Multi-stage flash (MSF) evaporator technology was for a long time the most popular technology for large seawater desalination plants. However, MSF has had to face strong competitors in recent years. Reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-effect distillation (MED) are squeezing MSF out of the market. Is there really a future for MSF? This article looks at the technology’s development, its costs, its capabilities and its modern relevance. It first appeared in the February/March 2010 issue of Desalination & Water Reuse magazine.
Multi-stage flash (MSF) evaporator technology was for a long time the most popular technology for large seawater desalination plants.
However, MSF has had to face strong competitors in recent years. Reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-effect distillation (MED) are squeezing MSF out of the market. Is there really a future for MSF?
This article looks at the technology’s development, its costs, its capabilities and its modern relevance. It first appeared in the February/March 2010 issue of Desalination & Water Reuse magazine.