ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the experimental validation of the general basis of the process to show that the scale-forming potential of seawater can be significantly reduced by tailored combination of ion exchange and reverse osmosis (RO) process. It reports the study results on the sustainability of the process run over many without needing any external chemical. In fact, degree of water recovery is the single most important variable that dictates the sustainability and energy efficiency of the whole process. Achieving higher product water recovery for a desalination plant means better energy efficiency. In many cases, it offers better options for concentrate management, especially for those plants located inland or using brackish water. The chapter proposes a novel reversible ion exchange-membrane (RIX-MEM) process for desalination that alters the chemistry of the RO feed solution in such a way as to eliminate the potential for scale formation by cations, without requiring any continuous need of extra chemicals or energy.
