Membrane distillation (MD) is constantly acknowledged in the research literature as a promising technology for the future of desalination, with an increasing number of studies reported year after year. However, real MD applications still lag behind with only a few pilot-plant tests worldwide. The lack of technology transfer from academia to industry is caused by important gaps between its fundamental basis and the process design. Herein, we explore critical disconnections by conducting coupled mass and heat transfer modeling and MD simulations; we use well-known MD mass and heat transfer equations to model and simulate flux over a typical MD membrane for different geometries, areas, and operational conditions in direct contact configuration. From the analysis of the results, we propose research guidelines and process development strategies, and construct an MD module performance curve. From this graph, permeate flow rate, thermal energy consumption and outlet temperatures can be determined for given feed inlet conditions (temperature and concentration). Comprehensive tools such as this MD module curve and good communication between membrane developers and process engineers are required to accelerate the process of bringing the MD technology from a still-emerging status to a maturity level.

膜蒸馏 (MD) 在研究文献中不断被认为是未来海水淡化的一项有前途的技术，报告的研究数量逐年增加。然而，真正的 MD 应用仍然落后于世界范围内只有少数中试工厂测试。缺乏从学术界到工业界的技术转移是由于其基础与工艺设计之间的重要差距造成的。在此，我们通过进行耦合质量和热传递建模和 MD 模拟来探索关键断开；我们使用众所周知的 MD 传质和传热方程来模拟和模拟直接接触配置中不同几何形状、区域和操作条件下典型 MD 膜上的通量。根据结果​​分析，我们提出研究指南和工艺开发策略，MD模块性能曲线。从该图中，可以确定给定进料入口条件（温度和浓度）的渗透流量、热能消耗和出口温度。需要像这种 MD 模块曲线这样的综合工具以及膜开发人员和工艺工程师之间的良好沟通来加快将 MD 技术从新兴状态提升到成熟水平的过程。