A Technical-and-economic Analysis of Seawater Desalination Plants Integrated into Nuclear Power Plants with VVER-1200 Reactors

Authors

  • Ахмед Атеф Абубакр Халиль [Ahmed Atef] Абдельразек [Abdelrazek]
  • Мостафа Мохаммед Ахмед[Mostafa Mohammed] Салех [Saleh]
  • Александр [Aleksandr] Антонович [A.] Калютик [Kalyutik]
  • Арафа Файез Имам [Arafa Fayez Imam] Мохаммед [Mohammed]
  • Екатерина [Ekaterina] Андреевна [A.] Соколова [Sokolova]

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24160/1993-6982-2025-1-119-127

Keywords:

water shortage, seawater desalination, reverse osmosis, liquid flashing, multistage distillation, nuclear power plant, VVER-1200

Abstract

The shortage of water is a problem that threatens many regions in the world, especially the poorest countries in the North Africa and Middle East with arid climate and high population density. Water is a limited resource, yet the demand for it is constantly increasing because of the increase in the world's population, and also because of climate change. The use of nuclear energy for seawater desalination seems to be one of the most promising solutions to the water shortage problem. From the environmental standpoint, it is one of the best options as it produces the minimal emissions of gaseous pollutants and is regarded as a sustainable source of energy. The use of nuclear desalination plants is suitable for many countries in the Middle East and North Africa region that suffer from a shortage of fresh water and at the same time have large coastal areas washed by sea water. The article presentsa technical and economic assessment of various types of seawater desalination plants when integrated into a nuclear power plant with VVER-1200 type reactors. A MATLAB code has been developed to facilitate the economic calculations of integrating seawater desalination plants into NPPs with VVER-1200 reactors. The MATLAB code was developed based on the technical and economic parameters of VVER-1200 reactors and the parameters of two types of seawater desalination systems (thermal and membrane ones), and using the computational methods approved by the IAEA.

Author Biographies

Ахмед Атеф Абубакр Халиль [Ahmed Atef] Абдельразек [Abdelrazek]

Ph.D.-student of Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Power Engineering, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, e-mail: abdelrazek.a@edu.spbstu.ru

Мостафа Мохаммед Ахмед[Mostafa Mohammed] Салех [Saleh]

Ph.D.-student of Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Power Engineering, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, e-mail: saleh.m@edu.spbstu.ru

Александр [Aleksandr] Антонович [A.] Калютик [Kalyutik]

Ph.D. (Techn.), Assistant Professor, Director of Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Power Engineering, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, e-mail: aa_kalyutik@spbstu.ru

Арафа Файез Имам [Arafa Fayez Imam] Мохаммед [Mohammed]

Ph.D.-student of Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Power Engineering, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, e-mail: mohammed.a@edu.spbstu.ru

Екатерина [Ekaterina] Андреевна [A.] Соколова [Sokolova]

Ph.D. (Techn.), Assistant Professor of Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Power Engineering, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, e-mail: sokolova_ea@spbstu.ru

References

1. The United Nations World Water Development Rep. Paris, 2023.
2. Introduction of Nuclear Desalination. Technical Rep. Series No. 400. Vienna: IAEA Publ., 2000.
3. DEEP 5 (User Manual Desalination Economic Evaluation Program). Vienna: IAEA Publ., 2013.
4. Qasim M. e. a. Water Desalination by Forward (Direct) Osmosis Phenomenon: a Comprehensive Review // Desalination. 2015. V. 374. Pp. 47—69.
5. Al Bazedi G.A. e. a. Coupling Pressurised Water Reactor to Large Scale SWRO Desalination Plants: an Economic Assessment // Intern. J. Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology. 2019. V. 4(3). Pp. 198—211
6. Федорович Е.Д., Калютик А.А., Конюшин М.В., Соколова Е.А. Перспективы развития отечественных технологий ядерного опреснения // Технический оппонент. 2019. № 4(5). С. 17—22.
7. IAEA: Status Report for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs — Rep. 108. VVER-1200(V491) (VVER-1200 (V-491)). Vienna: Intern. Atomic Energy Agency, 2011.
8. Economics of Nuclear Desalination: New Developments and Site Specific Studies, Final Results of a Coordinated Research Project 2002—2006. Vienna: Intern. Atomic Energy Agency, 2007. Pp 23—38.
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Для цитирования: Абдельразек А.А., Салех М.М., Мохаммед А.Ф., Калютик А.А., Соколова Е.А. Технико-экономический анализ сочетания установок опреснения морской воды с атомными электростанциями на базе реакторов типа ВВЭР-1200 // Вестник МЭИ. 2025. № 1. С. 119—127. DOI: 10.24160/1993-6982-2025-1-119-127.
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Конфликт интересов: авторы заявляют об отсутствии конфликта интересов
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1. The United Nations World Water Development Rep. Paris, 2023.
2. Introduction of Nuclear Desalination. Technical Rep. Series No. 400. Vienna: IAEA Publ., 2000.
3. DEEP 5 (User Manual Desalination Economic Evaluation Program). Vienna: IAEA Publ., 2013.
4. Qasim M. e. a. Water Desalination by Forward (Direct) Osmosis Phenomenon: a Comprehensive Review. Desalination. 2015;374:47—69.
5. Al Bazedi G.A. e. a. Coupling Pressurised Water Reactor to Large Scale SWRO Desalination Plants: an Economic Assessment. Intern. J. Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology. 2019;4(3):198—211
6. Fedorovich E.D., Kalyutik A.A., Konyushin M.V., Sokolova E.A. Perspektivy Razvitiya Otechestvennykh Tekhnologiy Yadernogo Opresneniya. Tekhnicheskiy Opponent. 2019;4(5):17—22. (in Russian).
7. IAEA: Status Report for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Designs — Rep. 108. VVER-1200(V491) (VVER-1200 (V-491)). Vienna: Intern. Atomic Energy Agency, 2011.
8. Economics of Nuclear Desalination: New Developments and Site Specific Studies, Final Results of a Coordinated Research Project 2002—2006. Vienna: Intern. Atomic Energy Agency, 2007:23—38
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For citation: Abdelrazek A.A., Saleh M.M., Mohammed A.F., Kalyutik A.A., Sokolova E.A. A Technical-and-economic Analysis of Seawater Desalination Plants Integrated into Nuclear Power Plants with VVER-1200 Reactors. Bulletin of MPEI. 2025;1:119—127. (in Russian). DOI: 10.24160/1993-6982-2025-1-119-127.
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Conflict of interests: the authors declare no conflict of interest

Published

2024-10-24

Issue

Section

Nuclear Power Plants, Fuel Cycle, Radiation Safety (Technical Sciences) (2.4.9)