| This study presents and compares the marine and atmospheric discharges, with an attempt to assess the environmental effects resulting from Al-Jubail MSF desalination plant, the largest in the world, producing 253.5 million gallons of desalinated water per day. For the analyses of air pollution, AERMOD, an air dispersion model, is used to simulate the ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide, oxide of nitrogen, and fine particulate matter. The emission results/pollutant levels were compared with the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) standards.; Similarly, for brine discharge, CORMIX a hydrodynamic mixing model is used for the prediction of plume dilution. Thermal effects and elevated total dissolved solids concentration in brine discharge were also simulated and the results were compared with the U.S. EPA approved Surface Water Quality Standards. It has been found in this study that the plume elevated temperature drops to ambient temperature within five minutes, traveling a distance of 101.4 meters along the downstream, and the TDS concentrations in the brine plume drops to 4700 ppm above the ambient concentration, while traveling a distance of 217 meters, downstream, which is 10 percent above the ambient concentration, which shows that both the pollutants (elevated temperature and elevated TDS) were within the limits as specified by the Surface Water Quality Standards. However, a detailed information regarding the site specific meteorological data, fuel and brine characteristics, and plant specific information should be carried out. |
