Optimization of Outfall Systems in RO Desalination Plants (Case study: Bandar Abbas Desalination)

The outfall system is a medium to discharge the liquid waste generated by desalination plants, refineries and power plants to the marine environment. Optimal design and operation of an outfall system reduces the concentration of pollutants returned to the marine environment. Numerous researches have been carried out to study the different elements of outfall systems and related design basics. These studies can be generally divided into three distinct sections: hydraulic design of discharge system, near-field and far-field flow dynamics. In this paper, the outfall system of Bandar Abbas desalination plant is designed and optimized in accordance with an optimization algorithm. For this purpose, the requirements and design criteria of outfall systems are presented and the hydraulic design and salinity distribution are discussed, using CorHyd and VISJET models.