Reverse Osmosis Plant Research Articles

Assessing the impact of reverse osmosis plant operations on water quality index improvement through machine learning approaches and health risk assessment

Assessing the impact of reverse osmosis plant operations on water quality index improvement through machine learning approaches and health risk assessment

Innovative pre-treatments for reverse osmosis to reclaim water from biotech and municipal wastewater for the industrial symbiosis in Kalundborg

ABSTRACT The challenge of water reclamation using membranes in this study was the quite unique wastewater composition resulting from a high share of biotech wastewater. The high content of organic matter and high concentrations of calcium, bicarbonate, and sulphate were considered as challenging for membrane processes. Consequently, an innovative ultra-tight ultrafiltration (u-t UF) membrane was developed and tested on-site at pilot scale. In comparison, a conventional UF and an open nanofiltration (NF) were piloted. The aim was to find the best pre-treatment option for reverse osmosis (RO) to reduce fouling and scaling and produce fit-for-purpose water; for example, cooling. Overall, the quality of the currently used water source was surpassed by the pilot plant. Only a standard post-treatment of the RO permeate was necessary for stabilisation. Results indicated that denser membranes only minimally reduced fouling of RO. An assessment comparing the treatment trains in a life cycle assessment using the data collected from the pilot operation (UF/NF operating settings, RO plant performance, and the design of multi-stage industrial scale RO) revealed lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to seawater desalination. However, if RO brine needs to be treated, greenhouse gas emissions for water supply via wastewater reuse exceed other freshwater source.

Application of Membrane Capacitive Deionization as Pretreatment Strategy for Enhancing Salinity Gradient Power Generation.

Salinity gradient power (SGP) technologies, including pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) and reverse electrodialysis (RED), have the potential to be utilized for the purpose of harvesting energy from the difference in salinity between two water streams. One challenge associated with SGP is a reduction in power density due to membrane fouling when impaired water is utilized as a low-salinity water stream. Accordingly, this study sought to explore the feasibility of membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI), a low-energy water treatment technique, as a novel pretreatment method for SGP. Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of MCDI pretreatment on the performance of PRO and RED. The low-salinity water was obtained from a brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) plant, while the high-salinity water was a synthetic seawater desalination brine. The removal efficiency of organic and inorganic substances in brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) brine by MCDI was estimated, as well as theoretical energy consumption. The results demonstrated that MCDI attained removal efficiencies of up to 88.8% for organic substances and 78.8% for inorganic substances. This resulted in a notable enhancement in the lower density for both PRO and RED. The power density of PRO exhibited a notable enhancement, reaching 3.57 W/m2 in comparison to 1.14 W/m2 recorded for the BWRO brine. Conversely, the power density of RED increased from 1.47 W/m2 to 2.05 W/m2. Given that the energy consumption by MCDI is relatively low, it can be surmised that the MCDI pretreatment enhances the overall efficiency of both PRO and RED. However, to fully capitalize on the benefits of MCDI pretreatment, it is recommended that further process optimization be conducted.

A techno-economic study on the utilisation of airborne wind energy for reverse osmosis seawater desalination.

Airborne wind energy is an emerging technology that can harness stronger and more consistent winds in higher altitudes using less mechanical and civil infrastructures than conventional wind energy systems. This article outlines a techno-economic study on using this technology for reverse osmosis seawater desalination in which a semi-permeable membrane process is used to remove salts and contaminants from water. To understand the techno-economic feasibility of such a system, this research work studies a 2MW airborne wind-driven reverse osmosis plant. Different energy recovery devices are also studied to find their impact on improving the desalination plant's techno-economic performance. Results show the techno-economic practicality of an airborne wind-driven reverse osmosis plant with a competitive levelised-cost-of-water compared to similar-sized wind and solar energy-driven seawater desalination systems.

Spreading the Desalination Technology as the Appropriate Option for the Drinking Water in Vietnam

Water scarcity is the one of the global risks. In order to compensate the sudden decrease in the water supply due to the increase in water demand and sudden variations of water resources due to the climate change, the alternative water resource could be required. Desalination technology is the water production method which can produce the fresh water from the seawater, the unlimited water resource on earth. In the Mekong delta area, Vietnam, the feasible water resources are the rainwater, groundwater, and Mekong river water. Because the climate in the Mekong delta area, Vietnam has the distinct rainy and dry seasons, the seawater intrusion has been occurred during the dry season due to the decreased Mekong river water by the Dam construction in the upper estuary and the increased seawater level. Therefore, the Mekong river water and groundwater have been affected by the seawater intrusion and become salty which are not proper for the agricultural and drinking water purposes. In order to provide the sustainable water in the rural areas in the Mekong delta area, Vietnam, the KIST and VKIST have been collaborated and suggested several the solar-power desalination systems. In this study, the collaborations and applications of the reverse osmosis plants were summarized.

Addressing Water Scarcity in Isla Huichas, Chile: A Tecno-Economic Sustainable Solution

Islas Huichas, located in Chile’s remote Aysén region, has long faced water scarcity due to a lack of natural sources. The community relies on rainwater collection pools managed by the Rural Drinking Water Committee (RDWC), which face increased pressure during the summer tourist season, leading to frequent shortages. In 2014, a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant with a 240 m3 daily capacity was installed to address the issue. While the RO plant helps alleviate summer shortages, it has high energy costs and maintenance challenges, exceeding the financial capacity of the RDWC. This study evaluates various scenarios to reduce the plant’s operational costs and emissions reduction.

Evaluation of Effectiveness of Cleaning-in-Place of Membranes and Optimum Period of Membrane Replacement on a Seawater Reverse Osmosis Plant

Evaluation of Effectiveness of Cleaning-in-Place of Membranes and Optimum Period of Membrane Replacement on a Seawater Reverse Osmosis Plant

Techno-economic analysis of hybrid renewable energy system to drive a small reverse osmosis desalination plant in NRC Nubaria Farm, Egypt

The process of desalination is crucial in mitigating the deficiency of drinkable water in the rural regions of Egypt. The implementation of hybrid energy systems, which integrate various renewable energy sources, presents a viable methodology for supplying potable water to islands and coastal areas that are devoid of adequate electrical infrastructure. This research conducts a comprehensive assessment of the technical configuration, sizing, and economic optimization of a reverse osmosis (RO) plant utilizing an off-grid hybrid energy system. The RO facility is designated for implementation at the NRC farm located in Nubaria, Egypt, with a projected freshwater production capacity of 65 m3/day. In this simulation, six distinct configurations of energy sources were analyzed to ascertain the most optimal arrangement for the specified site. The Homer software was employed to identify a system that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible. The simulation was primarily concerned with the computation of the net present cost (NPC,) cost of energy (COE), and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Through the analysis, Configuration 3 was identified as the most efficient system setup, achieving a renewable fraction of 100 and comprises a 15 kW photovoltaic PV array, a 6 kW wind turbine, a 9 kW power converter, and a total nominal capacity of batteries 22 kWh. This particular configuration resulted in the lowest calculated COE $ 0.166/kWh and NPC $54,533.

Assessment and characterization of solid and hazardous waste from inorganic chemical industry: Potential for energy recovery and environmental sustainability

Assessment and characterization of solid and hazardous waste from inorganic chemical industry: Potential for energy recovery and environmental sustainability

Feasibility study of hybridizing a solar power plant with a small modular reactor for seawater desalination

The article discusses the technical and economic analysis of a seawater desalination plant, where the power source is a hybrid of solar and nuclear energy, as they are considered the cleanest energy sources compared to fossil fuel power plants. The source of nuclear energy in this study is a small modular reactor (SMR). This plant also uses a hybrid of seawater desalination systems: either a reverse osmosis plant with a multi-effect distillation (RO + MED) unit, or a reverse osmosis plant with a multi-stage flash distillation (RO + MSF) unit. Small modular reactors can be used for other applications besides generating electricity, as they produce high-temperature steam which can be used in many industrial processes such as hydrogen production and seawater desalination. Small modular reactors are also considered to be more cost effective, safer, more flexible and have a greater number of applications compared to high power reactors. The analysis is based on calculating the cost of producing of one cubic meter of fresh water using this hybrid desalination plant and comparing the results with those of desalination plant integrated with a power plant that uses exclusively nuclear energy as a source of thermal and electrical power, which uses the VVER-1200 reactor. Also, this study studies the impact of the degree of hybridization, that is, the ratio of power used from solar energy to power used from nuclear energy, on the cost of desalination of one cubic meter of water, as well as on the quality of the desalinated water.

Simple and solvent-free synthesis of Zeolitic Tetrazole Framework based MOF for selective and sensitive electroanalysis of silver ions in drinking water

Simple and solvent-free synthesis of Zeolitic Tetrazole Framework based MOF for selective and sensitive electroanalysis of silver ions in drinking water

Energy, Exergy, Economic, and environmental assessment of a trigeneration system for combined power, cooling, and water desalination system driven by solar energy

Energy, Exergy, Economic, and environmental assessment of a trigeneration system for combined power, cooling, and water desalination system driven by solar energy

Non-target screening and prioritization of organic contaminants in seawater desalination and their ecological risk assessment

Non-target screening and prioritization of organic contaminants in seawater desalination and their ecological risk assessment

Optimal operation of reverse osmosis desalination process with deep reinforcement learning methods

The reverse osmosis (RO) process is a well-established desalination technology, wherein energy-efficient techniques and advanced process control methods significantly reduce production costs. This study proposes an optimal real-time management method to minimize the total daily operation cost of an RO desalination plant, integrating a storage tank system to meet varying daily freshwater demand. Utilizing the dynamic model of the RO process, a cascade structure with two reinforcement learning (RL) agents, namely the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) and deep Q-Network (DQN), is developed to optimize the operation of the RO plant. The DDPG agent, manipulating the high-pressure pump, controls the permeate flow rate to track a reference setpoint value. Simultaneously, the DQN agent selects the optimal setpoint value and communicates it to the DDPG controller to minimize the plant’s operation cost. Monitoring storage tanks, permeate flow rates, and water demand enables the DQN agent to determine the required amount of permeate water, optimizing water quality and energy consumption. Additionally, the DQN agent monitors the storage tank’s water level to prevent overflow or underflow of permeate water. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of the designed RL agents.

Energetic Comparison of Flow-Electrode Capacitive Deionization and Membrane Technology: Assessment on Applicability in Desalination Fields.

Flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) is a promising technology for sustainable water treatment. However, studies on the process have thus far been limited to lab-scale conditions and select fields of application. Such limitation is induced by several shortcomings, one of which is the absence of a comprehensive process model that accurately predicts the operational performance and the energy consumption of FCDI. In this study, a simulation model is newly proposed with initial validation based on experimental data and is then utilized to elucidate the performance and the specific energy consumption (SEC) of FCDI under multiple source water conditions ranging from near-groundwater to high salinity brine. Further, simulated pilot-scale FCDI system was compared with actual brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) and seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant data with regard to SEC to determine the feasibility of FCDI as an alternative to the conventional membrane processes. Analysis showed that FCDI is competent for operation against brackish water solutions under all possible operational conditions with respect to the BWRO. Moreover, its distinction can be extended to the SWRO for seawater conditions through optimization of its total effective membrane area via scale-up. Accordingly, future directions for the advancement of FCDI was suggested to ultimately prompt the commercialization of the FCDI process.

Decreasing incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu in North Central Province of Sri Lanka: is it related to provision of drinking water reverse osmosis plants?

BackgroundWe assessed the possible impact of provision of reverse osmosis (RO) water on the incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu in North Central Province (NCP) of Sri Lanka.MethodsAn ecological study was conducted on data from 2010–2020 on the incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu, CKD/CKDu screening and provision of drinking water RO plants in NCP. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and chi-square test.ResultsThe annual incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu (per 100 000 population) in 2010–2013, 2014–2016 and 2017–2020 periods in Anuradhapura district were 129.07, 331.06 and 185.57 (p = 0.002) while in Polonnaruwa district these were 149.29, 326.12 and 296.73 (p = 0.04) respectively. In NCP provision of RO plants commenced after 2011 and the decline in the incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu was seen in 25 of the 29 Divisional Secretary Divisions when more than 20% of the families received access to drinking RO water projects.ConclusionsThe annual incidence of hospital diagnosed CKD/CKDu increased in NCP from 2010 to 2016 and continuously decreased thereafter. Continuous declining of CKD/CKDu incidence was seen after more than 20% of the families received access to drinking water RO plants.

Techno-economic analysis of various configurations of stand-alone PV-RO systems for Pakistan

Techno-economic analysis of various configurations of stand-alone PV-RO systems for Pakistan

Integrating reverse osmosis to a conventional river water treatment plant as a strategy to produce drinking water after mining dam rupture events: a case study

ABSTRACT Incidents of mining dam failure have compromised the water quality, threatening the water supply. Different strategies are sought to restore the impacted area and to guarantee the water supply. One example is water treatment plants that treat high-polluted waters within the required limits for their multiple usages. The current study assesses the integration of reverse osmosis (RO) to a river water treatment plant (RWTP) installed in Brumadinho (Minas Gerais, Brazil) to treat the water from the Ferro-Carvão stream impacted by the B1 dam rupture in 2019. The RWTP started eleven months after the mining dam rupture and is equipped with eight coagulation-flocculation tanks followed by eight pressurised filters. A pilot RO plant was installed to polish the water treated by the RWTP. Water samples were collected at different points of the water treatment plant and were characterised by their physical, chemical, and biological parameters (160 in total). The results were compared with the historical data (1997–2022) to reveal the alterations in the water quality after the rupture event. The compliance with both parameters was only achieved after the RO treatment, which acted as an additional barrier to 30 contaminants. The water quality indexes (WQI) suggested that the raw surface water, even eleven months after the incident, was unfit for consumption (WQI: 133.9) whereas the reverse osmosis permeate was ranked as excellent in the rating grid (WQI: 23.7).

Optimize and analyze a large-scale grid-tied solar PV-powered SWRO system for sustainable water-energy nexus

Optimize and analyze a large-scale grid-tied solar PV-powered SWRO system for sustainable water-energy nexus

Economic Feasibility of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Treatment Plants: A Case Study from Dimbulagala, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

Social wellbeing is strongly linked with economic feasibility when it needs to attain with the technological advancements. Installation of Reverse Osmosis (RO) water treatment plants have been considered as a promising solution to provide clean water for human consumption, especially in the areas where the CKDu (chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology) prevails. At present, over 2,000 RO treatment plants were installed in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, yet economic feasibility for operation and maintenance of RO plants has not been assessed so far. The present study was intended to identify economic feasibility of operation and maintenance of RO plants. Investigations were carried out in six community RO plants which provided drinking water for over 17,000 people which accounts for 20% of total population in Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat over a period of 12 months. Six in-depth interviews and questionnaire survey were caried out with RO plant operators. The operational cost per production of cubic meter of filtered water was computed by considering electricity consumption bills. The maintenance costs and service charges were also obtained from the records available with RO plant operators. The results found that the average electricity consumption to produce 1 cube of filtered water is approximately 9kWh and cost is LKR 734 (based on 2021 rates). The average water selling price ranged between LKR 1.00-2.50 per liter. The average monthly income generation from one RO plant is approximately between LKR 561- 875 per cube of filtered water and it largely depended on the type of water source, climatic conditions. It was found that the income generated from RO plants was sufficient enough to cover the operation cost (monthly electricity bill) and for the subsequent maintenance and service charges whenever required. It can be concluded that the use of RO treated water is an economically viable option to provide portable drinking water. 
 Keywords: CKDu, Economic sustainability, Drinking water, Purification cost