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Several of the Middle East countries rely on industrial desalination as a major source forfresh water. This is especially true in the Gulf States, which primarily use the multistage flashdesalination process (MSF). The desalination industry started in the Gulf States at the end ofthe 1950's. The first desalination units had small capacities and were plagued with severescaling problems. However, the pressing need for the product water necessitated furtherexpansion of the total production capacity and the unit size. During the early 1970's thestandard design of the MSF process has appeared, with a unit production capacity that variesfrom 27,000 m3/d (7.1 MGD) to 32,000 m3/d (8.4 MGD). The standard MSF unit has 24flashing stages, cross tube design, and is constructed on two levels. Additional developmentsthat have occurred in the desalination industry include synthesis of effective antiscalantcompounds, adoption of wire mesh demisters, design and use of on-line ball cleaning, use ofmetal cladding and polymer sheeting on intake piping, floors, and partition walls. However,as with any new technology the most important development that has occurred in the MSFprocess since adoption in the early 1960's is the accumulation of field experience indesign, construction, commissioning, operation, and troubleshooting. As a result, currentMSF units operate on-line for periods varying from 2 to 5 years with a production capacity ofmore than 90% of the unit rating. Other desalination technologies that include the reverseosmosis (RO), multiple effect evaporation (MEE), and mechanical vapor compression(MVC) are used on a limited scale in the Middle Eastern countries. The limited use of the ROprocess in the Gulf countries is due to the high seawater salinity and earlier technicaldifficulties. The MEE processes are limited in number and have small production capacity.Increase in the use of the RO and MEE processes in the Middle Eastern countries is subject toprogress in design and operation of these units. Water suppliers in the United States havehistorically snubbed desalination as an inefficient, expensive treatment option. But timeshave changed. About a dozen projects are under way in the US for facilities to treat bothseawater and brackish water. Since Middle Eastern countries are far ahead in the desalinationprocess applications, their design and operational experiences will benefit the emergingdesalination technology market of the US. This paper provides the details ofdesalination processes used in the Middle East in terms of water quality and productioncapacity, process options and selection, design criteria, operational experience, technicalchallenges, economic factors, and historical development and current trends. Includes 16 references, table, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 03/05/2003 Number of Pages: 20File Size: 1 file , 300 KB