Advantages of the appropriate selection of reverse osmosis membranes in desalination plants with open intake

Abstract

It is hoped to make it sufficiently clear with this article that it is of fundamental importance that the reverse osmosis membranes and the conditions under which they will operate be appropriately selected. It is obvious that this choice must be made primarily in function of the quality of the water that will be processed in the water treatment plant (for which reason it is of vital importance that a detailed study and careful characterisation of this water be carried out previously). This article reports the highly encouraging results achieved with Cellulose Tri-acetate membranes in a singular "Hollow fibre" configuration, known commercially as Hollosep HM 10255FI (of Japanese manufacture), which were evaluated in parallel with LP3 potabilisation membranes that process sea water collected using an open intake system with high levels of microbiological pollution.