Electrodialysis

Electrodialysis was developed as an industrial-scale seawater desalination process, in particular to meet Japan's drinking water requirements. In addition to water treatment, new applications were subsequently developed, such as the demineralization of whey, which accounts for a significant proportion of the installed surface area. The problems associated with reducing the environmental impact of production processes open up even wider prospects for physical processes such as electrodialysis, as opposed to more polluting physical-chemical processes such as liquid-liquid extraction, precipitation or resin ion exchange. In addition, the possibility of selective demineralization, i.e. accompanied by purification, should also open up new market prospects.