PERFORMANCE OF MATERIALS USED FOR THE VENTING SYSTEM IN WEDS DESALINATION PLANTS (MSF)

The removal of non-condensable gasses (nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dio xide) is vital for the successful operation of all thermal desalinatio n plants. Every plant is equipped with means for removing them. Howeve r, the majority of MSF evaporators use steam ejector connected to a co ndenser to release them. The nature of these gases is very aggressive because the Arabian Gulf water contains in addition to nitrogen, oxyge n and carbon dioxide, the bromine gas [3-6] which can cause severe loc alized corrosion problems with conventional stainless steels. Such cor rosion had been reported in some MSF plants [1-2]. The present investi gation surveys the performance of different materials used for venting systems over the last 15 years in WED's MSF plants in different place s in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.