. The actual 127 ton/h two pass RO desalination plant was modeled using IPSEpro software and validated against operating data. The results show that using the (ERT) and (PX) reduced the total power consumption of the SWRO desalination by about 30% and 50% respectively, whereas, the specific power consumption for the SWRO per m3 water decreased from 7.2 kW/m3 to 5.0 kW/m3 with (ERT) and 3.6 kW/m3 with (PX). In addition, the exergy efficiency of the RO desalination improved by 49% with ERT and 77% with PX and exergy destruction was reduced by 40% for (ERT) and 53% for (PX). The results also showed that, when the (ERT) and (PX) were not in use, accounted for 42% of the total exergy destruction. Whereas, when (ERT) and (PX) are in use, the rejected seawater account maximum is 0.64%. Moreover, the (PX) involved the smallest area and highest minimum separation work.
Highlights
Reverse osmosis (RO) has recently been recognized as one of the most promising desalination techniques that can be used to overcome water scarcity in countries in arid and semi-arid regions.These nations often have problems of population growth and limited natural water resources, and RO can result in improvements in techniques and reductions in costs
It is worth mentioning that of all streams the exergy rates for RO models are positive since they are above the dead state condition; this result is in agreement with those of Sharqawy et al [19]
The simulation results show that the total power consumption of the standalone seawater RO (SWRO) desalination plant, which was 1056 kW, was reduced to 742 kW and to 532.3 kW when energy recovery turbine (ERT) and pressure exchanger (PX), respectively, were used
Summary
Reverse osmosis (RO) has recently been recognized as one of the most promising desalination techniques that can be used to overcome water scarcity in countries in arid and semi-arid regions. The pressure exchanger was investigated using the theoretical and mathematical simulation of a desalination plant, and the results showed that the specific energy consumption per m3 product water was reduced by about 35% compared with ERT [8]. Guirguis [21] studied a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant with an energy recovery turbine (ERT) using efficiency and economic study analysis with respect to the pressure exchanger (PX). He concluded that the PX achieved the best specific power consumption, whereas the ERT configuration was more economical. Investigates the effect of using ERT and PX on the energy and exergy efficiency of RO desalination and the minimum separation work and membrane area involved
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