Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 359

OPTIMIZATION OF THE TUBE SIZE AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF

EVAPORATOR TUBE BUNDLE TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE
OF MED-TVC SYSTEMS

Ramin K. Kamali and S. Mohebbinia

Fan Niroo Company, Tehran, Iran

E-mails: kouhikamali@fanniroo.com,
mohebinia_saeedeh@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The present work summarizes parametric optimization technique for the tube size and
arrangement of tube bundle inside MED-TVC system (Multi Effect Desalination with
Thermal Vapor Compression) to increase GOR (Gain Output Ratio) value. For this
purpose, a simulation model of MED-TVC system is presented. This program provides
engineers a cost effective tools for thermodynamics and thermo hydraulic designing,
developing and optimizing the thermal desalination plants. It is the objectives of this
article to develop a mathematical model which predicts the influence of all factors on
total capacity, performance ratio, temperature difference between effects and pressure
on each effect to select the optimum size and arrangement of the tubes for various
capacities of the MED units. The pressure drop across the system should be minimized
in order to decrease the overall energy consumption of the system and therefore to
improve the gain output ratio of the plant. The simulation package is applied for a
specified capacity in order to achieve the best size and arrangement for tube bundles of
the system. A comparison of GOR values between two actual systems with different
size and arrangement in their evaporators shows that a system which has designed
according to results of simulation package, has higher amount of GOR value. The
comparison between the simulation results, with experimental data well proves
optimization method’s validity.

INTRODUCTION

The need for high quality water significantly increased during the second half of the
last century. It has been a complex task to develop an effective thermo hydraulic
design without actual testing which usually requires costly test procedures. The
desalination industry is the life live for several countries and zones around the world,
especially the countries around the Persian Gulf such as IRAN. Expansion in
desalination industry is associated with reduction in the power consumption and
increase GOR value. For this reason, a general computer code for MED type of
desalination has been developed and is currently used by the only MED-TVC
Manufacturer Company in IRAN (Fan-Niroo Co.)[1]. Uche [2], Kafi [3], Hisham
[4,5], Jernqvist [6] and Hisham [7] developed a simulation code for MED system with
360 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

shell and tube evaporators. Vertical channels instead of horizontal tubes were
considered by Mitrovic and Raach [8] in 2005 but there is no corrugation on the plates
in their investigation. The present work deals with both shell and tube and plate type
evaporators with horizontal corrugation and in addition, thermo-compressor and
ejectors are designed as well. TVC systems are affecting on increasing GOR value in
MED systems [9].In this paper, it is shown that parametric study as one of the
optimization method on thermo hydraulic data, strongly help to increase GOR value
inside MED-TVC systems. Some of the energy losses in the system take place due to
pressure drop in the evaporators. By decreasing the overall pressure drop of the
system, the energy losses decreased and the performance of the system will increase
consequently. Steam pressure drop in the system is a function of tube length, tube
internal diameter and the arrangement of the tube bundle. The purpose of this work is
the investigation of the effect of tube length and tube arrangement in the evaporators.

THERMO HYDRAULIC MODELING

A schematic of MED-TVC system is shown in Figure (1). The system is consisting of

some evaporators, a condenser, and thermo-compressor. In each effect, two phase flow
inside the evaporators is modeled by conservation equations to account pressure drop
and flow specifications [10], [11], [12], [13].

Figure 1. Schematic of MED-TVC system.

In mathematical modeling, mass and energy balance equations have been developed
for the system and then heat exchangers, thermo-compressor and ejectors are designed
based on the results of mass and energy balance.
 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 361

Evaporators and Condenser Design

Evaporators are the main part of desalination units. Therefore, it is very important to
design them more cost effective and more efficient.
Two types of configuration would be applied to desalination plants are conventional
shell and tube and plate type evaporators. Plate type evaporators are a new technology
to have a compact and portable system.

Shell and Tube Evaporators

To design a shell and tube evaporators, there are some parameters should be calculated
such as tube size (diameter and length), number of pass and number of tubes.

Figure (2) illustrates the design algorithm which was used to determine these
parameters and finalize evaporators design.

Figure 2. Shell and tube evaporators design algorithm.

362 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Figure (3) illustrates a schematic view of the MED-TVC design cod.

Plate Type Evaporators

For being compact, easy to clean, efficient and more flexible, the gasket plate type
heat exchangers are employed in desalination process. To design a plate type heat
exchanger, there are some parameters which have to be calculated such as number of
plates, plate size, chevron type, the length of gap between plates and so on. The design
algorithm for plate type evaporator is illustrated in Figure (4).
 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 363

Figure 4. Plate type evaporators design algorithm

Shell and Tube Condenser

A part of vapor generated in the last effect is passed through condenser and condensed
by seawater intake to the system. Condenser is usually shell and tube type in MED
system which has the same design algorithm as shell and tube evaporators.

Thermo-Compressor and Ejectors

Thermal desalination systems operate at pressures lower than atmosphere pressure.

Therefore, using vacuum devices in these systems are unavoidable. Ejectors and
thermo compressors are common thermal devices can provide vacuum requirement for
these systems.

It should be noted that thermo compressor is one kind of an ejector. The ejector is a
pumping device which uses jet action of a high pressure and temperature primary
364 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

motive steam to entrain and accelerate a slower secondary steam (load). Due to the
simplicity of design and absence of motive parts, ejectors are very reliable; require
practically no maintenance and have a relatively low installation cost [14]. The
ejectors are powered by heat, which is low-grade energy and it is obviously less
expensive to run than electrical or mechanical-related power. The steam required for
the jet ejector is commonly drawn from boilers. These devices used in vapor
compression desalination systems as a heat pump. A thermo vapor compression
desalination unit mainly comprises a steam jet ejector, a single or multi effect
evaporator, and a condenser. The thermo compressor is used to compress the vapor
from pressure Ps [which is the vapor pressure leaving the last effect or condenser
depends on the system design] to P1 [which is the vapor pressure entering the first
effect] by using an external source of steam at a pressure Pe greater than the vapor
pressure.

Two types of ejectors are usually used in the systems. They are hogging ejector and
NCG ejector. First one provides the initial vacuum of the system and the other one
discharge non-condensable gases (NCG) from system.

The ejector design can be classified into two categories which is known "Constant-
area mixing ejector" and "Constant-pressure mixing ejector". In this case, the ejectors
and thermo compressor have been designed based on "Constant-pressure mixing
ejector" [14], [15]. Thermo compressor and ejectors design flowchart is shown in
Figure (5).

Simulation Algorithm

Finally, the simulation algorithm of thermo hydraulic design of MED-TVC system can
be considered as Figure (6).

The program is modular in structure and includes a number of modules for

evaporators, condensers, thermo-compressor, steam jet ejectors and etc.

Each module has its own mathematical model. The program also includes a
comprehensive database for the physical properties of seawater. There is a library
containing correlations for heat transfer coefficient of different heat transfer surfaces
and flow regime. [16], [17], [18].
Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 365

Inputs: m P , Pp, η P , Tp, Ps, Ts, ms

Calculate nozzle throat and nozzle outlet diameters.

Determine number of required nozzles.

Set Mach number of the nozzle outlet equal to 3.5

and calculate the nozzle outlet diameters, then
determine the number of required nozzle (usually 3)

Set the Mach number of secondary flow at the inlet

of mixing section equal to 1 and calculate the
pressure and temperature of both of streams, and
determine the diameter of constant area section.

By assuming "constant pressure mixes ", calculate

the flow condition before shock (Pressure, Mach
number...)

Calculate flow condition after Mach number, and its

condition at the outlet of ejector,
By means of diameter of constant area, determine
the lengths of mixing section, constant area section
and diffuser section

Figure 5. Thermo-compressor and ejectors design algorithm.

Figure 6. Thermo hydraulic design algorithm.

366 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

PARAMETRIC STUDY

As GOR value is depend on temperature difference between effects, so it is important

to investigate the influence of temperature difference between effects on GOR value.
For a four effects system with high pressure steam inlet, this effect is observed on
Figure (7). It can be seen that, if the temperature difference between effects decrease,
the amount of GOR value will increase. In order to decrease the temperature difference
between effects, the pressure drop between effects should be decreased. Therefore it is
very important to optimize evaporator’s thermo hydraulic design inside MED-TVC
systems to minimize pressure drop between effects.

9.5

GO 8.5
R
8

7.5

6.5

6
2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5

o
Temperature Difference between Effects [ C]

Figure 7. Variation of GOR value with temperature difference between effects.

In MED-TVC systems with shell and tube evaporators, thermo hydraulic design
depends on definition of some parameters such as tube lengths, pitches and diameters.
In addition, tube bundle arrangement between tube sheets can affect on heat transfer
coefficient and required heat transfer surface area. To fix Thermohydraulic design
condition, it is necessary to define the best values for tube lengths, pitches and
diameters in order to minimize pressure drop between effects. As the vapor generated
in each effect is passed through tube bundles and demisters and enter inside tubes in
the next effect, so the pressure drop between effects is approximately equal to
summation of pressure drop around the tubes and pressure drop inside the tubes in the
next effect. So, it is necessary to find optimum points for thermo hydraulic data
because some of them affect against each other. For example, to minimize the
pressure drop around the tube bundles, it is better to select tubes with higher length but
to minimize the pressure drop inside the tube bundles, it is better to select shorter
tubes. Therefore, parametric study should be done to find optimum points and
minimize pressure drop between effects.
 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 367

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

A sample system with 2400 cubic meter fresh water per day capacity is selected and an
experimental test was performed on this system to prove the validity of parametric
study. Figure (8), shows a schematic of the experimental unit.

Figure 8. A schematic of experimental Unit.

The desalination package is controlled by a Unit Control Panel (UCP) as shown in

Figure (9). Table (1) shows the list of controllable parameters and their tag numbers
in the package. The desalination unit is automatically controlled from the Unit
Control Panel but is interfaced for monitoring purpose. Figure (10) shows a
schematic of monitoring instruments in the control room. These monitoring
instruments can show the general faults, status of the operation and the entire amount
of temperature and pressure gauges in the system.

Figure 9. A schematic of unit control panel.

368 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Table 1. List of control valves and their nominal value in the package

Main
Code Description
Number
1 PT01 Inlet Steam Pressure
2 PT02 Pressure in Effect#1
3 PT03 Pressure in Condenser
4 LT01 Product Level in Condenser
5 LT02 Brine Level in Effect#5
6 CT01 Product Conductivity
7 CT02 Condensate conductivity
8 FT14 Condense water Flow
9 FT01 Product Flow
10 FT02 Total Feed Flow
11 FT03 Effect #1 Flow Water
12 FT04 Sea Water Flow
13 TE01 Sea Water Temperature
14 TE02 Feed Water Temperature
15 TE03 Effect #1 Temperature
16 TE04 Condensate Water Temperature
17 TE05 Condenser Temperature

Figure 10: A schematic of monitoring instruments in the control room.

To investigate the effect of optimized thermo hydraulic data, a new system was
installed according to new thermo hydraulic data in order to compare the results. All of
the mentioned parameters in Table (1) are extracted in order to do parametric study on
the sensitive parameters. It should be noted that, there was no difference between
 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 369

process condition, mechanical parameters and materials between optimized and non-
optimized system. In addition, all of the experimental results were obtained according
to summer condition.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Steam produced from seawater evaporation in each effect, while passes across the tube
bundle and condenses through the tubes of the next effect has pressure drop.
Decreasing the pressure drop of the MED system signifies lowering the load of the
thermo-compressor which has to endure. It means that by decreasing the P, the
amount of thermo-compressor steam consumption will decrease. In other words, by
decreasing the overall pressure drop of the system, the energy losses decreased and the
performance of the system will increase consequently. Steam pressure drop in the
system is a function of tube length, tube internal diameter and the arrangement of the
tube bundle. Increasing the tube length leads to increase in pressure drop; whereas
increasing the tube length itself leads to decreased number of tubes and consequently
increases pressure drop. Pressure drop in these two zones of the system changes
differently, so that in a specific interval of the tube length its amount will be minimum.
By comparison of the obtained results from actual system and simulation data, it will
be understood that the systems in which the length of the tubes are comparable with
the length obtained from simulation, result higher efficiencies than the others.

Increasing the tube pitch decreases the pressure drop in tube side and as a result leads
to higher efficiency of the unit; but on the other hand it increases the shell diameter
and extra capital costs. Finding the optimum value for this parameter depends on the
importance of operating costs versus capital costs.

As mentioned, thermo hydraulic performance of a sample system with 2400 cubic

meter per day capacity with shell and tube evaporators has been evaluated. Figure (11)
shows that the optimum length for the evaporator’s tubes with 1 inch diameter to
achieve the minimum pressure drop between effects is 3.8 meters.

0.065
0.06
Pressure drop (bar)

0.055
0.05
0.045
0.04
0.035
1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5
Length of Tubes [m]

Figure 11. Variation of pressure drop with length of tubes.

370 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Figure (12) shows that the optimum length for the evaporator’s tubes to achieve the
minimum pressure drop between effects is varied by amount of tube pitch. For a tube
bundles with a higher tube pitch, the amount of pressure drop and the optimum length
for tube bundle decreases.

0.11

0.1

0.09

0.08
Pressure
Drop [bar] 0.07 Tube Pitch=1.36 in
0.06 Tube Pitch=1.31 in

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02
3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Length of tube bundle [m]

Figure 12. Variation of pressure drop with length of evaporators tubes.

Figure (13) shows that the pressure drop inside condenser tube bundles decreases if the
length of tube bundle increases to a higher value.

0.035

0.03

0.025

0.02

Pressure 0.015
Drop [bar]
0.01

0.005

0
3.5 5.5 7.5 9.5 11.5
Length of tube bundle [m]

Figure 13. Variation of pressure drop with length of condenser tubes.

For mentioned system with shell and tube heat exchangers, parametric study on
thermo hydraulic data has been done. Table (2) shows the comparison between
optimized and non-optimized system. Unfortunately, there was not any available
 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 371

system in order to verify the results of optimized plate type evaporators, but it is
interesting to note here that a new system is going to be built based on optimized plate
type MED-TVC design data. According to this Table, it is obviously clear that, a
system with optimized thermo hydraulic data has lower required heat transfer surface
area. Therefore, GOR value in optimized system for a same heat transfer surface area
is more than GOR value for a non-optimized system.

Table 1. Optimized and non-optimized design data for MED-TVC system with
shell and tube evaporators

Design Optimized Deviation

Parameter Unit
Data Data (%)
Total distillated product Ton/day 2400 2544 6
o
Seawater temperature C 35 35 -
Motive steam Ton/day 300 306 2
o
First Effect steam temperature C 62.5 63 1
o
Feed water temperature C 45 45 -
Number of effects 5 5 -
Number of tubes in each effect 3526 3526 -
Effects Tube length m 4.2 3.8 10
Effects Tube diameter cm 25.4 25.4 -
Number of condenser tubes 1341 1461 9
Condenser Tube length m 6 6 -
Condenser Tube outer diameter cm 19.05 19.05 -
Steam Pressure barg 10 10 -
GOR 8 8.3 4
Shell depth m 6 6 -
Shell length m 25 23 8

CONCLUSIONS

The method of parametric study is an appropriate tool to estimate the optimum thermo
hydraulic parameters. By comparison of the obtained results from actual system and
simulation data, it will be understood that the systems in which the length of the tubes
are comparable with the length obtained from simulation, result higher efficiencies
than the others. Decreasing the pressure drop of the MED system signifies lowering
the load of the thermo-compressor which has to endure. It means that by decreasing
the P, the amount of thermo-compressor steam consumption will decrease. In other
words, by decreasing the overall pressure drop of the system, the energy losses
decreased and the performance of the system will increase consequently. Another
conclusion is that the optimum length of tubes inside the evaporators is strongly
depending on the capacity of the system. Parametric study on thermo hydraulic data is
one of the best methods to arise amount of GOR value of the system.
372 Eleventh International Water Technology Conference, IWTC11 2007 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

NOMENCLATURE

B Brine blow down mass flow rate, ton/hr

D Distillate product mass flow rate, ton/hr
Dr Entrained steam mass flow rate, ton/hr
R Rejected water mass flow rate, ton/hr
F Seawater feed to effects flow rate, ton/hr
Mc Seawater mass flow rate, ton/hr
T Temperature of effect, oC
S Motive steam mass flow rate, ton/hr
m Mass flow rate
P Steam pressure

SUBSCRIPTS

i Index
B Brine
F Feed
f Condenser product
n Number of effects
p Primary steam
s Motive steam
sw Seawater
ηP Nozzle Efficiency

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