DESAL RESEARCH GROUP

Sustainable technologies for a water-secure future

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KEY VALUES

Committed to excellence

We aim to be at the forefront of global efforts to contribute to a water-secure future. We envision a world where sustainable desalination technologies and water treatment solutions are pivotal in providing clean and safe water to communities and fostering economic growth. Through continuous innovation and collaboration, we aspire to set new standards for excellence in the field, leaving a long-lasting effect on the well-being of societies and the health of our planet.

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DESAL team at the lab
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

Driven by innovation, recognized by impact

The DESAL Research Group pioneers advancements in desalination and wastewater treatment, prioritizing excellence, innovation, and sustainability. Our focus on cutting-edge research and efficiency aims to address global water challenges and support sustainable development goals.

NEWS & UPDATES 

Discover the latest breakthroughs from our team

15 February, 2026

DESAL summer intern Imran Alturkistani wins national awards at Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair

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02 February, 2026

New DESAL research published in Nature Communications advances energy-efficient desalination

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28 January, 2026

DESAL and ACWA Power advance AI-based research for early membrane fouling detection

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ADVANCING SCIENCE

Scientific Contributions

Through research papers, patents, and PhD dissertations, we push the boundaries of knowledge, driving innovation in desalination and water treatment.

Optimizing electrocoagulation pre-treatment efficiency during simultaneous treatment of different produced water streams in a FO-MD hybrid system

by Muhammad Saqib Nawaz, Abdullah Alqulayti, Victor Manuel Torres Serrano, Veerabhadraiah Gudideni, Ivan C. Yan
Year: 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.126290

Abstract

In this study, the electrocoagulation (EC) process was explored and optimized for the pre-treatment of key contaminants present in hyper-saline produced water (PW) streams before their treatment through forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) hybrid system. Due to their hyper-saline nature and the associated high temperatures, PW streams can be treated cost-effectively and sustainably using low-pressure dual membrane filtration systems like FO-MD hybrids. Desalter effluent (DE) stream was used as the FO feed solution, and WOSEP outlet (WO) stream served simultaneously as the FO draw solution and MD feed solution. The key foulants were identified in the WO and DE streams. Silicon, calcium, and sulfur were found as the key elements contributing towards FO and MD membrane fouling in the form of CaSO4, SiO2, and CaSiO3. Applying EC for 10 min with 100 mA current (7 mA/cm2 current density) at a neutral pH of 7 demonstrated the highest removal efficiencies for silicon (97 %), calcium (3.6 %), and sulfur (12.2 %) with only 0.023 kWh/m3 electric energy requirement. FO-MD hybrid efficiency was re-assessed with pre-treated WO and DE streams. The FO flux showed more stability and increased by 32.5 % and MD by 28.9 %, with a 10 % reduction in specific reverse solute flux. EC is thus a robust and effective process for hyper-saline hazardous PW pre-treatment and can substantially improve the FO-MD hybrid system efficiency.

Keywords

Forward Osmosis Fouling Membrane Distillation Fouling Membrane Scaling Electrocoagulation Pre-treatment

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