Exergy analysis of the SOL-14 plant (Plataforma Solar de Almer?a, Spain)

In July, 1988, the first start-up of a solar multi-effect distillation system took place at the Plataforma Solar de Almer?a, a solar research centre located in southeastern Spain, near Almeria. The plant, known as "Sol-14", is still in operation. The plant was built and connected to the previous existing solar facilities as a result of a Spanish¯¯German project, which consisted of two phases. The main purpose of Phase I was to study the reliability and feasibility of solar desalination. The objective of Phase II was the design and implementation of those improvements that could make solar thermal desalination more competitive. The initial vacuum system was replaced, and a double-effect absorption heat pump was coupled to the MED plant that was already installed. This solar desalination system was thermodynamically analyzed in order to propose possible improvements of the system. This study complements previous sensitivity analyses of the Sol-14 plant. Further thermoeconomic evaluation of these suggestions, which are out of the scope of this paper, will permit optimization of the system.