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PB's Paul Willson (left) and George Atkinson |
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The Shuweihat project features the largest multi-stage flash desalination units in the world. |
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Providing New Solutions
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PB provided owner's engineer services to SCIPCO for the implementation phase of the project, from pre-construction through completion. SCIPCO is a joint venture of CMS Energy and International Power. PB also served as technical consultant to the two firms during the development process leading to bid submission. Overall services included:
- Project management;
- Cycle optimization and technical support;
- Construction and commissioning oversight;
- Detailed design review;
- Claims evaluation; and
- Plant testing and review.
One of the key outcomes of the project was PB's development of the first significant change to the multi-stage flash desalination process since its invention in 1957: the PB Drains Cooler technology. Developed by PB engineers Paul Willson (who served as the Project Director) and George Atkinson, this modification reduces fuel consumption by capturing and recycling the heat of the hot condensate from the seawater heater back into the distiller, which enables steam generator stack losses to be minimized. Testing proved that the process resulted in a 3-percent reduction in steam consumption, a 1-percent savings in fuel, and a decline of 75,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions―a significant improvement for an additional project cost of 0.1 percent.
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