Study and Enhancement of Flash Evaporation Desalination Utilizing the Ocean Thermocline and Discharged heat

Abstract

� Abstract—This paper reports on the results of experimental investigations of flash evaporation from superheated jet issues vertically upward from a round straight nozzle of 81.3 mm diameter. For the investigated range of jet superheat degree and velocity, it was shown that flash evaporation enhances with initial temperature increase. Due to the increase of jet inertia and subsequently the of jet shattering, increase of jet velocity was found to result in increase of evaporation delay period. An empirical equation predicts the jet evaporation completion height was developed, this equation is thought to be useful in designing the flash evaporation chamber. In attempts for enhancement of flash evaporation, use of steel wire mesh located at short distance downstream was found effective with no consequent pressure drop. Keywords—Enhancement; Flash Evaporation; OTEC; superheated jet I. INTRODUCTION S a result of the shortage of energy resources and the environmental pollution accompanying the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity and it's major contribution to the global warming problem, along with the scarcity of fresh water resource; energy and water issues are obtaining a considerable interest of researchers and concerning authorities likewise. Conversion of renewable energy resources is promoting and can solve the energy and environmental problems, while desalination of saline water bodies which form the majority of water resources on the earth can definitely substitute the shortage of fresh water. Ocean Thermal Energy conversion (OTEC) is one of the promising technologies to utilize the temperature difference between the hot shallow water and cold deep water of ocean to drive a certain power cycle and generate electricity, this process requires a huge quantity of both hot and cold water to be pumped from the ocean to supply the OTEC power plant; for the ultimate usage of this pumped water, desalination plant should be combined with the closed-cycle OTEC plant, where the discharged water from the electricity generation plant supply the flash evaporation based desalination plant. As the