NOVEL DUAL BARRIER HYBRID OSMOTIC DILUTION - RO SYSTEM: PILOT-SCALE DEMONSTRATION OF TECHNICAL AND ECOLOGICAL MERIT

摘要

The objective of this study is to evaluate novel hybrid osmotically driven membrane processes (ODMP) integrated with existing membrane processes for augmentation of water supplies. Specifically, this investigation employs an automated pilot-scale system that uses the salinity difference between seawater and domestic wastewater as a driving force for osmotic dilution of seawater before desalination. This study is the first to employ commercial membrane modules for ODMP and to develop a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of the hybrid process and other established water reuse and desalination technologies. This study demonstrates that the osmotic dilution approach provides at least three major benefits related to water and energy resources and environmental impacts. These include reducing the carbon footprint of seawater desalination, multi-barrier protection of drinking water, and reduction in reverse osmosis membrane fouling due to impurities in impaired water.