Seawater desalination

This study proposes a multi-objective optimization (MOO) of reverse osmosis (RO) networks for seawater desalination. The membrane transport model takes into consideration of the longitudinal variation of the velocity, the pressure, and the concentration in the membrane modules. The RO network with t

An energy-efficient design strategy for networking membrane modules and heat exchangers in membrane distillation (MD) process was developed in this work. A numerical simulation model was used to describe heat and mass transfer in direct contact type MD membrane module. Mass transfer coefficients were

In recent years, reverse osmosis (RO) has grown as an alternative to traditional potable water sources. A major disadvantage of the RO process is the huge amount of brine and its negative impact as a result of its high salinity. This brine is usually discharged to inland water bodies or to the sea a

While removal efficiency of most components in water by RO membranes is very satisfactory, the removal of some trace elements such as boron by RO membranes, especially those with long service life, is relatively low. The interplay between pH and ionic strength is believed to be the key to understand

The pretreatment of raw seawater is necessary to minimize the organic fouling of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes. To predict the membrane fouling of the pretreated seawater, the modified fouling index (MFI) with ultrafiltration (UF) was investigated in terms of molecular weight distributio

This paper shows the principles and the present state of the art of concentrating solar power technology and explains the option for seawater desalination, either using electricity or steam generated in such plants. The economic potential of this technology in the MENA region can cope with the prese

Fouling is one of the most serious problems in seawater desalination using reverse osmosis (SWRO) which is important to lower the production cost of desalinated water. For efficient operation of the SWRO plant, accurate models are crucial to decide the optimal operating condition and cleaning operat

This paper deals with the MEDESOL (Seawater Desalination by Innovative Solar-Powered Membrane Distillation System) project, partially supported by the European Commission under the Horizontal Programme “Global Change and Ecosystems (Global 4)”. Despite the advantages of solar membrane distillation (

Desalination of seawater accounts for a worldwide water production of 24.5 million m3 /day. A “hot spot” of intense desalination activity has always been the Arabian Gulf, but other regional centers of activity emerge and become more prominent, such as the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, or the c

The paper presents a long-term scenario for the demand of freshwater in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and shows how it may be covered by a better use of the existing renewable water sources and by sea water desalination powered with solar energy. Growth of population and economy, increasin