A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant
This study aims to investigate the viability of using a nuclear heating reactor to supply energy and replace the used fossil crude oil energy supply of an existing MED-TVC (Multi-Effect Distillation-Thermal-Vapor-Compression) desalination plant located in Saudi Arabia. The MED-TVC, with a 91,200 m&l...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9506 |
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| author | Yasser M. Alessi Abdulrahman A. Al-Rabiah |
| author_facet | Yasser M. Alessi Abdulrahman A. Al-Rabiah |
| author_sort | Yasser M. Alessi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to investigate the viability of using a nuclear heating reactor to supply energy and replace the used fossil crude oil energy supply of an existing MED-TVC (Multi-Effect Distillation-Thermal-Vapor-Compression) desalination plant located in Saudi Arabia. The MED-TVC, with a 91,200 m<sup>3</sup>/day capacity, was simulated using Aspen Plus<sup>®</sup>. The MED-TVC desalination plant was built in a parallel arrangement with oil-fired steam boilers, and it uses Red Sea water with a salinity of about 45,000 ppm. The simulation results of the MED-TVC are in good agreement with the actual data of the existing desalination plant. The heat required to operate the existing MED-TVC was determined to be 169 MW (th). This amount of heat was utilized as an input to DEEP (Desalination Economic Evaluation Program) to evaluate the production cost of fresh water using nuclear energy instead of fossil fuel. An economic comparison between the two energy sources was carried out in this study. The production cost of freshwater was estimated to be USD 1.38/m<sup>3</sup> when using a nuclear reactor. In contrast, the estimated production cost was USD 0.95/m<sup>3</sup> when using oil-fired boilers at a subsidized oil price of USD 4.4/bbl. The economic analysis has considered the discounted domestic crude oil prices in Saudi Arabia. Nuclear energy is cost-competitive with oil if Saudi Arabia raises the price of domestic crude oil to more than USD 15 per barrel or imposes a carbon tax of at least USD 20 per ton of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:06:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5fdfdfe926847d694c9af6996c4c922 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:06:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5fdfdfe926847d694c9af6996c4c9222023-11-23T19:40:45ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-09-011219950610.3390/app12199506A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination PlantYasser M. Alessi0Abdulrahman A. Al-Rabiah1Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi ArabiaChemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi ArabiaThis study aims to investigate the viability of using a nuclear heating reactor to supply energy and replace the used fossil crude oil energy supply of an existing MED-TVC (Multi-Effect Distillation-Thermal-Vapor-Compression) desalination plant located in Saudi Arabia. The MED-TVC, with a 91,200 m<sup>3</sup>/day capacity, was simulated using Aspen Plus<sup>®</sup>. The MED-TVC desalination plant was built in a parallel arrangement with oil-fired steam boilers, and it uses Red Sea water with a salinity of about 45,000 ppm. The simulation results of the MED-TVC are in good agreement with the actual data of the existing desalination plant. The heat required to operate the existing MED-TVC was determined to be 169 MW (th). This amount of heat was utilized as an input to DEEP (Desalination Economic Evaluation Program) to evaluate the production cost of fresh water using nuclear energy instead of fossil fuel. An economic comparison between the two energy sources was carried out in this study. The production cost of freshwater was estimated to be USD 1.38/m<sup>3</sup> when using a nuclear reactor. In contrast, the estimated production cost was USD 0.95/m<sup>3</sup> when using oil-fired boilers at a subsidized oil price of USD 4.4/bbl. The economic analysis has considered the discounted domestic crude oil prices in Saudi Arabia. Nuclear energy is cost-competitive with oil if Saudi Arabia raises the price of domestic crude oil to more than USD 15 per barrel or imposes a carbon tax of at least USD 20 per ton of greenhouse gas emissions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9506MED-TVCdesalinationnuclearAspen PlusDEEPsimulation |
| spellingShingle | Yasser M. Alessi Abdulrahman A. Al-Rabiah A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant Applied Sciences MED-TVC desalination nuclear Aspen Plus DEEP simulation |
| title | A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant |
| title_full | A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant |
| title_fullStr | A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant |
| title_short | A Feasibility Study of Utilizing Nuclear Energy for an Existing MED-TVC Desalination Plant |
| title_sort | feasibility study of utilizing nuclear energy for an existing med tvc desalination plant |
| topic | MED-TVC desalination nuclear Aspen Plus DEEP simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9506 |
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