Abstract
Currently, desalination is limited by high energy consumption and high operational and maintenance costs. In this study, a new concept of a hollow fiber forward osmosis (HFFO)-based infinity desalination process with minor environmental impacts (free-energy intake and no pretreatment or brine discharge) is suggested. To evaluate the concept, an element-scale HFFO was conducted in both conventional FO and pressure-assisted FO modes, simulating a submerged HFFO operation. In the HFFO test, the impacts of several operating conditions on the performance of the HFFO were investigated to select the best case. Based on these results, the energy costs were calculated and compared with those of a hybrid FO–seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) process. The HFFO showed a high dilution rate of the draw solution (up to approximately 400%), allowing the downstream SWRO process to operate at 25 bar with the same permeate volume production (recovery rate of 60%). Consequently, the HFFO-based infinity desalination process has an annual energy revenue of 183.83 million USD, compared with a stand-alone two-stage RO process based on a 100,000 m3/day plant.
Highlights
Because membrane-based desalination processes do not undergo a phase change, they have gained attention as cost-effective techniques compared with thermal-based desalination and require a relatively small footprint[1,2]
In the sHFFO-incorporated forward osmosis (FO)–reverse osmosis (RO) the hollow fiber forward osmosis (HFFO) element tested at varying (i) operating modes, (ii) flow rates of the feed solution (FS) and draw solution (DS), and (iii) DS
A brine discharge system is not required because brine is used as a driving force for the sHFFO process
Summary
Because membrane-based desalination processes do not undergo a phase change, they have gained attention as cost-effective techniques compared with thermal-based desalination and require a relatively small footprint[1,2]. In the sHFFO-incorporated FO–RO the HFFO element tested at varying (i) operating modes (a and b: desalination process, the seawater can be fed without any intake FO; c and d: PAO), (ii) flow rates of the FS and DS, and (iii) DS
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