Universidad de la Sabana

Puente del Común Campus, Bogotá North Highway Km.7

Chía, Cundinamarca, Colombia.

Professor Jairo Rubiano

Universidad de la Sabana
Faculty of Engineering
Chemical engineering Department

Dear Professor Jairo Rubiano

The aim of this practice is the quality improvement of tap water employing membrane
configuration based in Reverse osmosis. The purification was performed in a fiber glass
membrane, followed by Vertical Multistage Electric Pump.

Initially, some experiments in the engine were carried out for the determination of operating
conditions such as Osmotic Pressure, Permeate and Retentate concentration and the rejection
rate (ɵ), all of them allow the design of adequate purification required in the case of study.

On the other hand, commercial water values are elevated in comparison with the investment and
operation cost of the membrane module. Therefore, based in this report our advice for the broad
of directs of the company is the immediate installation of this type of purification to achieve more
profits during the operation of the factory.

The results are largely logical, but they are not exact since there were many shortcomings.

Cordially,

María Camila Velandia León

Jennifer Nicol Pantano Guerra

Juan José Villalobos Mora

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Characterization of Reverse Osmosis Separation

Case study: Water Purification

María Camila Velandia León

Jennifer Nicol Pantano Guerra

Juan José Villalobos Mora

Chemical Engineering Laboratory

Professor Jairo Rubiano

Assigned: May 5, 2020

Limit day: May 20, 2020

Presented: May 20, 2020

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 INDEX

Abstract.............................................................................................................................. 4
1. Introduction................................................................................................................5
2. Objectives...................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 General Objective:...................................................................................................6
2.2 Specific Objectives:.................................................................................................6
3. Theorical Framework....................................................................................................6
3.1 What is a membrane?..............................................................................................6
3.2 Membrane applications...........................................................................................6
3.3 What is reverse osmosis?.......................................................................................7
3.4 NTC 3525..................................................................................................................9
3.5 Case of Study.........................................................................................................10
4.Materials and Procedures............................................................................................10
4.1 Materials:................................................................................................................ 10
4.2 Reactants:.................................................................................................................. 10
4.3 Procedure:......................................................................................................... 10
4.3.1 Calibration curves of pumps:.......................................................................10
4.3.2 Calibration Curve of Conductivity:...............................................................11
4.3.3 Module Operation:.........................................................................................11
5. Results......................................................................................................................... 12
5.1 Operative conditions:............................................................................................12
5.3 Osmotic Pressure..................................................................................................13
5.4 Polarization factor..................................................................................................14
5.2 Area:....................................................................................................................... 14
5.5 Costs estimate...................................................................................................15
6. Discussion................................................................................................................ 16
8. References................................................................................................................ 18

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List of figures and Graphics

No. Title Pag.

Figure 1. Typical elements of a membrane.

1 6

2 Figure 2. Reverse osmosis behavior. 7

Figure 3. Scheme of Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis.

3 8

Figure 4. Diagram of reverse osmosis equipment.

4 9

Graphic 1 Retentate Curve of calibration

5 11

Graphic 2 Permeate Curve of calibration

6 11

Graphic 3. Osmotic Pressure

7 13

Graphic 4. Polarization factor.

8 13

Image 4. Water tank of 20L

9 15

Image 5. Pack of water 360mL

10 15

Abstract

4
As the chemical industry move along, levels of demand increase for process engineers due to,
they have the challenge to improve in the design of highly selective and economical separation
and purification systems.

On the other hand, this session is based in case of study used as a reference in the
determination of the suitable operative conditions for a reversive osmosis module used during
purification of water. Financial revenue of the company reports a reduction of 66% resources
using this methodology of purification.

1. Introduction

Membranes generally act as selective permeable barriers that allow some substances (such as
water) to permeate through them while retaining other dissolved substances (such as ions).
They are considered in multiple separation processes since they do not involve another external
agent or changes in their state, this is essential for the treatment of different types of highly
sensitive and costly products. []

In different circumstances is associated in the removing of harmful compounds for ecosystems

and wholeness of people, for example the Cl- chloride ion in high concentrations becomes an
emerging pollutant whose presence is unnoticed and irrelevant to the naked eye, despite the
impacts to the aquatic biota and damage to health are perceptible since they lead to the
deterioration of the quality of the receiving surface waters, in this case in rivers, pipes, or worse
still in lagoons or swamps with little current movement, taking it to the point of transforming a
resource into waste [2].

Accordingly with the previous affirmation, reverse osmosis is the suitable process used in the
purification and desalination of water, where liquid water is introduced by pressure and passes
through a non-porous membrane, in the opposite direction to that which would occur in a
general osmosis process. Most of the salts and molecules without charges are retained by the
membrane obtaining a much purer water and a more concentrated retentate.

2. Objectives

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2.1 General Objective:
 Determinate the suitable operative conditions of the membrane during the water
purification.
2.2 Specific Objectives:
 Achieve a suitable concentration of salt demanded by NTC 3525.
 Develop a financial revenue for the company with the self-purification unit.

3. Theorical Framework

3.1 What is a membrane?

Is a permeable barrier that allows certain molecules or ions to pass through it by diffusion, and
occasionally specialized in "facilitated diffusion". The step rate depends on the osmotic pressure,
concentration, electrochemical gradient, and temperature of the molecules or solutes on either
side, as well as the permeability of the membrane for each solute [1].
Is made by winding meshes in a spiral configuration, usually measuring 40 or 60 inches long,
and the most common diameters are 4 or 8 inches.

During the operation, the water enters under pressure on one side of the hose and flows
tangentially to the membrane, part of it passes through the surface of the membrane towards the
recovery vessel (Permeate), while the water with high concentration of salts comes out from the
end of the membrane. In Figure 1 the elements of a membrane can be seen [1].

Figure 1. Typical

3.2 Membrane applications

In multiple fields of chemical industry is involved the more commonly are:

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  Water purification  Recovery of heavy metals
 Milk concentration  Azeotropic separations
 Protein partition  Organic soil separation.

Based in properties such as size, diffusion, ionic charge, solubility, and density membrane
separation is considered and the impulse force too.

3.3 What is reverse osmosis?

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a process in which the flow rate is reduced through a semi-permeable
membrane and a pushing force greater than the osmotic pressure is exerted in the opposite
direction to the osmosis process (Osmosis is the process by which a solvent passes through a
semi-permeable membrane, from a diluted solution to a concentrated one, until the difference in
concentrations on both sides of the membrane is equalized (the pressure required for this
phenomenon to occur is known as osmotic pressure). In this way, it is possible to separate the
substances found in the water on one side of the membrane (concentrate) and on the other side,
a dilute solution low in dissolved solids (permeate) is obtained [3], as we see in figure 2.

Figure 2. Reverse osmosis behavior.

In the normal osmosis process, the solvent naturally moves from an area of low concentration of
the solution (high water potential), through a membrane, to an area of high concentration of the
solution (low water potential). The force that causes the movement of the solvent is the
reduction in the free energy of the system when the difference in the concentration of the solvent
on either side of a membrane is reduced, generating osmotic pressure because the solvent
moves to the solution more concentrated. Reverse osmosis is the application of external
pressure to reverse the natural flow of the solvent [3].

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 Figure 3. Scheme of Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis.

In the treatment of chlorides, the reverse osmosis process is adequate due to its high content of
removal of dissolved solids, with a removal capacity of 90-99.5%. Currently in the world, 60% of
desalination plants are reverse osmosis [4]. It allows to remove most of the solids (inorganic or
organic) dissolved in water (99%), it is a continuous purification process, with simple technology,
which does not require much maintenance and is modular and requires little space, according at
the desired flow rates [5].

 Temperature effect:
Temperature has a great influence on operating costs, the most relevant thing is that the
higher the design temperature, the more permeate flow is produced and consequently
fewer membranes are needed, therefore it is necessary to carefully study the cost-benefit
relationship for a use of more energy to less membranes or more membranes to less
energy; It should be noted that designing at high temperatures can shorten the life of the
membranes since it accelerates their chemical and physical degradation. [5]
 Linear diffusion solution model:
To explain the mass transfer through reverse osmosis membranes, the most frequently
retained mechanism is the diffusion mechanism. This type of mechanism is based on the
transfer of solvent and solute through the membrane is carried out in various stages of
solubilized diffusion. Thus, the solute and the solvent dissolve in the osmosis membrane
and diffuse inside it, under the effect of gradients on one side and the other of the
membrane: concentration gradient, pressure gradient. From this hypothesis of solubilizing it
is possible to deduce some equations.

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 The specific flow of the load through the membrane is proportional to the prevailing motor
pressure difference on both sides of the membrane. [6]
 Flux:
The equipment to be worked is shown below. Where a brackish water tank with coil cooling
circuit is identified, fed with cold water with water supply from the municipal network. An
osmosis module high pressure pump, an osmosis module supply circuit with bypass piping
and regulating valves. Also, there is the reverse osmosis membrane, retention circuit and
permeate to the respective recovery tanks.

Figure 4. Diagram of reverse

3.4 NTC 3525.

It deals with the conditions for the processes of obtaining, packaging, and marketing of drinking
water treated for human consumption. Considering that bottled water for human consumption is
high epidemiological risk and is necessary to establish the sanitary conditions for obtaining and
marketing drinking water for human consumption, as a health protection measure. Therefore,
water trading companies in Colombia must abide by this statute. [9]
The following table represent the more important values that commercial water needs for their
consumption.

Maximum allowable
Characteristics Units
value

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 Color Platinum-Cobalt Scale
15
Pt/Co
Smell and taste - No visible
Nephelometric
Turbidity 2
Turbidity Units
Total Solids Mg/L 2000
pH   6,5-9,0
Table 1. NTC 3525. [9]

3.5 Case of Study.

“To make the water from the aqueduct drinkable and guarantee the health of our staff, our
company obtained a reverse osmosis equipment designed for this purpose. Here are some of
the characteristics of the equipment”:

g L
Feed : Saline Solution of 8 Feed rate :2200
L h
Feed Temperature :25° C Upstream pressure :16 ¯¿

Your function is to determine some determining operational variables of the equipment and,
based on them, propose a monthly operation plan, additionally verify the savings in volume of
treated and purified water against the same volume of water with commercial values”.

4.Materials and Procedures

4.1 Materials:
 Glass stirrer  Metal spatula
 Balance  100 mL beakers (x10)
 250 mL volumetric balloons (x5)  Test Tube of 500 mL
 500 mL beaker  Chronometer
 Conductivity meter

4.2 Reactants:
 NaCl  Tap water

4.3 Procedure:
4.3.1 Calibration curves of pumps:

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For this instance, the Reverse osmosis module works with the same charge of water for any
experiment, but the regulation of the inlet pressure can be regulated using valve 3 (V3) and with
the values reported by the rotatory sensors located in the permeate and retentate pipeline.

4.3.2 Calibration Curve of Conductivity:

Considering the initial amount NaCl, please use the volumetric balloons for the construction of
the following curve considering 1 L of water as solution.

Permeate (g/L) 0 0,05        

Retentate (g/L) 0 0,05 0,1 0,15 0,2 14

Table 2. Calibration curve of conductivity.

4.3.3 Module Operation:

Before the starting up of the pump, please check the water level in the main tank, the level
controller allows the pass of the water through the module. Open valves V1, V2, V4 and
V14.Then start up the pump.
*Note: Please check all the time the level of the main tank, of the water level decrees quite
quickly, supply more quantity.

Open slowly, but thoroughly valve V3. Check the values of rotary sensors of each outlet streams
(retentate and permeate) and the pressure in the module. If the pressure is less than 16 Bar,
readjust the pressure closing the valve V2 and the valve V4. Please report each data during the
progressive readjustment of the pressure, this range start forms 0.5 Bar and end in 16 Bar. If
permeate rate surpass the level of F13, please open V13 and close V14, these changes allow
interpretations in F12. Before the shutdown of the module, open valve V2, V4 and close V3.

For the measurement of permeate rate. Please take the permeate hose and fill the test tube,
determinate the time during the filling and calculate the flow rate. Finally, the conductivities of
each current can be analyzed opening the V5 (retentate) and V6 permeate valves.
*Note: You should have the calibration curve before the sampling of conductivity in the
module.

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5. Results
5.1 Operative conditions:

A previously mentioned, values of conductivity of retentate and permeate can be measured

while the drop pressure of the module is changed used valves.

Y =1624 x−148.8

Graphic 1 Retentate Curve of calibration

Y =13160 x +9E-14

Graphic 2 Permeate Curve of calibration

Then, the rejection coefficient (TR) can be calculated solving the mass balance for the inlet
concentration of salt in the inlet of the module. Considering this value and the cut of membrane
(ɵ), the selection of suitable conditions is limited at a high rejection coefficient and useful cut.

F XA 0=PXp+ RXr
Equation. Mass balance of inlet salt.
QP
θ=
(QP +Q R )
Equation Rejection coefficient.

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 Table 3. Operation conditions.

For this instance and considering all variations between rejection coefficient and the cut
membrane, the best conditions for the purification of water are:

 Retentate: 1500 L/h

 Permeate: 360 L/h
 Permeate concentration of 0.1% wt.

The next estimations are considered using the previous conditions.

5.3 Osmotic Pressure

After the selection of the operative conditions in the membrane, the osmotic pressure can be
determined employing variations in the pressure drop represented in the flux through the
membrane.

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 Graphic 3. Osmotic Pressure

−Intercerpt Equation Osmotic Pressure

Osmotic Pressure=
Slope
1.9225
π= =1.31
1.473

5.4 Polarization factor

Finally, the polarization factor (M) of membrane can be represented by plotting the following
expressions.

U =QF∗Membrane area QF =QP+QR

For this instance, all pressures were considered during the extraction, then the polarization

Jv 1−TR
coefficient can be determined with the intercept between vs ln (¿ )¿
U TR

Graphic 4. Polarization factor.

This value of intersection can represent the real rejection coefficient of the membrane by the
following expression

Interpception=ln ( 1−TR real

TR real )

TR real=0.97
TR real
M=
TR pro

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5.2 Area:

Using the flux expressions and the thickness of the membrane (0.0001 µm) the area of
membrane was calculated at each pressure using the following expression that involve the
osmotic pressure and drop pressure.

J V =A v ( ΔP− Δπ )
A v =0.015
5.5 Costs estimate

Once the characteristics of the membrane have been determined, we proceed to determine the
operation costs of the equipment, considering the following consumption rates as a frame of
reference. Consumption of water and energy are represented in COP and the time of operation
is 28 days (224 h) with 8 hours of work per day.

Table 3. Module operation cost.

Moreover, comparisons between two water commercial presentation was made. The first one is
a commonly presentation of 20 L of Della Fonte water tank and the second one is single pack of
water of 360 mL from the Della Fonte that is commercialized at wholesale price.

Table 4. Water

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 Table 5. Single pack water cost.

Image 4. Water tank of 20L

Image 5. Pack of water 360mL

*Conveyor values of water presentation were not considered in the comparisons between
costs.

6. Discussion

Given the initial characteristics of the case of study, and all data estimations, is possible to affirm
that the usage of reverse osmosis membrane as a purification system of municipal water is the
best option that broad of directors can take. Considering the time of operation and the quantity
of water, this kind of purification achieve a saline concentration of 1.4 mg/L in the permeate,

16
which allows highest quality standards removing 99.8% of saline particles.

Moreover, previous comparisons between commercial references and the reverse osmosis
membrane suggest that the concentration of solids in the water is better when is managed by
this methodology due to solid concentrations presented in the Della Fonte brand are 40.5 mg / l.
This means that the quality level is not the same and that the proposed procedure can be
compared to the most expensive brands in the market. However, is necessary to apply microbial
analysis tests to corroborate the presence of some harmful microorganism in the water provided
by NTC 12186 that regulates organoleptic properties of potabilizated water.

Furthermore, 15% of final cost represented in the Table 3 are water and energy consumption,
the rest is the initial investment of the engine. Therefore, in the next month, economic balance of
the company can draw upon with these changes. And the operative cost could have a
constantly behavior in the future.

Experimentations at different operative pressures and retentate flow allows the determination of
the suitable characteristics of membranes as Area, Flux, Rejection coefficient and Polarization
coefficient. These properties can change between the inlet flows and the concentration at each
stream.

On the other hand, the maintenance of reverse osmosis module may represent an additional
cost, during along term of operation, but for this case, activities of maintenance and inspections
take place when the purification system works 3-5 moths of continuous operation. To preserve
quality of the process, such as the durability of the membrane and the energy consumption
company must assume the development of continuous cleaning and removing particles over
reverse osmosis membrane. There are multiple forms for cleaning reverse osmosis membrane,
the most commonly is the hydraulic feedback of the permeate under pressure, allowing the
passage of the natural phenomenon of natural osmosis. Another alternative is the
implementation of mechanical cleaning system is using a special type of brush or sponge
introduced between void areas between membranes in the case of complex units.

In an uncertain, future company could improve a new type of commercialization of fresh water in
Colombia, achieving a good profit and avoiding the usage of complex procedures and the
management of expensive engines in other chemical process.

17
7. Conclusions

Finally, it can be concluded that the use of a reverse osmosis system allows obtaining high
levels of saline separation from municipal water, complying standards of NTC 3525 with the
proposed conditions allowing the suitable management of membrane and the induced pressure.
A short financial analysis allows recognition of the viability of the Osmosis system for the
purification of municipal water, according to the initial case of study.

8. References

[1] MWH’s water treatment: principles and design. John C. Crittenden et al.
[2] Ósmosis inversa en la industria: Aplicaciones. (2015). Aguas Industriales. Recovery on May 13 of
2020, availed in: http://aguasindustriales.es/campos-de-aplicacion-de-la-osmosis-inversa-en-la-
industria/
[3] La ósmosis inversa y sus diferentes aplicaciones. Ingeniería ambiental para el sector industrial.
Recovery on May 13 of 2020, availed in https://blog.condorchem.com/la-osmosis-inversa-y-sus-
diferentes-aplicaciones/
[4] Pignat, P. (2015). Osmosis inversa manual (pp. 1-77). Francia: GENAS.
[5] Osmosis inversa (RO). Diseño y soluciones sostenibles DSS. S.A. Recovery on May 13 of 2020,
availed in http://dss.com.ec/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/osmosis_inversa.pdf
[6] Wankat. (2007). Separation Process Engineering. Prentice Hall.
[7] Rosero, N. (2018). Diagrama general de un equipo de osmosis inversa. Recovery on May 13 of
2020, availed in https://ingenieria.bogota.unal.edu.co/es/extension/laboratorios/labs-
partamentos/laboratorios-ingenieria-quimica-y-ambiental/documentos/category/429-osmosis-
inversa.html?download=2353:osmosis-inversa-manual-de-operacion
[8] Wankat. (2007). Separation Process Engineering. Prentice Hall.pp. 558.
[9] Ministerio de Salud (1991). Resolución Número 12186 de 1991. Recovery on May 18 of 2020,
availed in https://www.catorce6.com/images/legal/Resolucion_12186_de_1991.pdf

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