Sequential Ion Concentration Polarization and Electrodialysis Metathesis for Seawater Desalination and Brine Conversion into Useful Byproducts
Subject Areas : New Approches in Environmental and Applied EcologyREZA Bazarganlari 1 , Aylar Ghare Mohammadzade Ghashghaei 2 *
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Marv. C., Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran.
2 - Shiraz university
Keywords: Keywords: Brine-Management, Drinkable-Water, Electrodialysis Metathesis, Ion-Concentration-Polarization, Seawater desalination. ,
Abstract :
We present a hybrid bench-scale desalination system that integrates two-stage Ion Concentration Polarization (2ICP) with single-stage Electrodialysis Metathesis (EDM) to produce potable water from seawater while converting brine into highly soluble salts. The 2ICP stage removes most dissolved salts and suspended impurities via polarization-induced ion depletion, while the EDM stage exchanges remaining scaling-prone ions (e.g., Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) with Na⁺ and Cl⁻ to prevent membrane scaling. This sequential setup achieves high salt removal, meets drinking water standards, enhances current efficiency, and reduces membrane fouling. By converting sparingly soluble salts (e.g., CaSO₄, CaCO₃) into concentrated NaCl and Na₂SO₄ solutions, the system increases water recovery—producing brine salinities two to three times higher than conventional methods—while minimizing waste volume. Energy consumption remains competitive with traditional desalination. Compared to a 2ICP-electrodialysis (2ICP/ED) setup, the 2ICP/EDM system offers improved durability, lower maintenance, and economic benefits through the generation of marketable salt by-products. These advantages position 2ICP/EDM as a promising, sustainable solution for high-recovery desalination and efficient brine management
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