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Thermal Processes for Seawater Desalination: Multi-effect Distillation, Thermal Vapor Compression, Mechanical Vapor Compression, and Multistage Flash

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Abstract

Despite the fact that global water is apparently abundant, almost half of the world faces water scarcity. Owing to the alarming rise in the population level along with increasing demand of water due to the change in lifestyle, providing fresh water will be a big challenge in the near future. Considering this acuteness, freshwater production using desalination is one of the prospective and promising solutions in the years to come.

The current chapter emphasizes on the thermal desalination methods used for the production of fresh water. The main desalination technologies discussed in the chapter are multistage flash and multi-effect distillation, thermal vapor compression, and mechanical vapor compression. A description regarding each of these technologies along with their discrete design configuration and materials used for the plant construction has also been discussed in detail.

J. Nowak: deceased.

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Abbreviations

CAPEX:

Capital expenditure

GOR:

Gained output ratio

GRP:

Glass-reinforced plastic

MED:

Multi-effect distillation

MEE:

Multi-effect evaporation

MSF:

Multistage flash distillation

MVC:

Mechanical vapor compression

NC:

Non-condensable

NF:

Nano-filtration

OPEX:

Operational expenditure

PP:

Polypropylene

PR:

Performance ratio

RO:

Reverse osmosis

SS:

Stainless steel

TBT:

Top brine temperature

TVC:

Thermal vapor compression

VC:

Vapor compression

ZLD:

Zero Liquid Discharge

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Correspondence to Roshan Ramesh Chandwankar .

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Chandwankar, R.R., Nowak, J. (2019). Thermal Processes for Seawater Desalination: Multi-effect Distillation, Thermal Vapor Compression, Mechanical Vapor Compression, and Multistage Flash. In: Lahnsteiner, J. (eds) Handbook of Water and Used Water Purification. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66382-1_116-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66382-1_116-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-66382-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-66382-1

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