treatment process that uses pressure to force water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane. It is called reverse osmo- sis because the pressure causes the water to flow in a reverse direction, (from the concentrate solution to the dilute solution) to the flow direction, (from the dilute to the concentrate. The membrane will allow the water to pass but will trap any ion- ized salts, colloids, organic molecules or other impurities larger than 0.0001 mi- crons. This eBook takes a look at some of the uses for reverse osmosis in the industrial world and the ways in which this innovative water filtration technology can save businesses money. ***** Chapter 1: Reverse Osmosis Design and Engineering Engineers must take several factors into consideration when designing a custom reverse osmosis system, including the source waters temperature, flow rate, pH, hardness level and contaminants. Depending on the application, both a pretreat- ment and post treatment filtration may be required to treat the source water in addition to the reverse osmosis process. Pre-filters are often
required to remove sediment material, such as
sand or other large contaminants, from source water which could quickly clog up a Reverse Osmosis membrane. In cases where the source water comes from a municipal facility, water should be pre-filtered through an activated carbon filter or treated with chlorine reducing agents to prevent deterioration of the membrane. For industrial applications, such as boiler feed water or process water, pretreat- ment with a water softener is also recommended to prevent scaling and corrosion. Water softening uses an ion exchange process to remove scale-depositing minerals. For ultrapure water used in laboratories or a health care setting, an additional post- RO filtration method may be required for further purification. ***** Chapter 2: What Does Reverse Osmosis Remove? Reverse Osmosis removes contaminants and impurities larger than 0.0001 mi- crons, including: various types of salts, metals, viral and bacterial organisms (such as polio and other disease causing organisms), and dissolved minerals (such as lead, zinc, and phosphate). Depending on the characteristics of the system, min- eral rejection rates will typically vary from 90 to 99 percent.
Chapter 3: Saving Money with Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis systems offer an economical solution for producing high purity water and lowering production costs. When used to treat boiler feed water, reverse osmosis removes contaminants that would otherwise collect inside the boiler and result in scaling, blow back, and frequent maintenance. By using water treated through reverse osmosis, scheduled maintenance costs are lowered and boiler up-time is increased. By extension, the incidents of unscheduled boiler maintenance events are also reduced, improving service delivery. Reverse osmosis systems also help to extend the life of cooling towers. Microorganism growth, scaling, corrosion, and dirt accumulation are all threats to the lifespan of a cooling tower. The semi-permeable membrane of an RO filter captures bacterial organisms and mineral deposits, reducing the threats of microorganism growth, scaling and corrosion. Similar to the above case regarding boiler feed water, maintenance and operating costs are reduced. Modern reverse osmosis systems are capable of filtering several million gallons of water per day. Industrial reverse osmosis systems
typically recover anywhere from 50% to 75% of
filtered feed water.
Definitions: Activated Carbon Filter A water
treatment medium, which is produced by heating carbonaceous substances (such as coal, wood or coconut shell) then activating with higher heat and oxidizing gases. Carbon filtration is commonly used for dechlorination organics removal and other specialty processes. Hard Water - A common quality of water which contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium. Membrane A semipermeable, thin sheet or surface film, of micro-porous struc- ture that performs as a filter of particles down to .0001 microns. Reverse Osmosis The process of using pressure to force water through a semi- permeable membrane to filter out contaminants. Scaling A hard mineral coating or incrustation formed by the precipitation of salts calcium and magnesium from water.
