Recently, by applying effective technologies into Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration systems, they have become more efficient and affordable for treating wastewater, brackish water, sewage and effluents for a wide range of industries.They are membrane filtration technologies which help in applying pressure to a liquid stream, flowing it through a semipermeable membrane in order to remove dissolved solids.
Their functioning resembles the existing other filtration technologies, yet they can remove even smaller particles, such as:Heavy metalsDissolved organicsOilPesticides Agricultural chemicals, etc.Both benefit from PretreatmentBy applying pretreatment to aqueous streams, both the membranes can have a long life span with relatively lower maintenance costs.
This is achieved by constantly allowing feed water to flow across the surface of the filtration membrane, which results in the rejection of problematic substances through the waste streams, rather than scaling onto the membrane.Both are used in place of conventional treatment systemsConventional wastewater treatment systems involve several steps, such as: CoagulationFlocculationSedimentationClarificationIon ExchangeFiltrationWhile they are effective in removing dissolved solids, they involve such a complex series of steps that often require a large area to function and investment.
On the other hand, Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration are widely accepted as they are compact, efficient, effective and environment-friendly.How Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration are different from each other?While they both are very similar in functioning, they can be differentiated based on the size of particulates that each is able to separate.
There are several applications of Reverse Osmosis, including Desalination, for generating potable water from seawater or brackish waterTreating industrial wastewaterNanofiltration - It helps in slightly coarser filtration than Reverse Osmosis, with the ability to remove particles as small as 0.002 to 0.005 μm in diameter.
It is a relatively recent technology, developed mainly for the generation of potable water.