What is an industrial reverse osmosis system An industrial reverse osmosis (RO) water system is a highly effective water treatment process for reducing 97-99% of total dissolved solids (TDS) in water for high purity water systems, boiler feed, central sterilization systems for many industries including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, labs, food and beverage, oil and gas, correctional institutions, universities, hospitals, hotels and many others. Industrial Reverse Osmosis Water Systems Filter-pro offers industrial reverse osmosis water systems from 1500 to 50000 GPD. RO is a highly effective water treatment process for reducing up to 99% of dissolved mineral salts, organics, and other particles by forcing water under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. The process is named “reverse osmosis” because it is the opposite of the natural osmotic process, where water from a solution with a low concentration of dissolved solids travels through a membrane seeking to dilute a higher concentration solution. A reverse osmosis water system is induced by applying pressure with a pump to a solution with a high concentration of dissolved solids, causing water from the concentrated solution to pass through the membrane. This water is referred to as product water. Dissolved solids do not pass through the membrane; they are continually flushed to drain as waste. This flushing action also keeps the membrane surface from fouling or scaling. Industrial Reverse Osmosis Water System Performance Factors 1. Pressure – a minimum threshold of pressure must initially be reached to overcome the natural osmotic pressure. Flux (the rate at which the membrane makes product water) increases as pressure is increased. A practical limit exists because salt rejection does not continually improve as pressure increases. The result can be scaling or fouling problems. 2. Temperature – membrane flux is very dependent on temperature. If temperature increases and pressure remains constant, water production increases. Unfortunately, higher temperatures also result in a drop-off in salt rejection due to an increase in diffusion rate for salt ions through the membrane. RO units are volume rated at 77°F. 3. Recovery – the percent of feedwater converted to the product water. A practical limit exists for the recovery rate – too high of a rate requires a more concentrated waste stream, which increases the likelihood of membrane fouling as salt precipitates and forms scale on the membrane surface. 4. Pretreatment/Posttreatment – the need for additional water treatment steps either before or after the RO process varies, depending on water conditions and quality requirements. If raw water contains chlorine, hardness, iron, turbidity, and high total dissolved solids, then pretreatment should be considered to extend membrane life and improve system performance. If water quality requirements require ultra-pure or sterilized water, then posttreatment steps should be considered.