Agenda
Introducing myself1. Osmosis and reverse osmosis, facts and history2. Reverse Osmosis units : how it works3. Markets4. Technical Evolutions and Trends5. Future development
Olivier AMIOT• Chemistry and Chemical Eng, 20 years of prof.experience• Sales Manager and Service Equipment Manager with Nalco for 17 years,
Business developer on new markets (Institutional, Glass-manufacturing, Dairies, District Utilities, Pulp & Paper Utilities, Middle market manufacturing) Leader in launching new technologies with new customers’ approaches (Coil-Flo, Value-Added services, MetroModel, Legionella Pneumophilia)Recognized as a Sales-Leader and Water consultant in 2005
• I set up Yret Solutions for helping my customers from industries and institutional segments improve the performances and results of their water systems : Increase availability of their assets (Productivity, Manage Costs),Reduce their risks and environmental impact (S.H.& E), Increase performance in Hygiene, Safety and Productivity, Increase and Sustain life of equipment.
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1- Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis
• Discovered in 1748 by Jean-Antoine Nollet• In 1854, Thomas Graham invented the term of Osmosis, from the Greek word meaning push/pressure• Osmosis is one of the mechanism explaining the degradation of polyesters plastics (boats)
Facts and History
Osmosis in nature : blood cells cytolisys
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Dehydration :SportsWarm and dry weatherCytolysis :Low salinity outside
• First research started during the 40’s by request of the US Gov.• First application in 1959 for water desalination• First customer : NASA• Development for water desalination started during the 70’s
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Reverse OsmosisApply pressure on the strong solution : water will flow from strong solution to pure water
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Typical Filtration Process
Solids quickly foul the membrane
Cross Flow Filtration process
Solids are swept away by water flow
2- Reverse Osmosis TechnologyIt is a mechanical filtration process
2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
One Influent
Two effluents : permeate and concentrateHigh velocity prevent fouling of the filtering media
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Cross Flow Filtration
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2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
3 major components always found in RO units :1. Filtration unit : decrease suspended solids, risk of fouling2. High pressure pump : activation of RO3. Membranes
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Major Components
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PRODUCTHP PumpFiltration Unit
2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
Two materials have been used for membranes :1. Cellulose Acetate2. Polyamide (thin film composite membrane)
• AcetateHistorically first, CheappH range between 4-8, Temp < 35°C, low resistance to bacterias
• PolyamideBetter resistance to hydrolysis, and bacterias,pH from 4-11, higher temperature
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Membrane Technologies
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• Polyamide thin film membrane : 0.2µm • Microporous substrate layer : polysulfone, 40µm• Reinforcing base : polyester 100-120µm• Pore size around 0.0001 µm
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2- Reverse Osmosis TechnologyPolyamide membrane film composite typical thickness
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2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
• Removes nonionic impurities and dissolved solids (i.e. organics, silica, bacteria)• Reduction of hazardous chemical storage and handling associated with ion exchange• Economic advantages increase with increasing feed TDS
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Advantages of RO
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2- Reverse Osmosis Technology• Salt Rejection : tells how effective the RO membranes are removing contaminants
• The higher the salt rejection, the better the system is performing. A low salt rejection can mean that the membranes require cleaning or replacement.
• Recovery : amount of water that is being 'recovered' as good permeate water• The higher the recovery % means less water to drain as concentrate and saving more permeate water.
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Performance of RO
2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
• Concentrate is rejected and this can be a significant volume of water.• RO membranes reject a fixed percentage of feedwater ionsFurther treatment is required for many applications.
• Ultimate filter which is easily fouled:Increased operating costsReduced membrane life
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Disadvantages of RO
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2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
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RO Membrane Problems
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Suspended solids fouling Precipitation Bio fouling DissolveColloids and solids, High FI
Filtration unit
Hardness, sulfates, high LISequestrant, softener
Bacterial and living material contaminationUF units, MOL-Lik, biocides (!!)
Oxidizing compounds, aggressive chemicals
Active carbon
2- Reverse Osmosis Technology
• Act pro-actively Filtration stage Anti-scalant adapted technologies (either soft or sequestrant)MOL Lik Follow-up indicators (pressure, recovery, salt rejection, flowrates) : carefullabout normalized values
• Maintenance Cleaning process adapted to type of fouling/membranes
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Troubleshooting
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INDUSTRIAL WATER PURIFICATION
RURAL WELL WATER
PURIFICATION
MUNICIPAL WATER
PURIFICATION
MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURING
SEA WATERDESALINATION
WASTE WATER RECYCLING
BRACKISH WELL WATER
DESALINATION
CAR-WASHES"SPOT-FREE RINSE"
FOOD PRODUCTSAnd
COSMETIC PRODUCTS
MAINAPPLICATIONSfor
REVERSE OSMOSIS
LABORATORY WATER PURIFICATION
BOTTLED DRINKINGWATER PRODUCTION
PHARMACEUTICAL WATER PURIFICATION
Reverse Osmosis
Applications
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3- Reverse Osmosis Market Applications
• Drinking Water production Brackish Water desalination Sea Water desalination
• Water purification for industry• Waste water treatment• Process Concentration : Maple Syrup, Dairy Polishing, etc…
=> Desalination 50% of RO usage
Main water purification applications
3- Reverse Osmosis Market Applications
• Salinity is 2000 mg/L – 10000 mg/L• Pressures of 14 bar – 21 bar are used to achieve rejection coefficients greater than 90% and to obtain water with saline concentrations of lower than 500 mg/L• Values recommended by the WHO as a requirement for potable water production• Costs for production 0.25 $US/L of treated water
Brackish Water Desalination
3- Reverse Osmosis Market Applications
• Salinity of this type of water is 30000 mg/L – 40000 mg/L.• Working pressures of 50 bar – 70 bar.• Operating costs of this type of treatment plant are estimated to be 1 – 1.25$US/ L of treated water.
Sea Water Desalination
3- Reverse Osmosis Market Applications
• RO allows water of the quality demanded by the electronic industry and industry to be obtained from drinking water (concentration of dissolved solids < 200 mg/L).• The main problem with this type of installation is the bio-fouling of the membranes• Water for process and utilities.
Water Purification for Industry
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3- Reverse Osmosis Market ApplicationsWater Purification for Industry
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• High purity water requirement• No necessity of a complex deminchain• Safety (Acid, Soda) RO has allowed more process to work with high purity water
Waste Water Treatment• Wastewaters containorganic contaminants, including pharmaceutical compounds,pathogens,disinfection by-products,pesticides.
• Some are less affected by biological degradation by bacteria in activated sludge process.• High water solubility, they are dissolved in water and not being removed in the sludge• Phenol based molecules
• RO process for separation is a key step in the safe recovery of water from wastewater source.
Process Concentration• Maple Syrup Concentration• Dairy Polishing• RO instead of heating and evaporation
Cow water re-useEnvironmental Benefits :• Reduce Water inlet• Reduce effluent discharge• Improve heat recoveryProblem :• In some countries : water sanitation requirement
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4- Evolution and Trends
• A major subsector of RO applications is the desalination of water. From 2005 to 2010, daily production of desalinated water increased from 30 million m3/day to 60 million m3/day, a growth rate of 15% per year (National Geographic, “Water – Our Thirsty World: A Special Issue,” April 2010)• the membrane market size for desalination alone will be $1.84 billion in the year 2020
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Size of market for desalination
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4- Evolution and Trends
• Progress in automation of module manufacturing• Gluing of membrane is more precise : reduce amount of glue• Technology of spacer
“More membrane” Reduced thickness of collection channel
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Membrane module evolutions
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4- Evolution and Trends
Increased exchange surface :• 340 ft2 in the 90’s• 365 ft2 in the 2000’s• 400 and 440 ft2 in the 2010’s
Between 18% and 30% of surface availability for filtrationTwo schools for RO :• Classical filtration + 400 ft2 membrane, spacer 34 mil (864 µm)• UF + 440 ft2 membrane, spacer 27 mil (686 µm)
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Membrane module evolutions
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4- Evolution and Trends
• Better control of pressure inside vessel (less pressure drop across membranes)• Better design and construction methods Carter/tubes can be built now for 8 modules instead of 6
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Membrane module evolutions
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4- Evolution and Trends
Pressure for industrial, utilities applications• Last 15 years :
• Pressure dropped from 15-18b• Then to 10-12 b• Less then 9b
• Claims for brackish in Low Pressure membrane : 5b.
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Membrane module evolutions
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4- Evolution and Trends
1st objectives : on sea-waters• Increase retention, but lower pressure• Main problem : water needed inside the module, on concentrate side for salt washing : need to work on recyclingUHP Membrane (100-150b)• Interest for working on concentrate, and recycling of water
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Membrane future evolutions
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5- Future Development
• The recent use of RO in reclamation of wastewater is done in GWR facility in Orange County for indirect potable use.
A new application : GWRS
5- Future DevelopmentLocation : Orange County, CaliforniaThe Orange County Water Basin was becoming salty due to overpumping of fresh ground water and pacific sea water penetrationInstead of rejecting waste water directly to Pacific, it is treated and injected into ground to refill the water basins
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Ground Water Replenishement System (GWRS)
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5- Future Development
Quality was achieved using reverse osmosisCapacity of production : 492 000 m3/day
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Ground Water Replenishement System (GWRS)
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5- Future Development
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Drought :Sea water infiltration
Step 2 : RO treated waste water injectionSea water pushed back
5- Future Development
Publication source :Carbon nanotube membranes for water purification: A bright future inwater desalination,Rasel Das et al, Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Center, University of Malaya, NUS Centre for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology (NUSCNN) SingaporeIndustrial development :NanoH2O launched first industrial production of CNTNanoH2O was acquired in april 2014 by LG Chem
Carbon Nanotubes membranes
5- Future Development
• Why ?• Desalination has a high cost due to high energy load• High pressure pump : 50 to 70 bars• Fouling and low resistance to biological fouling• Low resistance to some aggressive chemical compounds
Carbon Nanotubes vs Polyamide
5- Future Development
Advantages :• Non-polar tubes : strong invitation for polar water molecule crossing the channel• Self-cleaning• Anti-foulingBenefits :• Reduced Energy load• Eased maintenance
Carbon Nanotubes membranes claims
5- Future Development
• Sea water and brackish water desalination, no industrial applications claimed so far• Competition says : distribution of tube channel is uneven
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Carbon Nanotubes limitations
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Promising technology but needs to be confirmedA competitor of LG Chem is also launching CNT