Nanofiltration as a means of achieving higher TBT of ≥ 120°C in MSF

• Published in: Desalination Vol. 118; no. 1; pp. 123 - 129
• Main Authors: Al-Sofi, Mohammad A.K., Hassan, Ata M., Mustafa, Ghulam M., Dalvi, Abdul Ghani I., Kither, Mohammad N.M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20.09.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Exact sciences and technology; Hardness and total alkalinity; MSF distillation; Nanofiltration; Permeation; Pollution; Pretreatment; Reverse osmosis; TBT; Water treatment and pollution; Nanofiltration; MSF distillation; Permeation; TBT; Reverse osmosis; Pretreatment; Hardness and total alkalinity; Membrane separation; Water treatment; Desalination; Multistage process; Flash distillation; Alkalinity; Performance; Water hardness; Seawater
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/S0011-9164(98)00106-4

The Saline Water Conversion Corporation, Research and Development Center (SWCC-RDC) carried out exploratory research study to evaluate the adaptability of the brackish water softening nanofiltration technique as a permeation pretreatment of feed to seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) and as make-up to MSF. This exploratory work was designated as part I of an applied research project that was carried out from March 1997 to May 1998. Based on initial remarkable results, SWCC applied for a patent on the process during 1997. This paper reports on the pretreatment approach and its application to thermal desalination using MSF. The work carried out in part I of this project is reported where make-up to a 20 kiloliter/d MSF pilot plant distiller was either fresh nanofiltration permeate (NFP) or SWRO reject (while SWRO was fed with NFP). This paper also addresses the plan of elevating MSF top brine temperature (TBT) to as high as 160°C since operation at TBT of 120°C with very little or no scale control treatment gave excellent results.