DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING,BMSCE, BENGALURU

PROJECT WORK ON
DEVELOPMENT AND FABRICATION OF REVERSE OSMOSIS
MEMBRANE FOR DESALINATION
BY,
SUHASINI S. (1BM13CH055)
VIPLAVA RAO (1BM13CH042)
JAYARAJA (1BM14CH403)
SWAPNA N. (1BM14CH410)

Guide
Er. Y. K. Suneetha
Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering Department
BMSCE
1
Contents
Objectives
Introduction
Literature survey
Membrane preparation
RO experimental setup
 Analysis and results
Scope for future work
References

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Objectives
• To find the composition of sea water sample (Arabian sea)

• To prepare cellulose acetate/chitosan membrane

• To fabricate a reverse osmosis equipment

• To desalinate the sea water sample using reverse osmosis

• To find out the extent of salt reduction using cellulose

acetate/chitosan membrane
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 1.Introduction
 The demand for water has been biggest issue
since centuries, the cause for demand is due to
lack of unavailability of sufficient drinking water.

 Earth as such is made of 71.5% water of which

97% is sea water, 2% is in icecap, and only 1% is
available to drinking purpose

 This clearly creates a demand for desalination of

the seawater.

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1.Introduction
Desalination is the process where the dissolved salt and
undesired minerals are being removed and making it
feasible for domestic and drinking purpose.
Now many country depends on desalination technology,
mainly in middle east location, such as Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, Kuwait.

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2.Literature Survey
2.1.Desalination Technologies[1]
 Thermal Desalination Processes
• Similar to the earth’s natural water cycle
• Water is heated, evaporated and collected
• Produces clean water and brine
Types
 Multi-Stage Flash Distillation
 Multi Effect Distillation
 Vapor Compression

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 2.1.Desalination Technologies
 Membrane Desalination Processes
Separation of salt from sea water is carried
out with the help of membrane

Types
 Reverse Osmosis
 Electro dialysis

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2.2.Advanced membrane for desalination

Nanocomposite membrane:-
Nanomaterials can be incorporated along with polymeric membrane
by either
1. Incorporation of nanomaterial during formation
2. Coating of nano particle on surface of membrane
Uses and examples of nano composite membrane
To remove contaminants in water
Useful even at very low concentrations of salts
Graphene is an example of a nano based material where desalination takes
place more efficiently and it is a ultra fast process
Aquaporin based membrane are highly permeable, mechanically stable and
are also available in reasonable cost
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Polyamide 6/chitosan membrane
PA-6 membrane prepared by using phase inversion
Membrane characterization by the membrane performance
The effect of the operating conditions
i. The membrane flux increases with the increase of operating pressure
ii. Membrane flux improves with addition of chitosan as an additive
iii. Membrane salt rejection increases with the addition of chitosan as an
additive

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3.Membrane preparation

Table 3.1 : Composition of cellulose

acetate/chitosan membrane

Constituent Composition,
wt% Fig 3.1.Cellulose acetate powder form

Cellulose acetate 17
Formamide 31-33
Acetone 45-47
Chitosan 4-5
Formic acid 1-2

Fig 3.2.SEM images of chitosan

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3.1. Nano-chitosan preparation procedure :

• Mixing of chitosan with concentrated HCl solution.

•This mixture was kept at room temperature for 5 hours.
•Refrigeration for 24 hours.
•Washing with water.
•Precipitation of chitosan.
•Freeze drying of chitosan.
•Crushing of chitosan.
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Cellulose acetate
Formamide
Acetone
Chitosan
Formic acid

3. Immersing in coagulation
1. Mixing 2. Membrane casting bath
and evaporation

5. Membrane 4. Heat treatment-

Annealing

Fig 3.3. Pictorial representation of membrane preparation

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 3.Membrane preparation
3.2.Procedure
• Known volumes of formamide and acetone were added and mixed in a
magnetic stirrer
• Weighed cellulose acetate was added slowly to the mixture
• Around 3 hours of stirring was required for complete dissolution of the
cellulose acetate in formamide/acetone mixture. Chitosan in formic acid
was also added.
• A viscous solution was obtained.
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3.Membrane preparation
3.2.Procedure
• The gel was manually casted on a glass plate and was allowed to
evaporate for four minutes in room temperature.
• The glass plate was immersed in cold distilled water at a temperature
of around 2 to 3˚C for 30 minutes.
• It was then kept in an oven for 3 minutes for temperature between
70˚C to 75˚C. Annealing took place.
• The membrane was prepared, was stored in distilled water to avoid
shrinkage.
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3.3.Results:
Table 3.3 : Procedures used for membrane preparation
Method Chemicals used Operation Results and observations
No. performed for
membrane
preparation

1 Cellulose acetate casting Membrane was formed.

Formamide Shrinkage was observed even when kept in desiccator.
Acetone The membrane was later immersed in distilled water in order
to avoid shrinkage

2. Cellulose acetate casting Membrane was formed and change in color was observed due
Formamide to addition of chitin
Acetone Shrinkage was controlled by storing the membrane in
Chitin distilled water. chitin particles were observed in the
membrane 15
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Method Chemicals used Operation Results and observations
No. performed for
membrane
3. Cellulose acetate casting Membrane was formed and change in color was observed
Formamide due to addition of chitosan
Acetone Shrinkage was controlled by storing the membrane in
Chitosan distilled water
Formic acid

Fig 3.4. Stages in membrane preparation 16

4.RO experimental setup

PERISTALTIC PUMP
RO MODULE
PRETREATED
SEAWATER
PRODUCT

Fig 4.1.Reverse Osmosis experimental setup 17

Fig 4.2. Different RO modules fabricated

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4.1.Analysis of seawater sample
Table 4.1: International Standards For Drinking Water [WHO]

Parameters Permissible Limit

Total Solids 500 mg/L
pH 7-8.5
Turbidity 5 NTU
Calcium 75 mg/L
Magnesium 50 mg/L
Sulfate 200 mg/L
Sodium 200 mg/L
Chloride 200 mg/L

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4.1.1. pH
Table 4.2. pH results of the saltwater samples

Method used Pretreated Desalinated

seawater water
Universal 9 8
indicator
pH meter 8.32 8.15
Fig 4.4: Pictorial representation of pH meter

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Fig 4.3: Universal indicator pH chart
4.1.2. Conductivity
Table 4.3 :Conductivity results of the sea water samples

Number of pretreated Desalinated % reduction in

membranes in seawater water conductivity
module (µS/cm) (µS/cm) (%)

1 48.6 46.2 5.04

2 48.6 39.1 20
3 48.6 32.5 33.2

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 4.1.3.Flame Photometer

Procedure Fig 4.5: Flame photometer

• Standard sodium ion solutions of concentration 10,30,50,70,90 ppm from 100

ppm working solution
• The instrument was calibrated using distilled water
• The standard solutions were fed to the flame photometer
• The calibration graph was plotted
• The sodium ion concentration for the given sea water sample were found using
the graph.
• Similar graphs for calcium and potassium ions were plotted 22
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Graph 1: Calibration chart for sodium ion 23
concentration
Table 4.4: Sodium ion concentration in the sea water samples
Number of Pretreated seawater Desalinated water
(ppm)
membranes in (ppm)
module
2 9122 6111.74
3 9122 4378.6

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Graph 2: Calibration chart for calcium ion
concentration 25
Table 4.5: Calcium ion concentration in the saltwater samples

Number of Pretreated seawater Desalinated water

(ppm)
membranes in (ppm)
module
2 568.76 363.52
3 568.76 272.64

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Graph 3: Calibration chart for potassium ion
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Table 4.6.Potassium ion concentration in the saltwater samples

Number of Pretreated seawater Desalinated water

(ppm)
membranes in (ppm)
module
2 442.4 269.62
3 442.4 194.48

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4.1.4.Total dissolved solids (TDS)

Table 4.7 : TDS of the sea water samples

Number of Feed Desalinated Percentage

membranes (pretreated water reduction of
used seawater) (ppt) salts (%)
(ppt)
1 24.9 23.5 6.7
2 24.9 17.2 31.03
3 24.9 14.2 42.97
Fig 1.4.Total Dissolved Solids meter

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 4.1.5.Chlorinity Test

Salinity is the total non-carbonate salts dissolved in water, usually expressed in parts
per thousand.
Salinity as a measure of the total salt concentration, comprised mostly of Na+ and Cl-
ions.
Reagents used
Silver nitrate
seawater (diluted with distilled water)
Indicator -potassium chromate
End point- yellow to brick red
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Specimen Calculations:
Volume of Silver nitrate consumed for sample  Vs
Volume of Silver nitrate consumed for blank  VB
Normality of silver nitrate  0.0141 N
Equivalent weight of chlorine  35.45
(Vs  VB )  Normality  35.45  1000
Chlorides  ( mg/L)
volume of sample

Salinity  0.0018066  chloride (ppt)

Table 4.7 : Chloride ion content

Number of Chloride (mg/L) Salinity (ppt)

membranes in
module

2 4008.7 7.2422
3 2589.1 4.677 31
Conclusions
 Modules were fabricated using cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate
/chitosan membrane for reverse osmosis process after in situ preparation of
both membranes

 RO was conducted successfully using cellulose acetate /chitosan

membrane with various layers of membranes

Sample analysis was conducted

Three layers of cellulose acetate/chitosan membrane in the module gave a

salt reduction of around 42.97%. Hence it is suggested as the best one.

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4.Scope For Future Work
Module optimization by preventing the leakages which causes loss of pressure
 RO module assembly with an additional pulsating valve
Variation in the membrane solution composition to increase its effectiveness
Comparison study between cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate/chitosan
membrane
Characterization of the membranes by using scanning electron microscopy for
porosity

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PRESENTATIONS :

The following paper on DEVELOPMENT AND FABRICATION OF REVERSE

OSMOSIS MEMBRANE FOR DESALINATION was presented in the following events:

• National conference on RECENT ADVANCES IN CHEMICAL, BIOCHEMICAL

AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, organized by Department of Chemical
Engineering, SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad.
• CHEMOVATION 2017 “Eco Innovation”, a National Level Student’s Symposium
organized by the Department of Chemical Engineering, Dayananda Sagar College of
Engineering, Bengaluru.

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 References
[1] Akili D. Khawajia, Ibrahim K. Kutubkhanaha, Jong-Mihn Wieb , “Advances in seawater
desalination technologies,” Science Direct, Desalination 221 (2008) 47–69.

[2] A. EL-Gendi , A. Deratani , S.A. Ahmed , S.S. Ali , “Development of polyamide-6/chitosan

membranes for desalination,” Egyptian Journal of Petroleum (2014) 23, 169–173

[3] Ioannis C. Karagiannis, Petros G. Soldatos ,“ Water desalination cost literature: review and
assessment” Science Direct, Desalination 223 (2008) 448–456

[4] M. Elimelech,W.A. Phillip, “The Future of Seawater Desalination: Energy, Technology,and the
Environment”, Science333(2011) 712–717

[5] Rachel Einava, Kobi Harussib, Dan Perryb “The footprint of the desalination processes on
the environment” Desalination 152 (2002) 141–154

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References
[6] Sabine Lattemann, Thomas Höpner “Environmental impact and impact assessment of
seawater desalination” Science Direct ,Desalination 220 (2008) 1–15

[7] Soteris A. Kalogirou “Seawater desalination using renewable energy sources” Progress in
Energy and Combustion Science 31 (2006) 242–281

[8] V. Perez-Moreno, C. B. Bonilla-Suarez, M. Fortanell-Trejo, G. Pedraza-Aboytes,” Seawater

Desalination Using Modified Ceramic Membranes”, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2012, 51 (17), pp
5900–590

[9] Xiaoxin Cao, Xia Huang, Peng Liang, Kang Xiao, Yingjun Zhou, Xiaoyuan Zhang, and Bruce
Logan, “A New Method for Water Desalination Using Microbial Desalination Cells”, Environ. Sci.
Technol. 2009, Vol. 43,No. 18, 7148–7152

[10] Zhen-Yu Li, Victor Yangali-Quintanilla, Rodrigo Valladares-Linares, Qingyu Li, Tong Zhan,
Gary Amy “Flux patterns and membrane fouling propensity during
desalination of seawater by forward osmosis” water research 46 (2012 ) 195 -204

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THANK YOU

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