Reverse Osmosis

Presented by Group II
ECE3204
Introduction
 Definition: reverse osmosis is a technology that is used to remove a large majority of
contaminants from water by pushing water under pressure through a semi-permeable
reverse osmosis membrane.
 A reverse osmosis membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that allows the passage of
pure water molecules while trapping the salts and other impurities (contaminants) on the
other side.
 Water has to be pushed through the reverse osmosis membrane by applying pressure that is
greater than the naturally occurring osmotic pressure.
 The reverse osmosis process begins with the pre-treatment of the feedwater, which
involves removing suspended solids and organic matter that could clog the membrane.
 The feedwater is then pressurized and forced through the semi-permeable membrane.
 As the water passes through, only pure water molecules are able to pass through while
larger molecules such as salts are trapped on the other side of the membrane.
 The purified water is then collected on one side of the membrane while the concentrated
brine solution containing all the salts and impurities is collected on the other side.
 A variety of different salts can be treated by this process, these include sodium chloride
(Na CI), calcium chloride (CaCI2), magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), potassium chloride
(KCI) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3).
 In addition, it can also be used to remove heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury,
chromium, and copper from drinking water.
Illustration of reverse osmosis process
Outline of how the process works
 The process works by using high pressure pump to increase the pressure on the salt side of
the RO and force the water across the semi-permeable membrane, leaving almost all (95-
99%) of the dissolved salt behind in the rejection stream.
 The amount of pressure required depends on the salt concentration of the feedwater, the
more concentrated the feedwater, the more pressure is required to overcome the osmotic
pressure.
 What comes out of the RO system is permeate/product water and the concentrate, reject or
brine.
 Permeate is water that was pushed through the RO membrane and contains very little
contaminants, RO system sizes are based on permeate flow i.e a 250 gpm RO system
implies that the RO system will produce 250 gpm permeate water.
 Concentrate is water that contains all the contaminants that were unable to pass through the
RO membrane.
 The concentrate goes to drain or can be fed back into the feedwater supply in some
circumstances to be recycled through the RO system to save water.
The water flows through a RO membrane
The reactions that take place in RO process
1. Diffusion: the semi-permeable membrane allows water molecules to pass through, but not
larger ions, minerals, or organic molecules. This diffusion process helps to reduce the
concentration of impurities in the water.
2. Osmotic Pressure: the pressure required to overcome the natural osmotic pressure of the
solution with higher dissolved minerals and salts is a major factor in reverse osmosis, the
applied pressure on the solution side results in a change in pressure gradient which helps to
force water molecules through the membrane.
3. Concentration Polarization: as water moves from a higher to a lower concentration, the
concentration of the salts and minerals on the solution side of RO membrane increases, this
increased concentration of contaminants can lead to fouling on the RO membrane which
can lead to reduction in efficiency.
4. Fouling: this is the accumulation of suspended solids, organic compounds, and bacterial
growth on the surface of the membrane, it can cause irreversible damage to the membrane
leading to increased pressure requirements and reduced production yields.
 Design Specifications
1) Membrane Selection: the RO system’s performance depends on the type and quality of the membrane used,
high quality membranes have high rejection rates and have longer lifespan compared to low-quality ones.
2) System Capacity: this refers to the amount of water that can be processed per day, the capacity depends on the
water quality, temperature , and operating pressure.
3) Feed Water Quality: the RO system’s design should consider the feedwater quality, including the level levels
of dissolved solids , hardness and other impurities. The feedwater is pre-treated to prevent membrane fouling.
4) Operating Pressure: the RO system works under high-pressure to force water through the membrane,
separating impurities from the water. The design should incorporate a high-pressure pump to achieve the
required operating pressure.
5) System Components: the RO system comprises of several components, including a sediment filter, carbon
filter, membrane, pressure pump, and storage tank, the components should be selected carefully based on the
system’s capacity, feedwater quality, and other factors.
6) Monitoring and Control Systems: the RO system should have a monitoring and control system to ensure
optimal performance. The variables to be monitored are flow rate, pressure etc, control systems can automate
operation, optimize performance and minimize wastage.
RO Performance Calculations
 There are a handful of calculations that are used to judge the performance of an RO system and for design
considerations.
1. Salt Rejection %

 this equation tells us how effective the RO membranes are removing contaminants.
2. Salt Passage %
 the lower the salt passage, the better the system is performing, high salt passage can mean that the
membrane require cleaning or replacement.
Salt Passage % = [ 1- Salt Rejection %]
3. Recovery %
 recovery is the amount of water that is being recovered as good permeate water.
 the recovery for an RO system is established with the help of design software taking into
consideration numerous factors such as feed water chemistry and RO pre-treatment before the
RO system.
4. Concentration Factor
Concentration Factor = [1/(1- Recovery %)]
 this is a vital equation for RO system design, the more concentrated salts and contaminants you
collect in the concentrate stream.
Advantages of RO
 High efficiency in removing
contaminants from water, including
heavy metals, salts etc
 Low energy consumption compared to
other water purification methods.
 Low maintenance costs due to the simple
design of the system.
 Ability to produce high-quality drinking
water with minimal wastage production.
 Ability to be used in a variety of
applications, including industrial and
residential settings.
Disadvantages of RO
 Membranes are prone to fouling and
require frequent cleaning or replacement.
 Produces wastewater that must be
disposed of properly.
 Requires pre-treatment of the feedwater
to remove suspended solids, organic
matter and bacteria.
 High initial cost for installation.
References
1. Cath, T.Y., Childress, A.E.A and Elimelech, M., 2006. Forward osmosis: Principles,
applications, and recent developments. Journal of membrane science, 281(1-2), pp70-87.
2. Greenlee, L.F., Lawler, D.F., Freeman, B.D., Marrot, B. and Moulin, P., 2009. Reverse
osmosis desalination: water sources, technology, and today's challenges. Water research,
43(9), pp.2317-2348.
3. Joo, S.H. and Tansel, B., 2015. Novel technologies for reverse osmosis concentrate
treatment: A review. Journal of Environmental Management, 150, pp.322-335.
4. Malaeb, L. and Ayoub, G.M., 2011. Reverse osmosis technology for water treatment: State
of the art review. Desalination, 267(1), pp.1-8.
5. Petersen, R.J., 1993. Composite reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes. Journal of
membrane science, 83(1), pp.81-150.
6. Soltanieh, M. and GILL', W.N., 1981. Review of reverse osmosis membranes and transport
models. Chemical Engineering Communications, 12(4-6), pp.279-363.
List of group members
1. Zwelihle Sibanda N02021950N
2. Bongisani Bulala N02016873X
3. Calton Moyo N02019395T
4. Brandon Nxumalo N02019340X
5. Kesley Naomi Mlambo N02019584V
6. Simbarashe Mandisodza N02019507W
7. Flavian Makhambeni N02016867M
8. Nkosikhona Sibanda N02021662L
9. Talent Ndhlovu N02017211Y
10. Bekithemba M Ndlovu N02017558C
11. Nesisa Mafika N02017043X
12. Munashe T Mpofu N02021237L
13. Olinda R Zengeni N0196336K
14. Tadiwa Mukahiwa N02018351C
15. Chiboniso Nyoni N02017223B
16. Blessing Chifamba N02018956J
17. Nombulelo Dube N02019586B
18. Luba C Mthombeni N02021550B
19. Michael Runouya N02019310W
20. Jairos D Sango N02017303C