Design and Simulation of a Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination System

Abstract

The prototype of a low-temperature thermal desalination system treating 2500 L day−1 of saline water was designed thermally and geometrically, to be integrated with a vacuum spray flash drum and spray nozzles, a plate heat exchanger-type condenser, and a thermosyphon solar water heater to produce potable water for a small community. The design bases were the feed flow rate, the feed temperature from 45 to 65 °C, the salinity of 0.035 kg kg−1, and the vacuum drum pressure from 2 to 6 kPa absolute. The estimated yield of potable water based on the simulated droplet dynamics was in the range of 68.91–75.80 %. The plate heat exchanger and the thermosyphon solar water heater were designed for effective condensation and passive heating, respectively.