Advanced Water Technologies: From Reuse to Resource Recovery
Global water scarcity, tightening environmental regulations, and rapid industrialization are driving demand for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems.
The global ZLD market, valued at USD 7.8 billion in 2024, is projected to exceed USD 11 billion by 2029, with strong growth in emerging economies.
Conventional ZLD systems face limitations due to inefficient reverse osmosis (RO) performance at high total dissolved solids (TDS) and the high energy intensity of thermal processes such as evaporators and crystallizers.
This business case presents advanced, customized membrane technologies capable of achieving salt concentrations up to 24% TDS—significantly higher than the 7–10% typical of conventional RO—while reducing energy consumption by up to 40% and eliminating steam dependency.
The solution enhances water recovery (up to 70%) and enables resource recovery, particularly for industrial salts. With strong market potential and applications across chemicals, textiles, and desalination, this approach offers a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable pathway for next-generation ZLD and brine management.
Speaker(s)
Akhil Jugade – PU Head-Projects, Water Division, Thermax Limited
Akhil Jugade brings over 25 years of rich experience in process design, equipment sizing, proposal engineering, and the sales of large-scale water and wastewater treatment projects.He specializes in advanced solutions including wastewater recycling, membrane-based technologies, seawater desalination, pure water treatment, and condensate polishing units.
Well-versed in consultant specifications and engineering standards, he has deep knowledge of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) integrated water treatment systems—focusing on reducing water consumption, optimizing energy use, minimizing discharge, and enabling efficient water reuse and recycling within industrial processes.
