ANN based-model for estimating the boron permeability coefficient as boric acid in SWRO desalination plants using ensemble-based machine learning

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between input conditions and the prediction of boron rejection in full-scale seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants using ensemble-based machine learning. While reverse osmosis is the dominant desalination technology, limited research has focused on analyzing plant performance under actual operating conditions. To address this gap, we developed and implemented machine learning algorithms to forecast boron permeability coefficient values, which are indicative of boron rejection concentrations in the permeate. Our analysis utilizes data from a SWRO desalination plant in southeast Spain, examining various input variables and their influence on the prediction of these parameters. The results demonstrate that our ensemble-based machine learning approach can predict boron permeability coefficient values with a reasonable margin of error of 1 mgL−1, as evidenced by mean average error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values of 7.93·10–8 and 11.8 %, respectively. In conclusion, an innovative application of artificial intelligence algorithms in the field of water purification under real operational conditions has been introduced, thus introducing valuable insights into the use of machine learning algorithms for forecasting boron rejection concentrations in full-scale SWRO desalination plants. The findings lay the foundation for future researches exploring automated and deep-learning methods in water purification.