DESIGNED & SUPPLIED BY ‘TECH OMECA’, PUNE

OPERATION &
MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR
RO PLANT
CLIENT: SAMARTH TRADERS, BHIGWAN, PUNE
PRAVIN SARAK
30/07/2015

Dnyandeep colony shrinagar rahatni pune 17

 FROM THE AUTHORS DESK

WE HAVE TRIED TO PROVIDE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE FOR PROPER OPERATION

AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

USERS ARE INVITED TO READ, REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND THIS ‘OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

MANUAL’ VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH INSTALLATION, COMMISSIONING,

OPEARATION, TROUBLESHOOTING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

IN CASE OF DOUBTS USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT US.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL MAY RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE

SYSTEM, COMPONENTS AS WELL AS PERSONAL INJURY WHICH WILL VOID GUARANTEE OF THE

EQUIPMENT.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SR. NO DESCRIPTION PAGE NO.

1. INTRODUCTION 3

2. EQUIPMENT DETAILS 12

3. INSTALLATION 19

4. SYSTEM OPERATION 31

5. MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING 36

6. PLANT PERFORMANCE LOG BOOK 44

7. DO’S & DON’TS 45

8. P&ID 46

9. ANNEXURES (Copy of Manuals)

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 INTRODUCTION

Water is essential to life. It is the most common mineral on the earth's surface and the most sought
for. In its pure state, it is a colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid. Chemically speaking water is H 2O,
the combination of TWO parts of hydrogen to ONE part of Oxygen. Pure water does not exist in nature
due to its characteristic as solvent. Number of matters like gases, minerals and organic materials
dissolve in the water easily. It picks up fine particles wherever it flows such as silt, sand, iron &
organics etc. biological growths like algae & bacteria take place in the water. Thus, water is usually
contaminated with numerous dissolved & un-dissolved solids along with living matters!
Pure water is slightly conducting. The conductivity of pure water is 0.037µS/cm at 15ºC.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER

Water found in nature is never pure. Water may be characterized on the basis of contaminants, also
by its physical parameters, chemical composition and biological impurities.
PHYSICAL PARAMETERS
The physical parameters comprise mainly suspended solids, turbidity, silt density index, color, odor
and taste.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
This includes all the matter suspended in water that is large enough to be retained on a filter with a
given porosity.
TURBIDITY
Together with the measurement of suspended solids, this gives an indication of the level of fine
suspended impurities, matter of inorganic or organic origin etc. that are so fine that they achieve
colloidal dimensions.
SILT DENSITY INDEX
It is a measure of the fouling potential of water. It is also linked with suspended solids and is essential
in water treatment using membrane processes.
COLOUR
Colours in the water are due to dissolved matters & not suspended solids.
True color after filtration is most often due to the presence of dissolved or colloidal organic matter.
There is no relationship between color and the quantity of organic matter. Color is measured by
comparing the specimen with a reference solution (Platinum - Cobalt method)
ODOUR AND TASTE
The bad taste and smell of water is generally caused by the presence of bacteria, germs and various
microorganisms and their secretions and excretions in water. It is due to organic matter and gases
such as hydrogen sulphide dissolved in water.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The chemical composition of water gives the parameters and the constituents of various chemical
species present in water. These are as follows.
pH
This is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration.

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pH = - log [H+]
Where [H+] = Concentration of hydrogen ion in mole/I.

The dissociation of hydrogen ions and hydroxide (OH¯) ions in water is a constant of the order of 10-14
(mole/I). In pure water [H+] = [OH¯] = 10-7 mole/l. Hence the pH of pure water is 7.
An acidic medium is a solution in which [H+] is greater than 10-7 mole/I and pH is < 7. An alkaline
medium is one in which [H+] is less than 10-7 mole/I and pH is > 7. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
pH is measured by means of colored indicators or preferably by an electrometric method (glass -
electrode pH meter).
ALKALINITY
The alkalinity in water indicates the quantities of hydroxide, carbonate and bicarbonate in water.
Water may contain individually bicarbonate or carbonate or hydroxide or a combination of
bicarbonate and carbonate or carbonate and hydroxide.

The alkalinity of water is determined by using two indicators. Phenolphthalein Indicator gives the P
Alkalinity (End Point 8.3 pH) and Methyl Orange Indicator yields the M Alkalinity (End Point 4.2 pH).
M alkalinity is also called ‘Total alkalinity’. Note that the alkalinity specifies some of the negative ions
(anions) in water. But these are balanced by positive ions (cations) present in water. The resulting
compound represents the alkaline salts of water.
EQUIVALENT MINERAL ACIDITY (EMA)
Natural waters contain no free strong acids (free mineral acidity or FMA) but only their salts,
particularly, sulphates and chlorides of calcium, magnesium and sodium. The EMA expresses the total
content of these salts of strong acids.
Just as the alkalinity gives the alkaline salts in water, the equivalent mineral acidity indicates the
neutral salt content of water and comprises the chloride, sulphate and nitrate present in water. Note
again that the EMA represents the other negative ions (anions) in water which are balanced by
positive ions (cations)
TOTAL HARDNESS (TH)
The total hardness gives the content of calcium and magnesium in water. Calcium and Magnesium are
positive ions (cations) and are combined in water with alkalinity and/or EMA. The hardness associated
with alkalinity is called alkaline hardness. It is also referred to as carbonate hardness or temporary
hardness. The hardness associated with EMA is called non-alkaline hardness. It is also referred to as
non-carbonate hardness or permanent hardness.
Whenever the hard water is heated, the calcium & magnesium salts form hard, stony scales on the
surface of the metals such as; pipes, heating coils, cooking utensils etc. The scales are bad conductors
of heat. Therefore, scale formation on the metal surface results in the increased consumption of fuel.
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS)
The TDS indicates the total content of dissolved solids in water. It represents all the charged ions,
i.e., cations and anions, as well as uncharged and molecular species. The TDS represents the cations
which are mainly calcium, magnesium and sodium, & the anions which are mainly bicarbonate,
chloride and sulphate & species such as silica.
ORGANIC MATTER
Grouped under this are all substances susceptible to oxidation and expressed by various indices given
below:
PERMANGANATE VALUE (OA VALUE)

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Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) is used as oxidant. Various methods of analysis are used depending
on the temperatures, the type of environment and the procedure. Commonly, oxygen absorbed (OA)
for 4 hours at 27ºC with acidified KMNO4 is used to determine the organic matter of natural vegetable
origin. These are the high molecular weight organic acids such as humic and fulvic acids.
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD)
The COD indicates the total hot oxidation by potassium di-chrome and covers the majority of organic
compounds as well as oxidizible mineral salts.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)
It measures the ability of common bacteria to digest organic matter. The dissolved oxygen content in
the stream gets depleted. The test is done by incubation for 5 days at 20ºC. BOD normally represents
only the biodegradable material and is expressed in terms of mg/I of O2.
TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON (TOC)
This indicates the content of carbon linked to organic material by measuring the CO2 after complete
oxidation. The water sample may contain alkalinity and CO2 equivalent of Alkalinity must be
subtracted for value obtained. This is expressed as ppm TOC.
DISSOLVED GASES
Carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen are the gases that are normally found dissolved in water.
Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide are also encountered in certain water sources. Dissolved carbon
dioxide plays an important role in designing a DM plant and this shall be added to Anionic load.
BIOLOGICAL IMPURITIES
The biological impurities cover all microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, phytoplankton and
zooplankton.
Bacteria, the indicators of fecal contamination, are brought into the environment by discharge of
municipal waste water and may indicate contamination by bacteria and viruses which are pathogenic
for man. The growth of common germs may create problems such as consumption of dissolved oxygen,
corrosion and bad taste of water.
Surface water contains many organisms which make up phytoplankton and zooplankton. Many of these
organisms secrete compounds which give water a bad taste and smell. Others such as amoebae are
pathogenic for man.
The presence of algae and macro organisms in the water system is unpleasant and their growth can
lead to proliferation, sedimentation and appearance of anaerobic conditions. As they grow or die
some micro-organisms excrete substances that are toxic to higher animals.
Viable bacteria are expressed as a count per unit volume or in colony forming units (CFU) per unit volume.
Pyrogens and endotoxins are expressed as endotoxin unit (EU) per unit volume.
These tests are the main indicators of the potability of water and its use in water for injection and
ultra-pure water.

CONCEPT OF REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO)

Reverse osmosis is the finest level of filtration available. The RO membrane acts as a barrier to all
dissolved salts and inorganic molecules, as well as organic molecules with a molecular weight greater
than approximately 100. Water molecules, on the other hand, pass freely through the membrane
creating a purified product stream. Rejection of dissolved salts is typically 95% to greater than 99%.
The applications for RO are numerous and varied, and include desalination of seawater or brackish
water for drinking purposes, wastewater recovery, food and beverage processing, biomedical

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separations, purification of home drinking water and industrial process water. RO is often used in the
production of ultrapure water for use in the semiconductor industry, power industry (boiler feed
water), and medical/laboratory applications. Utilizing RO prior to ion exchange (ION EXCHANGE)
dramatically reduces operating costs and regeneration frequency of the ION EXCHANGE system.
The normal range of filtration processes is shown in following figure:

Range Of Filtration Process

Reverse osmosis is capable of rejecting bacteria, salts, sugars, proteins, particles, dyes, and other
constituents that have a molecular weight of greater than 150-250 Daltons. The separation of ions
with reverse osmosis is aided by charged particles. This means that dissolved ions that carry a charge,
such as salts, are more likely to be rejected by the membrane than those that are not charged, such
as organics. Larger the charge and larger the particle, more likely it will be rejected.

PRINCIPLE OF REVERSE OSMOSIS

The phenomenon of osmosis occurs when pure water flows from a dilute saline solution through a
membrane into a higher concentrated saline solution. The phenomenon of osmosis and reverse
osmosis is illustrated in following Figure. A semi-permeable membrane is placed between two
compartments. “Semi-permeable” means that the membrane is permeable to some species, and not
permeable to others. Assume that this membrane is permeable to water, but not to salt. Then, place
a salt solution in one compartment and pure water in the other compartment. The membrane will
allow water to permeate through it to either side. But salt cannot pass through the membrane.

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As a fundamental rule of nature, this system will try to reach equilibrium. That is, it will try to reach
the same concentration on both sides of the membrane. The only possible way to reach equilibrium is
for water to pass from the pure water compartment to the salt-containing compartment, to dilute the
salt solution. Following Figure also shows that osmosis can cause a rise in the height of the salt
solution. This height will increase until the pressure of the column of water (salt solution) is so high
that the force of this water column stops the water flow. The equilibrium point of this water column
height in terms of water pressure against the membrane is called osmotic pressure. If a force is
applied to this column of water, the direction of water flow through the membrane can be reversed.
This is the basis of the term Reverse Osmosis. Note that this reversed flow produces pure water from
the salt solution, since the membrane is not permeable to salt.

With a high pressure pump, feed water is continuously pumped at elevated pressure to the membrane
system. Within the membrane system, the feed water will be split into a low-saline and/or purified
product, called Permeate, and high saline or concentrated brine, called Concentrate or Reject. A flow
regulating valve, called a concentrate valve (or Reject Control Valve), controls the percentage of
feed-water that is going to the concentrate stream and the permeate which will be obtained from the
feed. The key terms used in the reverse osmosis process are defined as follows:
Recovery - the percentage of membrane system feed-water that emerges from the system as product
water or “permeate”. Membrane system design is based on expected feed-water quality and recovery
is defined through initial adjustment of valves on the concentrate stream. Recovery is often fixed at
the highest level that maximizes permeate flow while preventing precipitation of super-saturated
salts within the membrane system.
Rejection - the percentage of solute concentration removed from system feed-water by the
membrane. In reverse osmosis, a high rejection of total dissolved solids (TDS) is important.
Passage - the opposite of “rejection”, passage is the percentage of dissolved constituents
(contaminants) in the feed-water allowed to pass through the membrane.
Permeate - the purified product water produced by a membrane system.
Flow - Feed flow is the rate of feed-water introduced to the membrane element or membrane
system, usually measured in cubic meters per hour (m3/h). Concentrate flow is the rate of flow of
non-permeated feed-water that exits the membrane element or membrane system. This concentrate
contains most of the dissolved constituents originally carried into the element or into the system from
the feed source. It is usually measured in cubic meters per hour (m3/h).
Flux - the rate of permeate transported per unit of membrane area, usually measured in gallons per
square foot per day (gfd) or liters per square meter and hour (l/m2h).
FACTORS AFFECTING REVERSE OSMOSIS PERFORMANCE

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Permeate flux and salt rejections are the key performance parameters of a reverse osmosis process.
Under specific reference conditions, flux and rejection are intrinsic properties of membrane
performance. The flux and rejection of a membrane system are mainly influenced by variable
parameters including Pressure, Temperature, Recovery and Feed water salt concentration as below:

Increasing Permeate Flux Salt Passage

Effective Pressure Increase Decrease
Temperature Increase Increase
Recovery Decrease Increase
Feed Salt Concentration Decrease Increase
A simplified flow diagram of a typical RO system shows how the RO process operates Pressure is
applied to the feed stream by a pump, producing permeate and concentrate continuously:

MEMBRANE DESCRIPTIONS
We have used Thin Film Composite (TFC) membranes of Dow make. It consists of three layers: a
polyester support web, a microporous polysulfone interlayer, and an ultra-thin polyamide barrier layer
on the top surface. Each layer is tailored to specific requirements.
TFC membranes have high salt rejection and have exhibited good performance under wide-ranging pH
and temperature conditions. They are not degradable by microorganisms and hold their flux rates
over long periods of time. They have low chlorine tolerance so chlorine removal is must. TFC
membranes are produced in spiral wound module configuration. As a general rule, membranes with
high water permeability (low feed pressure) also have a higher salt permeability compared to
membranes with lower water permeability.

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PRETREATMENT
To increase the efficiency and life of reverse osmosis (RO) systems, effective pretreatment of the
feed water is required. Selection of the proper pretreatment will maximize efficiency and membrane
life by MINIMIZING:

• Fouling
• Scaling
• Membrane degradation

OPTIMIZING:

• Product flow
• Product quality (salt rejection)
• Product recovery
• Operating & maintenance costs

Fouling is the accumulation of foreign materials from feed water on the active membrane surface
and/or on the feed spacer to the point of causing operational problems. The term fouling includes
accumulation of all kinds of layers on the membrane and feed spacer surface, including scaling. More
specifically, colloidal fouling refers to the entrapment of particulate or colloidal matter such as iron
flocks or silt, biological fouling (bio-fouling) is the growth of a biofilm, and organic fouling is the
adsorption of specific organic compounds such as humic substances and oil on to the membrane
surface. Scaling refers to the precipitation and deposition within the system of sparingly soluble salts
including calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, strontium sulfate.
The proper treatment scheme for feed water depends on:
• Feed water source
• Feed water composition
• Application

The type of pretreatment system depends to a large extent on feed water source (i.e., well water,
surface water, and municipal wastewater). In general, well water is a consistent feed source that has
a low fouling potential. Well water typically requires a very simple pretreatment scheme such as
acidification and/or anti-scalant dosing and a 5 micron cartridge filter.
Surface water, on the other hand, is a variable feed water source that is affected by seasonal factors.
It has a high fouling potential, both microbiological and colloidal. Pretreatment for surface water is
more elaborate than pretreatment for well water.
Once the feed water source has been determined, a complete and accurate analysis of the feed water
should be made. It is critical in determining the proper pretreatment and RO system design.
Finally, the application often determines the type or extent of RO pretreatment required. For
example, pretreatment in an electronics application might be much more sophisticated than for a
municipal system due to the different product water quality requirements. Pretreatment is a
continuous water treatment process upstream of a continuous membrane process. Water treatment
chemicals may be dosed continuously or intermittently during operation of the RO system.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
An entire reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment system consists of the pretreatment section, the
membrane element section, and the post-treatment section. Pre-treatment techniques and water
chemistry has already been explained in earlier sections. Post-treatment is employed to achieve the
required product quality.

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In this section, the membrane system is addressed. The system includes a set of membrane elements,
housed in pressure vessels that are arranged in a certain manner. A high-pressure pump is used to
feed the pressure vessels. Instrumentation, spare parts and tools for services are added as required.
The membrane system is a complete plant with an inlet for feed water and outlets for permeate and
concentrate. RO system performance is typically characterized by two parameters, permeate (or
product) flow and permeate quality. These parameters should always be referenced to a given feed
water analysis, feed pressure and recovery. The goal of the designer of an RO system for a certain
required ‘permeate’ flow is to minimize feed pressure and membrane costs while maximizing
permeate quality and recovery.
The optimum design depends on the relative importance of these aspects. The recovery of brackish
water systems is limited by the solubility of sparingly soluble salts. The feed pressure needed to
produce the required permeate flow for a given membrane depends on the designed permeate flux
(permeate flow rate per unit membrane area). Higher the permeate flow per unit of active membrane
area, higher the feed pressure. However, the permeate flux could be very high in brackish water.
Although it is tempting to increase the permeate flux to minimize the costs for membrane elements,
the flux has to be limited to minimize fouling.
From experience, the flux limit to be used in system design depends on the fouling tendency of the
feed water. A system designed with high permeate flux rate is likely to experience higher fouling
rates and more frequent chemical cleaning.
The product flow of RO is mainly a function of temperature and pressure. System recovery (product
divided by feed) is limited by the characteristics of the feed water and can be controlled through the
use of a recycle stream. Product quality is based on the percentage of dissolved solids fed to the
membrane.
There should be an economic balance between product quality and system recovery. High recoveries
increase concentrations of dissolved solids in the system, which degrades quality, but high recoveries
make the system more efficient and decrease waste.
We have designed this RO Plant for a capacity of 500 liters per hour on the basis of Bore Well water
as Feed water.
This RO Plant consists of:
• Raw Water Pump (Kirloskar make)
• Multigrade Filter
• Activated Carbon Filter
• Micron Cartridge Filter
• Anti-scalant Dosing System
• High Pressure Pump (Grundfos make)
• Reverse Osmosis Block consisting of two Dow make (Filmtech BW30 4040 model)TFC membrane
• Interconnecting Piping & Fittings
• Sukrut make U. V. Disinfection System
• Microprocessor based Control Panel (Automatic PLC) and Automatic MPV
• SS Skid with other instruments like Pressure Gauges, Solenoid Valves…

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LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR RO SYSTEM
Turbidity : <1 NTU Heavy Metals : Nil

Free Chlorine : Nil Oxidizing Agent : Nil

Temperature : Ambient pH : 2 to 11

Silt Density Index : <5 Iron (Ferrous) : <2 ppm

Maximum LSI : +2.5 Organic matter : NIL
Oil, Grease etc. : Nil Silica : <50 ppm

NOTE:
The plant is designed on approximate design basis as above. If there will any change in raw
water, Plant performance and out water quality will affect accordingly.

OUTLET WATER QUALITY

# TDS : Less than 10 ppm
# Total Hardness : Less than 5 ppm
# pH : 6.5 to 8.0

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 EQUIPMENT DETAILS
PUMP

A pump is a device that moves fluid by mechanical action and consumes energy in this said
process. We have used Centrifugal Pumps in this plant.
A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to increase the
pressure and flow rate of a fluid. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near to the
rotating axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward or axially into a
diffuser or volute chamber, from where it exits into the downstream piping system.
Centrifugal pumps are typically used for large discharge through smaller heads.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Parameters Pump (P1) Pump (P2)
Quantity 1 1
Capacity 2000 LPH@28mWC 2000 LPH@110mWC
Type Horizontal Centrifugal Vertical Centrifugal
MOC SS 304 SS 304
Power Consumption 0.8 hp, 1 ph, 240 VAC, 50 Hz 2 hp, 3 ph, 440 VAC, 50 Hz
Make CRI CRI

MULTIGRADE FILTER

The Multigrade Filter is designed to remove suspended solids, silt, dirt etc. (i.e. Turbidity)
present in the feed water with minimum pressure drop.
This Filter consists of vertical FRP cylindrical vessel fitted with a set of frontal pipework and
valves, Graded sand media supported by layers of gravels and pebbles; a top distributor to
distribute the incoming water uniformly throughout the cross section of the filter.
Raw water flows downwards through the filter bed and suspended particles are retained on
the top and between the sand grains immediately below the surface. There is a steady rise in
the loss of head as the filtration process continuous and flow reduces once the pressure drop
across the filter is excessive.
The filter is now taken out of service and cleaning of filter is effected by flow reversal.
OPERATION / SERVICE
Multiport valve gets rotated automatically clockwise to position "1" i.e. Service/Filter. Water
enters the filter from the top and percolates through the filter bed to bottom. Suspended
solids, silt, dirt are removed by the Sand media. Treated water then goes via the filtration
nozzles through the filter outlet. Check ‘Turbidity’ of outlet water at regular intervals which
should be nil. If pressure drop across this filter increases to more than 0.5 kg/cm2, it
should be put for cleaning. Normally it is recommended that the BACKWASH should be

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done after every five hours without waiting for the pressure drop to increase.
Being an auto operation RWP gets stopped automatically after 5 hours of operation and
multiport valve handle gets rotated to position "2", i.e., backwash so that unit can be put into
backwash cycle. Pump gets started again.

CLEANING / BACKWASH
Cleaning of this filter is done after every 5 hours by backwashing. Water is introduced in the
reverse direction of the service flow, i.e., upwards causing suspension of the turbid and
organic material in the filter bed & finally flushing out through the valve. Continue this cycle
for at least ten minutes or till the time water becomes turbid free.
Now this unit goes into rinse cycle.
RINSE
When the backwash has been carried out, Pump gets stopped, Multiport valve handle rotates
to position "3", i.e., Rinse. Pump gets started again, Water will pass through the Filter bed &
any fine turbid particles in the Bed will be removed. This step will continuous for 10 minutes
of programmed time in auto valve.
Check for Turbidity. If the Turbidity is not well within acceptable limit, repeat the Backwash
Rinse cycle again by manually pressing backwash key, after that multiport valve rotates its
position to “Service/Filter” as desired. The unit is now ready for operation.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
No. of Units 1 no (Cylindrical)
Operating Pressure 2.5 kg /cm2
Material of Construction FRP (
Diameter 330 mm
Height on straight 1370 mm
Pipe line size 20 NB
Filter media Gravels, Pebbles and fine sand
Media Quantity 100 kg
Valve Type 20 NB Top Mounted Multi-port Valve
Valve make Initiative
Operation Mannual

ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER

The Activated Carbon Filter is designed to remove free chlorine, organic matter, volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), Odour and Colour present in the feed water with minimum
pressure drop.
This Activated Carbon Filter consists of Activated Carbon granules of 900 Iodine Value
supported by sand media.

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OPERATION / SERVICE
Multiport valve gets rotated automatically clockwise to position "1" i.e. Service/Filter. Water
enters the filter from the top and percolates through the filter bed to bottom. Free chlorine,
organic matter, odour and Colour are adsorbed by the Activated Carbon. Treated water then
goes via the filtration nozzles through the filter outlet. Check ‘organics’ of outlet water at
regular intervals which should be nil. If pressure drop across this filter increases to more
than 0.5 kg/cm2, it should be put for cleaning. Normally it is recommended that the
BACKWASH should be done after every 5 hours without waiting for the pressure drop to
increase.
After completion of Backwash and Rinse Cycle for Sand Filter, same sequence will continue for
Activated carbon filter. RWP gets stopped automatically and multiport valve handle gets rotated
to position "2", i.e., backwash so that unit can be put into backwash cycle. Pump will start again.
CLEANING / BACKWASH
During Backwash Water is introduced in the reverse direction of the service flow, i.e.,
upwards causing suspension of the turbid and organic material in the filter bed & finally
flushing out through the valve. Continue this cycle for at least ten minutes or till the time
water becomes turbid free.
Now this unit can be put into rinse cycle.
RINSE
When the backwash has been carried out, Pump will stop, Multiport valve handle rotates to
position "3", i.e., Rinse. Pump will start again, Water will pass through the Filter bed & any
fine turbid particles in the Bed will be removed. This step will continuous for 10 minutes of
programmed time in auto valve.
Check for organics. If the Organics are not well within acceptable limit, repeat the Backwash
Rinse cycle again by manually pressing backwash key, after that multiport valve rotates its
position to “Service/Filter” as desired. The unit is now ready for operation.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
No. of Units 1 no (Cylindrical)
Operating Pressure 2.0 kg /cm2
Material of Construction FRP (Pentair)
Diameter 330 mm
Height on straight 1370 mm
Pipe line size 20 NB
Filter media Gravels, Pebbles and Activated Carbon of 900 IV
Media Quantity 75 kg + 25 kg
Valve Type 20 NB Top Mounted Multi-port Valve
Valve make Initiative
Operation manual

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ANTI-SCALANT DOSING SYSTEM
This Dosing pump will start when high pressure pump will start. Dosing system injects Anti-
scalant on continuous basis (strokes per minute) while plant is in operation whose frequency
(or pulse) of dosing is set as per the requirement. This dosing system consists of Dosing Pump
with suction & delivery assembly and reservoir tank. The dosing of Anti-scalant prevents
deposition of scale on the membranes. The dosing of RO anti-scalant would be 10 ppm, i.e.
10 mg per liter of feed water.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
No. of Units 1 no
Make of Dosing Pump Darco
Material of Construction ABS
Flow Rate 0.6 to 6.0 LPH
Strokes per minute 30 to 300
Reservoir’s MoC HDPE

MICRON CARTRIDGE FILTER

Microfiltration removes particles in the range of approximately 0.1 to 10 micron. In general,

suspended particles and large colloids are rejected while macromolecules and dissolved solids
pass through the MCF. We have put 5 micron spun cartridge filter of 20” length and 2.5”
diameter before the High Pressure Pump suction and after ACF. This Cartridge filter is put
basically to prevent the suspended solids deposition on the RO membrane which in turn
prevents high-pressure drop during normal operation. Applications include removal of
bacteria, flocculated materials, or TSS (total suspended solids).
PURPOSE
Fine micron size suspended solids of more than 5 micron size are trapped through these filter
elements. Depending upon the suspended solids size in microns, different type of filter
elements are used to cater the process requirement. The flow through each element is
deciding factor for the type of filter element as well as diameter and length of the element.
WHEN TO CHANGE THE CARTRIDGE FILTER
When the Plant is in continuous operation over a period of more than a month, there is
accumulation of suspended solids inside the cartridge filter and on the external surface of the
elements, which in turn create the flow restriction through the filter elements and thereby
indicate the differential pressure increases beyond 0.3 kg/cm2, it is essential to change all
the cartridge elements of the filters. Normally it is recommended by the RO membrane
manufacturers, that the elements (or filters) are to be changed once in a month without
waiting for the pressure drop to increase.

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REPLACEMENT OF CARTRIDGE FILTER
Close the inlet and outlet valves. Open the drain valve (if provided), to remove the water
from the housing. Rotate the cartridge housing anticlockwise and takeout the old cartridge
elements (or filters) without damaging “O” rings. If damaged, please change them along with
the cartridge elements. Fix the Housing back in position and tight them properly without any
leakage. Close the drain valve. Open the water inlet and outlet valve, Release air again once
water starts coming from the air release valve. Take the cartridge filter into service.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Quantity 2 No.
Operating Pressure 1.0 kg /cm2
Size of MCF 20’’ long and 4” diameter
Media Spun 5 micron cartridge
MOC of MCF PP
MOC of MCF Housing PP
Maximum Flow Rate permissible 2000 LPH

REVERSE OSMOSIS BLOCK

It is the core / heart of this RO based water treatment plant. It contains two Thin Film
Composite (TFC) polyamide (Dow make Model Filmtech BW30 4040) RO membranes inside
UKL make Pressure Vessel (or sometimes called as ‘Pressure Tube’ also). These TFC
membranes are packed in a spiral wound configuration. Typically, a spiral wound
configuration offers significantly lower replacement costs, simpler plumbing systems, easier
maintenance and greater design freedom than other configurations, making it the industry
standard for reverse osmosis membranes in water treatment. TFC membranes have high salt
rejection rates and have exhibited good performance under wide-ranging pH and temperature
conditions. They have low chlorine tolerance so chlorine removal is needed as pre-treatment
step if the feed water is having any traces of free chlorine and hence, we have put ACF to
remove any traces of Chlorine in feed-water.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Quantity 2 No.
Permeate capacity 400 to 500 LPH
Module size 4’’ Diameter X 40’’ long
Recovery 35 to 40 %
No. of module (or membrane) 2 Nos.
No of pressure Vessel (or tube) 2 No.
Material of Construction Composite with PVC end
Membrane make Verito make Filmtech BW30 4040
Membrane type Spiral wound TFC Polyamide
Skid SS

16
OTHER INSTRUMENTS

Our Reverse Osmosis (RO) based Water treatment plant is FULLY-AUTOMATIC. There are
several advanced technological instruments which automate this plant. The details of these
instruments and others are provided as below:
• CONTROL PANEL: This microprocessor based Astero 1-3 panel is used to run the plant in
Auto mode and it performs various sequences during start-up, shut-down and service. It
also displays TDS/EC of permeate water, operating hours, plant status and current of
pumps with flow-diagram.

17
• HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH: It is put after ‘High Pressure Pump’ in order to prevent damage
to Pressure Vessel (or tube) and membranes inside it because of High Pressure. The
changeover of NO/NC contact of (Baumer make UT16) HPS takes place depending on line
pressure at the delivery of HPP and pressure set point.
• REJECT CONTROL VALVE: This is Ball valve at the reject stream of RO block before
passing through rotameter. It controls the percentage of feed-water that is going to the
concentrate stream and ‘Permeate’ which will be obtained from the feed. Recovery is
often fixed at the highest level that maximizes permeate flow while preventing
precipitation of super-saturated salts within the membrane system.
• REJECT SOLENOID VALVE: This (Aira & Cair make) valve (also known as Flush Valve) is
provided on Reject stream after RO block for Auto-flushing operations. This makes RO
operations fully automatic.
• NRV: Non-Return Valves have been provided at pump outlet as well as at various places to
ensure one-way flow of water.
• ROTA METERS: It allows the user to check flow rates of RO permeate, reject and Reject-
recycle.
• PRESSURE GAUGES: These are put at several places to read the pressure either in kg/cm2 or
psi. When pressure drop across two points / vessel is to measure, the difference in readings of
those (Baumer make SS) pressure gauges at those two points provides the same.
• LEVEL SWITCH IN PERMEATE TANK: The plant will start on low level in permeate tank
and will stop on high level in the same.
• PIPING & FITTING: The complete piping is done in Astral make Sch. 80 UPVC pipes. Plastic
Fittings used are also of Astral make Sch. 80. The piping is done in a manner that
chemical cleaning of membranes could be done easily through existing Raw Water Pump
and bypassing ACF as well as High Pressure Pump.

18
 INSTALLATION
We expect that the plant should be erected and commissioned under supervision of our
authorized representative only. The installation of the plant is very simple, as assembly only
has to be done at site. Care should be taken while handling the piping to prevent any damage
to the same. Locate the plant inside a room on level, flat, clean and hard surface capable of
supporting the weight of the plant. The floor should have drains to carry the wastewater
from the plant. Use spirit level to ensure that the skid is level.
Once the plant is located at its place and the filter media have been loaded in the vessels,
the units can be commissioned as outlined below. Before loading the membrane elements in
the RO pressure vessel (or tube), all the lines should be flushed to remove any dirt in the
pipelines and the system. Once it is ensured that there are no more foreign bodies present in
the system, the membranes should be loaded.

LOADING OF MEMBRANES INSIDE PRESSURE VESSEL (OR TUBE)

• New spiral wound membrane elements may not yet have their brine seal installed. Although
there may be a location for a brine seal on both ends of the elements, only one brine seal
should be used per element (also known as membrane). It is usually placed in the slot at feed
end of the element. It should be placed such that the water flow going through the element
forces the edge of the brine seal against the inside of the membrane housing.
• Lubricate brine seal as well as for the End Cap O-rings with Glycerin only. Materials other
than glycerin and silicone lubricant must not be used, because they may damage the
membrane or components of the element.
• To load the membrane, Pressure Vessel needs to be removed from the skid. To remove
the vessel, disconnect the reject piping from the union provided on ¾” PVC pipe,
permeate piping from the union provided on ½” PVC pipe and feed piping from the union
provided on ¾” PVC pipe. Loosen the saddle and clamp bolts and carefully remove the
pressure vessel from the skid.
• The element should be loaded into the pressure vessel in the same direction as that of the
feed flow direction. Care should be taken to record the serial numbers of the element.
The loading should be performed slowly, paying attention that brine seals face the correct
direction and then all O- rings are correctly installed. Common loading mistakes can affect
RO system performance, and will take time to correct.
• Try only hand pressure to fit the end caps on the housing. If necessary, use wooden mallet
or smooth wooden block to fit the end caps. While fitting bottom and top end caps,
ensure that the permeate open port is on top and blind port is on bottom side. (Membrane
direction to be checked)
• After the membrane is loaded and end caps are fitted, lift the assembly carefully and
locate it in the skid. Align the feed and reject ports with piping and secure the housing
with saddle and clamp to the skid. Once the housing is secured, connect the feed, reject
and permeate piping that was dismantled for removing the housing.

19
ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR AUTO VALVE AND PANEL:
20 NB MULTIPORT VALVE EXPLODED VIEW:

28
CONTROL LOGIC OF THE WATER TREATMENT OPERATION
Control panel is provided on the skid for AUTOMATIC OPERATION of the plant. Its manual
should be referred prior to setting its electrical connection and set-up. Electrical supply
should be provided to the control panel after making all necessary cabling from the panel to
the field mounted instruments and pumps.
RO Controller with conductivity has been fitted to the RO skid to facilitate Automatic and manual
control of pumps. This Panel has an AUTO / MANUAL facility. To put the system in MANUAL MODE,
one should put system AUTO / MANUAL switch in MANUAL position & switch OFF the panel power
and switch it ON again (Similar manner should be used to put in AUTO mode). Upon power ON,
display will show MANUAL MODE. In this mode, only inputs will get bypassed & pump protective
(like Overload, Single Phasing) will be active. Use START key to switch ON / OFF the Raw Water
Pump & STOP key to switch ON / OFF the High Pressure Pump.
Note: If RWP is OFF in manual mode then HPP can’t start.
There is one level switch fitted in purified water (permeate) tank, which is connected to the
PLC. In the event of low level (i.e., lower set point) of water in tank, it starts RO plant while
it stops the running plant if water in permeate tank is full (i.e., higher set point).
SEMI AUTO OPERATION
When the power supply is given to the Panel, and keep the "UNIT ON" from the PLC, the logic
controller checks level in the permeate water tank. If Permeate water tank is not full, the
raw water pump (RWP) will get ON and it will check position of AUTO MPV. If Auto MPV is in
Backwash mode then Auto valves complete its sequence of backwash & Rinse for programmed
time. When sand and carbon filter in Service mode, RO auto-flushing valve immediately
becomes ON. After a pre-set time delay of 15 seconds, RO high-pressure pump (HPP) is made
"ON" simultaneously (by shut down the auto flushing valve) provided the minimum required
pressure of 0.3 kg /cm2 is available at the suction side of the high-pressure pump. If it finds
Permeate (Product water) electrical conductivity (EC) above the set point after set time
(which is normally after 60 seconds of start of Raw Water Pump), then it automatically shuts
down the plant and message is shown as “HI CONDUCTIVITY”. It doesn’t allow continuous
running of plant if this feature of TDS/EC set point is active and TDS/EC of permeate remains
above the set point. Similarly, when the RO product water (permeate) tank becomes full, the
high pressure pump stops and reject auto flush solenoid valve is open for the set programmed
time delay (which is normally 15 seconds). After shut down flush is completed, the raw water
pump stops. During normal operation, the logic controller is programmed to cyclically make
the RO high-pressure pump "OFF" for 1 minute and Reject solenoid valve opens for 15 seconds
once in every 60 minutes of continuous operation to facilitate frequent flushing of the
membrane and to improve plant performance. It should be noted that during auto flushing,
the raw water pump continues to be "ON". In case of high pressure condition (normally set at
12 kg /cm2), it shut down the High Pressure Pump to save Pressure vessel and membranes
inside this vessel because of high pressure.

29
STARTING SEQUENCE
After switching ON power supply of the panel, it checks for following inputs:
• If level of permeate tank is low, raw water pump will start.
• If Sand filter in backwash mode then it continues its sequence as backwash for 10 minutes
and rinse for 5 minutes for sand filter.
• Same sequence of backwash for 10 minutes and rinse for 5 minutes for Activated carbon
filter will continue.
• After that when the sand and carbon filter are in service mode then reject solenoid valve
will open for 15 seconds.
• After flush time is over, the processor will check for low pressure input. If input is ON
(i.e., pressure on the suction of HPP is above set pressure of LPS), High Pressure Pump will
start after set time period
STOP SEQUENCE
• If stop key is pressed
• If treated (permeate) tank is full
• If High Pressure Switch is ON
• If raw water tank is empty
If any one of the above condition occurs, then
• HPP stops (If HP flushing is OFF)
• Reject solenoid valve will open for programmed time
• RWP stops and STATUS is displayed on MIMIC
TRIP SEQUENCE
Under following conditions, processor will trip. At that time, press START to resume operation
(The Hooter relay will be energized in these conditions and can be reset by pressing START)
• High pressure
• High Conductivity (If Control Operation is ON)
• Dry run, Single Phase, Overload
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SETTING THE PANEL
Use the following keys to set the panel as per given instructions:
• START: This key is used to start the operation & move the cursor forward
• STOP: This key is used to end the operation and increase the value
• MENU: This key is used to go to next step (Enter)

30
 SYSTEM OPERATION
Successful long-term performance of the plant depends upon proper operation and maintenance of
the system. This includes the initial plant start-up and operational start-ups and shut-downs.
Preventing fouling, scaling, plugging and degradation, e.g. by oxidation, of the membranes is not
only a matter of system design, but also a matter of proper commissioning and operation. Record
keeping and data normalization is required in order to know the actual plant performance and to
enable corrective measures when necessary. Complete and accurate records are also required in
case of a system performance warranty claim.
These operating instructions are applicable for normal operation of the RO plant after our
commissioning engineer hand over the same to you.

PRE-CONDITIONS BEFORE START-UP

The Preconditions mentioned below are taking into consideration, the treatment required for
most of the troublesome parameters anticipated in raw water. Depending upon the specific
raw water analysis in each case, the pre-treatment and the RO Scheme/equipment may
differ. User is requested to refer only to the instructions related to the equipment supplied
and neglect the instructions meant for the equipment not supplied as the case may be:
1. Ensure that the raw water is available at the specified flow rate and pressure.
2. Pumps are ready for operation: aligned, lubricated, proper rotation
3. Provisions exist for preventing the dosage pumps from operating when the RO system is
shut down
4. Planned instrumentation is installed and operative
5. Instrument calibration is verified
6. Provisions exist for sampling feed water, permeate and concentrate streams
7. Pressure vessels are properly piped both for operation and cleaning mode
8. Ensure that MGF & ACF inlet and outlet valves are open.
9. Ensure that Micron Cartridge Filter is fitted inside its housing and also ensure that the SDI
is less than 5 (for 15 minutes) after MCF.
10. Ensure that Anti-scalant solution is prepared in Dosing system’s reservoir
11. Check for leakage in the piping and arrest the same.
12. Extended low-pressure flush is required to remove preservatives from the membrane.
13. Ensure that there is sufficient pressure at the suction of High Pressure Pump (HPP)
14. Ensure that the Reject control valve is fully open.
15. Feed flow valve is throttled and/or pump bypass valve is partly open to limit feed flow to
less than 50% of operating feed flow
16. The RO Reject Recirculation valve in the line may be kept partially open or close (unless

31
 otherwise mentioned) as it does not play any important role at this stage. It can be
adjusted at a later stage while the plant is put into operation.
NOTE: In Reject Recirculation system, a part of reject flow is put back into the suction side
of High Pressure Pump as feed, to get desired Recovery or enhanced membrane life.

START - UP OPERATIONS

Proper start-up of reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment systems is essential to prepare the
membranes for operating service and to prevent membrane damage due to excessive
pressure/flow or hydraulic shock. Following the proper start-up sequence also helps ensure
that system operating parameters conform to design conditions so that water quality and
productivity goals can be achieved.
Following is the recommended RO system start up sequence:
1. Switch on RO Controller in MANUAL mode. In this mode, only inputs get bypassed and
pump protection (like Overload, Single phasing) will be active.
2. For Startup set 1 hour backwash time in Auto valve of multi grade filter and 3 hours
backwash time in auto valve of Activated carbon filter.
3. Rinse time will be ½ an hour in sand filter and ½ hour in Activated carbon filter.
4. Use START key to switch ON the raw water pump on controller.
5. Ensure that Multi grade Filter is backwashed for one hours at least and then rinsed. Ensure
that there is clear water at the outlet of this Filter.
6. Ensure that Activated Carbon is backwashed for three hours at least and then rinsed.
Ensure that there is no chlorine left after the ACF.
7. Now, Sand Filter & Activated Carbon filter is in service and RWP is started in MANUAL
mode. Open air release and drain valves of the cartridge filter and flush the filter for 2
minutes.
8. Use low pressure water at a low flow rate to flush the air out of the elements and
pressure vessels. Flush at a gauge pressure of 30 to 60 psi (2 to 4 kg / cm2). All permeate
and reject flows should be directed to an appropriate waste collection drain during
flushing.
NOTE: Air remaining in the elements and/or in the pressure vessels may lead to excessive
forces on the element in flow direction or in radial direction and causing fiberglass shell
cracking, if the feed pressure is ramped up too quickly
9. During the flushing operation, check all pipe connections and valves for leaks. Tighten
connections where necessary.
10. After the system has been flushed for a minimum of 10 minutes, close the feed pressure
control valve.
11. Ensure that the reject control valve is open.
WARNING: Starting against a closed or almost closed reject valve could cause the

32
 recovery to be exceeded which may lead to scaling.
12. Slowly crack open the feed pressure control valve (feed pressure should be less than 60
psi).
13. Now, Use STOP key to switch ON the high pressure pump and check the functioning of
low-pressure switch for the safety of HPP.
14. Slowly open the feed pressure control valve, increasing the feed pressure and feed flow
rate to the membrane elements until the design concentrate flow is reached. The feed
pressure increase to the elements should be less than 10 psi per second to achieve a soft
start. Continue to send all permeate and concentrate flows to an appropriate waste
collection drain.
WARNING: If the feed pressure and/or the feed flow rate are ramped up too quickly, the
housing of the elements may be damaged by excessive forces in flow direction and/or in
radial direction - especially if air is in the system - leading to telescoping and/or
fiberglass shell cracking.
15. Slowly close the reject control valve until the pressure of (8 -10 kg/cm2).
16. Repeat steps "11" and "12" until the design permeate and reject flows are obtained.
17. Allow the system to run for one hour.
18. Calculate the system recovery.
19. Check the addition of Anti-scalant through Dosing Pump
20. Record the various flows and pressures at various points like reject, permeate, Reject
Recirculation, Feed and maintain a log sheet for the same.
21. After 24 to 48 hours of operation, review all recorded plant operating data such as feed
pressure, differential pressure, temperature, flows, recovery and conductivity readings.
22. Compare system performance to design values.
23. Confirm proper operation of mechanical and instrumental safety devices.
24. Now, put the system in automatic operations by switching to “AUTOMATIC” mode on logic
controller. The plant is now in operation and will produce the permeate water for further
use.
WARNING: As a standard practice, No valve is provided in the permeate line. In case it is
provided for certain specific reason, make sure that it is open fully before starting the
RO plant otherwise it may result in permanent damage to membrane or cause an
accident.

NORMAL OPERATION OF RO PLANT

• The plant operates in AUTOMATIC mode, i.e., starts in case of low level in permeate tank
and stops in case of high level in permeate tank.
• The details of various steps and interlocks are given in the user manual for Logic Controller
& Auto Valve.

33
• Due to automatic operation through logic controller, the operator intervention is limited to
monitoring the performance parameters, fault conditions and taking suitable corrective
action for the same.
• In case of any fault indicated on the controller, switch OFF and switch ON the controller
after rectifying the fault in order to restart the plant.

• The controller has Reject Solenoid Valve (commonly referred as Flush valve) for auto-flushing
operations. Hence, this RO plant is completely automatic with reference to RO operations.

• Alternately in manual mode while starting the plant, the reject control valve should be
opened fully and then throttle the reject valve to get desired flow rate and pressure.

• Also in case of manual mode while shutting down the plant, open reject control valve fully
for specified flush time and then stop the plant.

CAUTION: Throttling the reject control valve will start pressurizing the system to the extent
of throttling. In NO case this valve should be throttled to get more permeate water than
recommended. The system should NEVER be pressurized more than recommended.

WARNING: For the above reasons, the reject control valve MUST NEVER be closed completely
before starting High Pressure Pump. Closed reject control valve will damage the membranes
permanently or may cause an accident!

• Record the various flows and pressures at various locations, such as feed, reject &
permeate etc. and maintain the LOGSHEET of the same.

SHUT DOWN

An RO system is designed to be operated continuously. However, in reality membrane systems

will start-up and shutdown on some frequency. When the membrane system is shutdown, the
system must be flushed preferentially with permeate water or alternatively with high quality
feed-water, to remove the high salt concentration from the pressure vessels until reject
water conductivity matches feed-water conductivity. Flushing is done at low pressure (about
40 psi/3 kg/cm2). A high feed flow rate is sometimes beneficial for a cleaning effect;
however, the maximum pressure drop per element and per multi-element vessel must not be
exceeded. During low pressure flushing, the vessels of the last stage of a reject staged system
are normally exposed to the highest feed flow rates and therefore they show the highest
pressure drop.
The water used for flushing shall contain no chemicals used for the pretreatment, especially
no scale inhibitors. Therefore, any chemical injection (if used) is stopped before flushing.
After flushing the system, the feed valves are closed completely. If the reject line ends into a
drain below the level of the pressure vessels, then an air break should be employed in the
reject line at a position higher than the highest pressure vessel. Otherwise, the vessels might
be emptied by a siphoning effect.
When the high pressure pump is switched off, and the feed/reject side had not been flushed
out with permeate water, a temporary permeate reverse flow will occur by natural osmosis.

34
This reverse flow is sometimes referred to as permeate draw-back or suck-back. Permeate
suck-back alone or in combination with a feed-side flush may provide a beneficial cleaning
effect. To accommodate permeate suck-back, enough water volume should be available to
prevent a vacuum from being drawn or air being sucked back into the membrane element.
When the system must be shut down for longer than 48 hours, following precautions should
be taken:
• The elements do not dry out. Dry elements will irreversibly lose flux.
• The system is adequately protected against micro-biological growth, or regular flushing is
carried out every 24 hours.
• When applicable, the system is protected against temperature extremes.
The RO membrane plant can be stopped for 24 hours without preservation and precautions for
microbiological fouling. If feed-water for flushing every 24 hours is not available,
preservation with chemicals is necessary for longer stops than 48 hours.

PRECAUTIONS

1. Always run the Plant only as per recommended parameters like flows and pressures in
Reject, Feed, Permeate and Reject Recirculation.
2. Never increase the Permeate flow or Recovery than specified.
3. There should be no oxidizing agents like chorine, Ammonia etc at the inlet of the RO
Plant.
4. There should be no suspended solids like on Oil and Grease etc at the inlet of the RO
Plant
5. RO Plant should never be started with the reject control valve in closed condition.
6. Never run RO plant without Anti-scalant dosing
7. HPP should never be run without safety of Low pressure tripping.
8. Whenever the Feed pressure increases by 15 % (At given constant flows) or once in three
months whichever is earlier, the cleaning of RO membranes should be carried out with
specified chemicals as per the membrane manufacturer’s instructions.
9. Any abnormality, change in operating parameters, change in raw water quality, or
source should be immediately reported to our representative and the Plant should be
stopped immediately.
10. Chemicals used for dosing/cleaning should be laboratory grade.

35
 MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING
INCREASING RO RELIABILITY & MONITORING OF RO SYSTEMS
While RO is really quite simple in principle, the real-world application of this water treatment
technology can at times lead to excessive downtime, expensive maintenance, or frequent
membrane replacement. These problems can be avoided by paying dose attention to a few
important details

Monitoring may be the single -most important factor in achieving dependable RO

performance. It may also be the least understood factor. Monitoring an RO is made somewhat
difficult since there is no single parameter which can be monitored to indicate RO
performance. RO monitoring can generally be broken down into following categories:

1. Differential Pressure
2. Salt rejection
3. Recovery
4. Normalized permeate flow
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
Pressure differential refers to the pressure drop which occurs across RO pressure vessels as
the feed water flows through the system. A certain amount of pressure drop is normal
because of the flow resistance caused by the feed spacer in the membrane element feed
channels. However, if this pressure drop increases, it can indicate problems, typically fouling
or scaling, taking place in the membrane element feed channel.
It is also important to note the location of pressure drop. A high pressure drop in the first
stage of the RO system usually means a scaling problem. This may be a result of changes in
feed water chemistry or operating the system at too high a recovery rate.
In most RO systems there is more than one vessel in the array. Since the vessels are all piped
into a single header on both the inlet and outlet, these pressures are monitored on the
header resulting in one feed pressure and one reject pressure per array.
As in the case of most RO parameters, it is important to monitor the change in
differential pressure over time. As foulants build up on the membrane surface and in the
channels of the feed spacer, the differential pressure will increase. It is important to act
promptly if the differential pressure begins to increase. If the differential pressure is allowed
to increase excessively, structural damage to the membrane elements is likely to occur. It is
also more difficult to clean the membrane elements if they have acquired a high differential
pressure since differential pressure restricts flow. Remember, the cleaning solution will have
to flow through the same restricted feed channel as the feed water.

36
SALT REJECTION
Salt rejection refers to the ability of membrane to reject the dissolved solids (salts) in the
feed water. There are a number of ways to calculate salt rejection. One of the most popular
is the feed reject average method. Salt rejection refers to the membranes ability to reject
the dissolved solid in the feed water. Salt rejection is a calculated value derived from the
feed salt concentration and the permeate salt concentration. If salt rejection decreases, it
may mean one of several things. First, it could be normal depending upon the type of
membrane being used. Second, it could mean that the membrane is being chemically
attacked. In the case of the thin film composite membrane, it could be an indication of poor
feed water pH control.
A decrease in salt rejection may also be an indication of fouling or scaling. The passage of
dissolved solid through the membrane is directly proportional to the concentration of
dissolved solids in the feed water at the surface of the membrane. The presence of foulants
or scale on the membrane can cause localized areas of high feed water concentration since
the feed water flow across the membrane is interrupted. Since these areas are still under
pressure, permeation continues to take place and the salt passage increases (rejection
decreases). Should salt rejection decrease with no corresponding increase in differential
pressure, it is likely that chemical attack is the culprit. Since salt rejection is determined by
monitoring permeate conductivity, a change in operating pressure can change the apparent
salt rejection (since it changes the permeate flow rate through the membrane). Salt rejection
will also change as feed
water temperature changes. Colder temperatures result in better rejection; warmer
temperatures result in poorer rejection. Due to these changes in rejection from other factors,
it is necessary to normalize salt rejection values in order to determine if the change in
rejection is due to a membrane problem. Normalization refers to the mathematical treatment
of the raw data in order to account for differences due to feed pressure or feed water
temperature. Salt rejection is important since it has a direct impact on the quality of the
water being produced by the RO unit. Even more important, a change in salt rejection may
mean a change in membrane condition. It can indicate fouling, scaling, or chemical attack It
may also indicate a mechanical failure such as a leaking O-ring. Sudden changes in salt
rejection are most often due to mechanical problems. Gradual changes are usually due to
changes in membrane condition. For this reason, salt rejection must be monitored closely.

RECOVERY
Recovery is extremely important with regard to RO performance. High recoveries
will often result in more frequent fouling or scaling since the contaminants in the
feed water are being increasingly concentrated. High recoveries also require
that attention be paid to the Configuration of the pressure vessels in the RO
system. As the feed water flows through the RO system, the volume of the feed
water decreases since permeates passes through the membrane. This means that
the contaminants in the feed water become more concentrated while the volume of
the feed water is lessened.

37
Recovery is easy to calculate and an easy concept to understand. Its importance, however,
is often overlooked by RO operators. Let's look at an example.
If an RO unit is operating at 75% recovery, 25% of the original feed water volume is being
rejected. This means that most, if not all, of the foulants in the feed water are now
contained in only 25% of the volume that contained them when they entered the RO. In other
words, they have been concentrated four times.
Let’s suppose the recovery is increased to 80% this may seem like a rather insignificant
increase of only 5%. However, now only 20% of the original feed water volume is being
rejected. The foulants that were in the feed water have now been concentrated five times. If
the recovery had been to 90% the foulants would have been concentrated 10 times. Recovery
should be monitored closely. Even brief periods of high recovery can have detrimental effects
on the cleanliness of the membrane.
NORMALIZED PERMEATE FLOW
Many RO operators mistakenly use actual permeate flow to indicate RO performance. While
this may be effective in some cases, it is usually not a good idea. Actual permeate flow
from a given RO unit is a function of three different variables. These are:

• Net Drive Pressure.

• Water Temperature.
• Membrane Conditions.
Notice that the last variable, membrane condition, is the variable that we are concerned
about from a standpoint of RO performance. A change in membrane condition would indicate
such things as fouling, scaling, and chemical attack.
If the first two variables were to stay constant, a decline in actual permeate flow would
indicate a change in membrane condition. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case. As we will
see, the other variables can change. When they do, a change in actual permeate flow may
no longer mean a change in RO performance. Even worse, RO performance may be changing
(i.e., membrane fouling or damage may be occurring) although no change in actual
permeate flow is seen.

PROBLEMS WITH RO MONITORING

In most cases, the instruments making up a conventional RO monitoring system only monitor
one parameter. This means that a relatively large number of instruments are needed and
that each instrument must be programmed and calibrated separately. This can lead to some
confusion if a number of instruments from different manufacturers are being used on the
same system. Operating and calibration methods vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
On some of the newer microprocessor based instruments the menu structure can be quite
involved since only a few keys are available to perform a multitude of functions.

Monitoring RO performance is not difficult but it is time-consuming and tedious. A great

number of RO failure can be attributed to poor monitoring. There are generally three
reasons why an RO unit is not monitored properly:

38
• Failure to record raw data
• Failure to analyse data
• Failure to Respond after Data Analysis

MEMBRANE CLEANING
Membrane cleaning is an important part of any reverse osmosis maintenance program.
Effective cleaning usually requires some knowledge of the type of foulant and the cleaning
options available.

MEMBRANE FOULING
Foulants on the membrane surface can cause flux loss (permeate flow), an increase in
differential pressure, higher product water conductivity, a need for increased feed pressure
to maintain output or a combination of these effects.
WHEN TO CLEAN THE MEMBRANE?
It is essential to clean membrane at an early stage of fouling. It is often difficult to clean
excessively fouled membranes and irreversible damage may occur during the cleaning
process. Cleaning is recommended when on or more of the following parameters change
by 15 – 20 % after data normalization:
- An increase in product water conductivity or normalized salt passage or in decrease
normalized salt rejection
- An increase in normalised DP across the plant
- An increase in feed pressure
- A decrease in normalised permeate flow (NPF) output or flux
If any of the above performance parameters deteriorates by more than 30%, it may be
impossible to fully recover plant performance by routine cleaning practices.
CLEANING OF RO MEMBRANE
RO membranes get fouled with suspended solids contained in the feed water or with sparingly
soluble salts, as minerals are concentrated. Pre-treatment is done to reduce the fouling
occurrence over a period of time.
Symptom of fouling
1. Decrease in product flow
2. Increase in salt passage
3. Increase in differential pressure
4. Deterioration in permeate quality
5. Increase is the differential pressure across the RO Stage
Indications that the system requires cleaning
1. A 15 to 20% decline in normalized product flow
2. A 15% increase in salt passage.
3. 15% increase in differential pressure

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Type of Foulants

1. Inorganic fouling – like calcium scales or metal Oxides

2. Organic fouling – example humic acid
3. Particulate Deposition or Colloidal fouling – Particulate matter
4. Bio-fouling

CLEANING PROCEDURE
There are six steps in the cleaning of elements:

1. Make up cleaning solution.

2. Low-flow pumping. Pump mixed, preheated cleaning solution (1<pH<12) to the vessel at
conditions of low flow rate and low pressure to displace the process water. Use only
enough pressure to compensate for the pressure drop from feed to concentrate. The
pressure should be low enough that essentially no or little permeate is produced. A low
pressure minimizes re-deposition of dirt on the membrane. Dump the concentrate, as
necessary, to prevent dilution of the cleaning solution.
3. Recycle: After the process water is displaced, cleaning solution will be present in the
concentrate stream. Then recycle the concentrate and permeate to the cleaning solution
tank and allow the temperature to stabilize. Measure the pH of the solution and adjust
the pH if needed.
4. Soak: Turn the pump off and allow the elements to soak. Sometimes a soak period of
about 1 hour is sufficient. For difficult fouling an extended soak period is beneficial; soak
the elements overnight for 10-15 hours. To maintain a high temperature during an
extended soak period, use a slow recirculation rate.
5. High-flow pumping: Feed the cleaning solution at the high rates for 30-60 minutes. The
high flow rate flushes out the foulants removed from the membrane surface by the
cleaning. If the elements are heavily fouled, a flow rate which is 50 percent higher than
shown in Table 6.2 may aid cleaning. At higher flow rates, excessive pressure drop may be
a problem. The maximum recommended pressure drops are 15 psi per element or 50 psi
per multi-element vessel, whichever value is more limiting. Please note that the 15 psi
per element or the 50 psi per multi-element vessel should NOT be used as a cleaning
criteria. Cleaning is recommended when the pressure drop increases 15%. Pressure drop
above 50 psi in a single stage may cause significant membrane damage.
6. Flush out: RO permeate or deionized water is recommended for flushing out the cleaning
solution. Prefiltered raw water or feed water should be avoided as its components may
react with the cleaning solution: precipitation of foulants may occur in the membrane
elements. The minimum flush out temperature is 20°C.

CLEANING TIPS
1. It is strongly recommended to clean the stages of the RO system separately. This is to
avoid having the removed foulant from stage 1 pushed into the 2nd stage resulting in
minimal performance improvement from the cleaning.
Our System Consist of only one Stage. So By using same Raw water Pump, Recirculate the
cleaning solution one by one.

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2. The fouling or scaling of elements typically consists of a combination of foulants and
scalants, for instance a mixture of organic fouling, colloidal fouling and bio-fouling.
Therefore, it is very critical that the first cleaning step is wisely chosen.
We strongly recommend alkaline cleaning as the first cleaning step. Acid cleaning should
only be applied as the first cleaning step if it is known that only calcium carbonate or iron
oxide/hydroxide is present on the membrane elements. Acid cleaners typically react with
silica, organics (for instance humic acids) and biofilm present on the membrane surface
which may cause a further decline of the membrane performance. Sometimes, an alkaline
cleaning may restore this decline that was caused by the acid cleaner, but often an
extreme cleaning will be necessary. An extreme cleaning is carried out at pH and
temperature conditions that are outside the membrane manufacturer’s guidelines or by
using cleaning chemicals that are not compatible with the membrane elements. An
extreme cleaning should only be carried out as a last resort as it can result in membrane
damage. If the RO system suffers from colloidal, organic fouling or bio-fouling in
combination with calcium carbonate, then a two-step cleaning program will be needed:
alkaline cleaning followed by an acid cleaning. The acid cleaning may be performed when
the alkaline cleaning has effectively removed the organic fouling, colloidal fouling and bio-
fouling.
3. So Recirculate the Alkaline cleaning solution first then flush with Fresh water and then use
acid cleaning solution for recirculation and flush after recommended time.
3. Always measure the pH during cleaning. If the pH increases more than 0.5 during acid
cleaning, more acid needs to be added. If the pH decreases more than 0.5 during alkaline
cleaning, more caustic needs to be added.
4. Long soak times: It is possible for the solution to be fully saturated and the foulants can
precipitate back onto the membrane surface. In addition, the temperature will drop during
this period; therefore the soaking becomes less effective. It is recommended to circulate
the solution regularly in order to maintain the temperature (temp. should not drop more
than 5°C) and add chemicals if pH needs to be adjusted.
5. Turbid or strong colored cleaning solutions should be replaced. The cleaning is repeated
with a fresh cleaning solution.
6. If the system has to be shut down for more than 24 hours, the elements should be stored in
1% w/w sodium Meta bisulfite (SMBS) solution.

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RO MEMBRANE ELEMENT FOULANT SYMPTOMS
FOULANT GENERAL SYMPTOMS RESPONSE

Hydrated Oxides fouling A rapid decrease in salt Chemically clean the

Rejection and rapid system with cleaning
increase in pressure chemical
between feed and
concentrate. Rapid
decrease in product flow

Mixed Colloids (Iron, A slight decrease in salt Chemically clean the

Organics and silicates) Rejection and system with cleaning
gradual increase in chemical
pressure between feed
and concentrate.
Gradual decrease in
product flow.

Calcium Sulphate A significant decrease in Chemically clean the

(normally found at the rejection and a system with cleaning
concentrate end of the moderate increase in chemical
system) pressure between feed and
-concentrate

Organic deposits Possible decrease in salt Chemically clean the

rejection and a gradual system with cleaning
increase in pressure chemical.
between feed &
concentrate. Gradual fall in
product flow

Bacterial fouling Possible decrease in salt Chemically clean the

rejection and a gradual system with cleaning
increase in pressure chemical.
between feed &
concentrate. Gradual fall in
product flow

CRITICAL SPARE PARTS AND CONSUMABLES LIST

1. 20 NB” “ Mnaul Multiport valve” :1
2. 5-micron cartridge of 20” length :1
3. Rotameter (120-1200 LPH) :1

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 4. Rotameter (50-500 LPH) :1

STORAGE & PRESERVATION OF MEMBRANES

Please follow these guidelines for storage of RO membranes:

• Store inside a cool building or warehouse and not in direct sunlight.

• Temperature limits: (-4°C to +32°C).
- New dry membranes will not be affected by temperatures below 4°C.
- Membranes stored in 1% SMBS will freeze below -4°C, but the membrane will not be
damaged, provided the membranes are thawed before loading and use.

PRESERVATION OF NEW MEMBRANES

• Keep new membranes in their original packaging.
• Preserved membranes should be visually inspected for biological growth every three
months. When the preservation solution appears to be not clear, or after six months, the
element should be removed from the bag, soaked in a fresh preservation solution and
repacked. In case no equipment for re-preservation (fresh solution, clean environment, bag
sealing device) is available, the membranes can be left in their original packaging for up to
12 months. When the membranes are then loaded into the pressure vessels, they should be
cleaned with an alkaline cleaner before the plant is started up.
• The pH of the preservation solution must never drop below pH 3. A pH decrease can occur
when bisulfite is oxidized to sulfuric acid. Therefore, the pH of the bisulfite preservation
solution should be spot checked at least every 3 months.
Re-preservation is mandatory when the pH is 3 or lower.
PRESERVATION OF USED MEMBRANES
Any membrane that has been used and removed from the pressure vessel for storage or
shipping must be preserved in a preservation solution as follows:

• Use the standard storage solution of 1% food-grade SMBS (not cobalt-activated) in good-
quality water

• Soak the membrane for 1 hr in the solution; keep it in a vertical position so that the
entrapped air can escape. Allow it to drip out, and seal it into an oxygen barrier plastic
bag. We recommend reusing the original bag or original spare bags available. Do not fill the
plastic bag with the preservation solution—the moisture in the membrane is sufficient, and
leaking bags might create a problem during transport.

• Identify the membrane and the preservation solution on the outside of the bag.

• The storage conditions are the same as for new membranes

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 PLANT PERFORMANCE LOG BOOK
It is essential to maintain a logbook in which the performance of the plant should be noted
down. The following parameters should be checked on an hourly basis.

1. Pressure at various points in the plant as indicated by the pressure gauges installed.
2. Reject, Reject-Recirculation and Permeate flow rates.

The following parameters should be checked in the laboratory at intervals indicated

1. Complete raw water analysis every quarter
2. Free chlorine present at the outlet of activated carbon filter once a week
3. Microbiological testing of the final treated water as per IP requirements and as per
your laid down procedures
4. RO Feed & permeate TDS Daily
5. Complete permeate (drinking water) analysis once a month

The following parameters should be checked daily

❖
Pressure at various points
❖
RO permeate EC/TDS
❖
Flow rates of Permeate & Reject
❖
Operational Hours

PRETREATMENT LOG BOOK FORMAT

Activated Carbon Anti-Scalant
Multi Grade Filter Micron Cartridge Filter REMARK
DATE Filter Dosing
2 2
Pressure (Kg/cm ) Pressure (Kg/cm )
Pressure (Kg/cm2) System

RO LOG BOOK FORMAT

OPERATION Pressure RO FLOW CONDUCTIVITY RECOVERY
Date Time
(Hours) (Kg/Cm²) (m³/hr) (µS/cm) %

RO
RO RO RO RO RO RO
Rej-
Feed Rej Permeate Rej Feed Permeate
Rec

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 DO'S AND DON'T'S

• Before starting the system make sure that the voltage & current is as required
• Before putting the system in auto mode check that all the sampling valves are closed
• Never turn the pumps on with suction & discharge valves throttled
• Never open any valves when the system is under cleaning / sanitization
• Always make sure that all the required chemicals are available
• Make sure that the room is always adequately ventilated
• Make sure that all the required chemicals are only LR grade
• Never open any pipe joint / fittings without wearing gloves
• Always wear a safety goggles, gloves mask & safety shoes when handling a hazardous
chemicals
• Never disturb the RO reject throttling valve
• Never change the timer, parameter on controller & multiport valve settings
• Make sure that all the manual control items are in OFF mode
• Always inform the production block whenever the system is going to be sanitized
• Always maintain a logbook to record the faults happening in the system and action taken
with date & time
• Never use oily & chemical hand on the Control Panel while operating
• Never hard press on the control Panel while operating
• Never operate more than one touch button
• Always use clean hand while operating Control Panel
• Never use nail and any sharp edges while operating the Control Panel
• Never allow any chemical / water to fall on SS skid structure

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