Abstract
A 10,000 liter solar multistage flash desalination system was designed and tested at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. The system consisted of a 220 square meter solar line concentrating collector field, 7000 liter thermal storage tank and a self-regulating, 12 stage multistage flash desalination subsystem. The collector field, equiped with closed loop tracking system was installed with individual troughs oriented in the north-south direction. The thermal storage subsystem was useful in leveling off the thermal system and allowing the production of the desalination system to continue during periods of low radiation and night-time. The self regulating capability of the desalination subsystem allowed for the adjustment of the flow rates and pressure, in the various stages of the desalination subsystem, according to the relative difference between the hot brine and input sea water temperatures. This allowed for a maintaining relatively high overall efficiency.