EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELING STUDY OF A NOVEL REVERSE ELECTRODIALYSIS PROCESS

VISHAL VIPIN WAGHOLIKAR

Publication

EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELING STUDY OF A NOVEL REVERSE ELECTRODIALYSIS PROCESS

VISHAL VIPIN WAGHOLIKAR

Abstract

This work demonstrates the utility of a reverse electrodialysis (RED) and driven reverse electrodialysis (dRED) process to achieve partial desalination of SWRO brine, moving excess salt into a low salinity wastewater stream with the final objective of improving the recovery of the SWRO plant to almost 100%. Step by step experimental and modeling studies were undertaken to establish a quantitative relationship between membrane and spacer properties and the performance of the RED / dRED process. The resistances in series (RIS) model achieved a close agreement with the experimental results, thus confirming resistance additivity. Thinner and open mesh spacers were instrumental in achieving the highest reduction in concentrate stream salinity with minimal energy consumption. A multiphysics model was developed to estimate the effects of concentration polarization in the flow channels. Pilot experiments were performed to demonstrate the capability of the RED / dRED process for SWRO brine desalination.