Study of the efficiency of produced water and the environmental impact of returned water At the Zawiya seawater desalination plant

Abstract

Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) seawater desalination technology has been implemented in several desalination plants in Libya. This technology is characterized by lower energy consumption, reduced freshwater production costs, and higher thermal efficiency compared with other desalination technologies.  Al-Zawiya Sea water Desalination Plant is one of the facilities utilizing the MED system. This study aims to evaluate the quality of the water produced by the plant, assess the efficiency of salt removal from seawater, and investigate the environmental impact of the brine discharge returned to the sea. The results showed that the desalination plant achieved an optimal dissolved salts removal efficiency of 63.47%, indicating a satisfactory level of produced water quality. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of brine discharge to minimize potential environmental impacts on the marine ecosystem.