Solar multistage flash evaporation (smsf) as a solar energy application on desalination processes

Abstract

The application of solar energy on desalination constitutes one of the activities of the research and development program of digases. Within this philosophy a project is being developed in cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany. The objective of the project is to test and prove the feasibility of the solar energy utilization as the source of the thermal energy required for a multistage flash evaporation plant. The plant is composed of three systems: 1. Desalination system. Multistage flash evaporation plant with 10m 3/d production capacity, 5.0 in performance ratio and 10 stages. 2. Solar energy captation. Composed of one low temperature subsystem of double pipe flat collectors with 670m 2 of effective captation surface, and a high temperature subsystem composed of parabolic concentrators with 320m 2 of captation surface. 3. Storage of energy. System designed with such capacity which allows continuous operation of desalination unit. The poject is separated into two phases. The first includes the design manufacturing and tests for the three systems. The second phase comprises the installation and integration of the systems which compose the plant, the start-up operation and evaluation of plant performance. At the present time, the first phase of the project is under development and it is expected to finish it at the end of June. The second phase will start in August with system start-up scheduled for the end of October.