Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermally driven membrane process in which a hydrophobic microporous membrane separates a heated feed solution and a cooled receiving phase. The temperature difference across the membrane generates a water vapor pressure gradient and drives water vapor transferring through the pores from high vapor pressure side to the low one.
Schematic diagram of membrane distillation |
Applications
Patents
VMD for hot spring concentration VMD for brine desalination |