The Role of Brine Management in the Optimization of Brackish Water Desalting with High – Permeability RO Membranes

A comparison of RO desalination costs between a system operating with intermediate brine treatment and one operating with intermediate brine treatment was conducted. Without brine treatment the RO system was able to produce 58% recovery at $0.71 per m3. By including an intermediate concentrate demineralization step recovery was increased to 92% at a unit cost of $0.45 per m3.