Tech Manual Excerpt

System Operation
Record Keeping

Plant Performance The performance of an RO/NF system is influenced by the feedwater composition,
Normalization feed pressure, temperature and recovery. For example, a feed temperature drop of
4°C (7°F) will cause a permeate flow decrease of about 10%. This, however, is a
normal phenomenon.

In order to distinguish between such normal phenomena and performance changes

due to fouling or problems, the measured permeate flow and salt passage have to
be normalized. Normalization is a comparison of the actual performance to a given
reference performance while the influences of operating parameters are taken into
account. The reference performance may be the designed performance or the
measured initial performance.

Normalization with reference to the designed (or warranted) system performance is

useful to verify that the plant gives the specified (or warranted) performance.
Normalization with reference to the initial system performance is useful to show up
any performance changes between day one and the actual date.

Plant performance normalization is strongly recommended, because it allows an

early identification of potential problems (e.g., scaling or fouling) when the
normalized data are recorded daily. Corrective measures are much more effective
when taken early.

A computer program called FTNORM is available for normalizing operating data and
graphing normalized permeate flow and salt passage as well as pressure drop. This
program is available from our web site https://www.dupont.com/water and
requires Excel software. Alternatively, the measured plant performance at operating
conditions can be transferred to standard (reference) conditions by the following
calculations:

Page 1 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020
 Plant Performance A. Normalized Permeate Flow
Normalization Eq. 1
(Cont.)

with Pf = feed pressure

ΔP
^2 = one half device pressure drop
Pp = product pressure
π fc = osmotic pressure of the feed-concentrate mixture
TCF = temperature correction factor
Q = product flow
subscript s = standard condition
subscript o = operating condition

The temperature correction factor follows the formula:

TCF = EXP [2640 x {1 / 298 – 1 / (273 + T)}]; T ≥ 25°C Eq. 2
TCF = EXP [3020 x {1 / 298 – 1 / (273 + T)}]; T ≤ 25°C Eq. 3

where T = temperature as °C.

As standard conditions, we take either the design values or the conditions at initial
performance as given in the start-up report, so that a fixed reference point is
available.

For the osmotic pressure, different formulas are available in the literature. A valid
and practical short approximation is:

for Cfc < 20000 mg/L Eq. 4

and

for Cfc > 20000 mg/L Eq. 5

with Cfc   = concentration of the feed-concentrate

Page 2 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020
 Plant Performance Cfc can be calculated from following approximation:
Normalization Eq. 6
(Cont.)

where Y = recovery product flow

ratio =     feed flow

Cf = TDS feed mg/Ls

B. The Normalized Permeate TDS is calculated from

Eq. 7

Terms not yet defined under A are:

Cp =    product concentration as ion in mg/L
π p =     osmotic pressure of the permeate in bar

Example
Values of Start-Up:
Feedwater analysis in mg/L:
Ca: 200 HCO3: 152
Mg: 61 SO4: 552
Na: 388 Cl: 633

44 psi
Pressure
Temp.: 59°F (15°C) (3
drop:
bar)
14.5
363 psi (25 Permeate
Pressure: psi (1
bar) pressure:
bar)
660 gpm (150 Permeate 83
Flow:
m3/h) TDS: mg/L
Recovery: 75%

Page 3 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020
 Plant Performance Values after 3 months:
Normalization Feedwater analysis in mg/L:
(Cont.) Ca: 200 HCO3: 152
Mg: 80 SO4: 530
Na: 480 Cl: 850

58
Pressure
Temp.: 50°F (10°C) psi (4
drop:
bar)
29 psi
406 psi (28 Permeate
Pressure: (2
bar) pressure:
bar)
559 gpm (127 Permeate 80
Flow:
m3/h) TDS: mg/L
Recovery: 72%

For the standard conditions we have:

Pfs = 363 psi (25 bar)

ΔPs
—— = 22 psi (1.5 bar)
   2

Cfs = 1986 mg/L

π fc s = 36.3 psi (2.5 bar)

TCFs= EXP [3020 x {1 / 298 – 1 / (273 + 15)}] = 0.70

Page 4 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020
 Plant Performance For the operating conditions we have:
Normalization Pfo = 406 psi (28 bar)
(Cont.)
Δ Po
—— = 29 psi (2 bar)
   2

Cfo = 2292 mg/L

1
    ln ———
1 - 0.72
x —————
Cfc o = 2292  4052 mg/L
=
       0.72

π fc o = 39.4 psi (2.72 bar)

TCFo= EXP [3020 x {1 / 298 – 1 / (273 + 10)}] = 0.58

Substituting these values in equations (1) gives:

Compared to the start-up conditions, the plant has lost 4% capacity. This is a
normal value after a period of 3 months. Cleaning is not yet necessary.

The normalized permeate TDS is derived from equation (2):

Compared to the initial 83 mg/L, the salt rejection has slightly improved. Such
behavior is typical for the initial phase.

Page 5 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020
 Plant Performance References
Normalization 1. Youngberg, D.A.: Start-up of an RO/DI Pure Water System. Ultrapure Water,
(Cont.)
March/April 1986, 46-50.
2. ASTM D4472-89 (Reapproved 2003): Standard Guide for Record Keeping for
Reverse Osmosis Systems.
3. ASTM D4516-00: Standard Practice for Standardizing Reverse Osmosis
Performance Data.
4. ASTM D4195-88 (Reapproved 2003): Standard Guide for Water Analysis for
Reverse Osmosis Application.
5. Walton, V.R.G.: Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids – What is Their
Precise Relationship? Desalination, 72 (1989) 275-292.

Excerpt from FilmTec™ Reverse Osmosis Membranes Technical Manual (Form No. 45-D01504-en), Chapter 5, "System Operation."

Have a question? Contact us at: All information set forth herein is for informational purposes only. This information is general information and may differ from that
based on actual conditions. Customer is responsible for determining whether products and the information in this document are
www.dupont.com/water/contact-us
appropriate for Customer's use and for ensuring that Customer's workplace and disposal practices are in compliance with
applicable laws and other government enactments. The product shown in this literature may not be available for sale and/or
available in all geographies where DuPont is represented. The claims made may not have been approved for use in all countries.
Please note that physical properties may vary depending on certain conditions and while operating conditions stated in this
document are intended to lengthen product lifespan and/or improve product performance, it will ultimately depend on actual
circumstances and is in no event a guarantee of achieving any specific results. DuPont assumes no obligation or liability for the
information in this document. References to “DuPont” or the “Company” mean the DuPont legal entity selling the products to
Customer unless otherwise expressly noted. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN; ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. No freedom from infringement of any patent or
trademark owned by DuPont or others is to be inferred.

DuPont™, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with ™, ℠ or ® are owned by affiliates of
DuPont de Nemours Inc. unless otherwise noted. © 2020 DuPont.

Page 6 of 6 Form No. 45-D01616-en, Rev. 4

April 2020