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Membrane Technology

The importance of the process of osmosis cannot be overstated. Osmosis is a natural phenomenon, without which life would be made impossible. The osmotic process enables plants to absorb nutrients from the ground. In the human body, our kidneys purify the blood flowing in our veins by means of osmosis.

Despite the fact that osmosis was discovered and studied as early as 1850, it has taken us over 110 years, until 1960 to be able to apply the process of osmosis for water desalination.

Till recently, membrane filtration, neutralizing filtration, and oxidizing filtration were considered as futuristic, expensive and complex processes. However, in the past fifteen years there has been yeomen progress and these processes have developed to mature and reliable techniques. This has resulted in these processes being extensively utilized for water purification to obtain drinking water.

To understand the process of osmosis takes a peek at the science book of a high school student. To explain in simple terms; when we are dealing with a system, consisting of two fluids that are separated by a semi permeable membrane (permeable, just not for salts) and we add salt on one side of the system, pure water will start flowing through the membrane. This flow will continue until the pressure is equal on both sides of the membrane. Afterwards the water level will be higher where the salt was added. The difference in water level, caused by the addition of a specific amount of salt, is called osmotic pressure. The osmotic pressure of seawater is around 26 bar - only for information.

Membrane Filtration Benefits

• It is a process that can take place while temperatures are low. This is mainly important because it enables the treatment of heat-sensitive matter. That is why these applications are widely used for food production.
• It is a process with low energy cost. Most of the energy that is required is used to pump liquids through the membrane. The total amount of energy that is used is minor, compared to alternative techniques, such as evaporation.
• The process can easily be expanded.
• Process management of membrane filtration systems
• Membrane filtration systems can be managed in either dead-end flow or cross-flow. The purpose of the optimisation of the membrane techniques is the achievement of the highest possible production for a long period of time, with acceptable pollution levels.