Challenges and mitigations of corrosion and scale in nuclear cogeneration desalination systems: A case study from West Kalimantan

Nuclear power plant cogeneration with Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) offers a solution to provide both electricity and a freshwater supply in West Kalimantan. The influence of tropical seawater quality on the corrosion and scale formation potential and its implications for desalination performance were described. A physicochemical characterization of seawater quality for consistent feedwater is crucial to ensure desalination performance. Results indicated moderate corrosion rates (0.46–0.47 mm/year), driven largely by high chloride concentration, elevated TDS, and near-neutral pH. The content of Fe, Zn and Pb is potentially accelerating corrosion. In contrast, consistently negative LSI values (−1.83 to −2.44) confirmed negligible scaling potential but high corrosivity. Corrosion will accelerate material degradation, reduce thermal efficiency, and decrease the ratio between the amount of distillate produced and steam used. This also impacts the reliability and safety of nuclear installations, which require a freshwater supply for cooling systems. These findings emphasize corrosion as the critical operational challenge and highlight the need for corrosion-resistant materials, protective coatings, cathodic protection, and advanced pretreatment to ensure safe and sustainable MED–nuclear cogeneration systems in coastal environments. • Site-specific seawater analysis for nuclear cogeneration desalination (Pantai Gosong). • High chloride, TDS, and heavy metals accelerate corrosion in MED feedwater. • LSI results show negligible scaling potential but significant corrosivity risk. • Corrosion is identified as the critical challenge for safe and efficient MED operation. • Mitigation strategies include corrosion-resistant alloys, coatings, and pretreatment.