15

Desahation, 19(1976)15-24
0 EkvirrBcientificPublishingCompany.Amsterdarn-PtintedinTheNetherlands

DESIGN AND OPERATIONAL EXPERlENCE.WTB LONC-TUBE

ACID-DOSED AND CROSS-TUBE POLYPHOSRIATE FEED HSF PJMITS

D. INRBA, I).BOGAZZE, A. tXR!lANA’ and G. TACLIAFERRI

*ITALY

SUMMARY

The experience of the authors in the design of desalination plants

has developed in the two fields which feature the more industrially
applicable HSF proccsscs.
Therefore the main features of the two plants at Pox-to Torres, both
the long-tube acid-dosing type, are deawrstrated. The first unit,
which began operating five years ago,has a maximum capacity of 4.5
HCPD, while the second unit, the largest in the uorld, mw in opera
tion for three years, has a matimuur capacity of 9-5 MGPD,
Thereafter follow the features and the reliability and performance
tests results for the plants designed and built for the Bahrain Co_
vcrnment. These are two identical cross-tube polyphosphate dosing
plants, 3 ,BCPD each, included in a dual purpose plant.
In conformity with a rcqucst by the Government,the design and coq
struction of the Bahrain plant was preceded by the construction of
a pilot plant, built at Porto Torres.
On the basis of these experiences, a synthesis of the authors conclu
sions about the two different design theories is presented, referring
in particular to the corrosion and fouling control problems.
The arilysis of the two processes under comparison reveals in the
authors opinion, certain elements in the acid-dosing process which
make it superior to the polyphosphate dosing process.

IMODUCTION

This paper aims at making a comparison of the two multiflash prows

ses which today arc the most interesting from an industrial point of
view:
- MSF long-tube acid-dosed recirculating typo
- HSF cross-tube polyphosphate-feed recirculating type
The latter is more widely used, it being the basis of nearly all the
constructions and tenders being executed in the Arabian Gulf; however
despite this, uwre attention should be dedicated to the acid-dosing
process in view of its extremely interesting features. Uur opinions
derive from the experience gained in the design and operation of the:
- Port0 Torres (Sardinia) plants, acid-dosing type;
- pilot plant and later the Bahrain plants, polyphosphate type,
16 D. BARBA ET AL

It is our convinction that, khilc the reliability of a pOlyphOsphate

process is not to be disputed, LULacid-dosing process is cqdlp rc
liable; the first plant at Purto Ton-es has hern in operation for
over five years, while the second, the largest tutitreali:ed up to
today (9-5 SD), has been operating for 3 and a half years. The Acid-
dosing process, furthermore, has sertain chemical and physical feats
rep which make it in some aspects superior to the polyphosphate type.
Some considerations have bccn made reg.u-dingthe oncl+-throughWSF
process given the considerable advantages hhich it offers in some C&
SC?S in comparison with the brine recirculation process.

CCHPARISON OF !ISFIRCCESSES

The features of a large percentage of desalination plants with large

capacity may be summarized as folloks:
- The thermod_ynamic process generally used is the mulLiflashtype
with brine recirculation.
- In order to control scale formationon the heat exchange surf;lces,
the sea water is treated with polyphosphate additives.
- Thicker metal plates and coating or painting of the inside of the
evaporator are employed for corrosion control.
- The evaporators are generally the cross-tube type. Consequently,
the maximum capacity of a single unit is limited to &7 MCPD.
Thermod\namic nroccss: NSF recvcling - From an overall pint of view,
there arc tka disadvantages uith this sort of processes:
- The first drawback is due to recycling, which cduses.a salt ,conccn_
tration significantly higher than that of an analogous opun-r>ppeprcc
cess. The increased salt concentration necessitates the lowering of
the maximum temperature in order to prevent fouling at the hcdt cx-
change surfaces. This reduction in maximum temperature restits UI the
need for increased brine circulation to #incain an equal producrion
level, Flashing of the brine results in the production of l.j$ stam
for every 1OoC of cooling. A higher maximum temperature would prov&
dc a greater overall tcmpcrature diffcrcnce and, thcreforc, greater
steam production, that is more desalinatedwater, from the s~ac amount
of b&e. Inversely, the same am~un% of desalinated water kould be
produced with decreased flow rate of the brine.
- The second drawback regards the heat e_xchangc coefficient. In the
MSF it is possible to reach lower coefficients thvl in other evapora
tive processes, such as the Multiple Effcct'proccss. Tt follows that
the.heat exchange surfaces would have to be increased.
The big advantage of the multiflashprocess is the fugh reliability
it has demonstrated, givea the large number of installations,
Ruthernnre, recirculation, in comparison to the open cycle, reduces
the amount of #k-up: thus expenses for pretreating the soa wter
are reduced,
LONG-TUBE ACID-DOSED MSF PLANTS 17
-
In conclusion , if reliability is of prime importansc, one *uuLd have
to choose the NSF, although not neccss;u"ily the rccirctiLation type.
In other words the open cycle process should bc considcrcd for cvcry
installation, together with the rca:irculation multiflash type, the
former being preferred for arc~s whcrc the sea water hzs a high saLt
concentration, Only a careful quantitacivc cvaluatiun will rev&l. vhc
ther the rccirculatiw or the once-through multiflash process he mo_
rc economical., Tn fact, in the latter procass, sea water instead of
brine circulates inside the tube bundle; the lover salt concentration
allows a higher maximum tcmpcraturc and a rcduccd flow rate. Cons5
qucntly, it is possible to rcducc the size of the evaporator, the
pumps and <also the consumption of electricity. Howcvcr, one disadvrm_
tagc of the once-through process is the incrcasc in cost for the pro-
trcatmcnt of sea uatcr. This cost may bc estimated as up to 2-j ti_
mcs that of the recirculation process.
Scale control - As is known, during tIcati.ng,sea water produces fos
ling of the heat axchangc surfaces and thus progrcssivcly rcduccs
the efficiency of heat cscitangc. A thcmical. prc-treatment is thcrcfc
rc ncccss,ary in the desalination process, in order to pfcvcnt or ,~void
this phcnomcnon. Dnc of these proccdurcs consists in the addition of
small amounts of poly-phosphate compounds to the scatwater. This tt.2
auncnt partially prcvcnts the formation of s&cium carbonate prcci-
pitants. Furthcrmorc, when prccrpitatc dots form, it is render-cd more
easily rcnuvablc by this trcatmcnt. Thcrc arc three drawbacks to this
proccdurc:

- The paly-phosphate additives arc ineffective in prcvcnting the tiler

ma1 decomposition of bicarbonates in sea water. The carbon dioxide
formcci during the decomposition is libcratcd in the brine flash, and
particul,arly during the first stages. The cnrbon diotidc acts as a
strongly corrosive agent. Furthermore, its presence in the tube bu2
dlcs rcduccs the heat cxhangc cocffisicnts,
- The second Ciscldvantagc is rclatcd to the fact that the m-i.mum
temperature must bc maintained at 9OoC, to avoid the degradation of
the poly-phosplkItcs. This lititation of the maximum tcmpcraturc nS
ccssitatcs, ns mentioned previously, the construction of larger eva
porstors.
- The third disadvantage is that the prcvcntion of fouling by the
pOly-phoSphatQS is Otiy p.artial. In fact, the pl.ant is continually
fouled, and pwticularly so in the hotter sections. Consequently,
periodic chemical cleaning is necessary.
In conclusion it laay be affirmed that poly-phosphate dosing climina
tcs the effects but not the causes of fouling; on the contrary, the
acid-dosmg treatment works on the causes of fouling. This treatment
consists of the addition of sulphuric or hudrochloric acid to sea WC
tcr. These acids react chemically vith the carbonate ;tnd bicarbonate,
destroying the tatter, and thus cause the formation of all the cay
bon dioside, Therefore, ~1 apparatus with acid-injection point and
an atmospheric dccJrbonation apparatus, avoid all the disadvantages
18 D. BARBA ET AL

of poly_ph+,ate dosing: carbonate fofiWZ, carbon dioxide and PC

ri0di.c cleaning of the e&qoratOr=
ConSec+uently the um tC.mFeratwe need not be limited to 6?f)oc,
but
my be increased to 12OoC in the yecirculating ~~OCCSS ad to 130eC
in the onccthrough process. These m temperature limits 523-e
im
posed by the sulphates in the sea water-

Corrosion control - As 2s know, the prime agents art: some of the E

siS present in Sea water: oxygen and carbon diotide. Bewing this in
mind, the choices generally made GUT 5s folkWs:
_ ~~ accept the presence of carbon dia.rideinside the evaporetor ad
to deal with it by using very thick carbon StCCl where the carbon
dioxide is released ad special metals *here it is concentrated (vSX
cuum condenser).
- To accept the presence of oxygen in sea vater, or in any case not
define strict limits on it.
- Coating of the inside of the evaporator and use of special steel
for the distillate channel,
These measures, however, while increasing plant costs do not totally
solve the problem of corrosion,
Furthermore, coating gives rise to other umre damaging phenomena.
This begins with the blistering of the coating in certain parts of
the channels and more particularly at the hotter sections.
(h the other hand, a process can be used which eliminates the corro_
sive factors from the sea water before it is fed into the hottest
section of the evaporator. This process is divided into the follow&g
phases:
- acid-dosing for breaking down the carbonates and bicarbonates;
- VIcUulDdegassing for the almost total removal of oxygen ad carbon
dioxide residues;
- oxygen scavenger-dosing for the complete chemical elimination of
oxygen.
The elimination of corrosive gases renders un-necessary the use of
thick metal plate, special metals and coating, uhile rendering ~0s
sible the use of non-coated carbon steel throughout the evaporator,
except at the heat exchange surfaces.
In conclusion, one achieves that most important aim of considerably
prolonging the life of the plant and, vhat is more, with reduced co
sts.
EvaDarator Layout - For the layout, the multiflash evaporators are
generaY CmSs-fXbe- 'This dlOWS a significant reduction in the le
ngtb of the evaporator. The principal disadvantages of the cmss_ti
be type arc:
- construction problems which limit the capcitY of a Single "tit to
6-7 WPD;
- complicated stx%c~e of the evaporator, due to the increased uum
-
her of tube sheets and uater boxes;
- greater pressure losses and consequent increase in energy cansum_
ption for brine circulation.
LONG-TUBE ACID-DOSED HSF PLANTS 19

As an aLternative to the cross-tube design, which however appears

without substitute for many situations, the long-tube design ,zaybe
used. In the latter, the tube bundles are parallel to the brjne flow.
This design allows tht. construt.tion of loni, tube bundles (up to 30 rn)?
and the consequent reduction of number of tube sheets and water boxes
and the reduction of pressure losses. Furthermore,use may be made of
rounded forms for the shel_lwhich ~l_Lorz
reduced thickness, perform
better from the point of view of corrosion problems, and perl,uti"
creased evaporation efficiency. In any case, the most attractive fca
ture of the long-tube design is the possibility of construction of
single units with capacitines of up to and beyond 18-20 NGPD. This
allows a drastic reduction in the number of parallel units in an area
with large water demand.

KRTO TCRRES PLANTS

There arc two multiflash long-tube acid-dosing plants with a maximum

capacity of 4.5 M;D (700 mx/br) and 9.5 MGD (LWO ms/hr) respective
Ly and a third muLtifLash cross tube pilot plant of about 0,2 II;D.
At the intake from the sea, which supplies the whole petrochemical
complex, screening ‘anda preliminary filtering arc carried out, and
thereareonc mussels-screening and two self-cleaning filters instal
led exclusively for the desalination area.
The sea water is then fed to the reject section of the three plants
and to the vacuum systems. The pilot plant can also be fed with the
product and the blow-down from the industrial plants in the propor
tion desired.
The make-up currents of the latter are sent to the chemical treatment
zone (acid-dosing system) and dccarbonation pool which servo the two
units.
The use of a single decarbonator for both plants is of this equipment,
which was successfully tested from 5 to 31 :YD, The main features of
the plants are shown in Table 1.
Regarding the evaporator materials, CuRi 70/30 and Al-&-ass are used
for the tube bundles, AISI 316 for the vacuum-system piping, brine
adjustable orifices and degasificr internals; for the demisters (in
the first unit) monel was used, whilst in the second AISI was tested,
giving successful results.
The evaporator shell pI.ates are bare carbon steel,
The water boxes are also of carbon steel, unlined but electrically
insulated from the tube-sheets and their excellent state of prescr
v.ttion evidences the non-corrosive conditions obtained inside the pl.ant.
Figures 1 and 2 demonstrate the main operational features of the i_
dustrial plants, represented by the Performance Ratios (design fog
ling) as a function of production for the matimum and unit tcmpc
rature vaLues of the sea water (ll!j°Cand !WX) and for the two sea
water temperature values (13% and 23OC) corresponding to the ave
rage winter and summer conditions. A temperature of tlS‘X is reached
20 D. BARBA ET AL

during the summer period to meet peak rfouiremonts-

When this occurs, the conct.gt$“ati@n factor, norma~y abOUt 2, is 1%

vercd to 1.6.
The perforaance rat&, values and the rclativo fleuhility range were
evaluated during desisting accor?tig to iut etin~tttic analysis based
on fuel costs in 1970, tith account also taken of the highly var&
bfe SeasonjL demand for des&,inated water with the Consepuent tiffs
renCe in the utilization coefficient of the tko plants. In fact, the
first unit is characterized by an elevated util.iz.ation factor, Sat%
Sfying in the winter a demand varying from 400 to 229 m3,fhr and it
continues operating during the summer period, together with the sC
cond which meets the load of the high summer demand.

- Sea water i3Y

&- scn vfdtCr 2%. I ___ - Sea *late* 23-c

*---- -~ 1

Yy) baO cn/fi x70 foe ifW tsw

Fig I F/g 2

ConseQuently, we citose a performance ratio of about 7.5 for the second

unit and of about 9 for the first unit.
The plant operation is controlled by an on-lint computer within the
litits of the above-mentioncci'flc_xibility, which, according to the es
tornal requifemcn~ts, automatical.Iy adjusts the instrument set-points
and the position Qf the adjustable orifices and therefore represents
one of the most important elements in the insurance of high fle_dbili_
tY with an optimal evaporative efficiency [LT.
The corrosion phenomena are lim.i.ted by controll_ingbrine ph a,ndensu
-ring the absence of oxygen from cuke-up.
The reci.rctiating brine pH is tmintaiucd between 7.7 and 7.9 aad the
re has been no difficulty in controlling it during the years of t)re
operation Qf the plant,-whether the plants uere computer or aaalfy
coutrolfed.
The absence of o-+gen from make-up is ensured by correct deaenmr
op‘eration, as well a= by good oxygen scavenging. The operational pa_
LONG-TUBE ACID-DOSED MSF PLANTS 21

TXBIE 1 - Porto Torres plant

Operation parameters

First unit Second unit

-
?lax.capacity ma/h '700 1500
Pcrformancc ratio lb/1000 Bcu 8 - 10 6-93 - s
Product TDS PPm 41 L1
Sea water temp. OC 13- 23 13 - 23
Max. top brine temp. oc 115 115
Product-blow down ratio o-s-1 0.s - 1
02 content in the make-
up before scavengerdosing ppb 4 50 c50

Main plant features

Type Long-tube Long-tube

So of tiers 1 1
So of recovery stages 30 25
So of rcjcct stages 1 3
Total heat transfer arca, m2 2670;: -l95oo
Tube bundles per stage (7) 2 3
Tubes per bundle (-:
) 1500 2200
(2) recover-~ stases
Evaporator materials
Tubes Cu-Xiz 70/30 G Al-brass
Plates Cu-Xi. lined C.S,
Shell bare C.S.
Demistcrs Efoncf L XISI 316
Water boxes bare C.S.
Internals AISI 316
Son-condensable cx-tr.systcm XISI 316
Brine pipes bare C.S.

rametcrs for the dcaerator are: the feed tcmpcrature, which must not
be less than 3OW to avoid the depression of the oxygen release kii
netic, and the stripping steam specific flow, which, as we experimcn_
tally verified, must be about 2 Kg steam/m2-hr of deaerator feed ws
ter, -w!lerethe make-up specific capacity is about 90 m3/hr per m2.
The normal corrosion rates are at about 0,Ot mm/yr for Cu-h'i and 0.2
mm/+ for Fe.
22 D. BARBA ET AL

Tube fouling is reduced below project levels by control of the folk

wing parameters:
- temperature of saturated steam fed into the brine-heater:by tintal
nag it at about lXPC the precipitationof sulphatcsis avoided-
- brine pH: by maintainingit between 7.7 and 7.9 fouling by Hg" and
iron corrosion, with consequentdeposit of the corrosionproducts, is
avoided;
- brine velocity in the tubes: its value is maintainedabove 1.5 m/
set; _
- concentration of CO in the degasifieroutlet. The control of acidi
fied make-up pH allow$ the reductionof total CO2 from 90 ppm at the
decarbonator inlet to 8 ppm at the outlet and to less than 2 ppm at
the bottom of the dcgasifies,
The periodic evaluation of the fouling factors is one of the tasks of
the computer, as has been described in previouspapers 13.7.
The fouling factor against the time curve is asymptotic, that is, it
tends to stabilize in the recovery section at about 0.00010 and
O.OQOZO m20C hr/Cal respectivelyat the cold and hot stages and at
0.0002~ in the reject section. The scale consistsof Cu20 and org&
n.icmatter in the reject section and of ~ef2,Mc+~C0 (Qi)
in the recovery section: in the last formula the bivd cnt E&Z 2:
Ca and Mg and the trivalent ions is Fe.
The tube bundle cleaning must be carried out annually with a procc
dure involving a low-speed circulationof inhibitedcommercial 5
HC1 in sea water; a substitutionof the hold-up by fresh vater; a
rinsing operation with sea-uater at an elevated speed until neutral
pH is reached; this cleaning is followed by passivationof the heat
exchange surfaces.

In the first half of 1971, the Bahrain Government, on the basis of a

feasibility study carried out by Preece, Cardev and Rider, Consulting
Engineers, decided to develop a project consistingin a plant prodg
cing paver and water for civil uses.
The first stage bf the project uas completed this year; it consists
of a dual purpose plant, built on Sitra Island, comprising:
- two 25/30 W steam turbogeneratorswith two associated450000 lb/hr
gas fired steam raising units and ancillary electricaland mechar+
ciilequipment;
- two 3 HCPD M!SFdistillationplants fecded with the steam from the
power station.
The project foresees a doubling of the present power productionand
the build up of another three a,8 IlGPDdistillationplants, so that
the water availabilitywould increase up to SO GDD per person, cons&
dering the present population.
LONG-TUBE ACID-DOSED HSF PLANTS 23

In late 1973, after an international tender, the Bahrain Government.

instructed the ,bcict& Italiana Resine to proceed with the design and
construction of the two desalination plants; the first unit was SUE:
cesfully completed after the reliabbilitytest, lasting one month, and
the final performance test, while the second one is under commission.
The desalination plants, designed according to the P.C.R. specifics
tions, are the Cross-tube pofyphosphate dosing, HSF type.
The brine-heater is fed xith low-pressure pass-out steam from the
turbogenerator and kith the low FreSSmC steam from the turbines
which drive the brine recirculation and the sea water pumps.
The main plant characteristics arc shown in Table 2 with the most in_
teresting performance test results compared to the design values as
rcquircd by the specifications,
An interesting point is that, without taking into account what has
been done in other similar plants, the main design choices, derived
from c.xperienccin the design and operation of Porto Torrcs plants,
were
- no painting at all of the evaporator shell internal;
- a complete dcaeration of the make-up water first by a physical pro
ccss with a vacuum dcaerator completely independent of the cvapor&
tor, and then by dosing the recirculating brine with an oxygen SC%
vengcr;
- chamber geometry with design paramctcrs similar to that of the Par
to forres plants, with reference to the vapour pattern, the dem:
stcr-flashing brine distance, the evaporating free surface area,
the flashing brine flow and the interstagc orifices;
- provision of a non-condensable venting system characterized by a c&
rcful design of the vapour cooling section and by a direct contact
precondenser put bcforc the cjcctor system.
The above mcntioncd choices lead to:
- efficient corrosion prevention resulting, together with other ad_
vantages, in a better polyphosphate dosin,0 bchzviour due to the
10s Fe content in the recirculating brine, and therefore in better
scale control;
- plant maintenance reduction depending on the absence of shell rc
pairs which normally occur in painted evaporators, due to heavy
localized corrosion phenomena uhcre the paint breaks off, part&
cularly in the hot stages;
- very pure desalted water and steadiness of its conductivity even
in large load ranges, thus practically avoiding dunping of the
product;
- hi& evaporation cfficicncy and low vapour pressure losses, rcsul_
ting in a better overall performance ratio,
The results obtained during the start-up, reliability and perform_
ce test of the plant confirm the validity of the design choiccs-
 0. BARRAET Al.
24 _________-_4.--~-
TARLE 2 - Bahrain plant

&mparisoJl of the design parameters

and of the performance test resJ.JIts

Dcsifn Pcl~fO?Vlti~~lC~* test

rcsul ts

Product m3/hr 472 52s

Perf .rotio lb/JO00 nt.u 5.9 6.5
Product ‘IDS ppm is 0. 5
Sea water temp. oc 3i! 32
Top brine temp. F 90.5 (JO.5
Recovery section fog
ling factor m2hroC/Cal 0. ww 0 . 0000 j
Brine Fe content ppb < 40
0 content in the
ma2ke-up before scavcn_
ger dosing PPb K ;o

&in plant features

we cross-tube
No of tiers I
NO of recovery stages I2
No of reject stages 3
Total heat transfer area, m2 325m
Evaporator rmterkls

Tubes Cu-NJ TO/30 L Al-brie>

Plates i‘u-SJ lined c.%.,: ‘.a~-br,Jsb
Shell h&J-eC.S.
Demistcrs Hone1
Water bows \:u-Ki Iincd C.S.
Internals .kISI 311,
Non-condtnsablc estr. system AIST 310
Rrine pipes bare C,S.

REFERE:IKES
&7 RARR!, D. “Suggestion for the dwclopmcnt of dosal ination
pI’Ogl’~aIlS in the future JJMccting on ii,Jtcr D~saI.inatioJJ
ncai”

for Economic Dcvclopmcnt, C,Jirc, Harch 197;.

122 D.BARRA, c.LIDZZ0, G.SPIZZICRINO, G.TAGLIA)‘IRRI - Port0

Torrcs Desalting Plants, Stb Int. symp. on Prt:sIr w,Jtrr from
the Sea, Vol. 2, 394, fcq,.

Lw BANM,D+; LIl’ZZ~,G.: wJd TACLIAIXRRI,C.; %,ttlcm.,tl,,,I !Io,i,.!

for Multiflash IksaI t in;: PI,int i:or~tJ-~)I”lttl I,,1 , h,n,p, L,,l
I+CSll Water VOI. I, I j&105, lYj,J.