186
prove membrane distillation to be highly efficient. Despite of the versatility of
membrane distillation, fouling and wetting are of significant concern. The current
scenario demanded a detailed analysis of scaling, fouling, and wetting that limit the
feasibility of membrane distillation. Earlier investigations suggest lower feed temperature and turbulent flow reduce the risk of scaling, for example, CaCO 3 and
CaSO 4 that are inversely soluble at increased temperature. Therefore, maintaining
an optimum operating condition is an important factor in membrane distillation.
Meanwhile, advanced foulant detection techniques, long-term usability, and realtime monitoring facilitate the prediction of types and intensity of fouling.
Additionally, the future demands the application of anti-scalants and foulants to
increase the effectiveness of membrane distillation. Furthermore, research on novel
membrane materials to enhance the membrane rejection and integrity will allow a
wider growth of membrane distillation technology. Nevertheless, it is important for
the performance of these novel distillation membranes to be evaluated in terms of
its fouling reduction capacity.
Acknowledgment The authors would like to acknowledge the funding from the Ministry of
Science and Technology (MOST), Republic of China (ROC) (Taiwan) and Institute of
Environmental Engineering and Management (IEEM), National Taipei University of Technology,
Taiwan, under the grant number 107-2221-E-027-001-MY3.
References
Al-Amoudi AS (2010) Factors affecting natural organic matter (NOM) and scaling fouling in NF
membranes: a review. Desalination 259(1–3):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2010.04.003
Alkhudhiri A, Darwish N, Hilal N (2012) Membrane distillation: a comprehensive review.
Desalination 287:2–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2011.08.027
Amjad Z, Yorke MA (1985) Carboxylic functional polyampholytes as silica polymerization retardants and dispersants. In: Google Patents
Banat FA, Simandl J (1994) Theoretical and experimental study in membrane distillation.
Desalination 95(1):39–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-9164(94)00005-0
Barnett TP, Adam JC, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Potential impacts of a warming climate on water
availability in snow-dominated regions. Nature 438(7066):303. https://doi.org/10.1038/
nature04141
Bellona C, Drewes JE, Xu P, Amy G (2004) Factors affecting the rejection of organic solutes during
NF/RO treatment—a literature review. Water Res 38(12):2795–2809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
watres.2004.03.034
Bonyadi S, Chung TS (2007) Flux enhancement in membrane distillation by fabrication of dual
layer hydrophilic–hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. J Membr Sci 306(1–2):134–146.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2007.08.034
Broeckmann A, Busch J, Wintgens T, Marquardt W (2006) Modeling of pore blocking and cake
layer formation in membrane filtration for wastewater treatment. Desalination 189(1–3):97–109.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2005.06.018
Burgoyne A, Vahdati MM (2000) Direct contact membrane distillation. Sep Sci Technol
35(8):1257–1284. https://doi.org/10.1081/SS-100100224
S. S. Ray et al.
prove membrane distillation to be highly efficient. Despite of the versatility of
membrane distillation, fouling and wetting are of significant concern. The current
scenario demanded a detailed analysis of scaling, fouling, and wetting that limit the
feasibility of membrane distillation. Earlier investigations suggest lower feed temperature and turbulent flow reduce the risk of scaling, for example, CaCO 3 and
CaSO 4 that are inversely soluble at increased temperature. Therefore, maintaining
an optimum operating condition is an important factor in membrane distillation.
Meanwhile, advanced foulant detection techniques, long-term usability, and realtime monitoring facilitate the prediction of types and intensity of fouling.
Additionally, the future demands the application of anti-scalants and foulants to
increase the effectiveness of membrane distillation. Furthermore, research on novel
membrane materials to enhance the membrane rejection and integrity will allow a
wider growth of membrane distillation technology. Nevertheless, it is important for
the performance of these novel distillation membranes to be evaluated in terms of
its fouling reduction capacity.
Acknowledgment The authors would like to acknowledge the funding from the Ministry of
Science and Technology (MOST), Republic of China (ROC) (Taiwan) and Institute of
Environmental Engineering and Management (IEEM), National Taipei University of Technology,
Taiwan, under the grant number 107-2221-E-027-001-MY3.
References
Al-Amoudi AS (2010) Factors affecting natural organic matter (NOM) and scaling fouling in NF
membranes: a review. Desalination 259(1–3):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2010.04.003
Alkhudhiri A, Darwish N, Hilal N (2012) Membrane distillation: a comprehensive review.
Desalination 287:2–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2011.08.027
Amjad Z, Yorke MA (1985) Carboxylic functional polyampholytes as silica polymerization retardants and dispersants. In: Google Patents
Banat FA, Simandl J (1994) Theoretical and experimental study in membrane distillation.
Desalination 95(1):39–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-9164(94)00005-0
Barnett TP, Adam JC, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Potential impacts of a warming climate on water
availability in snow-dominated regions. Nature 438(7066):303. https://doi.org/10.1038/
nature04141
Bellona C, Drewes JE, Xu P, Amy G (2004) Factors affecting the rejection of organic solutes during
NF/RO treatment—a literature review. Water Res 38(12):2795–2809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
watres.2004.03.034
Bonyadi S, Chung TS (2007) Flux enhancement in membrane distillation by fabrication of dual
layer hydrophilic–hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. J Membr Sci 306(1–2):134–146.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2007.08.034
Broeckmann A, Busch J, Wintgens T, Marquardt W (2006) Modeling of pore blocking and cake
layer formation in membrane filtration for wastewater treatment. Desalination 189(1–3):97–109.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2005.06.018
Burgoyne A, Vahdati MM (2000) Direct contact membrane distillation. Sep Sci Technol
35(8):1257–1284. https://doi.org/10.1081/SS-100100224
S. S. Ray et al.