Combination multi-effect distillation and multi-stage flash evaporation system

A combination multi-effect distillation and multi-stage flash evaporation system, comprising:

• a multi-stage flash evaporation system comprising a brine heater and a plurality of flashing and condensation stages, the multi-stage flash evaporation system receiving a volume of saltwater from an external source and producing distilled water by sequential flashing effect and passing brine and the distilled water from one stage to the next, and finally forwarding the brine from the last flashing stage to a multi-effect distillation system for further evaporation;
• and
• the multi-effect distillation system comprising a plurality of condensation and evaporation effects and a final condenser, the last stage of the multi-effect distillation system receiving the brine from the multi-stage flash evaporation system for further evaporation by film boiling thereof and producing a desalinated water distillate;
• and
• wherein the saltwater feeding the multi-stage flash evaporation system at ambient temperature is heated to a maximum permissible temperature without formation and precipitation of sulfate scale (salts) and concurrently the brine and the desalinated water distillate are cooled by sequential efficient flashing effect with minimum temperature-dependent non-equilibrium losses and exiting the last flashing stage at a temperature approximately at midpoint between ambient and the maximum permissible temperature;
• and
• wherein the brine enters the first effect of the multi-effect distillation system and continues to evaporate sequentially by efficient film boiling with no non-equilibrium losses;
• and
• wherein vapor from the last effect condenses in the final condenser, which is the main heat sink in the combination system, and the brine exiting the last effect of the multi-effect distillation system at temperature very near ambient temperature;
• and
• wherein the desalinated water distillate accumulated in the last flashing stage of the multi-stage flash evaporation system is forwarded to the first effect of the multi-effect distillation system at a temperature approximately at midpoint between ambient and the maximum permissible temperature, and the sensible heat of the distilled water by successive flashing in the multi-effect distillation system and exiting the last effect at a temperature very near ambient temperature.