Application of Taguchi method in optimization of desalination by vacuum membrane distillation

This research focuses on desalination via vacuum membrane distillation (VMD). In order to enhance the performance of VMD in desalination and to get more flux, effects of operating parameters on the yield of distillate water were studied. Four parameters at three levels were selected: temperature (35, 45, and 55 °C), vacuum pressure (30, 80, and 130 mbar), flow rate (15, 30, and 60 mL/s) and concentration (50, 100, and 150 g/L). Taguchi method was used to plan a minimum number of experiments. The optimal levels thus determined for the four factors were: temperature 55 °C, vacuum pressure 30 mbar, flow rate 30 mL/s and concentration 50 g/L. The results show that increasing temperature and decreasing vacuum pressure improve permeate flux. However, the permeate flux increases with increasing flow rate initially and then reaches to a maximum value at 30 mL/s and then decreases with increasing the flow rate.