Membrane distillation pilot units for seawater desalination

In the past decades, membrane engineering and membrane operations have made considerable progresses. Membrane processes have become competitive for various applications, and particularly in desalination and water treatment, where RO is currently the most widespread applied technology. More recently, a non-isothermal membrane process, namely membrane distillation (MD), appeared as a new promising technology for wastewater treatment and desalination, as it may be potentially cost-effective by utilizing low-grade waste heat or renewable energy sources. This chapter provides an update of progresses made in MD in desalination, together with an overview of MD projects and pilots in the field.