How Operational Parameters and Membrane Characteristics Affect the Performance of Electrodialysis Reversal Desalination Systems: The State of the Art*

Operating parameters and membrane characteristics strongly affect the performance of electrodialysis reversal systems. The most impactful factors are applied voltage, flow rate, temperature, initial feed composition, and ion exchange membrane characteristics; the pH of the feed also has an effect, although to a lesser extent. To determine more precisely how all of these factors impact performance – especially as measured by desalination rate and the quality of the desalinated water – several valuable studies have been conducted. However, no comprehensive paper has been published, and some researchers have reported different findings from differently designed electrodialysis reversal systems. Therefore, to synthesize previous research and reconcile superficially disparate findings, this review discusses, analyzes, and summarizes the results from the literature. Such a review can help researchers and technicians optimize electrodialysis reversal systems and improve the quality of desalted water.