Towards sustainable circular brine reclamation using seawater reverse osmosis, membrane distillation and forward osmosis hybrids: An experimental investigation

Desalination and wastewater treatment technologies require an effective solution for brine management to ensure environmental sustainability, which is closely linked with efficient process operations, reduction of chemical dosages, valorization brines. Within the scope desalination reclamation, a circular system consisting seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO), membrane distillation (MD), forward (FO) three-process hybrid investigated. The proposed design increases water recovery from SWRO (by MD) dilutes concentrated level FO) feed. It ultimately reduces disposal improves crystallization efficiency zero-liquid discharge application. operating range indicated by volumetric concentration factor (VCF) ranging 1.0 2.2, covers practical sustainable operation in full-scale applications. VCF range, different conditions MD FO processes were evaluated series as well real plant. Water quality surface analyzed before after experiments assess impact brine. Despite their low (0.13 mg/L phosphorous), antiscalants present alleviated flux decline operations 68.3% compared using concentrate, while no significant influence was observed on process. A full spectrum analysis Red Sea made available future reclamation studies. experimental results have shown potential SWRO-MD-FO reclamation. • flexible developed recycling. Real plant treated. Feasibility experimentally operations. Operation 2.2 Flux mitigated through retardation CaCO 3 crystallization.