Advanced Reverse Osmosis System Design

Steven Coker
Dow Water & Process Solutions
Previous Webinars:

Reverse Osmosis Design Basics – Scott Beardsley

1. Scope of system design
2. System configuration types
3. System design guidelines
4. Ten steps to design a membrane system

Previous Water Academy webinars can be found at:

www.dowwaterandprocess.com

2
Overview of Advanced RO Design

• RO system design guideline variables

• Drivers for RO system configuration selection
• Principles and benefits of RO array flux balancing
• Array selection criteria to achieve permeate quality target
• Energy recovery

4
Dichotomy of RO System Design
Focus on minimizing capital costs (CAPEX):
Implications:
• Maximize system flux
• Minimize number of elements and vessels
Focus on minimizing operational costs (OPEX):
Implications:
• Lower system flux
• Higher number of elements and vessels
• Prefer low energy membranes

Achieve the required permeate quality

at the lowest total cost of water

5
Complexity of RO Designs

VARIOUS APPLICATIONS VARIOUS FEED WATER SOURCES

• Waste water Global
Industrial/ Power/UPW Market
• Conventional
1st & 2nd pass • UF Global
Increasing
• Surface water Project
Fouling Development
• Conventional
• UF Potential

Wastewater Reuse Irrigation • Well water

• RO permeate
1st & 2nd pass 1st pass
Regional
VARIOUS QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
Preferences
• B < 0. 3-1 mg/l
Regional
• Br < 0.1 mg/l
Regulations
Municipal Potable SWRO • TOC < 10 ppb
• NO3 < 0.5 -35 mg/l Strong
1st pass 1st & 2nd Pass
• NH4 < 0.5 mg/l Regional
• SiO2 < 10 ppb Variations
• Hardness 0.5 mg/l - 200 mg/l CaCO3 (TDS/Temp)
• TDS: 0.1 mg/l - 500 mg/l

6
Market Segment Nuances for RO Design

Municipal Industrial
• Medium to large size plants • Small to medium size plants
• Wide permeate quality targets • Narrow permeate quality targets
• Total cost of water is most critical • System reliability is most critical

• Greater latitude in system design • Narrow latitude in system design

• Larger selection of RO elements • High rejection RO elements

7
Membrane Design Guidelines

Happy RO Elements Work Better and Live Longer!

Design Guideline Variables

Feed Water Variables System Variables
• Temperature • Element Flux
• pH • Element Feed Flow
• Silt Density Index • Differential Pressure
• Turbidity • Element Recovery
• Salinity • System Recovery
• Operating Pressure
8
Membrane Design Guideline Variables

Feed Water Variables Design Considerations

• Temperature • Min T = Max P; Max T = Max TDS & Flux
• pH • Rejection; Rejection of spec. ions; Scaling
• Silt Density Index • Fouling potential; Pretreatment
• Turbidity • Fouling potential; Pretreatment
• Salinity • Membrane choice; Recovery; Pressure

System Variables
• Element Flux • Number of RO elements and vessels
• Element Feed Flow • Differential pressure; Number of vessels
• Differential Pressure • Num. of elements/vessel; Spacer; Life
• Element Recovery • System recovery; Salinity; flux balance
• Operating Pressure • OPEX; Salinity; Temperature; Flux; Area;

9
Membrane Element Selection

According to feed water fouling potential

• Standard feed spacer thickness: 28 mil

• Feed spacer thickness for feeds with increased fouling

potential: 34 mil

• Fouling resistant BW membrane for biofouling control

10
Membrane Element Selection
According to required product water quality and
energy requirements
Higher salt NF270 Lower feed
passage NF90 pressure
XLE
LE
XFRLE
HRLE
BW30 / TW30
ECO
BW30XFR
BW30HR
SEAMAXX
SW30ULE
Lower Salt SW30XLE Higher feed
passage SW30HR pressure
SW30HRLE
SW30XHR
11
Selecting RO System Configuration

Typical RO System and Element Selection Drivers

• Controlling RO array flux balance
• RO fouling/scaling mitigation
• Required permeate or concentrate quality
• Optimization of RO system energy consumption

Typically, all of these selection drivers have an

impact on the final RO system design.

12
Configuration – Number of stages selection

Number of serial element positions should be higher for

• Higher system recovery

• Higher fouling tendency of the feed water

Number of stages depends on

• Number of serial element positions

• Number of elements per pressure vessel

13
Configuration – Number of stages selection

Number of stages of a brackish water system

System Number of serial Number of stages

Recovery (%) element positions (6-element vessels)
40 – 60 6 1
70 – 80 12 2
85 – 90 18 3

Number of stages of a sea water system

Number of stages Number of stages Number of stages

System Number of serial (6-element (7-element (8-element
Recovery (%) element positions vessels) vessels) vessels)
35 - 40 6 1 1 -
45 7 - 12 2 1 1
50 8 - 12 2 2 1
55 – 60 12 - 14 2 2 -

14
Multistage systems: Staging ratio calculation
1
 1  n
R 
Y
n
System recovery (fraction)
Number stages
 (1 - Y) 

R Staging ratio
NV(i)
R NV(i) Number of vessels in stage i
NV(i  1) NV(i +1) Number of vessels in stage (i +1)

Calculate number of vessels of first stage NV(1)

NV
NV(1)  For 2 stage system
1  R -1

NV For 3 stage system

NV(1) 
1  R -1  R -2

15
Multistage Systems: Staging Ratio

Typical staging ratio:

1.5 sea water systems with 6-element vessels

2 brackish water systems with 6-element vessels

3 low feed salinity or 2nd pass RO systems

16
Multi-stage Systems: Managing Flux Balance

Why balance the permeate flow rate?

• Avoid excessive flux of lead elements
• Reduce fouling rate of first stage
• Make better use of tail end membranes
• Reduce number of elements
• Improve product water quality

Methods to balance the permeate flow rate

• Boosting the feed pressure between stages
• Permeate backpressure to first stage only
• Membranes with lower water permeability in lead positions -
membranes with higher water permeability in tail positions

17
Advanced RO System Design Options

Managing Flux Balance

• Stage 1 permeate backpressure or stage 2 boost pump

• Multi-element hybrid array

• Internally Staged Design (ISD) array

Managing Permeate Quality

• RO with feed water/permeate blending

• 2 pass RO system

• 2 pass RO system w/ partial 2nd pass

• 2 pass RO system w/ permeate split design

18
Stage-wise Flux Balancing
Element Flux Across 2 Stage Array
7,550 gpd 12,650 gpd 15,100 gpd
(28.6 m3/d) (47.9 m3/d) (57.2 m3/d)
Feed Pressure 167 psig (11.5 barg) 130 psig (9.0 barg) 118 psig (8.1 barg)
Permeate TDS 35 mg/l 55 mg/l 113 mg/l

51 30.0
Stage 1 Stage 2
43 25.0
Design Guideline - Maximum Element Flux
Flux, gpd

34 20.0
Flux, lmh

26 15.0

17 10.0 2 stage RO array, 16x8-7M,

13.5 gfd (23 lmh), 25°C,
9 5.0 surface water SDI <3,
2000 mg/l mixed ions
0 0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Element Position
Element gpd tested at 150 psig (10.3 barg), 2000 mg/l NaCl, 25°C, pH 8, 15% recovery
19
Balancing Flux with Stage 1 Permeate Pressure
Concentrate

Pump

Concentrate
Throttle Valve

Permeate

• OPfb is feed-brine osmotic pressure (psig)

• Pp is permeate pressure (psig)
• OPp is permeate osmotic pressure (psig)

20
Balancing Flux with Stage 1 Permeate Pressure

Element Flux Across 2 Stage Array

15,100 gpd 15,100 gpd w/ Perm. Throt.
(57.2 m3/d) (57.2 m3/d)
51 30.0
Stage 1 Stage 2
43 25.0
Design Guideline - Maximum Element Flux
34 20.0
Flux, gpd
Flux, lmh

26 15.0

17 10.0
2 stage RO array, 16x8-7M,
13.5 gfd (23 lmh), 25°C,
9 5.0 surface water SDI <3,
2000 mg/l mixed ions
0 0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Element Position
Element gpd tested at 150 psig (10.3 barg), 2000 mg/l NaCl, 25°C, pH 8, 15% recovery
21
Balancing Flux with Stage 2 Boost Pump
Concentrate

Pump Boost
Pump
Concentrate

Permeate

• Boost pump can be driven by electricity or by energy recovery device

• Stg 2 boost pressure = Stg 1 permeate throttle pressure
• Throttle valve is less expensive than boost pump
• Throttle valve has higher energy cost
• Throttle valves are typically limited to smaller systems

22
Multi-Element Hybrid Array
Concentrate

Feed

Concentrate

Permeate

• Using different RO elements in each stage of the array…

– to improve the flux balance between stages
– to increase or decrease permeate TDS

23
Internally Staged Design (ISD) RO Array

Internally Staged Design

• Multiple RO element types used in a stage

• Common method to control element flux and to optimize
energy consumption in seawater systems
• Common method to minimize post-treatment chemical
addition in municipal drinking water RO/NF systems

24
SWRO Element Loading Options

Examples of Potential FILMTEC™ ISD Element Loading Options

7,500 gpd 9,000 gpd 11,000 gpd

25
Using ISD to Optimize SWRO Performance

7.0 1.6

6.2 1.4
Design Guideline
5.3 1.2
Element Flow, m3/hr
Element Flow, gpm

4.4 1 11000 gpd

9000 gpd
3.5 0.8
7500 gpd

2.6 0.6 ISD (2-2-3)

1.8 0.4 SWRO 3

158 m158 m3/h (1 MGD)
/h SWRO
Feed–- 35000
Feed 35,000mg/l
mg/l
50% recovery, 26°C
50% recovery – 26°C
0.9 0.2
APF 14.8 lmh
APF 14.8 lmh (8.7 gfd)
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Element Position

26
Configuration – Internally Staged Design

Average Flux of the

vessel 14 lmh (8.2 gfd) 15.8 lmh (9.2 gfd)

Maximum permeate
flow per element 0.99 m3/h (4.4 gpm) 0.99 m3/h (4.4 gpm)

COST of Water 60.14 UScts/m3 58.27 UScts/m3

Highest FF & T (228 UScts/kgal) 221 UScts/kgal)
COST of Water 63.65 UScts/m3 60.05 UScts/m3
Lowest FF & T (241 UScts/kgal) 227 UScts/kgal)
% savings on cost of Highest FF & T 3.1%
water* Lowest FF & T 5.7%
SW30HRLE-400i SW30XHR-400i SW30ULE-400i

* COST CALCULATION (TOOLS): CAPEX and OPEX are taken into account. Model is prepared
by a Consulting Company* for Dow (John Tonner Water Consultants International Inc.)

27
Using ISD to Minimize Post Treatment
Concentrate

Feed

NF90-400
Concentrate
NF270-400
Permeate

• Municipal NF plant designed with multiple 44 x 22 – 7M trains with

FILMTEC™ NF90-400 elements.

• The plant installed 4 NF270-400 elements in second stage to increase

passage of hardness and alkalinity.

• Resulting increase in permeate total hardness and alkalinity levels allowed

plant to eliminate problematic chemical addition in post treatment saving an
estimated $1M/year in O&M costs.

28
RO with Feed Water/Permeate Blending

Concentrate

Pump
Concentrate
Blend Water
Final Permeate

• Common in drinking water plants Sources of Blend Water

• Increase overall system throughput • Raw water
• Minimize post-treatment chemicals • RO feed water
• Blend water quality is critical • Lime softened water
• Determines the blend ratio • Permeate from different system
• Low color
• Low TOC and DBPFP

DBPFP = disinfection byproducts formation

29 potential
Economic Impact of Permeate Blending

XLE-440 ECO-440i w/ Blend

Rejection 99.0% 99.7%
Element Flow 14,000 gpd 12650 gpd
Test Conditions 125 psig – 2000 mg/l NaCl 150 psig – 2000 mg/l NaCl
Array 16 x 8 – 7M 14 x 7 – 7M
Flux 13.5 gfd 13.5 gfd
RO Recovery 80% 80%
System Recovery 80% 82%
Final TDS 72 mg/l 207 mg/l
Final Total Hardness 24 mg/l as CaCO3 91 mg/l as CaCO3
RO Specific Energy 1.22 kWh/kgal 1.11 kWh/kgal

CAPEX Savings OPEX Savings

• 12.5% fewer vessels • 9% lower energy
• 12.5% fewer elements • Reduced post-treatment
30
2 Pass RO Design
Concentrate Recycle
Feed NaOH

Concentrate

Permeate

Permeate

• 2 pass RO systems are primarily used when high purity permeate is

required.
• Typical applications include boiler feed water, semiconductor rinse
water, some seawater municipal plants, etc.
• Inter-pass pH adjustment with sodium hydroxide is commonly used
to enhance rejection of alkalinity, boron, etc.

31
SWRO Design with Partial 2nd Pass

Concentrate Recycle
NaOH

Feed

Concentrate

Pass 1 - SWRO Pass 2 - BWRO Permeate

• SWRO design with a partial 2nd pass is primarily used to produce

municipal drinking water
• This design saves both CAPEX and OPEX
• Percentage of 1st pass permeate treated with 2nd pass is a function
of the feed water salinity and required final permeate salinity

32
Split Permeate SWRO – Partial 2 Pass

Concentrate Recycle

NaOH

Feed
Rear
Permeate
Concentrate

Front Permeate Final Permeate

• Split permeate SWRO systems withdraw permeate from both ends of the
first stage pressure vessels
• Front permeate is lower in salinity and is directly blended into the final
permeate stream
• Ratio of front/rear permeate is typically controlled by pass 2 feed pump
• Many split permeate SWRO systems use ISD with elements chosen
specifically to reduce front permeate TDS and/or control lead element flux
33
Double pass with permeate split-stream
30
600 544.81
flow producido

25.12
25
500

TDS (ppm)
(ppm)
21.02
(m3/day)

20 389.47
17.03 400
(m3/día)
permeado

TDS permeado
15 13.37 279.03
300
10.21
permeate
produced

201.69

Permeate
10 7.63 200 147.74
5.62 110.16
Caudal

5 83.76
100

0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Element position
Posición within the
elemento pressure
dentro vessel
caja de presión Element position
Posición withindentro
elemento the pressure vessel
caja de presión
Front Rear
Permeate Permeate
Feed Concentrate

Front Permeate

Rear
Feed
Permeate
Pass 1 Pass 2
Pump

Concentrate (drain)
Final Permeate

34
Energy Recovery

• Energy Recovery Devices (ERD) are used to capture and use

residual concentrate stream pressure to:
– Increase feed pressure prior to final high pressure pump (HPP)
– Augment electrical drive motor on HPP
– Provide inter-stage boost pressure on multi-stage RO and NF
• ERDs are used on virtually all SWRO plants and many BWRO
plants to reduce power costs of RO
• Several manufacturers have combining ERDs with pumps in
small configurations which make it economical to use energy
recovery on both smaller and low pressure systems
• Concentrate streams can be combined from multiple low
pressure trains to drive ERD on single HPP

35
Examples of ERDs

DWEER Work Exchanger

Pelton Wheel

ERI PX

FEDCO Turbine

36
Available Energy for Recovery Calculation

P = pressure Subscripts:
Q = flow rate avail = available
Eff = ERD efficiency c = concentrate
f = feed

37
Advanced RO Design Example
Diagram of IDE’s Patented Cascade Process

KEY ASPECTS OF THE MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTED IN THE CARLSBAD DESALINATION PROJECT
Authors: Eduard Gasia Bruch, Steven Coker, Boaz Keinan, Blanca Salgado
Presented at the IDA World Congress 2015, San Diego, CA, USA. August 30 – September 4, 2015
38
Further Help –Answer Center

39
Summary

• RO is a highly versatile technology with many choices for

optimization of CAPEX and OPEX

• Most important for a plant designer is to understand the starting

point and customer’s preferences

• Design within element operating guidelines and system guidelines

for optimal performance and element life

• Recent advances in membrane chemistry and RO element

construction enables several innovative designs

• Innovation continues…

• Seek out to Dow for guidance

40
RO System Design Webinar Series

Advanced Reverse Osmosis

System Design

Date & Time

Sept 23, 2015
1-3 pm CDT

Advanced RO System Design with

Steven Coker ROSA
Technical Service Specialist
Date & Time
Sept 30, 2015
1-3 pm CDT

Sign up today!

41
Questions?

For more information please visit our web site or

contact your local Dow representative.
http://www.dowwaterandprocess.com/
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