ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of pilot studies conducted to evaluate the possibility of using selected membrane techniques for treating geothermal waters. An important aim of the study was to determine the possibility of using both the permeate (desalinated water) and the post-process concentrate (the water containing separated minerals). The studies were conducted using water from two different geothermal intakes in Poland: the Podhale geothermal system and the Polish Lowland system. The desalination of geothermal waters used for energy purposes is increasingly seen as a good method of securing high-quality water for various areas of the economy. The quality of "raw" water, permeate and concentrate was assessed through online measurements of the unstable physical parameters of the waters, including temperature and electrolytic conductivity. The chapter demonstrates the use of a hybrid system based on iron removal, ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) with brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) membranes enables water of high quality to be obtained.
