Home Technology Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations

  • Salah Ud-Din Khan EMAIL logo and Jamel Orfi
Published/Copyright: April 28, 2023
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Submit Manuscript Author Information
Kerntechnik
From the journal Kerntechnik Volume 88 Issue 3

Abstract

The research addressed the economic evaluation of nuclear energy, coal, oil and natural gas in various cycle configurations with different distillation technologies. A comparison between fossil and nuclear energy sources is discussed. A comprehensive review of all desalination plants using fossil and nuclear energy with cogeneration is also included and discussed. Computational model was used to evaluate nuclear and non-nuclear desalination plants. Four possibilities were discussed. In this first case, a nuclear gas cycle integrated with a MED desalination plant was found to have the lowest cost in the gas cycle. While the nuclear steam cycle integrated with RO has the lowest cost compared to oil and natural gas. In the third case, the combined nuclear cycle was discussed and it was found that the combined nuclear cycle associated with RO has the lowest cost. In the last case, the evaluation of a heat-only desalination plant was conducted among all sources, and it was found that the nuclear plant with RO and MED has the lowest cost. In addition, the completed nuclear desalination plant was subjected to five scenarios to calculate and estimate at which capacity the plant provides the best values. The results show that nuclear desalination with gas cycle is the most economical among the oil and natural gas options.

Keywords: case studies; comparative study; desalination technologies; fossils and nuclear; optimization; simulation
Corresponding author: Salah Ud-Din Khan, Sustainable Energy Technologies Center, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O.Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia; and K.A.CARE Energy Research and Innovation Center in Riyadh, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, E-mail:

Funding source: National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Award Identifier / Grant number: 2-17-02-001-0056

  1. Author contributions: Conceptualization, S.U.-D.K. and J.O.; methodology, S.U.-D.K.; software, Khan, S.U.-D.K.; validation, S.U.-D.K. and J.O.; formal analysis, J.O.; investigation, S.U.-D.K.; resources, S.U.-D.K.; data curation, S.U.-D.K. and J.O.; writing – original draft preparation, S.U.-D.K.; writing – review and editing, S.U.-D.K. and J.O.; visualization J.O.; supervision, S.U.-D.K.; project administration, J.O;

  2. Research funding: This research was funded by National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, grant number 2-17-02-001-0056.

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

References

Alagumalai, A., Anvari, S., and Awad, M.M. (2022). Water: a global grand challenge and a path forward. In: Solar-driven water treatment. Elsevier, USA, pp. 1–35.10.1016/B978-0-323-90991-4.00005-0Search in Google Scholar

Alessi, Y.M. and Al-Rabiah, A.A. (2022). A feasibility study of utilizing nuclear energy for an existing MED-TVC desalination plant. Appl. Sci. 12: 9506, https://doi.org/10.3390/app12199506.Search in Google Scholar

Al-Mutaz, I.S. (2001). Potential of nuclear desalination in the Arabian Gulf countries. Desalination 135: 187–194, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0011-9164(01)80001-1.Search in Google Scholar

And, T.C. (2019). Nuclear power reactor characteristics, 2015/16 pocket guide. World-nuclear.org, Available at: https://www.world-nuclear.org/uploadedFiles/org/WNA/Publications/Nuclear_Information/Pocket%20Guide%20Reactors.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Antenucci, A., Crespo del Granado, P., Gjorgiev, B., and Sansavini, G. (2019). Can models for long-term decarbonization policies guarantee security of power supply? a perspective from gas and power sector coupling. Energy Strategy Rev. 26: 100410, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.100410.Search in Google Scholar

Arabic Technologies (2020). Home. SWCC, Gov.sa, Available at: https://www.swcc.gov.sa/en.Search in Google Scholar

Bouaichaoui, Y., Belkaid, A., and Amzert, S.A. (2012). Economic and safety aspects in nuclear seawater desalination. Procedia Eng. 33: 146–154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2012.01.1187.Search in Google Scholar

Bouckaert, S., Mazauric, V., and Maïzi, N. (2014). Expanding renewable energy by implementing demand response. Energy Proc. 61: 1844–1847, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2014.12.226.Search in Google Scholar

Coal Formation (2000). Energyeducation.ca, Available at: https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Coal_formation.Search in Google Scholar

Collins, S., Saygin, D., Deane, J., Miketa, A., Gutierrez, L., Ó Gallachóir, B., and Gielen, D. (2018). Planning the European power sector transformation: the REmap modelling framework and its insights. Energy Strategy Rev. 22: 147–165, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2018.08.011.Search in Google Scholar

Collins, S., Deane, J.P., and Ó Gallachóir, B. (2017). Adding value to EU energy policy analysis using a multi-model approach with an EU-28 electricity dispatch model. Energy 130: 433–447, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.05.010.Search in Google Scholar

Cost and performance characteristics of new generating technologies, Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (2022) Eia.gov, Available at: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/assumptions/pdf/table_8.2.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Csik, B.J. and Kupitz, J. (1997). Nuclear power applications: supplying heat for homes and industries. IAEA Bull. 39: 21–25.Search in Google Scholar

DesalData (no date). Desaldata.com, Available at: https://www.desaldata.com.Search in Google Scholar

Drouineau, M., Maïzi, N., and Mazauric, V. (2014). Impacts of intermittent sources on the quality of power supply: the key role of reliability indicators. Appl. Energy 116: 333–343, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.11.069.Search in Google Scholar

El-Dessouky, H.T. and Ettouney, H.M. (2002). Fundamentals of salt water desalination. London, England: Elsevier Science.Search in Google Scholar

El-Wakil, M.M. (2002). LSC powerplant technology, 1st ed. Maidenhead, England: McGraw Hill Higher Education.Search in Google Scholar

e-Media Resources (2004). EES: Engineering equation solver, Fchartsoftware.com, Available at: http://www.fchartsoftware.com/ees/ (Accessed 6 March 2023).Search in Google Scholar

Freshwater from the seas (2014). Iaea.org, Available at: https://www.iaea.org/publications/magazines/bulletin/43-2/freshwater-seas (Accessed 7 March 2023).Search in Google Scholar

George, M. and Banerjee, R. (2011). A methodology for analysis of impacts of grid integration of renewable energy. Energy Pol. 39: 1265–1276, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.11.054.Search in Google Scholar

Giraldo, J.S., Gotham, D.J., Nderitu, D.G., Preckel, P.V., and Mize, D.J. (2012). Fundamentals of nuclear power. Technical report, State Utility Forecasting Group.Search in Google Scholar

Heylen, E., Deconinck, G., and Van Hertem, D. (2018). Review and classification of reliability indicators for power systems with a high share of renewable energy sources. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 97: 554–568, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.08.032.Search in Google Scholar

History of oil (2021). EKT interactive, Available at: https://www.ektinteractive.com/history-of-oil/ (Accessed 6 March 2023).Search in Google Scholar

IAEA (2013). Toolkit on nuclear desalination: DEEP 5 user manual. IAEA, Vienna, Austria.Search in Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency (2017a). New technologies for seawater desalination using nuclear energy. In: New technologies for seawater desalination using nuclear energy, IAEA, Austria, pp. 1–184.Search in Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency (2017b). Opportunities for cogeneration with nuclear energy. In: Opportunities for cogeneration with nuclear energy, IAEA, Austria, pp. 1–91.Search in Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency (2019a). Desalination economic evaluation program (DEEP). In: Desalination economic evaluation program (DEEP), IAEA, Austria, p. 1, Available at: https://www.iaea.org/publications/6049/desalination-economic-evaluation-program-deep.Search in Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency (2019b). Nuclear desalination of sea water proceedings of an international conference in Taejon, Republic of Korea, 26–30 May 1997. In: Nuclear desalination of sea water proceedings of an international conference in Taejon, Republic of Korea, 26–30 May 1997, IAEA, Austria, pp. 1–557.Search in Google Scholar

International Atomic Energy Agency (2019c). Nuclear heat applications: design aspects and operating experience. In: Nuclear heat applications: design aspects and operating experience, IAEA, Austria, pp. 1–382, Available at: https://www.iaea.org/publications/5353/nuclear-heat-applications-design-aspects-and-operating-experience.Search in Google Scholar

Kavvadias, K.C. and Khamis, I. (2014). Sensitivity analysis and probabilistic assessment of seawater desalination costs fueled by nuclear and fossil fuel. Energy Pol. 74: S24–S30, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.01.033.Search in Google Scholar

Khamis, I. (2010). Overview of nuclear desalination technologies & costs. Oecd-nea.org, Available at: https://www.oecd-nea.org/ndd/workshops/nucogen/presentations/8_Khamis_Overview-nuclear-desalination.pdf (Accessed 7 March 2023).Search in Google Scholar

Khan, S.U.-D. and Orfi, J. (2021). Socio-economic and environmental impact of nuclear desalination. Water 13: 1637, https://doi.org/10.3390/w13121637.Search in Google Scholar

Khan, S.U.-D. and Nakhabov, A. (Eds.) (2020). Nuclear reactor technology development and utilization. Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge (USA).Search in Google Scholar

Khan, S.U.D., Haider, S., El-Leathy, A., Rana, U.A., Danish, S.N., and Ullah, R. (2017). Development and techno-economic analysis of small modular nuclear reactor and desalination system across Middle East and North Africa region. Desalination 406: 51–59, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2016.05.008.Search in Google Scholar

Khan, S.U.D. and Khan, S.U.D. (2017). Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP): as case study for techno-economic assessment of nuclear power coupled with water desalination. Energy 127: 372–380, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.02.055.Search in Google Scholar

Khan, S.U.D., Khan, S.U.D., and Peng, M. (2020). Nuclear power plant systems. In: Nuclear reactor technology development and utilization. Elsevier, USA, pp. 433–471.10.1016/B978-0-12-818483-7.00014-7Search in Google Scholar

Khuwaileh, B.A., Alzaabi, F.E., Almomani, B., and Ali, M. (2022). Technology options and cost estimates of nuclear powered desalination in the United Arab Emirates. J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.: 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2100838.Search in Google Scholar

Kim, H.S. and No, H.C. (2012). Thermal coupling of HTGRs and MED desalination plants, and its performance and cost analysis for nuclear desalination. Desalination 303: 17–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2012.07.004.Search in Google Scholar

Li, J., Sun, H., Ye, X., Gao, S., and Yang, J. (2019). Economic evaluation of 20,000 M3/Day seawater desalination coupling with floating reactor nuclear power plant. IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 300: 042053, https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/300/4/042053.Search in Google Scholar

Mansouri, N.Y. and Ghoniem, A.F. (2017). Does nuclear desalination make sense for Saudi Arabia? Desalination 406: 37–43, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2016.07.009.Search in Google Scholar

Matar, W. and Elshurafa, A.M. (2018). Electricity transmission formulations in multi-sector national planning models: an illustration using the KAPSARC energy model. Energy Rep. 4: 328–340, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2018.04.004.Search in Google Scholar

Megahed, M.M. (2009). Feasibility of nuclear power and desalination on El-Dabaa site. Desalination 246: 238–256, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2008.03.054.Search in Google Scholar

Naizghi, M.S., Tesfay, W.G., and Fath, H.E.S. (2011). Nuclear desalination and its viability for UAE. The Sharjah International Conference on Nuclear and Renewable Energy Energies for the 21st Century (SHJ-NRE11), Sharjah, UAE.Search in Google Scholar

Nuclear desalination (2017). Iaea.org, Available at: https://www.iaea.org/topics/non-electric-applications/nuclear-desalination.Search in Google Scholar

Nuclear Energy Agency (2011). Carbon pricing, power markets and the competitiveness of nuclear power. OECD, Paris.Search in Google Scholar

Nuclear Energy Agency and International Energy Agency (2020). Projected costs of generating electricity 2020. OECD, France.10.1787/a6002f3b-enSearch in Google Scholar

Nuclear Power Reactors (2003). World-nuclear.org, Available at: https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/nuclear-power-reactors.aspx.Search in Google Scholar

Paul, S. and Lama, W. (2020). Civilian uses and challenges of nuclear energy. In: Encyclopedia of the UN sustainable development goals. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–9.10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_48-1Search in Google Scholar

Ricotti, M.E. and Fomin, R.V. (2020). Small modular reactors. In: Nuclear reactor technology development and utilization. Elsevier, USA, pp. 187–211.10.1016/B978-0-12-818483-7.00005-6Search in Google Scholar

Rothwell, G. (2004). Nuclear power economics. In: Encyclopedia of energy. Elsevier, USA, pp. 383–394.10.1016/B0-12-176480-X/00142-XSearch in Google Scholar

Saadooni, J. (2018). Desalination option in the Tunisia nuclear power project. In: Proceedings of the 16th INPRO dialogue forum on opportunities and issues in non-electric applications of nuclear energy. Vienna, Austria, pp. 12–14.Search in Google Scholar

Saadouni, J. (2018). Desalination option in the Tunisia nuclear power project, Iaea.org, Available at: https://nucleus.iaea.org/sites/INPRO/df16/Day-2/Tunisia_saadouni.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Sánchez-Cervera, I.G., Kavvadias, K.C., and Khamis, I. (2013). DE-TOP: a new IAEA tool for the thermodynamic evaluation of nuclear desalination. Desalination 321: 103–109, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2011.10.005.Search in Google Scholar

Seneviratne, B.Y.G. (no date). Research projects show nuclear desalination economical, Ans.org, Available at: http://www2.ans.org/pubs/magazines/nn/docs/2007-4-3.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Shatilla, Y. (2020). Nuclear desalination. In: Nuclear reactor technology development and utilization. Elsevier, USA, pp. 247–270.10.1016/B978-0-12-818483-7.00007-XSearch in Google Scholar

“Synthetic” fuels, oil shale and tar sands (1991). Psu.edu, Available at: https://personal.ems.psu.edu/∼radovic/Chapter10.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

The Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World (2018). Main. MIT energy initiative, Available at: https://energy.mit.edu/research/future-nuclear-energy-carbon-constrained-world.Search in Google Scholar

Tilehnoee, M.H. (2011). A comparison between fossil and nuclear power plants pollution and their environmental effects. J. Power Energy Eng. 5.Search in Google Scholar

UN-Water (2003). UN world Water development report 2003, UN-Water, Available at: https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report-2003.Search in Google Scholar

User’s Manual (no date). Desalination economic evaluation program (DEEP), Iaea.org, Available at: https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/CMS-14.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Wu, S. (2006). Analysis of water production costs of a nuclear desalination plant with a nuclear heating reactor coupled with MED processes. Desalination 190: 287–294, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2005.08.010.Search in Google Scholar

Wu, S. and Zheng, W. (2002). Coupling of nuclear heating reactor with desalination process. Desalination 142: 187–193, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0011-9164(01)00438-6.Search in Google Scholar

Zohuri, B. (2020). Generation IV nuclear reactors. In: Nuclear reactor technology development and utilization. Elsevier, USA, pp. 213–246.10.1016/B978-0-12-818483-7.00006-8Search in Google Scholar
Received: 2022-11-02
Published Online: 2023-04-28
Published in Print: 2023-06-27

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Scaling effect on cesium diffusion in compacted MX-80 bentonite for buffer materials in HLW repository
  3. Enhanced heat transfer in corrugated plate fin heat sink
  4. Discussion of options to increase the control drum worth in fast reactor
  5. New semi-empirical systematic of (p,n) reaction cross section at 7.5 MeV
  6. Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations
  7. Performance analysis of nuclear powered desalination unit based on MED-TVC: a case study for Saudi Arabia
  8. Analysis of 4-inch cold leg top-slot break LOCA in ATLAS experimental facility using MARS-KS
  9. Evaluating the performance of Indonesia’s nuclear energy program using INPRO methodology
  10. Thermal hydraulic analysis of VVER spent fuels stored in vault dry system under different operating and design conditions
  11. Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO2 fuel via two approaches
  12. Euler–Maruyama algorithm in estimating UGV path and location in nuclear emergency and security applications
  13. Modeling and simulation of deposited energy gain via irradiation of heavy ion beams on the fusion reactor contains spherical fuel capsules with foam
  14. Calendar of events
https://doi.org/10.1515/kern-2022-0100
Keywords for this article
case studies; comparative study; desalination technologies; fossils and nuclear; optimization; simulation

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Scaling effect on cesium diffusion in compacted MX-80 bentonite for buffer materials in HLW repository
  3. Enhanced heat transfer in corrugated plate fin heat sink
  4. Discussion of options to increase the control drum worth in fast reactor
  5. New semi-empirical systematic of (p,n) reaction cross section at 7.5 MeV
  6. Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations
  7. Performance analysis of nuclear powered desalination unit based on MED-TVC: a case study for Saudi Arabia
  8. Analysis of 4-inch cold leg top-slot break LOCA in ATLAS experimental facility using MARS-KS
  9. Evaluating the performance of Indonesia’s nuclear energy program using INPRO methodology
  10. Thermal hydraulic analysis of VVER spent fuels stored in vault dry system under different operating and design conditions
  11. Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO2 fuel via two approaches
  12. Euler–Maruyama algorithm in estimating UGV path and location in nuclear emergency and security applications
  13. Modeling and simulation of deposited energy gain via irradiation of heavy ion beams on the fusion reactor contains spherical fuel capsules with foam
  14. Calendar of events
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 11.12.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/kern-2022-0100/pdf
Scroll to top button