Thermoeconomic approach for evaluating the performance of multi-effect- mechanical vapor compression desalination unit

الملخص EN

Exergy analysis is the traditional approach to evaluate the performance of thermal systems from thermodynamic point of view, where exergy destruction (irreversibility) is determined to assess the deficiency of the plant’s components.

however, the costs of those deficiencies can be determined only through thermoeconomic analysis.

the aim of this work is to simulate the performance of multi-stage desalination unit from thermoeconomic point of view.

The Specific Exergy Costing (SPECO) method is adopted for simulation.

the results show that the minimum unit cost of the product water is obtained for the three stages unit, the obtained result is in good agreement with that given in the literature.

the minimum unit cost is found at compressor efficiency of 91% for the single-stage and at 82% for the multi-stages.

it is found that, by reducing the pressure ratio of the compressor in the three-stage system from 2.15 to 1.6, the specific power consumption can be reduced by 40.5%., and the unit product cost by 2.75%.