AWWA ACE61761

This manuscript reports on research that is currently evaluating options for beneficial use for reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate, including use in industries that require brine as a feedstock or process stream and production of marketable salts or mineral commodities. The research is currently identifying recoverable products, such as specific salts, that can be economically recovered from the concentrate stream, and is identifying industrial processes that use brine solutions directly, which eliminate the need to dewater the salts to dryness. Markets for the concentrate stream, such as industries that use brine solutions as feed-stocks or process fluids are being identified. Technologies and processes, such as crystallizers, brine concentrators, and other technologies that are used in zero-liquid discharge applications are discussed in this paper in the context of their viability for use in the water treatment industry. Includes 15 references, tables, figures.