Heuristic control of multi-stage desalination plants under variable available power

A heuristic strategy is presented and evaluated to operate desalination plants designed for variable power availability. This control strategy is based on two consecutive steps: first developing a prioritized list of units of the water plant based on the current state of the plant and the expected water demand, and then distributing the available energy among those units following the prioritized list. The proposed strategy is evaluated on a case study: a desalination plant designed for production of demineralized water powered by a combination of wind and wave energy. Simulation results show the correct operation of the plant under this control.