Exergy efficiency enhancement of MSF desalination by heat recovery from hot distillate water stages

This detailed exergy analysis of a 3800 m3/h Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) desalination plant is based on the latest published thermodynamics properties of water and seawater. The parameters of the study were extracted from a validated model of MSF desalination using IPSEpro software. The results confirmed that the overall exergy efficiency of the unit is lower than would be desirable at only 5.8%. Exergy inputs were destroyed by 55%, 17%, 10%, 4.3%, and 14% respectively, in the heat recovery stages, brine heater, heat rejection stages, pumps and brine streams disposal. Moreover, the detail of the study showed that the lowest exergy destruction occurs in the first stage, increasing gradually in heat recovery stages and sharply in heat rejection stages. The study concludes that recovering the heat from the hot distillate water stages can improve unit exergy efficiency from its low 5.8% to a more economical 14%, with the hot water parameters suitable for powering other thermal systems such as absorption chiller and multi-effect desalination.