Reverse Osmosis: What do we know about colloidal fouling of RO membrane?

What is fouling?

Fouling is physical adsorption and deposition of suspended particles in water on filtration

surface. Fouling drops filtration rate. Fouling depends on the hydrophilicity and
hydrophobicity of suspended particles and the filtration media. The general rule is: a
hydrophilic membrane has more affinity to attract hydrophilic foulants and a membrane
which is hydrophobic would tend to attract more hydrophobic foulants and foul more with
hydrophobic substances.

Mechanism of fouling

A suspended particle in water has two forces acting on it [1] upward frictional force or
frictional drag, Fd and [2] a downward gravitational force, g. When Fd > g , the particle floats
. when Fd < g, the particle sinks on pipe surface. This is the fundamental of fouling. What is
Friction Drag? Friction is the resistance that happens when suspended particles rub against
each other and with water particles. When frictional drag acting on a particle is overcome
by its gravity, the particle sinks on surface and fouls the surface.

Fouling can be best explained by Stokes law

Stoke’s law

Fd = 6ηπRv, Fd is frictional force, η is dynamic liquid visc , R is particle radius , v is relative

velocity of liquid and particle.

Fd = 6ηπRv, depends on [1] visc of liquid,[2] size of particle [3] relative liquid - solid velocity. .

In a given system when [1] and [2] are constant , then Fd depends on v, the relative liquid –
solid velocity.
Therefore , bigger the relative liquid – solid particle velocity smaller the chances of sinking
the particle as deposit or smaller the chances of fouling.

Colloidal fouling of RO membrane

What is colloid? Colloidal particles are microscopic in size 1-1000 nm. They do not form true
solution in water and remain dispersed or suspended in water. Colloidal particles often carry
an electrical charge and therefore attract or repel each other. In spite of adequate pre-
treatment, like media filtration, coagulation-flocculation, microfiltration etc. and maintaining
SDI <3, still colloidal fouling remains to be a major issue in any filtration plant. This clearly
shows even under best care some colloidal particles escape pre-treatment stages and enter
into membrane and seriously harm performance of RO elements by lowering productivity
and sometimes salt rejection. An increased pressure differential across the system is first sign
of colloidal fouling. Silt or colloids in feed water often include bacteria, clay, colloidal silica,
and iron corrosion products. Depending on source, feed water can also contain Natural
organic matters [NOM] which include humic acid, proteins, amino sugars, polysaccharides,
and polyoxyaromatics at different molecular sizes. NOMs can exist both in hydrophilic and
hydrophobic structure. Hydrophobic, NOMs like protein, oily particles- paraffin, oils etc. are
less prone to foul hydrophilic membranes. Typical hydrophilic membranes are polysulfone,
cellulose acetate, and thin film composite membranes [TFC]. Hydrophilic membrane will
attract hydrophilic foulants and repel hydrophophobic foulants and vice versa. TOC is the
measure of organic load in feed water. When TOC exceeds 3 mg/l pretreatment should be
considered. Coagulation, ultrafiltration and activated carbon can remove organic carbon.

What binds foulant particles on membrane surface?

Depending on adhesion strength of fouling particles on the membrane pores and membrane
surface, there can be two types of fouling [1] backwashable and [2] non backwashable. At
molecular level, the dominant forces which bind hydrophobic non polar foulant particles on
membrane surface are intermolecular bonds caused by Vander Walls forces. Hydrogen
bonds and Dipole-Dipole attractions are key forces of attraction when the foulant particles
are polar or hydrophilic.