Natural gas liquid fractionation plant waste heat conversion to simultaneous power and potable water using organic rankine cycle and modified multi-effect-distillation systems

A method of recovering heat energy generated by a natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation plant, the method comprising:

• circulating a first heating fluid through a first heating fluid circuit thermally coupled to a first plurality of heat sources of a natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation plant;
• circulating a second heating fluid through a second heating fluid circuit thermally coupled to at least one second heat source of the NGL fractionation plant;
• generating electrical power through a power generation system that comprises an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), the ORC comprising (i) a working fluid that is thermally coupled to the first heating fluid circuit to heat the working fluid, and (ii) a expander configured to generate the electrical power from the heated working fluid;
• producing potable water with a multi-effect-distillation (MED) system that is thermally coupled to the second heating fluid circuit from heat transferred to the MED system from the second heating fluid circuit;
• actuating, with a control system, a first set of control valves to selectively thermally couple the first heating fluid circuit to at least a portion of the first plurality of heat sources of the NGL fractionation plant;
• and
• actuating, with the control system, a second set of control valves to selectively thermally couple the second heating fluid circuit to the at least one second heat source of the NGL fractionation plant.