Fresh Water Production System Design for a 5000 Tonnes Offshore Work Barge [ ]


The need for fresh water production for the crew and running machinery on board an offshore structure has led to the need for the design of distillation plants. Firstly, the water requirements for the crew and running machinery were estimated and analyzed through the application of Classification Society Rule. Since the need to provide water (for 100 crew, 6 running machinery and other miscellaneous serviceses ) for the offshore vessel with a plant that will distill as much quantity of fresh water from brackish sea water with good quality is very vital, this research therefore looked at using mathematical models to design a distillation plant (Multistage Flash evaporator Plant). Since the design of the production plant is for the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in Africa, the total water consumption for the crew per day is estimated at 15,000 liters and that for the machinery and other uses are put at 120 liters. The design cost, material availability, maintainability, durability, production capacity, space occupied and other considerations made, has chosen the Multistage Flash Evaporator Plant to be the best option for greater capacity to produce as much quantity of fresh water needed on board with profit maximization for crew and machinery purposes. All designs were done in accordance with the rules of the classification society and a computer programming written for Multistage Flash evaporator.