ABSTRACT
Increasing world population has led to an increase in the demand for clean water. Consequently, there is an urgent need for new cost-effective technologies to recover, recycle, and reuse wastewater for beneficial uses. Membrane distillation is an emerging technology that could enable the efficient recycling of wastewater. Further membrane distillation can maximize water recovery and reuse, allowing future wastewater treatment facilities to move towards zero liquid discharge. Central to the membrane distillation process is the hydrophobic microporous membrane. The development of robust membranes that are resistant to fouling and easily regenerated is essential. Various advanced methods have been used to tailor the membrane surface structure and chemistry to suppress fouling. The cleaning protocol used will depend on the foulants present in the feed stream and the membrane surface properties. The configuration used to operate the membrane distillation process is essential to minimize operating costs and maximize water recovery. Again, the properties of the feed stream are likely to dictate the configuration used. The economic viability and sustainability of membrane distillation depend on a life cycle and techno-economic analysis for potential niche applications.
