Integrated Power And Desalination Plants

Book excerpt: Application of advanced computer-oriented techniques are necessary in the synthesis, design analysis and operation of a complex integrated plant to produce power and freshwater, by desalting seawater or brackish water, at higher efficiency and lower cost. These are the two vital commodities to maintains sustainability of life, particularly in the arid regions where natural freshwater supply is either totally lacking or has become scarce. Even in the regions with polluted water resources, such a system is required to support life. At the same time, the available energy should be put to maximum use and life-cycle analysis is essential to ensure sustainability of the systems. The contributors of this book, experts in their own respective fields, outline the various techniques enriched by their experience. The contents of the book would, therefore, be of great interest not only to designers and operators of dual-purpose power-desalination plants but also to educators and researchers as well serve as a valuable source of information to those engaged in other areas of processing industry. The book is motivated by the growing importance of integrated power and desalination plants in general and in their respective regions in particular, and the long felt need for an authoritative book on the subject. After a long gap of more than two decades following the publication of "Principles of Desalination" Spiegler and Laird in 1980, this book would be a welcome addition to the literature in the field to serve as a valuable guide and reference to all those who are concerned with the integration of power and desalination plants. It will also serve as a valuable source of information to those in the processing industry in general.