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Experimental investigation on the performance of a small reverse osmosis unit

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Abstract

In the present work, the performance of a small reverse osmosis RO (house scale) desalination unit is experimentally investigated. The influence of test parameters such as salinity of the feed water (2000–3000 ppm), feed water temperature (29–41 °C), and feed flow rate (1.25–1.75 L/min) is considered. The results illustrate that the increase in feed water salinity by about 50% leads to an increase of permeate salinity by about 50%, while permeate flow rate and recovery ratio percent decreases by about 25 and 30%, respectively. Furthermore, for feed salinity less than 2500 ppm, as feed flow rate increases from 1.25 to 1.75 L/min, the salt rejection ratio and permeate flow rate increase from 5 to 7%, respectively, while feed pressure decreased by 16% and recovery ratio percent decreased by 37%. The results demonstrate that increase in feed temperature from 29 to 41 °C leads to an increase in the permeate salinity, while feed pressure and salt rejection ratio percent decrease by about 4 and 6%, respectively. Finally, empirical correlations for permeate salinity, permeate flow rate, feed pressure, recovery ratio percent, and salt rejection ratio percent as functions of feed water flow rate, feed temperature, and feed concentration are obtained.

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Abbreviations

NDP:

Net-driving pressure

RO:

Reverse osmosis

TDS:

Total dissolved solids

PWT:

Pelton wheel turbine

PEX:

Pressure exchanger

TFC:

Thin film composite

BWRO:

Brackish water revers osmosis

ppm:

Part per million

PVC:

Polyvinyl chloride

UDF:

Ultrafine depth filtration

SEC:

Specific energy consumption

p :

Pressure

R :

Recovery ratio percent

SRR:

Salt rejection ratio

T :

Temperature

v :

Flow rate

x :

Salt concentration

E s :

Specific energy consumption of the high pressure pump, kWh/m3

A m :

Membrane surface area, m2

A w :

Membrane permeability, L/m2 h bar

K f :

Membrane flow rate factor, L/h bar

f:

Feed

p:

Permeate

b:

Brine

α :

Hydraulic pressure losses factor (α = Pc/Pf)

ϕ :

Concentration polarization (CP) factor

π :

Osmotic pressure, bar

σ :

Membrane reflection coefficient

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering, Higher Technological Institute, Tenth of Ramadan City, 44629, Egypt

    M. Elsayed

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Benha University, Cairo, 11629, Egypt

    H. A. Refaey, O. E. Abdellatif, R. Y. Sakr & R. I. Afify

Authors
  1. M. Elsayed
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  2. H. A. Refaey
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  3. O. E. Abdellatif
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  4. R. Y. Sakr
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  5. R. I. Afify
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Correspondence to M. Elsayed.

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Technical Editor: Jader Barbosa Jr.

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Elsayed, M., Refaey, H.A., Abdellatif, O.E. et al. Experimental investigation on the performance of a small reverse osmosis unit. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 40, 218 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-018-1143-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-018-1143-3

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