Mechanical vapor compression desalination system

2:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the secondary compressor is fluidly connected to the vapor outlet of the first evaporator and the vapor outlet of the at least one intermediate evaporator and the tube inlet of the first evaporator.

3:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the secondary compressor is fluidly connected to the vapor outlet of the first evaporator and the tube inlet of the first evaporator.

4:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the secondary compressor is fluidly connected to the vapor outlet of an intermediate evaporator and the tube inlet of the first evaporator.

5:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the primary compressor and the secondary compressor are fluidly connected to the tube inlet of the first evaporator in parallel.

6:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein a pressure ratio of the secondary compressor is in the range of 1.1 to 3.

7:

• The desalination system of claim 1, which includes 3 to 12 evaporators.

8:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein each evaporator further comprises a demister to remove water droplets from the vapor that is rejected from the interior of the evaporator.

9:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the tube that is located in the interior of the evaporator has a coil shape.

10:

• The desalination system of claim 1, further comprising:
• a brine line that is fluidly connected to the brine outlet of at least one evaporator, wherein the brine line discharges the brine.

11:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the evaporators are fluidly connected in series with a parallel feed configuration.

12:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the evaporators are fluidly connected in series with a parallel/cross feed configuration.

13:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the evaporators are fluidly connected in series with a forward feed configuration.

14:

• The desalination system of claim 1, further comprising:
• a first heat exchanger that is located on the distillate line and the saline water line, wherein the first heat exchanger transfers heat from the water condensate to the saline water.

15:

• The desalination system of claim 10, further comprising:
• a second heat exchanger that is located on the brine line and the saline water line, wherein the second heat exchanger transfers heat from the brine to the saline water.

16:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the saline water is no more than 80° C.

17:

• The desalination system of claim 1, wherein the primary and/or the secondary compressors are powered by solar energy.

18:

• The desalination system of claim 1, which does not include a condenser.

19:

• The desalination system of claim 1,
• wherein an extraction ratio of the secondary compressor ranges from 0.05 to 0.95, and
• wherein a specific power consumption of the desalination system ranges from 4.0 to 16 kWh per one cubic meter of the water condensate formed.

20:

• The desalination system of claim 1,
• wherein an extraction ratio of the secondary compressor ranges from 0.05 to 0.95, and
• wherein an exergy efficiency of the desalination system ranges from 75% to 95%.

21:

• The desalination system of claim 1,
• wherein the plurality of evaporators that are fluidly connected in series is defined by N, and
• wherein the secondary compressor is fluidly connected to the vapor outlet of an evaporator that is defined by N/2 and the tube inlet of the first evaporator.

22:

• The desalination system of claim 1, which has a specific heat transfer area that is substantially the same as the specific heat transfer area of a desalination system that does not include the secondary compressor.

23:

• The desalination system of claim 21, wherein a ratio of an exergy efficiency of the desalination system to an exergy efficiency of a desalination system that does not include a secondary compressor is in the range of 1.1:1 to 1.8:1.