PERFORMANCE OF A FORWARD FEED MULTI-EFFECT (MED-FF) THERMAL DESALINATION SYSTEM WITH FEED PREHEATING

The Multi-Effect Forward Feed Desalination System (MED-FF) is an effective technology for large-scale seawater desalination. The addition of the thermal vapor compressor (TVC) enhances the system's performance ratio. According to recent studies, the best placement for the TVC is in the middle. In the present study, a new component has been installed on the system, which is the brine preheater. This component works as a preheater for the feed before it flows into the first effect. The performance of the MED-FF plant with no feed preheater is compared with the proposed layout with the preheater. Results reveal that the performance has significantly improved through energy recovery, reflected in an 8% increase in the performance ratio, along with notable cost savings of 3.73% in distilled water production and energy fuel savings of 5.95% in the boiler consumption. The effect on the total heat transfer surface area and specific flow rate of cooling water is also taken into consideration.