Large Diameter RO Desalination Elements

In recent years, increasing the diameter of spiral elements has been studied as a method of lowering the cost of membrane treatment. It has been shown that the installed cost of a reverse osmosis (RO) plant can be reduced by up to 27% using larger diameter elements.Large diameter elements provide savings in footprint and building costs, as well as savings in the number of connections, to reduce the installed cost of a brackish water RO or nanofiltration (NF) system. This article presents case studies where large diameter reverse osmosis (RO) elements were used, including the reasons why large diameter elements were selected for specific projects. Systems desalinating brackish groundwater for potable water supply in the United States include the City of Goodyear, Arizona; the City of Waupun, Wisconsin; and the Tate-Monroe Water Association of Ohio. In Australia, the Bundamba AWT Plant in Queensland treats municipal effluent for reuse. At Joe White Maltings, an integrated membrane system, combining a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an RO system, allows wastewater from the plant to be recycled. This article appeared in D&WR magazine’s February/March 2009 issue.

In recent years, increasing the diameter of spiral elements has been studied as a method of lowering the cost of membrane treatment. It has been shown that the installed cost of a reverse osmosis (RO) plant can be reduced by up to 27% using larger diameter elements.

Large diameter elements provide savings in footprint and building costs, as well as savings in the number of connections, to reduce the installed cost of a brackish water RO or nanofiltration (NF) system.

This article presents case studies where large diameter reverse osmosis (RO) elements were used, including the reasons why large diameter elements were selected for specific projects.

Systems desalinating brackish groundwater for potable water supply in the United States include the City of Goodyear, Arizona; the City of Waupun, Wisconsin; and the Tate-Monroe Water Association of Ohio.

In Australia, the Bundamba AWT Plant in Queensland treats municipal effluent for reuse. At Joe White Maltings, an integrated membrane system, combining a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and an RO system, allows wastewater from the plant to be recycled.

This article appeared in D&WR magazine’s February/March 2009 issue.