DESALINATION BY REVERSE OSMOSIS

Abstract

In the present study efforts have been made to study the desalination of brackish water by Reverse Osmosis technique using cellulose acetate membrane. To accomplish the proposed objectives of the study, three set of semipermeable membranes were prepared using cellulose acetate polymer containing 39.9 percent acetyl content. All the preparation steps were kept same except the annealing temperature, which was varied from 80°C to 90°C. The reverse osmosis test unit containing membrane holder has been fabricated using stainless steel tubes, plates and other accessories. Subsequently RO experiments were carried out as a function of pressure, feed concentration and feed flow rate. The membrane characteristizing parameters such as pure water permeability constant (A), mass transfer coefficient (k) and solute transport parameter (DAM/k5) were determined as a function of pressure, feed concentration and feed flow rate for each type of prepared membrane. On the basis of the experimental results and the membrane characterizing parameters (A and (DAmikan, it is found that the membranes prepared at 90°C is having high solute rejection as compared to those which were annealed at 80°C and 85°C.