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Designing a next generation solar crystallizer for real seawater brine treatment with zero liquid discharge

Author

Listed:
  • Chenlin Zhang

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Yusuf Shi

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Le Shi

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Hongxia Li

    (Masdar Institute, Khalifa University of Science and Technology)

  • Renyuan Li

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Seunghyun Hong

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Sifei Zhuo

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Tiejun Zhang

    (Masdar Institute, Khalifa University of Science and Technology)

  • Peng Wang

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Abstract

Proper disposal of industrial brine has been a critical environmental challenge. Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) brine treatment holds great promise to the brine disposal, but its application is limited by the intensive energy consumption of its crystallization process. Here we propose a new strategy that employs an advanced solar crystallizer coupled with a salt crystallization inhibitor to eliminate highly concentrated waste brine. The rationally designed solar crystallizer exhibited a high water evaporation rate of 2.42 kg m−2 h−1 under one sun illumination when treating real concentrated seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine (21.6 wt%). The solar crystallizer array showed an even higher water evaporation rate of 48.0 kg m−2 per day in the outdoor field test, suggesting a great potential for practical application. The solar crystallizer design and the salt crystallization inhibition strategy proposed and confirmed in this work provide a low-cost and sustainable solution for industrial brine disposal with ZLD.

Suggested Citation

  • Chenlin Zhang & Yusuf Shi & Le Shi & Hongxia Li & Renyuan Li & Seunghyun Hong & Sifei Zhuo & Tiejun Zhang & Peng Wang, 2021. "Designing a next generation solar crystallizer for real seawater brine treatment with zero liquid discharge," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-21124-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21124-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Gong, Biyao & Yang, Huachao & Wu, Shenghao & Tian, Yikuan & Yan, Jianhua & Cen, Kefa & Bo, Zheng & Ostrikov, Kostya (Ken), 2021. "Phase change material enhanced sustained and energy-efficient solar-thermal water desalination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).

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