Research on Desalination by Electrodialysis at CSMCRI

The desalination activity employing electrodialysis (ED) technique was initiated in India in 1960. The genesis, the march towards commercialization, the relevance of this activity to the needs of the society at large are discussed with special reference to R&D efforts at CSMCRI. The applicability of this technique under prevailing rural conditions is illustrated in the case studies of three ED plants, totally indigenous in all respects. Based on the data collected under different field conditions and laboratory experiments, a tentative cost calculation of desalination and defluoridation of brackish water was carried out and presented here. A short list of applications other than desalination is also given.