Exergy Analysis of a Two-Pass Reverse Osmosis (RO) Desalination Unit with and without an Energy Recovery Turbine (ERT) and Pressure Exchanger (PX)

Nuri M. Eshoul, Brian Agnew, Mohammed A. Al-Weshahi and Mohanad S. Atab
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Nuri M. Eshoul: School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Brian Agnew: School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Mohammed A. Al-Weshahi: Shinas College of Technology, Al-Aqur, P.O. Box 77, Shinas 324, Oman
Mohanad S. Atab: School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: This paper presents an exergy analysis of an actual two-pass (RO) desalination system with the seawater solution treated as a real mixture and not an ideal mixture. The actual 127 ton/h two pass RO desalination plant was modeled using IPSEpro software and validated against operating data. The results show that using the (ERT) and (PX) reduced the total power consumption of the SWRO desalination by about 30% and 50% respectively, whereas, the specific power consumption for the SWRO per m 3 water decreased from 7.2 kW/m 3 to 5.0 kW/m 3 with (ERT) and 3.6 kW/m 3 with (PX). In addition, the exergy efficiency of the RO desalination improved by 49% with ERT and 77% with PX and exergy destruction was reduced by 40% for (ERT) and 53% for (PX). The results also showed that, when the (ERT) and (PX) were not in use, accounted for 42% of the total exergy destruction. Whereas, when (ERT) and (PX) are in use, the rejected seawater account maximum is 0.64%. Moreover, the (PX) involved the smallest area and highest minimum separation work.

Keywords: RO desalination; energy recovery turbine; exergy; exergy destruction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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