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An Experimental Study-Based Dynamic Modelling and Control of Thermal Desalination Pilot Plant

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Abstract

Thermal desalination is a widely used method for converting seawater into freshwater. Proposed an experimental study aim is to develop a dynamics model and control of thermal desalination systems. Energy consumption is a major operational cost in thermal desalination plants. Dynamic behaviour of the system is used to identify opportunities to optimize energy usage. This is also used to develop control strategies that can adapt to varying conditions and minimize energy wastage during the desalination process. It helps to evaluate and optimize various process parameters, such as feedwater flow rates, temperatures, and pressures. Thermal desalination processes often exhibit nonlinear and time-varying behaviour due to factors such as varying feedwater salinity, temperature, and flow rates. Developing an accurate dynamic model that capture these complexities is challenged. Thermal desalination plants involve multiple interconnected variables, such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, and salinity. These variables are often highly interdependent, and changes in one variable can impact others. Designing a control strategy that effectively manage these multivariable interactions is very complex. Develop accurate dynamic models of the thermal desalination process using modelling methodologies such as first principles modelling, system identification, and data-driven modelling. Validation of the models using experimental data is crucial to ensure their accuracy. In this paper, thermal desalination pilot plant is considered to develop dynamic model, which operates under low temperature around 45 °C. This type of desalination process is based on single stage flash system. The desalination process removes the large quantity of salinity level from the sea water in low maintenance cost. Requirement of control techniques is implied to enhance the quality of water. In this process, there are various parameters that have to be controlled, such as temperature of the inlet water, vacuum pressure and brine water level. Due to its complex identity, developing dynamic model of the process is very challenging. In this paper, dynamic model has been developed for controller implementation in simulation. PID controller has been implemented for inlet water temperature, vacuum pressure, and brine water level and verified in MATLAB simulation. The performance of the PID controller is tested based on its ability to regulate important process variables such as temperature, pressure, and flow rates within desired setpoints.

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Abbreviations

WHO:

World Health Organization

RO:

Reverse osmosis

MED:

Multi-effect desalination

PID:

Proportional integral derivative

F I :

Inlet water flow

S :

Conservation of a quantity

E :

Total energy in the tank

U :

Internal energy

K :

Kinetic energy

P :

Potential energy

ρ :

Density of the water

A :

Area of the tank

h :

Height of the liquid level

Ti:

Inlet temperature

Q :

Amount of heat supplied to the water

V :

Volume of the cylindrical tank

Finlet:

Inlet flow of heat water

Fsteam:

Outlet flow of steam

Fbrine:

Outlet flow of brine water

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RF Lab Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, India

    A. Sanjeevi Gandhi, R. Azhagumurugan,  Mohanraj, K. Martin Sagayam & A. Amir Anton Jone

  2. Department of Technical Education (Government of U.P), Kanpur, India

    Digvijay Pandey

  3. Department of Information Technology, College of Technology, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India

    Binay Kumar Pandey

Authors
  1. A. Sanjeevi Gandhi
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  2. R. Azhagumurugan
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  3. Mohanraj
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  4. K. Martin Sagayam
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  5. A. Amir Anton Jone
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  6. Digvijay Pandey
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  7. Binay Kumar Pandey
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Correspondence to Digvijay Pandey.

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Gandhi, A.S., Azhagumurugan, R., Mohanraj et al. An Experimental Study-Based Dynamic Modelling and Control of Thermal Desalination Pilot Plant. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. B 104, 1197–1206 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-023-00935-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-023-00935-7

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