1.

INTRODUCTION

The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) IS an autonomous society under the Ministry of
Earth Sciences. The major aim of starting NIOT is to develop reliable indigenous technology to
solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources
in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-thirds of the land area of India.

 Technology Groups
o Coastal and Environmental Engineering
o Energy & Fresh Water
o Marine Sensor System
o Marine Biotechnology
o Ocean Acoustics and Modelling
o Ocean Electronics
o Offshore Structures
 Technology Projects
o Deep Sea Mining
o Gas Hydrates
o Submersibles
 Operational Programs
o Ocean Observation Systems
o Vessel Management

Energy & Fresh Water

The main area of focus of the group is the utilization of the ocean resources to find alternative
technologies for fresh water and renewable energy. Currently the group is working on three specific
areas, fresh water production using low temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) process and
energy production using two distinctly different processes, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion and
Wave Energy.
The Group is committed to develop technologies for producing high quality clean drinking water and
energy from the ocean. Technologies like Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD)
using coolant water discharge from thermal power plant, wave energy using floating devices such
as Backward Bent Ducted Buoy (BBDB), ocean current turbine development, solar
desalination, heat exchangers for LTTD and ocean thermal energy conversion are the focal areas
of research. Apart from the aspect of technology development, the group has taken initiative in
transferring the LTTD technology to the society through industrial partnership.

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1.1 DESALINATION

Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. More generally,
desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance.

The temperature difference which exists between the surface layer (28~30 oC) and deep sea layer
(7~15 oC) of the ocean could be effectively utilized to produce potable water apart from power
generation, air conditioning and aquaculture. This technology is known as Low Temperature
Thermal Desalination. In Low Temperature Thermal Desalination a relatively warm water is
flashed inside a vacuum flash chamber and the resultant vapor is condensed in a condenser using
cold water. This technology has been utilized in the first ever low temperature thermal desalination
plant.

1.2 METHODS

Vacuum distillation
The traditional process used is vacuum distillation—which involves boiling it to leave impurities
behind. In desalination, atmospheric pressure is reduced, thus lowering the required temperature
needed. Liquids boil when the vapor pressure equals the ambient pressure and vapor pressure
increases with temperature. Effectively, liquids boil at a lower temperature, when the ambient
atmospheric pressure is less than usual atmospheric pressure.

Multi-stage flash distillation

Water is evaporated and separated from sea water through multi-stage flash distillation, which is a
series of flash evaporations. Each subsequent flash process utilizes energy released from the
condensation of the water vapor from the previous step.

Multiple-effect distillation
Multiple-effect distillation (MED) works through a series of steps called "effects" Incoming water is
sprayed onto pipes which are then heated to generate steam. The steam is then used to heat the
next batch of incoming sea water. To increase efficiency, the steam used to heat the sea water
can be taken from nearby power plants.

Vapor-compression distillation
Vapor-compression evaporation involves using either a mechanical compressor or a jet stream to
compress the vapor present above the liquid. The compressed vapor is then used to provide the
heat needed for the evaporation of the rest of the sea water.

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Reverse osmosis
The RO membrane processes use semipermeable membranes and applied pressure (on the
membrane feed side) to preferentially induce water permeation through the membrane while
rejecting salts.

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 2. FLASH EVAPORATION

Flash (or partial) evaporation is the partial vapor that occurs when a saturated liquid stream
undergoes a reduction in pressure by passing through a throttling valve or other throttling device.
This process is one of the simplest unit operations. If the throttling valve or device is located at the
entry into a pressure vessel so that the flash evaporation occurs within the vessel, then the vessel
is often referred to as a flash drum.

If the saturated liquid is a single-component liquid (for example, liquid propane or liquid ammonia),
a part of the liquid immediately "flashes" into vapor. Both the vapor and the residual liquid are
cooled to the saturation temperature of the liquid at the reduced pressure. This is often referred to
as "auto-refrigeration" and is the basis of most conventional vapor compression
refrigeration systems.

If the saturated liquid is a multi-component liquid (for example, a mixture

of propane, isobutane and normal butane), the flashed vapor is richer in the more volatile
components than is the remaining liquid.

A Typical flash drum

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 3. LOW TEMPERATURE THERMAL DESALINATION

Low-temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) is a desalination technique which takes advantage of

the fact that water evaporates at lower temperatures at low pressures, even as low as ambient
temperature. The system uses vacuum pumps to create a low pressure, low-temperature
environment in which water evaporates even at a temperature gradient of 8°C between two volumes
of water. Cooling water is supplied from deep sea depths of as much as 600 meters (2,000 ft.). This
cold water is pumped through coils to condense the evaporated water vapor. The resulting
condensate is purified water.
The LTTD process may also take advantage of the temperature gradient available at power plants,
where large quantities of warm cooling water are discharged from the plant, reducing the energy
input needed to create a temperature gradient.
The principle of LTTD has been known for some time, originally stemming from ocean thermal
energy conversion research. Some experiments were conducted in the U.S. and Japan to test low-
temperature-driven desalination technology. In Japan, a spray flash evaporation system was
developed by Saga University. In the U.S. Hawaiian Islands, the National Energy Laboratory tested
an open-cycle OTEC plant with fresh water and power production using a temperature of 20°C
between surface water and water at a depth of around 500 m.
LTTD was studied by India's National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) from 2004. Their first
LTTD plant was opened in 2005 at Kavaratti in the Lakshadweep islands. The plant's capacity is
100,000 liters (22,000 imp gal; 26,000 US gal)/day, at a capital cost of INR 50 million (€922,000).
The plant uses deep sea water at a temperature of 7 to 15 °C (45 to 59 °F). In 2007, NIOT opened
an experimental floating LTTD plant off the coast of Chennai with a capacity of 1,000,000 litres
(220,000 imp gal; 260,000 US gal)/day. A smaller plant was established in 2009 at the North
Chennai Thermal Power Station to prove the LTTD application where power plant cooling water is
available.

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3.1 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF LTTD TECHNOLOGY AND FUNCTION
 Vacuum system
 Warm water pump
 Flash chamber
 Condenser
 Cold water pump
 Fresh water pump

3.1.1 Vacuum system

The vacuum system is used to create the required vacuum conditions in flash chamber and
condenser.

3.1.2 Warm water pump

The warm water pump is used to pump the surface sea water at about 28oC- 30oC into the
flash chamber.

3.1.3 Flash chamber

The flash chamber contains two partitions one is flashing area and other one is vapor duct.
Both are separated by using the demister pads. The system will be under vacuum to create
evaporation in chamber. The evaporated steam will entered in to condenser. Vapor duct will
mechanically couple with condenser.

3.1.4 Cold water pump

The cold water pump is used to pump cold water from deep sea at about 10 o C- 13 oC in to
the condenser.

3.1.5 Fresh water pump

The potable water generated in the condenser will be pumped to the storage tanks using
fresh water pump.

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3.2 FEATURES OF LTTD TECHNOLOGY

 Pre-treatment not required.

 Assured consistent quality water fit for drinking as per WHO standards.
 Operational simplicity and easy maintenance.
 Zero environmental pollution.
 Use of renewable energy.
 Highly nutrient cold water available which can be used to enhance marine life.

4. NON-CONDENSABLE GASES

The release of non-condensable (NC) gases, essentially carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen from
the evaporating brine in flash vaporizer affects the heat transfer for condensation, the energy
consumption, the performance and material lifetime of vaporizer. Moreover, CO2 release
considerably influences concentrations of bicarbonates, carbonates, and carbon dioxide, hydrogen
and OH- ions in the carbonate system of the brine and thus plays an important role in alkaline
scale formation [2]. It is extremely important to eliminate the NC gases from the system through
proper venting and to design the condensers in such a way that the effects of the NC gases are
minimized [1]. The removal of NC gases by venting is linked with extraction of vapor which means
energy loss for preheating in vaporizer.

NC gas blanketing of the heat transfer surface in individual condensers can result in heat transfer
blockage to point of periodic or total failure of individual stages. Furthermore it can lead to
pressure losses for inter stage brine transfer causing high brine levels and periodic brine surging
[1].

Gases which are molecularly dissolved and do not chemically react in seawater namely nitrogen,
oxygen and argon can be removed almost completely in deaerators. However only parts of carbon
dioxide can be removed by simple deaeration. For removal of CO2 the addition of strong acid to
the feed water and decarbonator, i.e, an atmospheric deaerator are required. The acid lowers the
pH value of feed water and causes the conversion of bicarbonates and carbonate ions to dissolve
molecular CO2 which is then released almost completely on decarbonator [1].

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4.1 DECOMPOSITION OF BICARBONATE IONS [3]

It is assumed that the reaction

2HCO-3 CO2 + CO32-+ H2O

Occurs when CO2 is released from the evaporating line. The reaction

CO32- + H2O CO2 + 2OH-

4.2 ESTIMATION OF NC GASES FROM LTTD

Seinfert and K Genthner et. al [4] have estimated non-condensable gas concentrations at the inlet
to the first stage of MSF as follows

Gases Concentration (ppm)

Nitrogen 12.6

Oxygen 7.7

Argon 0.4

Carbon dioxide 0.22

Bicarbonate 187.1

Warm water flow rate = 2750 kg/s

Oxygen

Flow rate of oxygen = 2750 * (7.7/ 10^6) = 76.23 kg/hr.

Nitrogen

Flow rate of Nitrogen = 2750* (12.6/ 10^6) = 124.75 kg/hr.

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Argon

Flow rate of Argon = 2750* (0.4/ 10^6) = 3.96 kg/hr.

Carbon dioxide

Flow rate of CO2 = 2750* (0.22/ 10^6) = 2.178 kg/hr.

Total CO2 release

Flow rate = 90 kg/hr.

Total concentration of CO2 = 9.09 ppm

Concentration of CO2 due to bicarbonate decomposition = (9.09 – 0.22) ppm

= 9.07 ppm

4.3 CALCULATION OF SPECIFIC VOLUME OF NC GASES AND CAPACITY OF VACUUM PUMP

Warm water temperature = 33.4 o C = 306.4 K

Pressure inside vaporizer = 58.4 mbar = 5840 Pa

Using PV = nRT

n = No. of Moles

R = Universal Gas Constant = 8.314 N-m/mole-K

 Moles of O2 = 76/0.032 = 2375 moles/hr.

Volume of O2 = 1041 m3/hr.

 Moles of N2 = 124.75/0.028 = 4458.35 moles/hr.

Volume of N2 = 1955 m3/hr.

 Moles of Argon = 3.96/0.040 = 99 moles/hr.

Volume of Argon = 43.52 m3/hr.

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  Moles of CO2 = 2.178/0.048 = 45.375moles/hr.

Volume of CO2 = 19.90 m3/hr.

 Moles of CO2 (T) = 90/0.061 = 1475 moles/hr.

Volume of CO2 (T) = 647 m3/hr.

TOTAL Vacuum pump Capacity (NC Gases)

= ∑ volume of NC Gases

= 3706.48 m3/hr.

 Vapor Flow rate = 1137 kg/hr.

 Moles of vapor = 1137/.018 = 63166.76 mole/hr.
 Volume capacity of vapor flow = 27707.12 m3/hr.

TOTAL VOLUME = VOLUME OF NC GASES AND VOLUME OF VAPOR FLOW

= 31413.5 m3/hr.

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 5. CONCLUSION

Sea water consists of Non-Condensable gases (O2, N2, Ar, CO2).Hence these condensable gases

and also the water vapour which is escaped from the condenser give the load to the vacuum

system in LTTD Process. In this study, the non –condensable gases and escape water vapour for

1 million litres per day capacity Power plant based LTTD process is estimated as 31413 m3/hr

.As per market survey it can be concluded that two vacuum system are required with a capacity of

16000m3/hr. each to achieve desired vacuum load.

6. REFERENCES

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[1] Heike Glade and Aiman Eid Al Rawajfeh, “Modelling of CO2 release and the carbonate system
in multiple- effect distillers”, Desalination, 222(2008) 605-625

[2] Aiman Eid Al Rawajfeh, Member IDA & EDS, “Influence of Seawater Composition on CO2
Release and Scaling in Multi- Stage Flash (MSF) Distillers from Different Arabian Gulf Intakes”

[3] Heike Glade and Klaus Genthner, “Design Date for Non-Condensable Gas Release Rates in
Flash Chambers”

[4] A Seifert and K Genthner, “A Model for stagewise calculation of Non-Condensable Gases in
Multi-Stage Evaporators”, Desalination, 81 (1991) 333-347

[5] Claire Copin-Montegut, “A New Formula for the Effect of Temperature on the Partial Pressure
of CO2 in Seawater”, Marine Chemistry, 25 (1988) 29-37

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination

[7]https://www.google.com/search?q=lttd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD04mYv
c_fAhXHvY8KHeaSDNQQ_AUIDygC&biw=1522&bih=706#imgdii=dfDZG_gXZ1cyqM:&imgrc=qei
_I6WUisY4mM:

[8]https://www.google.com/search?q=reverse+osmosis+desalination&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=
X&ved=0ahUKEwj8rICNvs_fAhWIvY8KHbGhB3sQ_AUIDigB&biw=1522&bih=706#imgrc=n3hI9a0
Cp7XcOM:

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