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Reverse Osmosis Filtration - How It Works
Osmosis:
Osmosis is a process found in all biological systems and results in water from a diluted solution passing spontaneously through a semi-permeable membrane onto a more concentrated solution on the other side, releasing energy in the process. This is counter productive to the requirements of desalination where in fact, we require the reverse to occur, i.e. we need fresh water to pass out of the concentrated solution to accumulate on the other side of the membrane where we collect and utilize it. A reversed process of this type requires the input of energy. One such mechanism is called, for obvious reasons, Reverse Osmosis, commonly abbreviated to R.O.
Reverse Osmosis:
Reverse Osmosis is based upon the fundamental pursuit for balance. Two fluids containing different concentrations of dissolved solids that come in contact with each other will mix until the concentration is uniform. When these two fluids are separated by a semi permeable membrane (which lets the fluid flow through, while dissolved solids stay behind), a fluid containing a lower concentration will move through the membrane into the fluids containing a higher concentration of dissolved solids.
After a while the water level will be higher on one side of the membrane. The difference in height is called the osmotic pressure.
By pursuing pressure upon the fluid column, which exceeds the osmotic pressure, one will get a reversed effect. Fluids are pressed back through the membrane, while dissolved solids stay behind in the column.
Using this technique, a large part of the salt content in water can be removed.
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- Water flows from a column with a low dissolved solids content to a column with a high dissolved solids content
- Osmotic pressure is the pressure that is used to stop the water from flowing through the membrane, in order to create balance
- By pursuing pressure that exceeds the osmotic pressure, the water flow will be reversed; water flows from the column with high dissolved solids content to the column with a low dissolved solids content.
References of AQUASOL Water Treatment Applications:
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240m3/day Container mounted Reverse Osmosis Plant for St Barbara Mines WA
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300m3/day 2nd Container mounted Reverse Osmosis Plant for St Barbara Mines WA
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Electrical Contractors License No: EC10029
