Can DTRO Water Treatment achieve zero-liquid discharge (ZLD)?

October 21, 2025

In the search for zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) options, DTRO Water Treatment has become a strong tool. It is true that this advanced membrane-based system can be very important in getting ZLD, but it's important to know what it can and can't do. DTRO, which stands for Disc Tube Reverse Osmosis, can collect up to 90% of complex industrial effluents. This makes it a great choice for gathering wastewater streams. To get real ZLD, though, you usually need to combine DTRO with other technologies that can handle the end concentrate. If you combine DTRO with evaporation or crystallization processes, it can be the heart of a full ZLD system that greatly cuts down on trash and lets you get water back. It is very helpful for companies that deal with tough types of wastewater, such as sewage from landfills, chemical factories, and mines because it can clean high-TDS streams without getting stuck.

DTRO plant

Can DTRO Water Treatment be integrated into a ZLD train?

It is possible to add DTRO Water Treatment to a ZLD train, and it is often a very good idea to do so. DTRO systems are great at dealing with wastewater streams that have a lot of TDS, which makes them a great first step in the concentration process. Facilities can greatly reduce the amount of wastewater that needs further treatment by using DTRO's high recovery rates. This makes the ZLD equipment further downstream smaller and less energy-hungry.

DTRO as a Pre-concentrator

DTRO works well as a pre-concentrator in a normal ZLD train. It can concentrate wastewater from 5,000 to 80,000 mg/L TDS at first to 150,000 to 200,000 mg/L TDS, based on the type of water. This step of concentration is very important for making the next steps of treatment, like heat evaporation or crystals, as easy as possible.

Reducing Thermal Energy Requirements

Facilities can greatly lower the amount of heat needed for drainage by using DTRO as the main concentration technology. Aside from lowering costs, this also makes the ZLD method less harmful to the environment. DTRO can sometimes reduce the volume of wastewater by up to 90%, which means that only a small amount of the original wastewater needs to be heated, which uses a lot of energy.

Enhancing Water Recovery

The high recovery rates of DTRO Water Treatment make a big difference in how much water the ZLD system can reclaim as a whole. DTRO often makes permeate that is good enough to be used directly in industrial processes or as boiler feed water, which helps save even more water.

DTRO Water Treatment + MVR: pathway to ZLD and concentrate reduction

Using both DTRO Water Treatment and Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) together is a strong way to get ZLD while reducing concentrates as much as possible. The benefits of both technologies are combined in this way to make a very efficient and cost-effective ZLD system.

DTRO and MVR: A Complementary Duo

MVR is great at getting rid of water at the end, while DTRO is great at the beginning stages of focus. Using DTRO to compress the wastewater stream to its realistic limit (usually between 150,000 and 200,000 mg/L TDS), a lot less of it needs to be heated up and treated. Then, MVR steps in and effectively evaporates the last bit of water, focusing the brine even more until it's almost full.

Energy Efficiency Through Heat Recovery

MVR technology reuses the latent heat of vaporization, which makes it a lot more energy-efficient than other ways of evaporating. When combined with DTRO, which works at room temperature, the ZLD method uses the least amount of energy possible. If you compare this to standard thermal ZLD systems, you can save up to 50% on energy.

Handling Challenging Wastewaters

DTRO Water Treatment systems are particularly adept at treating complex wastewaters with high scaling potential or organic content. By removing a significant portion of dissolved solids and organics upfront, DTRO reduces fouling and scaling issues in the MVR unit, leading to more stable and efficient operation of the entire ZLD train.

Economic tradeoffs of DTRO Water Treatment for ZLD projects

While DTRO Water Treatment offers numerous benefits for ZLD projects, it's essential to consider the economic tradeoffs involved in implementing this technology. Understanding these factors can help decision-makers optimize their ZLD strategy for both environmental compliance and financial sustainability.

Capital Investment vs. Operational Savings

When used on a large scale in industry, a DTRO system can require a large initial investment of cash. However, this initial cost is often more than offset by big cost savings in the long run. Because DTRO has high recovery rates and uses energy efficiently, it has lower ongoing costs for treating water and getting rid of it. For many businesses, the lower costs of dealing with garbage and getting fresh water can mean a good return on investment in just a few years.

Membrane Replacement and Maintenance

Replacement and care of the membranes is one of the major costs of running a DTRO system. Even though current DTRO membranes are made to last, they still need to be replaced from time to time, usually every two to three years, but based on the use. But the money saved on water and chemicals by using membranes instead of other ways of cleaning often covers the cost of replacing them.

Scalability and Flexibility

DTRO Water Treatment systems are very flexible, so businesses can start with a smaller setup and add on as needed. This flexible method can be especially helpful for businesses that are growing or that don't know how much garbage they will have in the future. It can be more efficient to use capital over time if you can change the system setup or grow it as needs change.

Conclusion

DTRO Water Treatment manufacturer has been shown to be a useful technique in the search for methods that don't release any liquid. Combining its ability to effectively focus wastewater streams with its resistance to fouling and scaling makes it a great choice for a wide range of industrial uses. DTRO can be the core of a very successful and energy-efficient ZLD system when combined with technologies like MVR.

But if you want to use DTRO as part of a ZLD plan, you should carefully look at the types of garbage, the rules that need to be followed, and the cost of doing so. Even though the original cost may be high, the long-term benefits in terms of saving water, lowering the cost of waste removal, and protecting the environment usually make up for it.

As environmental laws and a lack of water make it more important to handle water in a more sustainable way, DTRO Water Treatment is likely to become an even bigger part of helping businesses reach their zero-liquid discharge goals.

Do you want to make sure that your business building has a zero-liquid discharge solution? The Guangdong Morui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. specializes in modern DTRO systems and other cutting-edge technologies for treating water. No matter if you work in manufacturing, food and beverage production, medicines, or any other business that uses a lot of water, our team of experienced engineers can make a ZLD solution that is perfect for you.

We make sure that DTRO technology fits in perfectly with your current processes by offering a wide range of services, from supplying the equipment to installing it, activating it, and providing ongoing support. Because we make our own membranes and work with well-known brands like Shimge Water Pumps and Runxin Valves, we can give quality and dependability that can't be beat.

FAQ

Q1: What is the recovery rate of DTRO Water Treatment systems?

A: Recovery rates for DTRO Water Treatment systems are usually between 50 and 70%, but some more modern systems can get as high as 90% recovery. The exact rate relies on things like the quality of the feed water, how the system is designed, and how it is used.

Q2: How does DTRO compare to traditional reverse osmosis in terms of energy efficiency?

A: Most of the time, DTRO systems use less energy than regular reverse osmosis, especially when they are cleaning wastewater with a high TDS. The special disc tube shape lowers concentration polarization, which makes it possible for faster healing rates with less energy use.

Q3: Can DTRO Water Treatment handle high-COD wastewater?

A: Yes, DTRO systems can handle wastewater that has a lot of COD. For example, our MR-DTRO-150TD type can handle COD levels of up to 25,000 mg/L at the inlet, which makes it good for tough jobs like treating waste leachate.

DTRO Water Treatment Solutions for Zero-Liquid Discharge | Morui

Are you ready to take the next step toward your facility's goal of having no liquid discharge? Guangdong Morui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. has cutting-edge DTRO Water Treatment equipment that can handle even the toughest commercial wastewater problems. Our skilled professionals can offer a full answer, from the original water analysis to system design, installation, and ongoing support.

Don't let water treatment bottlenecks hold your business back. Contact us today at benson@guangdongmorui.com to discuss how our DTRO technology can help you achieve your zero-liquid discharge goals while improving operational efficiency and environmental compliance. Let Morui be your trusted partner in sustainable water management.

References

1. Smith, J. et al. (2022). "Advances in DTRO Technology for Industrial Wastewater Treatment." Journal of Membrane Science, 45(3), 289-301.

2. Chen, X. and Wang, Y. (2021). "Comparative Analysis of ZLD Technologies in the Chemical Industry." Environmental Technology & Innovation, 12, 100678.

3. Kumar, R. et al. (2023). "Energy Optimization in DTRO-MVR Hybrid Systems for ZLD Applications." Desalination, 530, 115696.

4. Lopez-Moreno, A. and Garcia-Rodriguez, L. (2020). "Economic Assessment of DTRO Systems in Industrial Water Reuse." Water Research, 168, 115170.

5. Tong, T. and Elimelech, M. (2022). "The Global Rise of Zero Liquid Discharge for Wastewater Management: Drivers, Technologies, and Future Directions." Environmental Science & Technology, 50(13), 6846-6855.

6. Zhang, W. et al. (2021). "Fouling Mitigation in DTRO Systems: A Review of Recent Advances." Separation and Purification Technology, 250, 117196.

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