Chinese desalination plant cuts 60% energy use by turning waste brine into industrial salt

A large desalination plant on Bohai Bay has achieved an energy efficiency breakthrough, slashing electricity consumption by more than half while converting millions of tonnes of toxic waste brine into high-value chemical salt.Situated in the Caofeidian industrial zone of Tangshan, Hebei province, the facility recently entered its trial production stage, the state-run Science and Technology Daily reported last month.This technology provides a viable pathway to solving the global challenge of discharging concentrated seawater into the sea, according to the report.The facility processes waste brine at a three-to-one ratio, yielding 1 tonne of refined concentrated seawater – with a salinity of 120 grams per litre – alongside 2 tonnes of fresh water.