Multi-stage flash distillation

Methods

Distillation
- Multi-stage flash distillation (MSF)
- Multiple-effect distillation (MED)
- Vapor-compression (VC)
Ion exchange
Membrane processes
- Electrodialysis reversal (EDR)
- Reverse osmosis (RO)
- Nanofiltration (NF)
- Membrane distillation (MD)
- Forward osmosis (FO)
Freezing desalination
Geothermal desalination
Solar desalination
- Solar humidification–dehumidification (HDH)
- Multiple-effect humidification (MEH)
- Seawater greenhouse
Methane hydrate crystallization
High grade water recycling
Wave-powered desalination

Multi-stage flash distillation (MSF) is a water desalination process that distills sea water by flashing a portion of the water into steam in multiple stages of what are essentially countercurrent heat exchangers. Current MSF facilities may have as many as 30 stages.^[1]

Multi-stage flash distillation plants produce about 26% of all desalinated water in the world, but almost all of new desalination plants currently use reverse osmosis due to much lower energy consumption.^[2]

^ "Multi-Stage Flash - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics".
^ Ghaffour, Noreddine; Missimer, Thomas M.; Amy, Gary L. (January 2013). "Technical review evaluation of the economics of water desalination: Current and future challenges for better water supply sustainability" (PDF). Desalination. 309: 197–207. Bibcode:2013Desal.309..197G. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2012.10.015. hdl:10754/562573. S2CID 3900528.

[1] "Multi-Stage Flash - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics".

[2] Ghaffour, Noreddine; Missimer, Thomas M.; Amy, Gary L. (January 2013). "Technical review evaluation of the economics of water desalination: Current and future challenges for better water supply sustainability" (PDF). Desalination. 309: 197–207. Bibcode:2013Desal.309..197G. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2012.10.015. hdl:10754/562573. S2CID 3900528.

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