2002 IAEA 1

Department of Nuclear EnergyInternational Atomic Energy

Agency

Status of Nuclear Desalination Technology

Lecture presented at the Workshop on Nuclear Reaction Data and Nuclear Reactors: Physics,

Design and Safety

Trieste, Italy18 March 2002

Debu MajumdarNuclear Power Technology Development Section

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Vienna, Austria

2002 IAEA 2

Outline Energy and Water DemandsEnergy and Water Demands Nuclear Energy for Seawater DesalinationNuclear Energy for Seawater Desalination Seawater Desalination TechnologiesSeawater Desalination Technologies Nuclear DesalinationNuclear Desalination

ExperienceExperience EconomicsEconomics Current ActivitiesCurrent Activities

IAEA ActivitiesIAEA Activities Summary and ConclusionSummary and Conclusion

2002 IAEA 3

Global energy demand

Demand is estimated to triple in 50 yearsDemand is estimated to triple in 50 years Current primary energy demand:Current primary energy demand:

54% developed countries54% developed countries 34% developing countries34% developing countriesBy the year 2020:By the year 2020: 44% developed countries44% developed countries 45% developing countries45% developing countries

Data source: OECD/IEA World Energy Outlook, 2000

2002 IAEA 4

Global energy demand

2002 IAEA 5

Global energy supply

2002 IAEA 6

The need for water Only 2.5% of world’s water is freshwaterOnly 2.5% of world’s water is freshwater

About 67% is locked up in ice-caps and glaciersAbout 67% is locked up in ice-caps and glaciers

Less than 0.08% of total supply is accessibleLess than 0.08% of total supply is accessible

1.1 billion people lack safe drinking water1.1 billion people lack safe drinking water

3.3 billion cases of related illnesses3.3 billion cases of related illnesses

2 million related deaths2 million related deaths

Over next two decades: 40% increase in water useOver next two decades: 40% increase in water use

33% of world population (some 2 billion people) in 33% of world population (some 2 billion people) in absolute water scarcity by the year 2025absolute water scarcity by the year 2025

Data source: International Water Management Institute and World Water Council

2002 IAEA 7

1,000,000 m3/d (220 MI GDP)

Indicates the capacity of all land-based desalting plants

Water stressed Countries by 2025Water stressed Countries by 2025(World Water Forum 2000)(World Water Forum 2000)

2002 IAEA 8

Major incentive: 97% of world water is seawaterMajor incentive: 97% of world water is seawater

Proven technical and economical feasibilityProven technical and economical feasibility

Cost continuously decreasing: 0.5 – 0.8 US$/mCost continuously decreasing: 0.5 – 0.8 US$/m33 water* (energy cost: 0.15 – 0.45 US$/mwater* (energy cost: 0.15 – 0.45 US$/m33))

Proven widely used processes: MSF and RO; Up Proven widely used processes: MSF and RO; Up and coming: MED and VC.and coming: MED and VC.

Why seawater desalination?

* Semiat, R., Water International, 25 (2000) 54-65.

2002 IAEA 9

Role of nuclear energy

Increase energy and water demands necessitates Increase energy and water demands necessitates increased supplyincreased supply

>90% of world’s primary energy will come from fossil >90% of world’s primary energy will come from fossil fuels fuels increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Nuclear power reduces GHG emissions and alleviates Nuclear power reduces GHG emissions and alleviates energy shortagesenergy shortages

End of 2000: 438 reactors in over 30 countries End of 2000: 438 reactors in over 30 countries producing over 16% of world’s electricity (351,327producing over 16% of world’s electricity (351,327 MW(e)) (MW(e)) (in the US: 104 reactors = 97,411 MW(e)in the US: 104 reactors = 97,411 MW(e)))

The IAEA is actively engaged in nuclear power The IAEA is actively engaged in nuclear power applicationsapplications

2002 IAEA 10

What is nuclear desalination?

The production of potable water from seawater (or The production of potable water from seawater (or

brackish water) in a facility in which a nuclear brackish water) in a facility in which a nuclear

reactor is used as the source of energy for the reactor is used as the source of energy for the

desalination process.desalination process.

2002 IAEA 11

Why nuclear desalination?

Waste heatWaste heat and electricity produced by nuclear and electricity produced by nuclear plants are ideal for energy-intensive plants are ideal for energy-intensive desalination processes.desalination processes.

““Clean”Clean” energy and minimal waste.energy and minimal waste.

Economically competitiveEconomically competitive with conventional co-with conventional co-production plants, especially when a strong production plants, especially when a strong national grid exists and interest rates are low.national grid exists and interest rates are low.

Many years ofMany years of successful operationsuccessful operation have have proved technical feasibility and reliability.proved technical feasibility and reliability.

IAEA2002

Temperature ranges in production and Temperature ranges in production and use of nuclear heatuse of nuclear heat

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

HTGR AGR LMR WCR NHRDesalination./

HeatingRefining

Oil Shale

Hard CoalHydrogen

Production & Use

Temperature (C)

13IAEA2002

Growth in Contracted Desalination Plant Capacity

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Desalination Capacity, Mm

/d

2002 IAEA 14

Technologies

Distillation (Thermal) ProcessesDistillation (Thermal) Processes Multi-Stage Flash (MSF)Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) Multi-Effect Distillation (MED)Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) Vapor Compression (VC)Vapor Compression (VC) solar evaporationsolar evaporation

Membrane Processes Membrane Processes Reverse Osmosis (RO) / Nanofiltration (NF)Reverse Osmosis (RO) / Nanofiltration (NF) Electrodialysis (ED)Electrodialysis (ED)

OthersOthers freezing freezing ion exchangeion exchange

2002 IAEA 15

Desalination Plants > 100 m3/d

(June 1999)

2002 IAEA 16

Total global capacity: ~26 million mTotal global capacity: ~26 million m33/d (6,500 /d (6,500 MGD)MGD)

US capacity:US capacity: ~4.4 million m~4.4 million m33/d (1,100 MGD) or/d (1,100 MGD) or 17% of global capacity,17% of global capacity, of which over 3.5 million of which over 3.5 million mm33/d (or over 80%) is via membrane processes/d (or over 80%) is via membrane processes

Most units in the US are inMost units in the US are in FloridaFlorida andand CaliforniaCalifornia

Some desalination statistics

2002 IAEA 17

Principle of a single stage flash distillation (MSF)

2002 IAEA 18

MSF

Most commonly used technologyMost commonly used technology

Energy consumption: 11–18 kWh/mEnergy consumption: 11–18 kWh/m33

Seawater heated to 90 - 120°C in the “Brine Seawater heated to 90 - 120°C in the “Brine Heater” by condensing steam on the outside of Heater” by condensing steam on the outside of tubes carrying the seawatertubes carrying the seawater

““Flashing” of the seawater to steam in successive Flashing” of the seawater to steam in successive “stages”, each at lower pressure. 4 - 40 stages are “stages”, each at lower pressure. 4 - 40 stages are typical.typical.

Built in “units” of 4,000 to 30,000 mBuilt in “units” of 4,000 to 30,000 m33/d/d

2002 IAEA 19

MSF process diagram

2002 IAEA 20

MED

Oldest technology Oldest technology now more promisingnow more promising than MSF than MSF

Energy consumption: 5–10 kWh/mEnergy consumption: 5–10 kWh/m33

Condensed steam = fresh water, using multiple Condensed steam = fresh water, using multiple boiling in 8 to 16 stepsboiling in 8 to 16 steps

Seawater sprayed on hot tube bundles in Seawater sprayed on hot tube bundles in successive “vessels” or “effects”, that carry the successive “vessels” or “effects”, that carry the steam created in the previous effect.steam created in the previous effect.

Built in “units” of 2,000 to 10,000 mBuilt in “units” of 2,000 to 10,000 m33/d/d

LT-MED: 70°C and HT-MED: up to 125°CLT-MED: 70°C and HT-MED: up to 125°C