Membrane distillation for environment protection

Membrane distillation (MD) is still considered as a new promising process of separation of aqueous solutions. The driving force is a difference of partial pressure caused by temperatures and compositions of solutions separated by a microporous membrane. The main features of the process are high selectivity for solutions of non-volatile compounds and the possibility of utilization of waste heat or alternative energy sources for heating of the feed. The principles of MD and the possibility of its application for desalination and wastewater treatment are considered.