Reverse Osmosis Membrane Processes

1. A membrane must allow passage of certain molecules and exclude passage of others.
2. In osmosis, a spontaneous transport of solvent occurs from a dilute solute or a salt solution
to a concentrated solute or a salt solution across a semi-permeable membrane which allows
passage of a solvent but impedes passage of a salt solutes.
3. The solvent water normally flows through the semi-permeable membrane to the salt
solution.
4. The levels of both are the same and the solvent flow can be reduced by applying pressure on
the salt solution side and membrane.
5. Based on the figure 13.1, until certain time the osmosis processes will reach the equilibrium
phase at certain osmotic pressure,π, of the salt solution where the amount of solvent passing
opposite direction is equal.
6. The chemical pontentials of the solvent on both sides of the membrane are equal.
7. To reverse the flow of water to the fresh solvent, the pressure is increased above the osmotic
pressure on the solution side where this phenomenon called Reverse Osmosis (RO) process.
8. Usage of RO:
• desalinization of sea water or brackish water
• colour removal of wastewater streams
• pretreatment of boiler feed water
• recovery of sugar in food processing
• concentration of fruit juices and milk
• reduction of chemical oxygen demand ( COD ) of wastewater and groundwater.
9. RO process can be operated at ambient temperature without phase change.

Figure 13.1: a) Osmosis process b) at certain time equilibrium achieved

c) A pressure higher from osmotic pressure,π, will cause the RO process
happen
Osmotic Pressure of Solutions

• Osmotic pressure,π, of a solution is directly proportional to the concentration and

temperature,T.
• Experiments done by Van't Hoff showed that the realtionship is similar to that for pressure
of an ideal gas.
• For example, for dilute water solutions:
π = nRT/Vm
◦ where n = number of kg-mole of solute/total no. of ions
Vm = volume of pure solvent water in m3 associated with n
R = 82.057 x 10-3 m3.atm/kg-mol.K
T = temperature, Kelvin

• For more concentrated solutions,equation above is modified using the osmotic coefficient,Φ,
which is the ratio of the actual osmotic pressure,π, to the ideal π calculates from equation.
• For every dilute solutions, Φ has a value of unity and usually decreases as concentration
increases.

Basic Models for Membrane Processes

two basic types:
• Tight membranes
◦ capable of retaining solutes of about 10Å in size or less
◦ where diffusion type of transport usually occur
◦ both solute and solvent migrate by molecular or follows Fick's rule which is driven by
concentration gradients set up in the membrane by the applied pressure difference.

• Loose, microporous membranes

◦ retain particles larger than 10Å.
◦ A sieve type mechanism occurs where the solvent moves through the micropores in
essentially viscous flow and the solute molecules small enough to pass thru the pores
are carried by convection with the solvent.

Diffusion Type Model

• The steady state equations governing the transport of solvent and solute are to a first
approximation.
• For diffusion of the solvent through the membrane:
Nw = ( Pw/Lw )( ΔP – Δπ ) = Aw ( ΔP – Δπ )

Aw = Pw/Lm
where Nw = solvent (water) flux
Pw = solvent membrane permeability
Lm = the membrane thickness
Aw = solvent permeability constant
ΔP = P1 - P2
Δπ = π1 – π2
 • For the diffusion of solute through the membrane, an approximation for the flux of solute is
Ns = ( DsKs/Lm)( c1 – c2 ) = As ( c1 – c )

As = DsKs/Lm
where Ns = solute (salt) flux , kg solute/s.m2
D = diffusitivity of solute in membrane, m2/s
Ks = cm/c, distribution coefficient
As = solute permeability constant, m/s
c1 = solute concentration in upstream or feed ( concentration ) solution,
kg solute/m3
c2 = solute concentration in downstream or product (permeatea) solution, kg
solute/m3

• By material balance,
Ns = (Nw .c2 ) / cw2
◦ where cw2 = solvent concentration in stream 2, kg solvent / m3

• If the stream 2 is dilute in solute, is approximately the density of solvent.

• In RO, the solute rejection, R, is defined as:

R = ( c1 - c2 ) / c1 = 1 / ( c1 - c2 )