Desalination using Multiple Effect Evaporator

[aly55a]

Hi,
I have a project in which I have to design a desalination process using Multiple Effect Evaporator. Right now, I am in the process of calculating of the cost of the design. My questions are, how do I obtain the cost of the equipments such as Multiple effect evaporator or pumps or pipes, or others? ( besides calling to a company and ask them) I am having difficulty in these since this is my first designing project and I would really appreciate any help.

Thanks..

Anastasia

 

[mohtogh]

http://matche.com/EquipCost/index.htm

 

[EdStainless]

You might try working backward for an esitmate also. You can probably find budget estimates from other similar projects. Correct for the project size. Subtract the portions that you can identify. And work with the remianing costs. This should let you at least create some upper bounds.

There are two or three distictly different types of ME desal plants. Make sure that keep that part straight.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.

http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm

 

[Montemayor]

Anastasia:

Your query is either not expressed well or you are trying to do several things at the same time when you should be doing a step-wise process. First of all, is this a formal, industrial application, a pilot plant, or an academic assignment? Or is this a feasibility study for general interest? What is the degree of accuracy on the total cost that you require? You admit you don’t know how to obtain estimated costs; then, how is it you were assigned a project such as this if you are neither experienced nor trained? I ask this because this is not what is done in industry.

Nevertheless, what is done in industry is:

An engineering study is implemented after identifying the process desired; this is done in-house or contracted out with an engineering firm who specializes in this. You state you are “in the process of calculating of the cost of the design”. This tells me that you are in the process of estimating the cost of engineering work to do the actual design and estimate. But this is confusing. I thought you were doing the design. This needs clarification or a better explanation of what is it exactly that you need.

You should not be involved in equipment cost estimating until all the design is done, finished, and checked. And then, if this is an industrial application, a professional cost estimator (or so-called “cost engineer”) is employed to compile the cost estimate of every cost item – not the design engineer. I have done this in this manner for over 40 years at the plant level and at the corporate level.

Engineering man-hours are currently costing from $60 -$85. At this rate, a company has to have a serious reason to start a cost study – and it must have a definite scope of work and an identified accuracy of the cost study that it must have in order to reach a logical decision. Cost estimates will run all over the place – depending on what you are seeking and with what degree of accuracy. By personal experience I can tell you that to estimate a project better than 25% accurate, you had better have a lot of money to spend on detail engineering design and time required to generate such a study. I’m citing personal experience in estimating and studies involving world-scale projects with firms such as Fluor-Daniels, Bechtel, M.W. Kellogg, etc., etc.. In order to allow us to help you must be very specific and detailed in explaining what is it that you require help in – and why. Otherwise we’ll all waste a lot of valuable engineering time.


Art Montemayor
Spring, TX

 

[rmw]

Googling the words "multi stage flash evaporation" got me 17,500 hits, and some premier manufacturers on the first several pages. I did not see Beaird Industries in Shreveport, LA, nor MECO in New Olreans, but I did not look very far into it. Aquatech was on the first page, and Aquachem comes to mind as another one that was in the business when I was a design engr for one of the above.

This should give you some places to contact to get started.

rmw

 

[DeltaCascade]

Is this a school project? Normally, one person does not a design team make. Before costing, you would of course have to size the equipment, then , services of a cost estimator would be recommended (perhaps try Perry's handbook for a start, or your local library).
Good luck.

 

[Torricelli]

http://www.vacuum-guide.com/firmenlisten/produkte/seawater_desalination.htm

 

[bewdley]

Well, if you have a base, Chemical Engineering magazine (

http://www.che.com)

has the CPI index. You have to pay to get old data, but you may consult (to an extent) for free.

Another rule of the thumb, requiring basic data, is the exponent correction : for evaporators and similar equipment my company manufactures, we use a .7 exponent on the evaporative capacity ratio.

Generally, equipment cost is the most difficult to define, and requires long time to build, and good skills to manage...

However, I believe Montemayor expressed very clearly the core of the matter...