DESALINATION

ELSEVIER

Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

www.elsevier.com/locate/desal

An approach to improve the economy of desalination plants with

a nuclear heating reactor by coupling with hybrid technologies
ShaorongWu*, ZuoyiZhang
Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Tel. +86 (10) 6278-4833; email: shaorong@inet,tsinghua.edu.cn
Received 25 October 2002; accepted 14 November 2002

Abstract

In order to investigate the possible approach to increase thermal efficiency of desalination plants, decrease water
production costs and further optimize the coupling design of a nuclear heating reactor (NHR) with the desalination
process, the coupling schemes of NHR reactors with hybrid desalination technologies were investigated. The
cogeneration operation mode was adopted in this investigation. Two coupling schemes were selected for the cogeneration mode: NHR + low-temperature MED+RO and NHR + low-temperature MED+MEDNC. Technical
specifications and economic aspects of the investigation are briefly presented in this paper.
Keywords: Nuclear heating reactor; Coupling; Hybrid desalination technologies

1. Introduction

Small- and medium-sized seawater desalination plants using a nuclear heating reactor
(NHR) coupled with a MED process could be a
suitable solution to supply potable water to some
coastal districts, islands or countries with a small
or medium population due to their perfect
inherent safety, simplicity in structure, proven
technology [ 1-3], and acceptable investment and
water costs. The results of the study of the technical and economical aspects for a desalination
*Corresponding author.

plant with a NHR coupled with a MED process

under a heat-only operation mode have been
previously reported [4,5].
In order to investigate a possible approach to
increase thermal efficiency of desalination plants,
decrease the water production cost and further
optimize the coupling design of a NHR with the
desalination process, the coupling schemes of a
NHR reactor with hybrid desalination technologies were investigated. The cogeneration
operation mode was adopted in this investigation
instead of the heat-only mode in previous
designs. From the thermodynamic point of view,

0011-9164/03/$- See front matter 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
PII: S 0 0 1 1 - 9 ! 6 4 ( 0 3 ) 0 0 2 9 5 - 9

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S. Wu, Z Zhang / DesaBnation 155 (2003) 179-185

Table 1
Design parameters of heating reactor NHR-200 coupled
with selected hybrid desalination process

Table 2
Design parameters of a desalination plant with the
NHR-200 coupled with the LTMED and RO process

Design parameters

Values

Parameters

Operation mode
Reactor power, MWt
Pressure in the primary circuit, MPa
Core outlet temperature, C
Core inlet temperature, C
Pressure in the secondary circuit, MPa
Outlet temperature of the secondary
circuit, C
Inlet temperature of the secondary
circuit, C
Outlet steam temperature of the
steam generator, C
Inlet steam pressure in turbine, MPa
Inlet steam temperature in
turbine, C
Back pressure of the turbine, MPa
Inlet steam temperature in
LTMED, C
Electricity production, MW

Co-generation
200
3.0
223
164
3.5
165

Nuclear heating reactor NHR-200:

Reactor power, MW
Outlet steam temperature of the steam
generator, C
Motive steam pressure to turbine, MPa
Motive steam temperature to steam
turbine, C
Motive steam flow rate, t/h
Back pressure of the turbine, MPa
Electricity production, MW
LTMED process:
Motive steam temperature to LTMED
system, C
Inlet steam temperature in LTMED
process, C
Total capacity of LTMED process, m3/d
Capacity per unit of LTMED process, m3/d
Number of LTMED units
RO process:
Total capacity of RO process, m3/d
Capacity per unit of RO process, m3/d
Number of RO units
RO system operating pressure, psi
Number of RO elements/vessel
Number of RO vessels (12,000 m3/dplant)
Ultrafiltration used for feed water
pre-treatment
Pressure exchangers used for energy
recovery system

152
147
0.416
145
0.101
100
14.42

utilization o f thermal energy at a higher temperature range would reach higher efficiency.
Therefore, the design pressure and temperature at
the primary circuit of the heating reactor were
increased to 3.0 MPa, and 223C, respectively.
All other parameters concerned with the reactor
safety features were maintained. The design
parameters of the NHR with co-generation mode
are listed in Table 1 for the two coupling
schemes that were selected: (a) NHR + low
tempera-ture MED+RO and (b) NHR + low
temperature MED+MED/VC.
The technical specifications and economic
aspects of the investigation are briefly presented
in this paper.

2. Coupling of the NHR-200 with the hybrid

M E D + R O process
The coupling scheme of the NHR-200 with
the LTMED and RO desalination process is

Values
200
147
0.416
145
330
0.101
14.42
100
75
126,000
21,000
6
36,000
12,000
3
1000
8
100

shown in Fig. 1. It can be seen that there are two

barriers between the NHR and the desalination
process: intermediate circuit and the steam
supply circuit. Saturate steam generated in the
steam generator was directly conducted to the
steam turbine as the motive steam. The exhaust
steam in back pressure from the turbine was led
to the first effect of the LTMED process and the
condensate from the first effect was pumped back
to the reactor steam generator as its feed water.
Several RO units worked in parallel with the

181

S. Wu, Z Zhang / Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

I
/!tITlll

-x,

r
_

Fig. 1. Coupling scheme of the NHR with LTMED and RO processes. 1 reactor core, 2 primary heat exchanger, 3 steam
generator, 4 steam turbine, 5 RO unit, 6 LTMED unit.
LTMED process, but part of the pre-heated brine
from LTMED was used as the feed seawater to
the RO units. The produced electricity by the
turbine generator of the nuclear plant was used to
supply power to the motor of the high-pressure
pump in the RO unit and the nuclear power plant
itself.
The total capacity of the selected RO process
depends on the maximum electricity production
of the NHR plant, and the number of RO unit
depends on the available unit capacity of RO
process. Design parameters of the hybrid
desalination plant with LTMED and RO process
are listed in Table 2. The distribution method for
the electricity cost and heat charge in the cogeneration plant was considered as following.
The total steam cost of the co-generation nuclear
plant should be divided into two parts: total
annual electricity cost for the RO process and
heat charge for the MED process. Here the
electricity price is assumed as 0.044 US$/kWh.
Based on this electricity price and the total
electricity production of the nuclear plant, the
total annual electricity cost was deducted from

the total steam cost of the co-generation nuclear

plant. Then the remaining part of the steam cost
was taken as the heat charge for the LTMED
process.
The input data (including base investment and
operational cost, with some reasonable assumptions) needed for analysis on the water cost for
the coupling scheme with RO process and the
LTMED process were acquired from some
suppliers after consultations with them. A preliminary economic analysis for the coupling
scheme of the NHR-200 with the LTMED and
RO desalination process was performed based on
the available input dada for the NHR nuclear
plant, LTMED process and RO process. The
estimated economic results are listed in Table 3.
Based on the analysis, it is noted that the costs
of potable water produced with the hybrid
coupling scheme (HNR + LTMED + RO) are
0.538 US$/m 3 and 0.77 US$/m 3, respectively.
Compared with those of the heat-only operation
mode, the water production costs for the NHR
desalination plant with hybrid coupling scheme
(MED + RO) are relatively low.

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S. Wu, Z. Zhang / Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

Table 3
Results of preliminary economic analysis for the coupling scheme of the NHR-200 with the LTMED and RO processes
Parameters

Values

Nuclear heating reactor plant:

Reactor power, MW
Interest rate, %
Total construction cost, MUS$
Construction lead time, months
Interest during construction, M US$
Total investment for nuclear plant, MUS$
Annual levelized capital cost, M US$
Annual fuel cost, MUS$
Annual O & M cost, MUS$
Annual levelized decom, cost, MUS$
Annual heat cost, MUS$
Annual steam production, t/y
Annual electricity production, kWh/y
Annual electricity cost*, US$/y
Average steam cost*, US$/t

200
8
130.24
48
13.28
143.52
12.47
4.1
4.73
0.52
22.09
2,601,720
113,687,280
5,002,240
6.568

Desalination process:
Total capacity, m3/d
Capacity per unit, m3/d
Number of desalination units
Specific investment, US$/m 3
Investment per unit, MUS$
Total investment of desalination plant, M US$
BOW per unit, MUS$
Total investment including BOW, MUS$
Availability, %
Total production per day, m3/d
Annual water production, m3/y
Time of operation, y
Interest, %
Depreciation of capital cost, US$/m3
Operational costs:
Membrane replacement, US$/m 3
O&M labour & materials cost, US$/m3
Chemicals, US$/m3
Steam price, US$/t
Steam consumption per unit, t/h
Steam charge per 1 m3 of product, US$/m 3
Electricity price, US$/kWh
Electricity consumption, kWh/m3
Electricity charge per 1 m3 of product, US$/m 3
Labor, US$/m 3
Total operational costs, US$/m3
Total water cost, US$/m3

RO

LTMED

36,000
12,000
3
790
9.48
28.44

126,000
21,000
6
809.5
16.0
96.0
1.0
102.0
95
119,700
43,690,500
20
7
0.22

95
34,200
12,483,000
20
8
0.22
0.025
0.0374
0.065

0.044
3.01
0.133
0.014
0.318
0.538

0.02
0.05
6.568
55
0.41
0.044
1.59
0.06
0.01
0.55
0.77

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S. Wu, Z Zhang / Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

Table 4
Design parameters of a desalination plant with the
NHR-200 coupled with LTMED and MED/VC processes
Parameters

Values

Nuclear heating reactor NHR-200:

Reactor power, MW
Steam temperature at outlet of the steam
generator, C
Motive steam pressure to turbine, MPa
Motive steam temperature to steam
turbine, C
Motive steam flow rate, t/h
Back pressure of the turbine, MPa
Electricity production, MW
LTMED:
Motive steam temperature, C
Steam temperature at inlet, C
Total capacity, m3/d
Capacity per unit, m3/d
Number of units,
MED/VC:
Total capacity, m3/d
Capacity per unit, m3/d
Number of units

200
147
0.416
145
330
0.101
14.42
100
75
126,000
21,000
6
36,000
4,000
9

The total electricity production of the nuclear

plant with the NI-IR-200 with co-generation mode
is 14.42 MWe. The total electricity consumption
for both nuclear and water plants is about
14.2 MWe. The electricity production and the
total electricity consumption are roughly in
balance. Thus, operation of the co-generation
plant can be independent on the outside grid.

3. Coupling scheme o f the NHR-200 with

LTMED and MED/VC desalination processes
The coupling scheme of the NHR-200 with
LTMED and MED/VC desalination processes is
shown in Fig. 2. It can be seen that there are two
barriers between the N H R and the desalination
process: the intermediate circuit and the steam
supply circuit. The saturate steam generated in
the steam generator was directly conducted to the
steam turbine as the motive steam. The exhausted
steam in back-pressure from the turbine was
conducted to the first effect of the LTMED
process and the condensate from the first effect
4

F
i

Se~w~ ter

If ....I.........
.~

Brine o~t

Fig. 2. Coupling scheme of NHR with LTMED and MED/VC. 1 reactor core, 2 primary heat exchanger, 3 steam generator,
4 steam turbine, 5 steam compressor, 6 VC/MED unit, 7 LTMED unit.

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S. Wu, Z. Zhang / Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

Table 5
Results of preliminary economic analysis for the coupling scheme of the NHR-200 with the LTMED and MED/VC
processes
Parameters

Values

Nuclear heating reactor plant:

Reactor power, MW
Interest rate, %
Total construction cost, MUS$
Construction lead time, months
Interest during construction, MUS$
Total investment for nuclear plant, MUS$
Annual levelized capital cost, MUS$
Annual fuel cost, MUS$
Annual O & M cost, M US$
Annual levelized decom, cost, MUS$
Annual heat cost, MUS$
Annual steam production, t/y
Annual electricity production, kWh/y
Annual electricity cost*, US$/y
Average steam cost*, US$/t

200
8
130.24
48
13.28
143.52
12.47
4.1
4.73
0.52
22.09
2,601,720
113,687,280
5,002,240
6.568

Desalination process:
Total capacity, m3/d
Capacity per unit, m3/d
Number of desalination units
Specific investment, US$/m3
Investment per unit, MUS$
Total investment of desalination plant, MUS$
BOW per unit, MUS$
Total investment including BOW, MUS$
Availability, %
Total production per day, m3/d
Annual water production, m3/y
Time of operation, y
Interest, %
Depreciation of capital cost, US$/m3
Operational costs:
Maintenance
Chemicals, U S $ / m 3

Steam price, US$/t

Steam consumption per unit, t/h
Steam charge per 1 m 3 of product, US$/m 3
Electricity price, US$/kWh
Electricity consumption, kWh/m3
Electricity charge per 1 m3 of product, US$/m 3
Labor, US$/m 3
Total operational costs, U S $ / m 3
Total water cost, US$/m3

MED/VC

LTMED

36,000
4,000
9
85O
4.0
27.0
0.4
30.0
95
34,200
12,483,000
20
7
0.23

126,000
21,000
6
809.5
16.0
96.0
1.0
102.0
95
119,700
43,690,500
20
7
0.22

0.02
0.05
6.568
1.3
0.07
0.044
8.00
0.352
0.01
0.502
0.732

0.02
0.05
6.568
55
0.41
0.044
1.59
0.06
0.01
0.55
0.77

S. Wu, Z Zhang / Desalination 155 (2003) 179-185

was pumped back to the steam generator as its

feed water. Several MED/VC units worked in
parallel with the LTMED process, but part of the
brine from LTMED was used as the feed seawater to the MED/VC units. The produced
electricity by the turbine generator of the nuclear
plant was used to supply power to the motor of
the compressor in the VC unit and the nuclear
power plant itself. The total capacity of the
selected MED/VC process depends on the
maximum electricity production of the NHR and
the number of MED/VC units depends on the
available unit capacity of the MED/VC process.
Design parameters of the hybrid desalination
plant are listed in Table 4.
A preliminary economic analysis for the
coupling scheme of the NHR-200 with LTMED
and MED/VC desalination processes was made.
The estimated economic results are listed in
Table 5.
Based on the analysis results, it was noted that
the cost of potable water produced with the
hybrid coupling scheme (HNR + LTMED +
MED/VC) is relatively low, 0.73 US$/m 3 and
0.77 US$/m 3, respectively.
The total electricity production of the nuclear
plant with the NHR-200 in the co-generation
mode is 14.42 MWe. But the total electricity consumption for both the nuclear and water plants is

185

about 19 MWe. In order to make up the balance,

about 5 MWe of electricity (including supply for
the nuclear reactor operation) needs to be
supplied from the grid.

Acknowledgements
This paper is based on research work
supported by the CRP of the International Atomic
Energy Agency.

References
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Univ. (Science and Technology), 34(ES2) (1994)
32-38.
[3] Nuclear Desalination Project in Morocco, IAEATECDOC-898, Aug. 1996, pp. 105-106.
[4] S. Wu and D. Dong, Seawater desalination plant
using nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED
process,Nuclear Sci. Techniques, 11(1)(2000) 6-12.
[5] S. Wu and W. Zheng, Coupling of nuclear heating
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