Osmosis according to the solution-diffusion & Pore diffusion

Equilibrium

ml
ml(m)
• The pressure is the same on both sides of the membrane. For simplicity
the gradient of salt (component j) is not shown in this figure, but we
assume the membrane to be very selective, so the concentration of salt
within the membrane is small. The difference in concentration across the
membrane results in a continuous, smooth gradient in chemical potential
of the water (component i) across the membrane from mi,l on the water
side to mi,o on the salt side.
• The pressure within and across the membrane is constant (i.e. Po =Pm
=Pl),
• The solvent activity gradient (gici) falls continuously from the pure water
(solvent) side to the saline (solution) side of the membrane. As a result,
water passes across the membrane from right to left.
• The situation at the point of osmotic equilibrium, when sufficient pressure
has been applied to the saline side of the membrane to bring the flow
across the membrane to zero.
• The pressure within the membrane is assumed to be constant at the high-
pressure value Po. There is a discontinuity in pressure at the permeate
side of the membrane, where the pressure abruptly falls from Po to Pl the
pressure on the solvent side of the membrane.
• This pressure difference (Po-Pl) is equal to the osmotic pressure difference
Dp.
• Equating the chemical potential on either side of the permeate interface,
 Apply this equation at l and l(m) i.e. Solvent
side and membrane –solvent interface

At l, only pure solven

Osmotic pressure
equation

The pressure difference, (Po-Pl ) = Dp, across the membrane balances the solvent
activity difference A (gici) across the membrane, and the flow is zero.
 Pore Diffusion

Equilibrium

Pressure differences
• Osmosis with no concentration gradient within the membrane but a
pressure gradient induced by the concentration difference between the
solutions on either side of the membrane.
• The situation at the point of osmotic equilibrium, when a sufficient
pressure has been applied to the solute solution side of the membrane to
bring the flow across the membrane to zero.
• The important conclusion from above is although the fluids on either side
of a membrane may be at different pressures and concentrations within a
perfect solution-diffusion membrane only a concentration gradient exists.
Flow through this type of membrane is expressed by Fick's law.
• Within a perfect pore-flow membrane, only a pressure gradient exists.
Flow through this type of membrane is expressed by Darcy' s law.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis, usually dealing with two components, water (i), and salt
(j). Following the general procedure, the chemical potentials at both sides
of the membrane are first equated. At the feed interface, the pressure in
the feed solution and within the membrane are identical.
Equating the chemical potentials at this interface
Po-Pl= Dp
• where Dp is the difference in hydrostatic pressure across the membrane
A trial calculation shows that the term is small under the
normal conditions of reverse osmosis. For example, when DP= 100 atm,
Dp= 10 atm, and vi = 18 cm3, the term is about 0.06. Under these
conditions, the simplification
1 – exp (x) ~ x as x0 can be used,
~0
and above Eq. can be written to a very good approximation as
• Similarly, a simplified expression for the salt flux, Jj, through the
membrane can be derived:
This equation is for component i and apply
for component j

This equation is for component j (for salt or

solute flux)
Predictions of salt and water transport can be made from this application
of the solution-diffusion model to reverse osmosis (first derived by Merten
and co-workers [13,14]). According solvent flux equation the water flux
through a reverse osmosis membrane remains small up to the osmotic
pressure of the salt solution and then increases with applied pressure,
whereas according to solute / salt flux Eq. the salt flux is essentially
independent of pressure.