Reverse electro-dialysis

Electrodialysis Reversal. Electro dialysis reversal processes operate on the same principles as ED however, EDR operation reverses system polarity (typically three to four times per hour). This reversal stops the buildup of concentrated solutions on the membrane and thereby reduces the accumulation of inorganic and organic deposition on the membrane surface. EDR systems are similar to ED systems, designed with adequate chamber area to collect both product water and brine. EDR produces water of the same purity as ED. 

The mixing of fresh water from estuaries with seawater has the potential to produce more than 2.5 TW of power globally [138]. Recovering this energy has been discussed for the past half century using desalination processes operated in a reverse mode. Proposed alternatives include the use of reverse electro-dialysis (RED) [139], pressure retarded osmosis PRO [140-141], and vapor pressure differences [142]. 

The principle of power generations of reversed electro-dialysis (RED). (Adapted from J.W. Post et al. Power generation by reversed electro dialysis (RED) Prevention of fouling. Wetsus, Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Leeuwarden.)... 

The seminal discovery that transformed membrane separation from a laboratory to an industrial process was the development, in the early 1960s, of the Loeb-Sourirajan process for making defect-free, high flux, asymmetric reverse osmosis membranes (5). These membranes consist of an ultrathin, selective surface film on a microporous support, which provides the mechanical strength. The flux of the first Loeb-Sourirajan reverse osmosis membrane was 10 times higher than that of any membrane then avaUable and made reverse osmosis practical. The work of Loeb and Sourirajan, and the timely infusion of large sums of research doUars from the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Saline Water (OSW), resulted in the commercialization of reverse osmosis (qv) and was a primary factor in the development of ultrafiltration (qv) and microfiltration. The development of electro dialysis was also aided by OSW funding. 

Membrane Filtration. Membrane filtration describes a number of weU-known processes including reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, microfiltration, and electro dialysis. The basic principle behind this technology is the use of a driving force (electricity or pressure) to filter... 

The individual membrane filtration processes are defined chiefly by pore size although there is some overlap. The smallest membrane pore size is used in reverse osmosis (0.0005—0.002 microns), followed by nanofiltration (0.001—0.01 microns), ultrafHtration (0.002—0.1 microns), and microfiltration (0.1—1.0 microns). Electro dialysis uses electric current to transport ionic species across a membrane. Micro- and ultrafHtration rely on pore size for material separation, reverse osmosis on pore size and diffusion, and electro dialysis on diffusion. Separation efficiency does not reach 100% for any of these membrane processes. For example, when used to desalinate—soften water for industrial processes, the concentrated salt stream (reject) from reverse osmosis can be 20% of the total flow. These concentrated, yet stiH dilute streams, may require additional treatment or special disposal methods. 

Since membrane fording could quickly render the system inefficient, very careful and thorough feedwater pretreatment similar to that described in the section on RO, is required. Some pretreatment needs, and operational problems of scaling are diminished in the electro dialysis reversal (EDR) process, in which the electric current flow direction is periodically (eg, 3—4 times/h) reversed, with simultaneous switching of the water-flow connections. This also reverses the salt concentration buildup at the membrane and electrode surfaces, and prevents concentrations that cause the precipitation of salts and scale deposition. A schematic and photograph of a typical ED plant ate shown in Eigure 16. 

Common membrane processes include ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO), electro dialysis (ED), and electro dialysis reversal (EDR). These processes (with the exception of UF) remove most ions RO and UF systems also provide efficient removal of nonionized organics and particulates. Because UF membrane porosity is too large for ion rejection, the UF process is used to remove contaminants, such as oil and grease, and suspended soHds. 

Electrodialysis. In reverse osmosis pressure achieves the mass transfer. In electro dialysis (qv), dc is appHed to a series of alternating cationic and anionic membranes. Anions pass through the anion-permeable membranes but are prevented from migrating by the cationic permeable membranes. Only ionic species are separated by this method, whereas reverse osmosis can deal with nonionic species. The advantages and disadvantages of reverse osmosis are shared by electro dialysis. 

Reverse Osmosis Membrane Cleaning. Citric acid solutions are used to remove iron, calcium, and other cations that foul ceUulose acetate and other membranes in reverse osmosis and electro dialysis systems. Citric acid solutions can solubilize and remove these cations without damaging the membranes (94—96). 

Ion exchange Reverse osmosis Nano-filtration Electro dialysis Crystallization Evaporation Acid Base Heat treatment UV light Chemical oxidation... 

Processes based on selective transport using membranes —electro dialysis and reverse osmosis. 

A non-thermal ZLD process for treating brackish water RO reject is electro dialysis/ electrodialysis reversal (ED/EDR). The salt rejection is 60—70% but recovery approaches 97% with multiple stages [3]. The benefits of ED over MVC are lower capital cost, lower energy consumption and much greater flow capacity MVC range IS 250-3000 mVd [15]. 

The thermal technologies consist of multiple-stage-flash (MSF) evaporation, multiple-effect distillation and vapour compression, while the membrane technologies are reverse osmosis (RO) and electro-dialysis (ED). MSF and RO are the most frequently used techniques, and together account for 87% of the world wide desalination activity (Meindersma et al., 2006). 

Separation/desalination/purification using membranes is essentially a mechanical process and usually no heating is needed but sometime operates using pressure, thus consiunes less energy. The main division of this method are (i) Electro-Dialysis Reversal (EDR), (ii) Reverse Osmosis (RO), (iii) Nano-Filtration (NF) and (iv) Membrane Distillation. 

Membrane processes that use ion-exchange membranes and electric potential difference as the driving force for ionic species transport are referred to as electromembrane processes (Strathmann, 2004). The following electro-membrane separation processes (Scheme 5.1) can be distinguished electrodialysis (ED), including variations such as electrodialysis reversal, electro-electrodialysis and bipolar membrane electrodialysis, electrodeionization (EDI), and Donnan dialysis (DD). 

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