Simulation with Aspen Plus and Performance Analysis of LT-MED Seawater Desalination System

With Aspen Plus, three simulation models for Low-Temperature Multi-Effect Distillation (LT-IVIED) seawater desalination system are established in this work, which includes the parallel flow, forward flow and backward flow processes. Performance analysis including the motive steam flow, Gained Output Ratio (GOR) and heat transfer area are conducted as a function of the process type, number of effects, heating steam temperature and the effect NO. for Thermal Vapor Compression (TVC) ejection. Results indicate that the established simulation models are accurate and reliable; the process type, the number of effects and the effect NO. for TVC ejection have a great impact on the performance, while the effect of heating steam temperature on the performance is relatively weaker.