Abstract
Within the MEloDIZER project, aimed at optimizing and advancing membrane distillation (MD) technology, PVDF-based membranes were fabricated using non-toxic solvents such as N-butylpyrrolidone (commercially known as Tamisolve), in both hollow-fiber and flat-sheet configurations. MEloDIZER is a Horizon Europe initiative focused on bridging the gap between laboratory-scale MD research and large-scale implementation through system design optimization, identification of the most effective membranes, and integration of renewable energy sources to improve efficiency in industrial, domestic, and community settings. The performance of the prepared membranes was evaluated in direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD) using saline feed solutions. In MD, the membranes exhibited good transmembrane flux and an almost complete salt rejection (˜100%). The membranes were therefore also tested using a synthetic solution with higher salinity and in the presence of humic acid, consistently showing stable flux without wetting for 30 hours and a slight decrease in salt rejection to 99.8%, particularly under applied pressure. These results highlight the strong potential of the MEloDIZER project for the development of high-performance membranes for MD, representing a key milestone toward large-scale implementation.
