NALCB Water t

i6ol W DEHLROAD
:NAPERVILLE rL 50583-1r90
An Ecolab Compa ny
Silt Density lndex Test (SDl)
Nalco Pad # 420 C0412 88

I ,e Srlt Dens ty lndex (SDl) test s used to determine the foul ng potential of water feed ng a membrane fitrat on
p,ocess such as a reveTse osmos s (RO)system lhstestsdeiinedbyitsspecficprocedure(ASTMD-418907).The
ISTM procedure should be referenced for a more deta ed description ofthe procedure

The nature of this test s such that ( cannot be run rn the aboratory Thus the test needs tD ire run on site To that end.
. t has been prov ded to a ow for testing on s te The SDt test shoutd be run on any raw water suppty being
.sldered for use as feed wateT to a new or an exrsting RO unit For an exrsting RO unit. the best p ace to test the SDI
, AFTER the cartridge f ter lf th s locatron cannot support an SD test then before the cartrdge filter (afterother
pretreatmenl) is acceptable ln some cases lt may be possib e to run a test before and after multimed a filters used ior
pretreatment to an RO but n mostcases theSDl pror to the fi ter wr I be too high to measure Note that the maxinrum
SDI at 15 mrnutes is 6 67 lf your result is greater than 6 67 you have conducted the test incorrectly

Note that a deposrl ana ysls of the mater a captured on the f lter paper can be conducted in the tab n NapeNi e Th s
can help ident fy what spec es ln the feed water may fou the RO membranes To nrake sure there s enough materlal on
the filter paper to a.tua ,/ run the depos t ana ys s
t s suggested that after the SDt test is comp eted that r,vater rs
alowedtocontrnuetofowthroughtheflterpaperioranadditonal t5to30mnutesorunt thepaperplugs whchever
comes f rst Col ect the i ter paper in e p ast c sample pack and sh p off to the tab

For ex stlng RO Lrnts the SD1 shou d be run at least once a to begin wlth Onceahsto SDI r-oad ngs has been
.,dol .'-o J,or-eSDt s-ar,..o.,,"-1 -1.. ,.1--.,9
changes and other phenomenon such as droughl or he.rvy rains for surface wateT souTces ca for nrore frequent
test ng dur ng these events

For ieasibi ity stud es prior io insta lation of an RO the t(.sting should be conducted mu t p e t mes on different days to
try to get a sense ofthe varaton that m ght be expectec

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED IN KIT EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED IN KIT

Pan No. DescriFlion 500 P0418 88 Stopwatch
500-P0422 88 % Ball Valve 500 P0417 88 Thermorne.e
500 P0420 88 Pressure Regulator 500-P0419 88 Dull Lab Tweezers
500-P0421 88 Pressure Gauge 500 P0423 88 Nyion Ftling Swvell\,4ae x
500 P0424 88 F lter Disk Holder Fema e Adapters
500 P0416 88 0 45 l!4lcron Fiter Paper Pack 500 P0425 88 Tl4 Brass Pipe Fitt ng
Milpore MAWP04700 500 P042688 Tubng 3/16 x1/16 1pece
(required brand) 500 P0427 88 Couping 3/4 x1/2
500 P0415 88 500 mL Graduated Cylnder 500P042888 Tubng 3/4 x6 PVC
Note: A I wetted componenls nclud ng sample ines sho! d be stain ess steel or of pias|c constrlrct on

SDI Test Procedure

I
1 Connect the test k t less fllter paper for pretest flush

2 F ush the test k t and supp y line for 3 to 5 minutes to remove any possible entrained contamrnants

3 Measure and record the temperature ofthe watea

 -: l:
4 Make sure the O rinq is in good conclition and properly p aced Set the pressure regulator to 30 psig The
setscrew on the regu ator should be adlusted whi e there is a smal fow Supply pressure to the regulator shoLrld
be > 40 psig

5. Open the membrane filter holder and carefully place a 0.45 Ir membrane filter (shiny side up) on the support plate
ofthe holder. Handle the membrane filter only with dull tweezers io avoid puncturing. Avoid touching the
membrane filter wilh your fingers.

6 Rep ace the top ha f of the fiter holder and close oose y

7 Open the feed valve s rghtly and adjust the iiter housing to overflow disp acing any trapped a r Tighten the fite.
housrng overflow OpenthefeedvaLvecompeteyandmakeanyfnaladlustmentstothepressureregulatcras
required Close the feed valve

8 Prepare to take measurements Open the ba I valve Srn-.ultaneous y us ng a stopwatch beg n measurng the
t me required for the flow of 500 mL. Record the t me (ir). Leave the valve open for cont nued fow

I Measure and record the tmes lo co ect addtiona 500 mL vo umes of sample startrng the co lection at 15
m nutes of tota elapsed flow t me This va ue is recorded as (1.., Measure the water temperature and check tae
pressure as each samp e is co lected The pressure must remarn constant at 30 ps g (+/- 1 psig) and the
temperature must rema n constant 1 C Adjust the pressure back to 30 ps g if it begins to Iluctuate

10 Aftercompletron ofthe lest themembranefltermayberetanedforfuturereference Record the Date Sampe

Location T rne Operator SDI ValLre and Comments wrth the frlter pad

Calculation
Calculate the s lt densLty index (SDlr) as follows

(tr / i,5)l t
SDl,' = 11 - 100
15

15 = totalelapsed flowtime m nutes

h = initral time required to col ect 500 m of sanrple
lr: = t me required to co lect 500 ml of samp e after test time 15 m nutes

Comments on Variability:
The procedure outiined must be followed exacUy for the information to have meanrng and be
reproducible Test variabiity (50'100%) hasbeenarecognzedprobernwththismelhodand
operator training n procedura detai s is a cntrcal factor in obtaining prec s on and accuracy

NALCO Water, an Ecolab Company

North America: 1601Weqt Diehl Road . Naperv le, inoit 60563 . usA
Europer Rrchtistrass-p 7 .
8104 Wal se len . Sw tzer rnd
As . P.ofic: 2 lnternation. Butiness Pirrk . !02 20 The Strntee\r Tower 2 Srne.pore 609930 Latin Amenc;: Av das Nacoes Unldas
'
17 891 .6'and.r .sao Pau o , 5P . Braz I . CEP 04795 100

NALCO Water are Trademarks of Eco ab USA Inc

02017 Ecolab USA nc Al R Bhts Reserved a/71 :120 c0412 88