Effect of minimal pre-treatment on reverse osmosis using surface water as a source
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Embargo End Date:
2023-04-12
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ArticleKAUST Department
Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) DivisionWater Desalination and Reuse Research Center (WDRC)
Date
2021-04-13Online Publication Date
2021-04-13Print Publication Date
2021-08Embargo End Date
2023-04-12Submitted Date
2021-01-18Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/668943
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Reverse osmosis is increasingly used in drinking water supply for treatment of fresh water sources which can directly result in high quality water. In practice reverse osmosis is never applied directly on fresh water sources, predominantly because of the occurrence of membrane fouling. Strategies to control membrane fouling in reverse osmosis without expensive and extensive pre-treatment include low flux operation, increase cross-flow velocities and improved (periodic) hydraulic cleaning. The objective of this research is to technically and economically compare minimal pre-treated reverse osmosis to state-of-the art ultrafiltration pre-treated reverse osmosis in surface water treatment to obtain high quality water. A parallel reverse osmosis system with six parallel 2540-type spiral wound membrane elements has been systematically operated during several months with only screens pre-treatment before reverse osmosis. A minimal pre-treated reverse osmosis system using only screens on surface water did not result in stable reverse osmosis operation, however, the ultrafiltration pre-treated reverse osmosis system also failed in the longer run. Lowering the membrane flux from 25 L/m2.h to 10 L/m2.h in minimal pre-treated RO resulted in an approximately 10-fold decrease of the membrane fouling rate, while not influencing the pressure drop increase. Periodical air water cleaning in minimal pre-treated RO resulted in an approximately 4-fold reduction of the spacer clogging rate, while not affecting the membrane fouling rate. The total cost of a minimal pre-treated low flux (10 L/m2.h) operated RO was significantly lower (0.46 €/m3) compared to state-of-the-art UF pre-treated RO at normal flux (25 L/m2.h) (1.21 €/m3). The cost difference in financial space provides an opportunity to develop minimal pre-treated RO systems with improved control of membrane fouling and spacer clogging.Citation
Cornelissen, E. R., Harmsen, D. J. H., Blankert, B., Wessels, L. P., & van der Meer, W. G. J. (2021). Effect of minimal pre-treatment on reverse osmosis using surface water as a source. Desalination, 509, 115056. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2021.115056Sponsors
This activity is co-financed with PPS-funding from the Topconsortia for Knowledge & Innovation (TKI's) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. Harry van Wegen and Sidney Meijering (KWR, The Netherlands) are acknowledged for their help during the construction of the pilot. Peter Wessels was working for WE Consult during the research described in this work.Publisher
Elsevier BVJournal
DesalinationAdditional Links
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0011916421001272ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.desal.2021.115056