Numerical simulation and optimization of coupled demister with directing and perforated plate in MSF plants

Abstract

The coupled demister with directing and the perforated plate was proposed in this work, which was applied in the fine droplets removal process for the multistage flash (MSF) desalination process. The performance was evaluated with three criteria, overall particle removal efficiency, pressure drop, and impact factor. The results show that the main influencing factors of the performance of the directing plate mist eliminator are the directing plate length, the installation upper wall angle, and the installation position. The interaction effects occur while two individual directing plates are installed. For improving the fine droplets removal performance, perforated and directing plate coupled mist eliminator was designed, and the results show that the coupled mist eliminator has the best performance compared to the others. The particle separation efficiency is significantly improved, and the efficiency can reach >93.75 %, Euler number is only 5.54, compared to individual structural design, the pressure drop declined and particle removal efficiency increased significantly. Besides, the coupled mist eliminator has a simple structure and can be processed by integrated technology. All these advantages make the directing and perforated plate coupled mist eliminator a promising candidate for fine droplet removal in the MSF desalination process.