Technology Advances and Economic Optimization of Membrane Brine Concentration and ZLD

Brine management is becoming increasingly important in industrial and inland desalination. This work presents state-of-the-art options, performance data, and economics for an advanced chemical softening process (?BrineRefine?) and test data from ultra-high-pressure reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The work outlines a pathway and cost analysis to achieve 130,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS) brine concentration, leveraging desalination?s primary engine ? RO. Also, advancements in lowering the cost of thermal-based brine treatment are introduced. Two low temperature SaltMaker evaporator crystallizers are presented for final zero liquid discharge (ZLD): (1) SaltMaker MultiEffect recycles thermal energy input for energy efficiency and freshwater recovery; and (2) SaltMaker AirBreather evaporates freshwater to atmosphere.