Spiral wound multi-effect membrane distillation module

A distillation device, comprising:

• a cylindrical housing;
• a plurality of spiral wound membrane distillation (MD) units connected in series, each spiral wound MD unit comprising:
• a perforated center tube concentric to the cylindrical housing;
• a plurality of effects spirally wound around the center tube, wherein each effect comprises:
• a feed spacer;
• a vapor permeable membrane;
• a permeate spacer;
• and
• a heat exchange film,
• wherein the permeate spacer is disposed between the vapor permeable membrane and the heat exchange film, and
• wherein distillation of a feed fluid by the plurality of effects of each of the spiral wound MD units deposits a condensate fluid into the center tube on each of the plurality of spinal wound MD units.

A method of manufacturing a distillation device, the method comprising:

• sealing a rectangular vapor membrane film to a rectangular heat exchange film on three edges;
• disposing a permeate spacer between the vapor membrane film and the heat exchange film;
• disposing a feed spacer film on the vapor membrane film;
• attaching the unsealed edge to a perforated center tube, wherein the permeate spacer coincides with the perforations of the center tube;
• and
• rotating the center tube to form a spiral wound membrane distillation (MD) unit.