OSMOSIS

 Osmosis is a
phenomenon where pure
water flows from a dilute
solution through a semi
permeable membrane to
a higher concentrated
solution.
 Semi permeable means
that the membrane will
allow small molecules
and ions to pass through
it but acts as a barrier to
larger molecules or
dissolved substances.
 REVERSE OSMOSIS
 If pressure greater than
the osmotic pressure is
applied to the high
concentration the
direction of water flow
through the membrane
can be reversed. This is
called reverse osmosis.
 REVERSE OSMOSIS
 is a special type of filtration that uses a semi-permeable, thin
membrane with pores small enough to pass pure water
through while rejecting larger molecules such as dissolved
salts (ions) and other impurities such as bacteria
 used to produce highly purified water for drinking water
systems, industrial boilers, food and beverage processing,
cosmetics, pharmaceutical production, seawater desalination,
and many other applications
 It has been a recognized technology for more than a century
and commercialized since the 1960’s.
 REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION
SYSTEMS WORK
 Reverse Osmosis is a process in which dissolved inorganic solids
(such as salts) are removed from a solution (such as water).
 This is accomplished by household water pressure pushing the
tap water through a semi permeable membrane.
 The membrane (which is about as thick as cellophane) allows
only the water to pass through, not the impurities or
contaminates.
 These impurities and contaminates are flushed down the drain.
 REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION
SYSTEMS WORK

 Ultimately, the factors that affect the performance of a ro system

are:
- Incoming water pressure
- Water Temperature
- Type and number of total dissolved solids (TDS) in the tap
water
- The quality of the filters and membranes used in the RO
System
 FOUR STAGES IN RO SYSTEM
 Sediment Filter
-This pre-filter stage is designed to strain out sediment, silt,
and dirt and is especially important as the sediment filter protects
dirt from getting to the delicate RO membranes that can be
damaged by sediment.

 CARBON FILTER
- The carbon filter is designed to remove chlorine and other
contaminants that affect the performance and life of the RO
membrane as well as improve the taste and odor of your water.
 FOUR STAGES IN RO SYSTEM
 REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE
-The semipermeable RO membrane in your RO system is
designed to allow water through, but filter out almost all additional
contaminants.

 POLISHING FILTER
-In a four-stage RO System, a final post filter (carbon filter)
will “polish” off the water to remove any remaining taste and odor in
the water. This final filter ensures you’ll have outstanding drinking
water.
WHAT A REVERSE OSMOSIS REMOVES
 COMPONENTS COMMON TO ALL RO SYSTEM
 Cold water line valve
 Pre-filter (s)
 Reverse osmosis membrane
 Post filter (s)
 Automatic shut off valve (sov)
 Check valve
 Flow restrictor
 Storage tank
 Faucet
 Drain Line
DIAGRAM OF A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM
WITH BASIC COMPONENTS:
REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE
 REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE
 A reverse osmosis system is built around its individual
membranes. Each membrane is a spiral wound sheet of semi-
permeable material. Membranes are available in 2-inch, 4-inch,
and 8-inch diameter with the 4- and 8-inch diameter sizes most
commonly used in industry. The industry has accepted a 40-inch
length as a standard size so that membranes from different
manufacturers are interchangeable in equipment systems. One
of the primary measurements of a membrane is its square
footage. Membranes are available in the range of 350-450
square feet of surface area.
 REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE
 Semi-permeable membranes were first constructed using
cellulose acetate (CA) but later the industry switched primarily to
the use of a thin film composite (TFC) being placed on top of a
stronger substrate. TFC membranes are primarily used today.
SOME FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT THE
PERFORMANCE OF A REVERSE OSMOSIS
SYSTEM:
 Incoming water pressure (most on municipal city tap water have
40-85 psi, but if water pressure is too low, RO system will not
operate properly)
 Type and number of total dissolved solids (TDS) in the tap water
 Water Temperature (i.e. cold water takes longer to filter to filter)
 The quality of the filters and membranes used in the RO System
(see operating specifications for your system)
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
 Quality of input water
 Required quality of pure water
 Required quantity of output water
 USAGE AREAS
 Industry
-food industry
 Medical sectors
 ADVANTAGES
 Improves taste, odor and appearance
 Highly effective purification process
 Consumes no energy
 Flushes away pollutants, does not collect them
 Easy to keep clean
 Low production cost
 Does not require hazardous chemicals
 Can be integrated with an existing membrane filtration system or
ion exchange system to achieve up to 80% rinse water recycle
 DISADVANTAGES
 Household RO units use a lot of water because they have low
back pressure. As a result, they recover only 5 to 15 percent of
the water entering the system. The remainder is discharged as
waste water. An RO unit delivering 5 gallons of treated water per
day may discharge 40 to 90 gallons of waste water per day to the
septic system.
 Large scale industrial/municipal systems have a production
efficiency of closer to 48% because they can generate the high
pressure needed for RO filtration.