Chapter 17 - Polymer-based membranes for membrane distillation

Abstract

Recycling and purification processes depend on alternative sources like wastewater and seawater to reduce drinking water barriers and obtain freshwater. Suitably, membrane technology dominates water purification technologies by offering high efficiency at a low cost. Membrane distillation (MD) has attracted vast attention over other purification processes due to its benefits like low operating pressure, low-grade industrial waste heat, renewable resources (solar power driven) for the operation, and reduction of detrimental factors to the environment. Polymeric membranes have had the greatest impact on research conducted so far in MD. Zero-liquid discharge can be executed when MD is integrated with other water treatment processes. Nevertheless, the challenges include appropriate membranes, wetting, and fouling, which leads to either deficiency in MD performance or process failure. This chapter annotates the fundamentals, fabrication methods, and module designs of polymeric MD membranes, operational parameters, wetting and fouling mitigation strategies, and polarization phenomena.