Reactions and Separations Improving Reverse Osmosis Performance Loraine Hucuter, P-E., CMC MarTech SYSTEMS, INC. ceverse osmosis (RO) isa standard treatment tect- BR ise ttt arse one influent water systems, Successful operation of an RO unit requires proper monitoring, troubleshooting, and care of the membranes during service and storage periods. Failure to manage RO units correctly will result in irre- versible fouling and scaling of membranes, reduced perme- ate quality and/or production, and premature membrane failure. In extreme cases, the membranes may fail in less than one year. This article discusses proper monitoring practices, data analysis, and troubleshooting methods to maximize system performance and reliability Monitoring RO performance The simplest monitoring program measures the conduc- tivity ofthe product stream on a periodic basis. However, this minimal level of monitoring will virtually guarantee ‘ premature failure. RO systems require robust monitor- ing and data analysis to track the system performance and implementation of timely corrective action, such as offline cleaning. Proper monitoring involves measuring key parameters and tracking changes. Each data point must be normal- ized to account for dynamic operating conditions, such as ‘membrane aging, the accumulation of contaminants in the ‘membranes, and temperature changes that affect water den- sity. Changes in normalized data that exceed the maximum specification limits indicate that the membranes need to be cleaned to avoid permanent loss of membrane capacity. ‘This article is excerpted ftom the author's book “Influent Water Systems,” {© 2007 Gulf Publishing Ino, the ist of four-volame series, “Operating Practices for Industial Water Management.” 0 wnsicrecrgicen Septarme 2010 CRP Follow these guidelines for monitoring, evaluating, and troubleshooting RO units to ensure reliable and efficient system operation. ‘The key parameters to monitor are: + normalized product flow — a decline of more than 10% indicates a need to clean membranes + normalized salt passage — this will increase with scaling and may or may not change with fouling; an increase of more than 10% indicates a need to clean + pressure drop — an increase of either 10% or more than 50 psi per stage indicates a need to clean. The lange amount of data and high sampling frequency ‘needed to maintain system reliability make manual data acquisition and management difficult. Automated acquisition of temperature, flow, and pressure data simplifies the moni- toring process and automates the complex normalization calculations. Software is available from membrane mantu- facturers to log data and automatically calculate and track the key parameters. The software normalizes each data point ‘and updates the historical trend charts, allowing operators to determine the optimal cleaning frequency and maximize system reliability Figure | compares raw and normalized product flow § 050 2 sn : 5 310. Emo = jm zee & 250. 0 2 © 6 a 100 120 Operating Time, days ‘a Figure 1. Track noealized operating parameter o evaluate RO perfomance and cleaning effectiveness.see Te sat Oe eee) CU CCR CLUE LDL lel ewe Order today and SAVE 20% Comprehensive Membrane Science and Engineering, 4 volume set Edited by Enrico Drioli and Lie ta Giorno, Modern membrane engineering is critical to the development of process-intensification strategies and to the stimulation of industrial growth. This four-volume work covers all aspects of the field~from basic phenomena to the most advanced applications and future perspectives. It aids researchers and engineers in developing and designing more efficient and environmentally friendly processes by providing the information needed for optimal material and membrane selection. 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Operators [Pressure x x x x should measure and record the temperature, pressure, [5 = % : % flowrate, and conductivity, use the software pro- - : z vvided by the membrane manufacturer to perform the | S20euctiy normatization calculations, and analyze the trends to | Temperature x determine the timing of the next cleaning process. | pH x x Microbiological growth should be monitored "| Sit Denaity nox (80 | _X week, sing dip sides before andar ach ieee | Cin, fae e of upstream equipment, Dip slides are agar-coates slides used to culture aerobic bacteria that provide @ | ™==sty - ‘visual indication of the microbiological population _| Langeliee Saturation x after incubation for 24-72 h. eos ‘The other parameters listed in Table 1 should be | *Messurpressuet te cari eet rete recorded and analyzed twice per shift, and the results 1 Measwe SO onoe per day used to adjust the pretreatment chemical dosages and ‘optimize the operation of upstream equipment (e.g. filters). The silt density index (SDI) is calculated by ASTM ‘Test Method D4189-82 and is used to evaluate the fouling potential of the water on semi-permeable membranes. Itis an imprecise measure of the concentration of suspended solids in water, and is only generally related to turbid- ity. (Waters with low turbidity, e.g., < 0.5 NTU, can have high SDI values.) The SDI test does not exactly duplicate the mechanism of an RO membrane because it forees all How IMPORTANT IS NORMALIZATION? ‘A plant commissioned an RO system but did not collect ‘and normalize the operating data. The effluent volume ‘met the manufacturer's specication during the fst year ‘of operation, with periodic cleanings based on an arbi- ‘rary time intorval instead of on normalized performance indicators. During the second winter, the RO capacity was Inaufficien, forcing plant personnel to bypass eoftened ‘waters to the boilers and increase the blowdown rates. ‘The plant rented mobile AO units during the third winter ‘and implemented performance-based cleenings: how- fever the membranes were kreversibly fouled and required premature replacement. ‘The plant installed new membranes, implemented an intensive monitoring program that included normal- izing the data, conducted performance-based cleaning, ‘began heating the influent water during cold weather, and improved the upstream clarifier operation. These changes reduced fouling, increased membrane Me, and eliminated the need for mobile RO units during winter operation. ‘Lesson Leamed: Plant personnel should be trained to [properly operate an/RO unit in order to Identity and solve problems in a timely manner and reduce the impact on ‘system performance and availabilty: suspended solids through a 0.45-um filter; however, itis the best model available. It is only valid at relatively low particulate concentrations, where the SDI is less than 15, The SDI test requires a fresh feedwater sample, so it ‘must be conducted onsite, at the feedwater inlet. SDI is calculated by: SDI, = (1 t/4,)’n *100 w ‘where: n= run time, min; fg = the length of time required to collect 500 mL of feedwater starting at time 0, 5; 1,= the length of time required to collect 500 mL of feed- Water starting at time n, s. The standard test period is 15 min, and the results are typically reported as SDI,, “Most manufacturers warrant membranes for feedwater with an SDI of less than 5. However, water with an SDI less than 5 may still foul the membrane with particulates. RO exper use the Langelier Saturation Index or Lange lier Stability Index (LSI) to predict the likelihood of precipi- tation of calcium carbonate in natural water and to determine the requirements for anti-scalant chemicals. LST is a function of temperature (7, °C), pH and saturation pH (pHs), and the concentrations of total dissolved solids (mg/L) and calcium hardness and alkalinity (in mg/L as CaCO;): LSI= pH —pHs Q) pls=(9.3+4+B)-(C+D) 6) log q(TDS] — 1)/10 @) =13.12 » logyq(T + 273) + 34.55 6) logyyfCa2"] 0.4 © log, olalkalin o As shown in Table 2, waters with a negative LSI value CRP Sepia 2010 wrwstcheomep 4Reactions and Separations are considered scale-dissolving, or corrosive, whereas waters with a positive LSI value are considered seale-form- ing: waters with an LSI of zero are considered neutral with respect to scaling and corrosivity. When the concentration of dissolved ions (salts) exceeds 4,000 ppm, LSI is no lon- ‘ger an accurate prediction of calcium carbonate solubility. em ee omens 3.0 _| Extremely severe scaling 2.0 _| Very severe scaling 1.0 | Severe scaling 0.5 | Moderate scaling 0.2 _| Siight scaling (0.0 _ | Stable water (no scale) 0.2_| No scaling, very sight tendency to dissolve scale 05 | No scaling, sight tendency to dissoWve soale 1.0 | No scaling, moderate tendency to dissolve scale 2.0 _| No scaling, strong tendency to dissolve scale =3.0 | No scaling, very strong tendency to dissolve scale syuprom FO Combined ‘On/off operation Operating RO units intermittently is seldom a risk with well water sources, but it increases the risk of microbio- logical fouling in units that purify surface water. Minimiz~ ing the length of time that an RO unit idles will increase system reliability. ‘Some RO feedwater pumps have a variable-speed drive to save energy during warm weather, when an increase in the feed temperature reduces the power requirements for pump- ing. Ideally, RO installations should have a product water storage tank to accommodate variable demand, Operators can minimize the ide time of the RO unit that supplies the product water tank by adjusting the dead band on the tank level. For RO units that purify surface water, the maximum idle period is 4h. Operators should flush the membranes ‘with product water prior to idling to minimize fouling. In the absence of a product water storage tank, a variable- speed drive on the RO feed water pump can vary the product, flowrate. However, reducing the pump speed reduces the flowrate and can increase the risk of fouling due to the lower linear velocity atthe membrane surface. The recommended ‘maximum pump tundown to prevent fouling is 10%. RO system storage Idled RO units are extremely vulnerable to microbiological Pemeate Conduct sigh 10 sion) growth that is often difficult or impossible to remove from the membrane surface. Thus, storage procedures should be initiated if the RO unit is expected to be idle for rmore than 24 h Membrane suppliers and water treatment service representatives can provide recommended proce- dures for storage. Clean membranes are less vulnerable to deterioration during storage than scaled or fouled ‘membranes; however, all storage procedures for membranes removed Waren THE Pump " Compere the discharge pres- ‘sure and flow to the RO food pump curve ona weekly basis to determine the health ofthe | pump. Develop a contingency plan: Consider stocking seals ‘A. Figure 2. Fllow this procedure to identify the cause of poor permeate cua. BZ wosirecrgionn September 2010 CRP ‘and a spare impeller, o ind & {cal supplier that maintains a spare unitin inventory, |ee een ee age, and pressure eet neti ies Ferma’ Yee akon seaing Decreased Normal or increased | Normal or increased Any Stage Microbiological or Organic Fouling ‘Decreased | Normal or increased | Normal orinereased | First Stage Goloidal Fouling | _Incrsased _ Increased Decreased First Stage ___ Oxidation, Leak, of Degeneration ee Tes Sie | Save a a eral oy Sas Sonesta from sevice have limited efectveness Preparation for long-term sorage involves cleaning the membranes, Rushing them with product water and then |\__oupatyPeretet ent fhshing then witha preservative sochas som bist, é secemere Troubleshooting 8 Inadequate Pretreatment, The mos common sympoms of RO problems incude: eeaets + poor-quality event eg. high conductivity or high concentrations of individual ions, such as chloride or sul- Operating Tine fate ions) + changes in normalized values of key operating parameters + loss of cleaning effectiveness (eg, failure to recover performance after cleaning or an increase in the frequency of cleaning). Sometimes the easiest way to identify a rejection, prod- uct flow, or pressure drop problem is to isolate the location by testing the product from each pressure vessel and open- ing the system to visually inspect the equipment. Figure 2 ‘outlines a systematic procedure to identify the root cause of poor-quality permeate. A few words of warning: Under no circumstances should RO water with more than 2.0 ppm of total hardness ‘as CaCO, be fed to boilers! Conductivity measurements may not be sensitive enough to find small leaks. A simpler method to find O-ring seal problems is to measure individual ion concentrations, such as, chiloride or sulfate, in the RO feed and product streams and compare the probing test results from each tube or element. ‘Table 3 is @ guide to interpreting trends in the normal- ed operating data to assist with troubleshooting, The most likely causes of an increase in the frequency of cleaning are: + changing feedwater quality + physical deterioration of the membrane elements, + ineffective cleaning{s). By reviewing the cleaning log and notes, one can evalu- ate whether the cleaning conformed to the recommended procedures and the appropriateness ofthe cleaning protocol. The RO system should be cleaned again as soon as possible with a modified cleaning procedure if warranted, Consul- ‘A Figure 3. Proper feed pretreatment wil enable the RO syst to ‘mainizin the desired product frat tants and chemical suppliers, as well as references such as (1), can provide cleaning procedures and chemicals. Figure 3 presents hypothetical normalized data for three systems — one with a properly pretreated feed, one ‘with marginal pretreatment and periodic cleaning, and one with inadequate pretreatment and frequent cleaning — to demonstrate the importance of proper cleaning. Probing RO tubes ‘When troubleshooting an RO system, it is often useful to have information about the product quality atthe outlet of individual elements. As shown in Figure 4, inserting a flexible plastic tube into the center of the RO tube and reasuring the depth of insertion allows the product atthe outlet of a specific element to be individually sampled. ‘Aplot ofthe product conductivity as a function of dis- tance along the stage indicates the location of misaligned brine seal(s). For example, Figure 5 reveals a problem concentrate Peemeate esa S o (Conductivity. ‘A Figure 4,4 tube probe allows the product at the cet of an element be indvgually sampled. CEP September 2010 vmwakrecgin 2BReactions and Separations 0 8 100 150 200 260 000 Fegan ‘A Figure 5. Comparing te actual permeate conductivity withthe design ‘vale shows that here is a problem withthe brine seal atthe fist element 100 J § 90 | i a 2° gol a 3 ‘Tibes § 2 f—_{ _} tube 9 hte 12 . 0 50 100-150 20026000 Feed nd “Tube Length, in ‘A Figure 6, Sope changes indicate the locations of seal problems, with the brine seal that mates the second and third clement because the design and actual values vary by the largest amount a tis location Similarly, Figure 6 presents probe-test results for one first-stage tube (Tube 5) and two second-stage tubes (Tubes 9/and 12), plotting the water quality at each junetion between tube elements. As expected, the outlet conductiv- ity of the concentrate from Tube 5 matches the feed con- ductivity of Tubes 9 and 12. The two second-stage tubes (Tubes 9 and 12) should match and have the same slope. ‘The change in the slope of the Tube 9 curve between 50 and 100 in, indicates a brine seal problem at that location, the junction between the second and third elements, ‘Accomplete audit of an RO unit requires probing all RO tubes. Figure 7 plots the conductivity ofthe water as itexits each tube. The longer bars for Tubes 11 and 12 indicate probtems in those tubes. The blue bar represents the improved product water quality after repair of one misaligned seal in Tube 12; tis seal replacement was suf- ficient to resolve the Stage 2 quality problem. ——— Lirerature CiTep 1, Kucera, "Revere Onnsis Initial Applications dram ssi” Srimer Publishing Salen, MA pp 265-277 2010) BA wwmairocrotcen September 2010 CEP 0 20 | {i Soe 7 Bote Soa Ropar lm stage 2 Botre Soa Rapa §& 70) Tube 12 Ate Sea! Repair 3 6 22 3° ze & 2 10 ° 12 8 4 6 6 7 8 8 1011 12 ‘Tube ‘A Figure 7. Corecting the Tbe 12 seal alignment was sufcint io reso he Stage 2 product ality prblen Best operating practices for RO systems ‘The last 20 years have brought about significant improve- ments in RO technology, and plant personnel have imple- ‘mented better procedures. The following best practices can reduce the risk of failure and the cost of inefficient operation. + Record daily operating data using a software program that calculates and plots the normalized trends. ‘ Always clean the membranes when indicated by the normalized data trends Select one or more suppliers and have an “immedi- ate procurement” process in place to purchase replacement elements in an emergency. + Develop a list of consumables, such as prefilter cartridges, O-rings, and end cap seals, and implement a process to ensure sufficient onsite inventory. + Develop a list of replacement components, such as pump impellers and pressure gages, and implement a pro- cess to ensure availability. Determine the feasibility of bypassing the RO unit during an RO system failure, and develop a procedure to ‘modify the boiler-water chemical treatment and blowdown ‘management to accommodate the changes in the quality of | the makeup water. + Negotiate an agreement with a mobile RO supplier to ensure minimal disruption to plant operations during RO failures or reduced recovery during cold weather. EXE {LORAINE HUCHLER, PE, CMC. the funder and preston of Marech Sy tenn ne Gs bru Cec M8 Phe 6 Br 1gs7 bona: huclrOmartechysteni com; Webs: Www nares: temacom) an engineering consing en that esssses and manages "skin ndustl watered lly syste, Previous, se worked ‘the technical marktiog group of Betbearoors Water Menagerie (0m GE Water & Process Tecnology to support chemical Uestnent products Forint wate appeatons, Huh olds BS in chemical en racing Wom the Un of Rochester ada ensed profesional ng ern New etsy and Manand and cated management constant (Gita She iss member of ACRE, MACE Iteralorl he Solty Wore Ege ade te of Manager Cnn wt She recent conpieed ate onthe Beare Dect’.