Coupling of MED-TVC with SMART for a nuclear desalination

The integrated SMART desalination plant consists of four units of a Multi Effect Desalination Process combined with a Thermal-Vapor Compressor (MED-TVC). The units are coupled with the SMART power system through an intermediate heat transfer loop. The major function of the intermediate heat transfer loop is to protect the desalination plant from a radioactive contamination and produce a medium pressure motive steam by using the steam extracted from the turbine. Radioactivity monitoring systems were also installed in the water production system and the intermediate loop where the concentration of radioactivity is higher than that in the desalination plant. These systems will provide an enhanced capability for radioactivity detection. Since the desalination plants are connected thermally with the SMART power system, the transients of the desalination system can directly influence the operation of the SMART plant. The slow transient, such as a gradual reduction in the energy demand of the desalination system can be easily accommodated for by the SMART system through either the load following capability or a cut-back of the energy supply to the desalination system. Thus, only the fast transients induced by the desalination system become important events to be considered for the safety of the SMART desalination plant. For the disturbances of the SMART desalination plant, several events were identified as the potential disturbances imposed by the desalination plant. The impacts of these disturbances on the Design Basis Accidents and Performance Related Basis Events of the SMART plant were evaluated by the conservative bounding approach of the key safety parameters and the results showed no additional safety concerns for the SMART desalination plant.