Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Influence of Non-Condensable Gases on Performance of the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Plants


Affiliations
1 National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai 600 100, India
 

This article addresses the effect of non-condensable (NC) gases on the thermal performance of condensers used in Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plants utilizing natural ocean temperature gradient as well as waste heat recovery from process plants. The NC gases that flow along with the water vapour cause local reduction of heat transfer in the condenser and leading to high operating power and cost escalation. A computational investigation was performed and results showed that with increase in NC gases concentration, there was a decrement in overall heat transfer coefficient, increment in uncondensed water vapour and thus reduction in yield.

Keywords

Condenser, Desalination, Low Temperature Thermal Desalination, Non-condensable Gases.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Rognoni, M., Kathiroli, S. and Purnima, J., Low temperature thermal desalination (LTTD): new sustainable desalination process. Int. J. Nucl. Desal., 2008, 69–78.
  • Kathiroli, S., Purnima, J. and Robert, S., Low temperature thermal desalination plant at Kavaratti, Lakshadweep. Geological Society of India, Bangalore, 2006, pp. 820–822.
  • Sistla, P. V. S., Venkatesan, G., Jalihal, P. and Kathiroli, S., Low temperature thermal desalination plants. In Ocean Mining Symposium, International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE), Chennai, India, 2009, pp. 59–63.
  • Balaji, D., Abraham, R. and Ramana Murthy, M. V., Experimental study on the vacuum load of low-temperature thermal desalination plant. Desal. Water Treat., 2016, 26830–26844.
  • Kathiroli, S., Purnima, J. and Phanikumar, V. S. S., Barge mounted low temperature thermal desalination plant. In The Eighteenth International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, 2008.
  • Venkatesan, R., Comparison between LTTD and RO process of sea-water desalination: an integrated economic, environmental and ecological framework. Curr. Sci., 2014, 106(3), 378–386.
  • Munoz-Cobo, J. L., Herranz, L., Sancho, J., Tkachenko, I. and Verdu, G., Turbulent vapor condensation with noncondensable gases in vertical tubes. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf., 1996, 39(15), 3249–3260.
  • Semiat, R. and Galperin, Y., Effect of non-condensable gases on heat transfer in the tower MED seawater desalination plant. Desalination, 2001, 140, 27–46.
  • Rabas, T. J., An improved MSF condenser design. Desalination, 1985, 55, 169–183.
  • Genthner, K., Gregorzewski, A. and Seifert, A., The effects and limitations issued by non-condensible gases in sea water distillers. Desalination, 1993, 93, 207–234.
  • Paciska, T., Vojtech, T., Zdenek, J. and Bohuslav, K., Suitability of some commonly available software for unconventional condenser analysis. Appl. Thermal Eng., 2014, 70, 1195–1201.
  • Abraham, R., Experimental studies on a desalination plant using ocean temperature difference. Int. J. Nucl. Desal., 2007, 2, 383– 392.
  • Seider, W. D., Seader, J. D. and Lewin, D. R., Product and Process Design Principles, Synthesis, Analysis & Evolution, John and Willey Sons, USA, 2009.
  • Venkatesan, G., Iniyan, S. and Ranko, G., A prototype flash cooling desalination system using cooling water effluents. Int. J. Energy Res., 2013, 37, 1132–1140.
  • Kailasam, M. and Sivakami, S., Effect of thermal effluent discharge on benthic fauna off Tuticorin bay, south east coast of India. Indian J. Mar. Sci., 2004, 33, 194–201.
  • Stanley, M. W., Chemical Process Equipment Selection and Design, Butterworth–Heinemann, USA, 1990.

Abstract Views: 396

PDF Views: 140




  • Influence of Non-Condensable Gases on Performance of the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Plants

Abstract Views: 396  |  PDF Views: 140

Authors

G. Venkatesan
National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai 600 100, India
L. S. S. Prakash Kumar
National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai 600 100, India
Purnima Jalihal
National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai 600 100, India

Abstract


This article addresses the effect of non-condensable (NC) gases on the thermal performance of condensers used in Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plants utilizing natural ocean temperature gradient as well as waste heat recovery from process plants. The NC gases that flow along with the water vapour cause local reduction of heat transfer in the condenser and leading to high operating power and cost escalation. A computational investigation was performed and results showed that with increase in NC gases concentration, there was a decrement in overall heat transfer coefficient, increment in uncondensed water vapour and thus reduction in yield.

Keywords


Condenser, Desalination, Low Temperature Thermal Desalination, Non-condensable Gases.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv118%2Fi11%2F1718-1724