Membrane　distillation　(MD)　is　a　promising　desalination　technology　for　water　recovery　from　reverse　osmosis　(RO)　brine.　However,　calcium　sulfate　as　the　major　pollutant　in　RO　brine　concentrates　induces　scale　occurrence　in　MD.　Effective　control　of　membrane　scaling　and　cleaning　of　the　membrane　module　are　the　key　technologies　for　the　industrialization　of　MD.　In　this　work,　effects　of　four　anti-scaling　and　five　cleaning　agents　on　calcium　sulfate　scaling　in　direct　contact　membrane　distillation　(DCMD)　process　were　investigated　and　discussed.　It　was　found　that　membrane　scaling　and　wetting　was　significantly　alleviated　with　the　addition　of　an　effective　anti-scaling　agent.　The　flux　recovery　of　a　membrane　with　five　cleaning　agents　was　also　improved　and　the　flux　recovery　using　a　2%　EDTA-4Na　solution　was　obtained　as　high　as　92.8%　at　77　degrees　C.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.