Multi-Effect Distillation
Multiple Effect
Distillation (MED)
IDE has been internationally recognized
as a pioneer and market leader in the
delivery of Thermal Distillation plants
since its foundation in 1965.
MED plants utilize low grade input
steam to produce distillate. The MED
unit is comprised of a train of horizontal
tubes and falling-film evaporative-
condensers, with a heat rejection
condenser at the end. Distillate is
produced in the MED unit through
repetitive steps of evaporation
and condensation, each at a lower
temperature and pressure - hence a
multiple quantity of distillate is obtained
from a given quantity of input steam.
2 x MED-6,000 Kazakhstan – MAEK units
The combination of unparalleled
thermal efficiency, low temperature
operation, minimal scaling, easy
capacity regulation, stable automated
operation and the ability to utilize
low grade, low cost energy sources
makes IDE MED the most cost efficient
seawater desalination unit available.
IDE MED:
MED units are powered by heat from
very low pressure (0.25 to 0.35 ata)
steam or hot water sources above
60°C. Where higher steam pressure
(over 2.0 ata) is available, the plant
can be supplied with a thermal vapor
compression (TVC) unit. Use of a steam
jet thermo-compressor to recycle part
of the vapor in the MED unit further
increases its thermal efficiency.
IDE MED units are available with
capacities of up to 25,000 cu.m/day in a
single unit, with larger capacities being
realized by multiple unit installations.
• Low Temperature Seawater Distillation
• Low Pressure Steam Driven (Optional:
Cogeneration Scheme / Waste Heat
Recovery)
• Simple and Economical Operation
and Maintenance
• High Quality Product (5 ppm-TDS)
• Capacities: 600 - 25,000 cubic-meter/
day per unit
The MED process
Any number of evaporative-condensers
(effects) may be incorporated in
the plant’s heat recovery sections,
depending on the temperature / pressure
and cost of the available heat and
the optimal trade-off point between
investment and steam cost economy.
Technically the number of effects
is limited only by the temperature
difference between the steam and
seawater inlet temperatures (defining
the hot and cold ends of the unit) and
the minimum temperature differential
allowed on each effect.
The incoming seawater is de-aerated
and preheated in the heat rejection
condenser, and then divided into two
streams. One stream is discharged as
 4 x MED-25,000
Tianjin, China

coolant (eg, back to the sea), and the

other becomes feed for the distillation
process.

The feed is pretreated with a scale

inhibiting additive and introduced
into the lowest temperature group of
heat recovery effects. A spray nozzle
system distributes it over the top
rows of tubes in each effect, where it
flows in thin films down each bank of
tubes. Part of the feed vaporizes as it
absorbs the latent heat released by
steam condensing inside the tubes.
The remaining feed, now slightly
concentrated, is pumped to the next
group of effects, which operate at
higher temperatures. The spray and
evaporation process is repeated there.
The remaining feed is pumped onward production, the MED unit can turn down
again until it leaves the hottest group of to as low as 65% of its nominal capacity
effects as concentrated brine. without operator intervention, and the
surplus steam may then be used for through the brine droplet separator
The production capacity of the MED increased electrical energy production. the vapor is drawn into the tubes of the
unit is proportional to, and inherently next effect, which operate at slightly
follows, the motive steam input. The input motive steam is fed into lower temperature and pressure.
Therefore the MED unit production the tubes of the hottest effect where
rate can be varied automatically by it condenses, releasing its latent The evaporation-condensation process
regulating the steam input rate. For heat to the saline water flowing over is repeated along the entire series
instance, in dual purpose installations the outer surface of the tubes. While of effects, each of which contributes
(power and water product), the system condensation (of steam/vapor) takes a significant amount of additional
will produce maximum quantities place on the inside of the tubes, there is distillate. The entire amount of
of fresh water during peak demand an almost equal amount of evaporation vapor obtained from the last effect is
periods – up to 110% of the nominal (of seawater) on the outside. In order to condensed by seawater coolant in a
rated output. During non-peak hours of maintain distillate purity, after passing heat rejection condenser.

MED and TVC process schematic

Heat Recovery Evaporator Effects Heat Rejection Condenser

Recycle Vapor High Pressure Steam High Pressure Steam

NCG
Seawater

High Pressure Steam

(for a TVC Plant)

Low Pressure Steam

(for a MED Plant)

Condensate Fresh Water

Tank
Brine

Coolant
Condensate Intermediate Scale Inhibitor
Return Pump Feed Pump Feed Pump
The condensate from the first effect The concentrated brine from the hottest
is collected, and part of the distillate effect is, like the distillate, cascaded
(equal to the amount of steam observed through a series of brine flash tanks and
by the MED unit) is returned to the flash-cooled to recover its heat. After
steam generator. The excess distillate, cooling, it is returned to the sea via the
above the original quantity of motive brine pump.
steam, flows into the first of a series of
special chambers, each ducted to the Non-Condensable Gases (NCG) are bled
cooler condensing section of the next from each tube, and then join the vapor
effect. Part of the distillate flashes off, flowing from one effect to the next,
cooling the remaining product stream, eventually reaching the condenser. From
while returning the heat given off to the there the NCG are concentrated inside
main body of heat recovery effects. the heat rejection condenser at the
cooler end of the MED and evacuated
The product stream is thus cascaded by a steam jet ejector or mechanical
and flash-cooled in stages. The heat that vacuum pumps.
is released increases the total efficiency
of the process. The cooled distillate
is finally discharged to storage by the
product delivery pump.

HIGHPRESS
URESTEAM
EXTRACTION STEAM
TO PROCESS
EXHAUST GASES

TURBINE

GEN. MED DESALINATION EXTRACTION STEAM

TO PROCESS
PLANT
STEAMTU
HRSG RBINE
FUEL
GEN. MED DESALINATION
BACK PRESSURE STEAM PLANT

PRODUCT GAS TURBINE

BACK PRESSURE STEAM

CONDENSATE
PRODUCT
RETURN TO BOILER
CONDENSATE
RETURN TO BOILER

SEA WATER INTAKE

SEA WATER INTAKE

BACK PRESSURE STEAM (0.25-0.35 BARA) BACK PRESSURE STEAM FROM COMBINED CYCLE
For very large, dual purpose applications ranging from 50 to This scheme is the optimal solution for IPP and/or Re-powering
500 MW and 20,000 to 200,000 tons/day of water. projects. Where combined cycles are applicable ranging from
50 to 600 MW, the installation of 10,000 to 160,000 ton/day of
water (respectively) is possible.

SYSTEM
AT 8 ATA EXHAUST GASES SYSTEM EXHAUST GASES
AT 8 ATA

MED DESALINATION MED DESALINATION

PLANT RECYCLE VAPOR PLANT RECYCLE VAPOR
W.H. HRSG
BOILER FUEL
DIESEL ENGINE

STEAM STEAM
JETTHERMOCOMPRESSOR JETTHERMOCOMPRESSOR
GAS TURBINE

FEED CONDENSATE FEED CONDENSATE

COOLINGW LUB. AIRCOOLER

PRODUCT ATER OILCOOLER PRODUCT
S.W. HEAT EX. S.W.
PUMP PUMP
COOLING WATER
COOLANT & COOLANT &
BRINE OUT BRINE OUT
MEVC-DIESEL DIESEL ENGINE
SYSTEM

WASTE HEAT FROM DIESEL ENGINE WASTE HEAT FROM GAS TURBINE
The MED will draw the motive energy from the waste heat Motive steam produced at the HRSG is used to activate a
recovered from the exhaust gases and the water cooling thermocompressor, thus increasing the economy ratio of the
system of a diesel engine. desalination plant.
TVC Thermal Vapor compression
Thermal Vapor Compression plants
utilize the MED system together with
a steam jet compressor. They are
designed for projects where relatively
high steam pressure of 2 to 10 ata. is
available. Due to the relatively high
cost of this steam, a large number of
evaporation condenser heat recovery
effects are normally justified. Optimal
MED units have the thermo-compressor
operating across six or eight, of a total
of anywhere up to fifteen, heat recovery
effects. As a result, MED-TVC plants
feature superior efficiency, able to
achieve a Gain Operation Ratio GOR -
(a measure of energy efficiency) of
15 tons distillate produced for each
ton of motive steam.
MED and TVC Economics
The ability of low temperature
distillation plants to make effective use
of low cost, low grade heat, or even
zero cost waste heat - where available
- maximizes the reduction of the energy
cost component of these plants.
Consequently, lower water production
costs can be obtained than with any
other seawater desalination system.
Low grade heat is available through
cogeneration schemes with steam
turbine, diesel generator and gas
turbine power plants. The low grade
heat is obtained through waste heat
recovery from industrial cooling
waters and exhaust gases, solid
waste incinerators, solar ponds and
geothermal waters.
Steam cogeneration schemes
Low grade steam operation –
at anywhere from 0.3 to 0.4 ata:
Low temperature MED plants permit
further expansion of the steam in
the turbine and minimize the losses
in its heat rate, compared to high
temperature distillation plants that
require motive steam of 2 to 3 ata.,
There will be no loss of power
output with this scheme if turbine
throttle steam input is increased
to compensate for back pressure
operation. The cost of energy for the
desalination process will be limited
to the marginal cost of fuel consumed
to generate the additional quantity of
steam required to maintain the same
net power output.
For back pressure steam MED plants,
the specific fuel consumption will be in
the range of 1.2 to 1.7 kg only per ton of
product water.
Extraction steam operation –
at anywhere from 2 to 10 ata:
This scheme is applicable where the
plant operates with an existing turbine,
designed to supply 2- 10 ata. extraction
steam (eg, for an obsolete high
temperature MSF plant).
Two options are possible: A TVC plant
with a GOR in the range of 12 to 15, or
a MED plant fitted with an auxiliary low
pressure steam turbine.
The MED plant operating with low grade
steam/heat offers superior economics,
but even the TVC plant, which
consumes higher pressure steam,
will have lower operating costs than
equivalent Seawater Reverse Osmosis
plants. 2 x MED - 17,500 units,
Las Palmas,
MED with an auxiliary Canary Islands, Spain
turbo-generator:
Another type of application, which
expands the 2–10 ata extraction steam
in an auxiliary turbo-generator down
to the 0.35 ata pressure required for
MED plant operation, will generate
about 8 kWh of electric power per ton of
distilled water as a by-product.
This power will cover approximately the
1.2 kWh/ton required for MED process
pumping, and the net saleable power
exported will contribute anywhere from
15 to 60 US¢/ton, depending on the
external selling price for power.
The cost of energy with extraction
steam operation will be limited, as with
back pressure turbine operation, to
the cost of additional fuel consumed in
order to generate the marginal quantity
of throttle steam that is required to
maintain the same net power output.
For the TVC plant option, the specific
fuel consumption will be about 1.5 kg/ton
of product water. For the MED unit
with an auxiliary turbine scheme the
specific fuel consumption will be about
2.2 kg/ton of product water. This fuel
cost will, however, be somewhat offset
by the benefit from the sale of by-product
power.
Diesel cogeneration schemes
In diesel generator cogeneration
schemes, most of the waste heat
3 x MED-5,000 unit
discharged by the diesel (through its US Virgin Islands (WAPA)
exhaust gases, jacket water and lube
oil cooling and if necessary, also from
charge air cooling) will be recovered.
This heat represents about 40-50% of
the diesel fuel heat content, increasing
overall thermal efficiency to over 80%.
200 – 250 tons/day of distillate can be
generated entirely by such waste heat,
for each MW of daily diesel generator
load.

The energy costs of a TVC plant

combined with the
diesel generator will
be limited to the
1.8 – 2.5 kWh/ton
required for process
and heat recovery
pumping.

Gas Turbine
and solid waste
incinerators will
operate with waste
heat boilers, and,
preferably, an
intermediate 4 x MED-24,000
steam turbine to RELIANCE
generate by-product Jamnagar Site
power.

Heated industrial coolant streams Waste heat from diesel engine

and solar and geothermal brines will
most likely have their heat recovered
and transferred, through plate type
heat exchangers, to an intermediate,
recycled brine stream to avoid product
contamination.
Back pressure steam
(0.25-0.35 Bara)
For very large, dual purpose
applications ranging from 50 to
500 MW and 20,000 to 200,000 tons/
day of water.
The MED unit will draw the motive
energy from the waste heat recovered
from the exhaust gases and the water
cooling system of a diesel engine.
Waste heat from gas turbine
Motive steam produced at the HRSG is
used to activate a Thermo-compressor
(TVC), thus increasing the economy ratio
of the desalination plant.
E 11.09

Back pressure steam from

combined cycle
This scheme is the optimal solution
for IPP and/or re-powering projects.
Combined cycles are applicable
ranging from 50 to 600 MW and
10,000 to 160,000 ton/day of water
(respectively).