Heat pumps as a source of heat energy for desalination of seawater

Thermal desalination plants consume large quantities of heat energy for seawater evaporation. In condensing water vapor procured in evaporators and cooling distillate, a major part of heat energy is lost in the environment. Heat energy in processes of condensation and evaporation in desalination of seawater is quantitatively equal but these processes take place under different temperatures. Different power plants such as turbines of thermal and atomic power stations usually are the source of heat energy for the desalination process. Extraction of heat for evaporators for desalters reduces heat and electric power production of power plants. Besides emission of heat, energy from desalters in the environment results in its heat pollution, a greenhouse effect. Thermodynamic analysis described in this paper shows that the heat pumps make it possible to use heat energy effectively at desalination plants. It is provided with the incorporation of a heat pump in the flow diagram of the desalination plant.