Interaction on Reverse Osmosis

Pepsico India Holdings Pvt. Ltd.

Jhagadia, Bharuch
22nd July, 2015

ENE FLUIDTEK PVT

J
LIMITED, KOLKATA
 Normal Filtration
++ _ +
_ + _
+ _

_ _
+ +
_ ++ +
_ +
_ +
_
++ _ _
_ +
+ _
++
All material passes through the filter
Used in: cartridge filters, dual media filters, etc.
 Cross Flow Filtration
++ _
_ +
_ ++
+ Feed +
_ ++ Concentrate
_
_
++
+
Permeate

The majority passes through and the impurities concentrate up

Rejection: Depends on membrane type.
 Osmosis

Cl -

Cl -

Na + Na +

Cl -

Cl - Na+ Na+

Na+
Na + Na+
Cl -
Na+ Cl -

Cl -
Cl -

sem iperm eable

m em brane
 Osmosis

Na +

Cl -

Na +
Na +

Cl -

Cl -

Na +

Cl - Cl - Na +

Na +
Na +

Na + Cl -

Cl -
Cl -

sem ip erm eab le

m em b rane
 Osmotic Pressure

Na +

Cl -

O sm o tic H ead
Na +
Na +
(p ressure)

Cl -

Cl -

Na +

Cl - Cl - Na +

Na +
Na +

Na + Cl -

Cl -
Cl -

sem ip erm eab le

m em b rane
 Reverse Osmosis
Pressure

Cl -
Na+

Na+
Cl -

Cl - Na+ Cl - Na+

Na+
Na+
Cl -

Na+ Cl -

Cl -
Cl -
Na+

Semi-permeable
membrane
 •BASIC RO SCHEMATIC

Feed
Feed Permeate
Permeate

Concentrate
Concentrate
•Feed: the INPUT SOLUTION to a Reverse Osmosis system,
after the pre-treatment.

Feed
Feed Permeate
Permeate

Concentrate
Concentrate
•Permeate: the portion of the feed that passes through the
membrane.

Feed
Feed Permeate
Permeate

Concentrate
Concentrate
•Concentrate: The portion of a feed which DOES NOT
PERMEATE THROUGH THE MEMBRANE, but retains ions,
organics, and suspended particles which are rejected by the
membrane.

Feed
Feed Permeate
Permeate

Concentrate
Concentrate
 Terms & Formulas
• Percent Recovery
• The percent of permeate water that is recovered
from the feed water
• Calculation:
– (Permeate m3/hr / Feed m3/hr) x 100 = %Recovery
• Example
– (75 m3/hr / 100 m3/hr) x 100 = 75% Recovery
 Terms & Formulas

• Average feed TDS = (Feed TDS + Reject TDS)/2

• Salt passage % = (Permeated TDS / Average feed TDS) x 100

• Salt rejection = 100 – Salt passage %

 Differential Pressure
PF
PP
RO Permeate

PC
RO Membrane

RO Concentrate

The differential pressure is the difference between the feed pressure and
the concentrate pressure, or PF - PC. For example, if the feed pressure is
250 psi and the concentrate pressure is 190 psi, then the differential
pressure is 250 psi - 190 psi = 60 psi.
 Terms & Formulas

• Concentration Factor
• The factor by which the feed salts will concentrate up in the
RO, based on recovery
• Calculation:
– 1/(1-recovery) or
– feed flow in m3/hr / concentrate flow in m3/hr
• Example:
– 1/(1-0.75) = 4 or
– 100 m3/hr / 25 m3/hr = 4
 Terms & Formulas
Recovery Concentration
Factor
95% 20X
90% 10X
80% 5X
75% 4X
66.66% 3X
Feed conductivity X concentration
factor = concentrate conductivity
RO Pressure Vessel
 Two Bank System
high p
concentrate
pump

permeate
Permeate
Header
MEMBRANE CONSTRUCTION
 Why Use Pre-treatment?

•Meet Feed Water Limiting conditions for RO.

•Pre-treating with chemicals will increase the life

and recovery of the membranes.

•In the long run – it will SAVE money if you pre-

treat.(Home RO vs Industrial Plants)
 Pretreatment

• Impurities in Water
- Ionic
- Non Ionic
- Particulate
- Microbiological
- Gases
 Pretreatment

RO Pretreatment Options

Suspended Solids Removal

• Clarification
• Filtration
• Primary Membrane UF/MF
• Control of biological activity
• Chlorination/dechlorination
• Chloramines
• Non Oxidizing Biocides
• Ultraviolet Light
 Pretreatment

RO Pretreatment Options

• Scale control & pH adjustment

• Antiscalant Addition
• Acid Addition
• Ion Exchange Pretreatment(Softener)
 Pre-treatment Unit Operations

Well
Water
Suspended Membrane
Potable Solids Chlorine Scale
Water Removal Removal Inhibitor

• Dual-Media Filter • Water Softener

• Activated Carbon • Chemical Injection
Surface • Sand Filters
• Chemical Injection
Water • Bag filtration
• Cartridge Filter
• Hollow fiber Ultra filtration
 Reverse Osmosis
Membrane
A-Series - Thin Film Membrane

Model Prefix Applications % Operating

Rejection Pressure

AE 400 Low Energy Seawater 99.3%-99.8% 800 psi

AG STD Pressure Brackish 99%-99.5% 225 psi
AG HR High Rejection Brackish 99%-99.7% 225psi
AG HR LF HR / Low Fouling 99%-99.7% 225psi

AK Low Energy Brackish 99% 115 psi

AK HR HR / Low Energy 99.5% 115psi
 FEED LIMITING
CONDITIONS
• SDI < 5
• TEMPERATURE < 45⁰C
• pH - BETWEEN 2 - 11
• CATIONIC COAGULANT / POLYMER - NIL
• OIL & GREASE - NIL
• HEAVY METALS - NIL
• OXIDISING COMPONENT OF FEED LIKE CHLORINE
- NIL
• FLOW RATE / TUBE – DEPENDS ON FEED WATER
QUALITY
 SDI
• IT IS A MEASURE OF PARTICULATE
MATTER PRESENT IN WATER.
• MEASURED BY PASSING WATER
THROUGH 0.45µ FILTER PAPER AT 2.1
kg/cm2 CONSTANT FEED PRESSURE.
• TIME REQUIRED TO FILTER 500 ML OF
WATER AT BEGINNING (T1) & AFTER 15
MIN (T2) IS NOTED
• SDI CALCULATED AS 6.66x(T2-T1)/T2
 SDI DECIDES
FEED WATER RO/UF WELL WATER / SURFACE
PERMEATE SOFT WATER WATER
SDI<1 SDI<3 SDI 3-5

MAX. ELEMENT 30% 19% 15%

RECOVERY (40”)

MAX. PERMEATE 1.75m3/Hr 1 m3/Hr 1 m3/Hr

PER ELEMENT(400 SFT)

MAX FEED FLOW 19 m3/Hr. 17 m3/Hr. 15

m3/Hr.
PER ELEMENT (400 SFT)

MORE IS SDI MORE IS CLEANING FREQUENCY

 REJECT LIMITING
CONDITIONS
• IRON <0.5PPM CAN EXTEND UPTO 1 PPM
WITH SPECIAL ANTISCALANT
LSI
<0 CAN EXTEND UPTO 2.5 WITH
SPECIAL ANTISCALANT

• SILICA<100PPM CAN EXTEND UPTO 250 PPM

WITH SPECIAL ANTISCALANT

• PH < 11.0

• FLOW RATE > 4 m3/Hr. FOR 400 SFT MEMBRANE

 SAFE OPERATING ZONE
• PH : 5 -9
• TEMPERATURE : 15⁰C – 40⁰C
• REJECT FLOW PER TUBE > 4 M3/Hr.
• LSI < 2.0 (WITH ANTISCALANT)
• SDI < 3.0
• TOTAL COLONIES COUNT AT FEED < 10
cfu/100ml.
• PSEUDOMONA AT FEED - NIL
• COLIFORM AT FEED - NIL
 LANGELIR STABILITY
INDEX (LSI)
• CaCO3 SATURATION INDEX
• LSI = pH-pHs
• pHs = (9.30+A+B)-(C+D)
A = FACTOR DEPENDS ON TDS.
B = FACTOR DEPENDS ON TEMPERATURE.
C = FACTOR DEPENDS ON CALCIUM HARDNESS
D = FACTOR DEPENDS ON ALKALINITY.
• LSI = 0 - NEUTRAL WATER.
• LSI > 0 - WATER IS SCALING IN NATURE
• LSI < 0 - WATER IS CORROSIVE IN NATURE
 SOP
• BACKWASH PSF & ACF DAILY
• DO NOT CLEAN PRE RO MICRON FILTER. CHANGE
WHEN EVER ΔP INCREASES BEYOND SPECIFIED
LEVEL.
• NEVER ALLOW CHLORINE LEAKAGE FROM ACF
• ALWAYS RUN RO WITH FIXED FLOW & RECOVERY.
• PREPARE ANTISCALANT SOLUTION DAILY.
• CHECK ANTISCALANT DOSING PUMP OUTPUT DAILY.
• CLEAN ANTISCALANT DOSING TANK WEEKLY.
• CLEAN RO WHEN EVER RO FEED PRESSURE /ΔP
INCREASES BEYOND SPECIFIED LEVEL.
• CONDUCT RO CLEANING BY TRAINED PERSONNEL
ONLY.
 ANTISCALANT DOSING
• DOSAGE VARIES WITH CHANGE IN FEED
WATER QUALITY.
• SET DOAGE BY MANUFACTURER’S
AUYHORISED REPRESENTATIVE ONLY.
• IN CASE OF SHORT TIME VARIATION IN
FLOW RATE SET ANTISCALANT FLOW BY
FOLLOWING FORMULAE:-
CONCENTRATION FACTOR (C) = 100/(100-RECOVERY)
ANTISCALANT CONCENTRATION AT REJECT = B PPM
(FIXED).
DOSING RATE = B/C PPM
 MEMBRANE HEALTH
INDICATOR
• PRESSURE - FEED, INTERSTAGE,
REJECT
• FLOW RATE - PERMEATE, REJECT,
RECYCLE
• TDS - PERMEATE, RO FEED
 WHY KEEP RECORD
• Necessary for observing trends

• Valuable tool for troubleshooting

• Required in the event of a warranty claim

 PROBLEMS FACED
• INCREASE IN PRESSURE
• INCREASE IN DIFFERENTIAL
PRESSURE (FEED – REJECT)
• DECREASE IN FLOW
• INCREASE IN PERMEATE TDS
• MICRO CONTAMINATION IN
PERMEATE
 RO FEED PRESSURE
• Increases with feed flow rate.
• Increases with drop in water temperature.
• Increases with increase in recovery.
• Increases with feed water TDS.
• Increases with membrane scaling / fouling.
 DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
• Increases with increase in flow rate.
• Increases with reduction in recovery.
• Increases with scaling / fouling.
• Decreases with O-ring leakage.
• Decreases due to oxidation of membrane.
• Decreases due to hydrolysis of membrane.
 PERMEATE TDS
• Increases with feed water TDS.
• Increases with feed water temperature.
• Increases with increase in recovery.
• Increases with membrane scaling.
• Increases with o-ring leakage.
• Increases with membrane damage.
 DATA NORMALIZATION
• IS A PROCESS THAT CORRECTS CHANGES IN FEED
TEMPERATURE, TDS, PRESSURE , FLOW RATE AND
OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT RO SYSTEM
PERFORMANCE BUT UNRELATED TO FOULING OR
SCALING OR MEMBRANE DEGRADATION.
• COMPARES TO A REFERENCE SET OF STANDARD
CONDITIONS
• NORMALIZATION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FROM
MEMBRANE MANUFACTURERS
• EXAMPLE : 1⁰C REDUCTION IN FEED TEMPERATURE
CAUSES 4% INCREASE IN FEED PRESSURE AND VICE-
VERSA
 FAULT FINDING
SL FEED DIFFERENTI SALT REMARKS
PRESSURE AL PASSAGE
PRESSURE
1. ↑ ↑ ↑ SCALING
2. ↑ ↑ ↔↓ BIO FOULING
3. ↑ ↔ ↔ ORGANIC
FOULING
4. ↓ ↔↓ ↑↑ OXIDATION
DAMAGE
5. ↓ ↓ ↑↑ O-RING LEAK
INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION
• CALIBRATE PRESSURE GAUGE EVERY
MONTH.
• CALIBRATE pH & TDS METER
WEEKLY.
• CHECK ORP CUT OFF LEVEL WEEKLY.
• CHECK PRESSURE SWITCH CUT OFF
MONTHLY.
 When to Clean
• Machine pressure drop increases by 15% as
compared to initial stabilized differential
pressure. Differential pressure to compare
under identical flow conditions.
• Permeate flow drops by 10% under constant
feed pressure.
• Any single 6 element housing pressure drop
exceeds 40 psi
• Quarterly as a rule-of-thumb when running
with hard water.
 Why is cleaning required
• Membrane will become scaled and /or fouled
reducing permeate flow and salt rejection.
• Membrane replacement is a large percentage of
operational cost.
• Proper cleaning can optimize membrane
performance and life.
 CIP SYSTEM DESIGN
• Tank - Suitable to hold required quantity
• Pump - Capable of supplying required flow
at required head.
• Cartridge filter – Matching with flow rate
• Isolation valves – Good quality
• Pressure Indicator – At pump outlet and
pressure tube feed.
• Flow meter - Suitable for cleaning flow.
• Tank heater (optional)
 CLEANING SYSTEM
RO WATER STORAGE TANK

CF VESSEL
AIR VENT
PRESSURE GAUGE
FLEXIBLE
0 TO 7 KG/CM*2
HOSE FROM RO RETURN
TO THE CLEANING SOL
C TANK
A RO
R
PRESSURE GAUGE
T
0 TO 7 KG/CM2
R
I
D
CF G
DRAINOUT E FLOW METER FLEXIBLE
HOSE FROM CF OUTLET
TO RO
 CLEANING LIMITS
• PH - 2 TO 11
• TEMPERATURE <44⁰C
• FLOW RATE (8”) 7 – 9 m3/Hr PER TUBE
• FEED PRESSURE< MAX PERMISSIBLE
INDIVIDUAL TUBE
ΔP
• CLEANING SHALL BE DONE ARRAY WISE.
MULTIPLE ARRAY SHALL NEVER BE
CLEANED AT A TIME.
 PROBLEMS DUE TO WRONG
CLEANING PROCEDURE
• DEPOSIT OF FOULANTS IN TRAILING
MEMBRANES.
• LOSS OF FLUX.
• PERMANENT INCREASE IN SALT
PASSAGE OF FEW MEMBRANES.
• MEMBRANE DEGRADATION DUE TO
HIGH FLOW RATE / HYDROLYSIS
• MEMBRANE REPLACEMENT
 TROUBLE SHOOTING
• EACH TUBE PERFORMANCE
CHECKING
• FINDING OUT FAULTY TUBE
• PROBING OF FAULTY TUBE
• DETECTION OF TROUBLED ZONE
• REPAIRING OF DEFECTS
Data Normalization Programs

RONORMALISATIO
N
 Troubleshooting

• Performance Indicators

-- Normalized flow

-- Normalized % Rejection

-- Differential pressure
 Troubleshooting

• General Rule of Troubleshooting

--First Stage Problem - Fouling

--Last Stage Problem - Scaling

--Random location Problem - Mechanical/Membrane

 Troubleshooting

• Identifying Location of High salt Passage

--Permeate samples of all pressure vessels in the same array
should give similar TDS readings.

--Average permeate TDS will increase toward the back of the

system.

--If one pressure vessel shows a higher TDS than the rest of
the array, the vessel should be probed.
 Troubleshooting

• Developing a System Profile

--The System Profile is a measurement of the permeate
concentration from each individual vessel.
--Identifies which vessels in an array have high salt
passage.
--A System Profile should be taken at startup, as a
baseline record.
--Record complete system data whenever a System
Profile is performed.
 Troubleshooting

• Probing
--Procedure to determine problem area in pressure vessel
without unloading elements from vessel
--Probe if one pressure vessel shows a significantly higher
permeate TDS than other vessels of the same array
--Plot TDS measurements on a conductivity profile to
determine problem area in vessel
 Troubleshooting
• Vessel Probing Procedures
--Operate RO at normal conditions.

--Sample in the middle of elements and at the ends (to

check coupler/adapter o-rings).

--Mark the tubing at 20” intervals.

 Troubleshooting
Probing
Conc.
14
Feed 12 80 32

Permeate

conductivity
 Vessel Probing Data
C o n cen trate
F eed

1 ' 2 ' 3 ' 4 ' 5 ' 6 '

P o sitio n P erm eate T D S
Conductivity

1 ' 2 ' 3 ' 4 ' 5 ' 6 '

P o sitio n
 Interpretation of Vessel Probing
• The conductivity of a probe sample is the
average of product water produced
upstream.
• Normal conductivity profiles show a steady
increase in TDS towards the concentrate
end of the vessel.
• TDS increases between elements indicate o-
ring problems.
 Common Foulants – 1

Colloidal

• Cleaning frequency is directly related to the

feed water quality specifically colloidal
particles and organic material
• Can be controlled by pretreatment process
selection and may be assisted by the
application of antiscalants with dispersing
properties
 Common Foulants - 2
Inorganic Scale

• Causes high differential pressures and

reduces turbulent flow through the feed
spacers
• Can affect rejection characteristics of thin
film composite membranes and reduce flux
• During cleaning deposits may cause
abrasion of membrane surfaces
 Inorganic Scale Formation
Causes
• High Alkalinity and High Silica
• High Hardness or Metal Oxide Content
• High pH
• High Recovery across any membrane
• Low reject flow / pressure tube.
• Dosing System Failure
• Incorrect Pretreatment Chemicals
 Common Foulants - 3
Biological

• Causes high differential pressures

• Reduces turbulent flow through the feed
spacers and traps colloidal particles
• Can irreversibly damage cellulose acetate
membranes
 Membrane Biofouling
Causes

• High Bioactivity level in feed water

• Ineffective Pretreatment
• Intermittent System Operation
• Ineffective Cleaning Program
 Common Foulants - 4
Chemical Fouling

• Often causes reduction in flux and decrease

in rejection characteristics of the membrane
• Typically associated with the use of
Cationic and Anionic materials or filming
materials such as oils or greases
 Chemical Fouling
Causes

• Overdosing of Pretreatment Coagulants

• Incompatible Chemicals being Selected
• Contamination of Chemicals
• Inappropriate Cleaning Materials
• Contamination of feed source
 Membrane Damage
Causes

• Incomplete Removal of Oxidants

• Exposure to Extreme pH/Temperatures
• Inappropriate Chemical Selection
• Surface Abrasion
• Excessive Cleaning Frequency
 Foulant Identification
• Check SDI levels in the feed, visually
inspect .45 micron disc
• Visually inspect cartridge prefiltration
• Check feedwater and concentrate analysis
for saturation level
• Element autopsy to analyze foulant
 Operational Requirements
• Optimum Cross Flow
• Overcome Osmotic Pressure
• Proper Concentrate pH
• Correct Temperature Range
• Clean Membrane
 Things To Avoid
• Permeate Back Pressure (< 1.5 kg/cm2)
• Pressure Above Specified Range
• Chlorine or oxidant contact with
membrane.
• pH beyond specified range.
• Flow beyond specified range.
RO Plant Data

ROPLANTDATA
Know The Reality Focus
Immediate RO Plant Performance Issues are Due To

• Improper design of the system

Pretreatment
-Inadequate unit operations
-Under design equipment
Not meeting RO feed water limiting conditions

RO Skids
- Selection of membranes
-Exceeding guidelines on flux, recoveries, min/max flows

-----continue

--continue
Know The Reality Focus
Improper Plant Operation/Monitoring/Maintenance
Operation
- Irregular/Insufficient backwash of upstream filters
- Problems with chemical dosing systems
- Exceeding design parameters like flows, recoveries

Monitoring
- Non availability of plant data log sheets hampering troubleshooting)

Maintenance
- Delay in replacement of upstream cartridge filters
- Delay in membrane cleaning