Reverse osmosis for treatment of surface water

Abstract Long term experiments has been conducted with a reverse osmosis pilot plant which was fed with pretreated rivier Rhine water. The emphasis was put on pretreatment and membrane fouling. Pretreatment processes comprising among other things. “In line coagulation” has been tested. Feed water with a MFI (0,45) value of 1s/1 2 (SDI is about 2) caused a relative fast increase of the resistance to permeate flux. Particles smaller than 0,05 μm are likely responsible for the observed membrane fouling.