About this Research Topic
Given the increasing demand for freshwater due to population growth, desalination has been adopted as a viable solution to combat freshwater shortages in certain regions of the world, provided that brackish or saline water sources are accessible. Evaporation and condensation technologies were the first desalination methods introduced and used for freshwater production. Apart from the conventional technologies, emerging technologies has offered economically feasible opportunities for diversifying the desalination process, which is predominantly dominated by thermal desalination and reverse osmosis. The resurgence of electrochemical desalination processes has also been evolved as highly promising technologies for desalination due to their lower energy consumption. At present, there were over 21,000 seawater desalination plants in operation worldwide. This number has nearly doubled compared to a decade ago, and the sector's capacity is experiencing annual growth rates ranging from 6% to 12%.
Desalination technologies can be classified according to the energy source employed in the process, specifically through thermal, mechanical, electrical, membrane-based or hybrid means. However, the major impediment to the growth of the desalination industry is its significant cost. Consequently, it is imperative to focus on advancing the utilization of low-grade energy sources to address this challenge. Moreover, existing efforts are primarily concentrated on improving the efficiency of membranes and the stability of processes that rely on membrane-based desalination. In recent years, there is a growing interest in leveraging recent advancements for the integration of renewable energy with desalination methods. Due to continuous advancements in methods and processes, there is a necessity to examine trends and pinpoint research gaps in desalination technologies while they move towards full-scale commercialization.
An overview of emerging desalination technologies is a major focal point in this Research Topic collection. The current challenges and the latest development prospects for water desalination process can be explored in term of design, technical, economic, and regulatory aspect. Additionally, this collection will offer opportunities for authors to provide insights and reference points for the continued advancement of the water desalination industry. Apart from that, the submission will comprehensively cover the following areas:
(1) Renewable energy sources in water desalination.
(2) Membrane-based desalination process.
(3) Hybrid desalination processes.
(4) Thermal desalination processes.
(5) Electrodialysis.
(6) Filtration.
(7) Exploration of novel desalination technologies and processes.
(8) Systems related to desalination, such as pre-treatment, post-treatment, and integrated plants etc.
(9) Energy consumption and energy recovery methods.
(10) Resource recovery with a focus on achieving a circular economy in water desalination.
(11) Others related areas.
Desalination technologies can be classified according to the energy source employed in the process, specifically through thermal, mechanical, electrical, membrane-based or hybrid means. However, the major impediment to the growth of the desalination industry is its significant cost. Consequently, it is imperative to focus on advancing the utilization of low-grade energy sources to address this challenge. Moreover, existing efforts are primarily concentrated on improving the efficiency of membranes and the stability of processes that rely on membrane-based desalination. In recent years, there is a growing interest in leveraging recent advancements for the integration of renewable energy with desalination methods. Due to continuous advancements in methods and processes, there is a necessity to examine trends and pinpoint research gaps in desalination technologies while they move towards full-scale commercialization.
An overview of emerging desalination technologies is a major focal point in this Research Topic collection. The current challenges and the latest development prospects for water desalination process can be explored in term of design, technical, economic, and regulatory aspect. Additionally, this collection will offer opportunities for authors to provide insights and reference points for the continued advancement of the water desalination industry. Apart from that, the submission will comprehensively cover the following areas:
(1) Renewable energy sources in water desalination.
(2) Membrane-based desalination process.
(3) Hybrid desalination processes.
(4) Thermal desalination processes.
(5) Electrodialysis.
(6) Filtration.
(7) Exploration of novel desalination technologies and processes.
(8) Systems related to desalination, such as pre-treatment, post-treatment, and integrated plants etc.
(9) Energy consumption and energy recovery methods.
(10) Resource recovery with a focus on achieving a circular economy in water desalination.
(11) Others related areas.
Keywords: Desalination, Water Resource Management, Water Sustainability, Water Treatment, Environmental Protection
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