Articles and Case Studies from Genesys International Limited

RO Membrane Cleaning - explaining the science behind the art

Introduction Reverse Osmosis membrane cleaning is essential for efficient plant operation and yet there has been very little innovation or development in over 30 years. This paper reviews best practice on reverse osmosis (RO) membrane cleaning. It ...

Nov. 21, 2018 Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong

Reducing operational costs in high silica, 18,000m3/day BWRO in Arica, Chile

Abstract The desalination industry has significantly evolved in the last decade with 33million m3/day of additional desalination capacity now operating. One third is using membrane technology with 6,458 Reverse osmosis plants coming on-line. More ...

Oct. 23, 2015 Silvia Gallego;Juan F. Shang;Fernando Del Vigo;Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong;Antonio Ordóñez;David Valdivia

The role of chemicals in this thirsty planet

Abstract As all the chemical elements and most of their attributable compounds are known there is little scope for further discovery in the science of ‘inorganic’ chemistry. ‘Organic’ chemistry is much more exiting as it is ...

Oct. 23, 2015 E. G. Darton;Edward G. Darton

Suitability of cationic flocculants for RO membranes performance improvement

Abstract As it has already been published and demonstrated, one of the main causes of membranes failures is related to a poor plant pre-treatment. Data from more than 600 autopsies demonstrated that both biofilm and colloidal matter are the most ...

Oct. 23, 2015 N. Pena;Fernando Del Vigo;O. Salmerón;J. Rodríguez;Stephen P. Chesters

A study of the physical and chemical damage on reverse osmosis membranes detected by autopsies

Abstract Water treatment by reverse osmosis technology has as main aim to reject the maximum percentage of ions from raw water, giving as much treated water flow as possible. When there is a loss in these two parameters performance, it is essential ...

Oct. 23, 2015 Nuria Pena;Fernando Del Vigo;Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong;Rachel Wilson;M. Fazel

Results from 99 seawater ro membrane autopsies

Abstract This paper presents results from 99 sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane autopsies carried out by the Genesys laboratory in Madrid from 2002 and outlines the technical issues surrounding fouling and scaling of sea water membranes. The ...

Oct. 23, 2015 Stephen P. Chesters;Nuria Pena;Silvia Gallego;Maqsood Fazel;Matthew W. Armstrong;Fernando Del Vigo

Problems of operation and main reasons for failure of membranes in tertiary treatment systems

Abstract This paper presents and discuss the results of the long term operation and monitoring of membrane fouling at several full-scale MF/RO water recycling facilities operated by Agbar in Spain. It was demonstrated that membranes are very ...

Oct. 23, 2015 Valentina Lazarova;Silvia Gallego;Veronica Molina;Verónica García Molina;Philippe Rougé

Safe use of microbubbles for removal of RO membrane fouling

Abstract The authors have shown a dramatic improvement in cleaning efficiency when effervescent cleaning reagents are used in conjunction with bubbles created using a specially designed microbubble generator. One potential problem associated with ...

Oct. 22, 2015 M. Fazel;R. Wilson;Ted Darton;J. Eckersley;S. Chesters

Air bubbles enhance membrane cleaning: a future perspective

Abstract Air bubbles generated using a novel micro-bubble generator have displayed a dramatic enhancement in cleaning efficiency when used in conjunction with specially formulated cleaning chemicals. In order to establish the effect of this ...

Oct. 22, 2015 R. Wilson;M. Fazel;S. Jarrige;S. Chesters

RO membrane cleaning past, present, future - innovations for improving RO plant operating efficiency

Abstract This paper reviews current thinking on reverse osmosis (RO) membrane cleaning. It challenges preconceptions and describes novel approaches for the removal of foulants and scale deposits from membrane surfaces. Applying membrane cleaning ...

Oct. 22, 2015 Stephen P. Chesters

Cleaning biofouled membranes early improves plant operation. Comparison of autopsy and cleaning results on a small BWRO and large SWRO

Abstract It is a fact that all new reverse osmosis membranes start to foul as soon as they start operation. The only variable is the rate at which they foul. Most RO plants operate at a differential pressure (ΔP) of 1.5 - 3 bar. Cleaning ...

Oct. 22, 2015 Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong;Maqsood Fazel

Innovations in the inhibition and cleaning of reverse osmosis mebrane scaling and fouling - Case Study

Abstract: Scaling and fouling of membranes are an on-going performance issue for most plants This presentation outlines innovations in speciality chemicals designed to inhibit membrane scaling and fouling and to clean membranes where deposition has ...

Oct. 22, 2015 Stephen P. Chesters

Removing biofilm from membranes – a practical approach

Abstract Within the lifetime of most reverse osmosis (RO) systems some fouling will adversely affect membrane performance.One of the major foulants identified on lead membranes during a decade of membrane autopsy at the Genesys Membrane laboratory ...

Oct. 22, 2015 Matthew W. Armstrong;S. Gallego;Stephen P. Chesters

Cost saving case study using a calcium sulphate specific antiscalant

Abstract Extensive extraction from aquifers often leads to deterioration in water quality. This is usually seen as an increase in the soluble salt levels which, over time, has a detrimental effect on membrane performance. A limiting factor in the ...

Oct. 22, 2015 Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong;David Golding;Hussain Ostovar

Microbubble RO membrane cleaning reduces fouling on WWRO plant.

Over the last ten years there have been significant developments in new devices for energy recovery, new membrane materials, and new sizes and orientations of reverse osmosis (RO) plants, all designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The ...

Oct. 6, 2014 Stephen P. Chesters;Matthew W. Armstrong;Maqsood Fazel

RO membrane cleaning using microbubbles at 6,800m3/day Wastewater RO Plant in UAE.

It is well known that any fouling of the membrane surface has a dramatic effect on energy consumption and plant efficiency; this is particularly true for waste water RO plants due to the higher fouling rate. Such fouling can be very difficult to ...

Oct. 6, 2014 Maqsood Fazel;Stephen P. Chesters

Genairclean RO membrane cleaning - Case Study

Trial Period September 2013 to May 2014 Site Water Reuse system, UK Background A Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO) system with a history of rapid and consistent membrane fouling was selected to trial the new ‘Genairclean’ ...

Oct. 6, 2014

Research papers: safe use of Microbubbles for removal of RO Membrane Fouling - Case Study

For full downloadable report Abstract The authors have shown a dramatic improvement in cleaning efficiency when effervescent cleaning reagents are used in conjunction with bubbles created using a specially designed microbubble generator. One ...

Dec. 17, 2013 M. Fazel, R. Wilson, Ted Darton, J Eckersley, S Chesters

Research Papers: Air Bubbles enhance membrane cleaning: a future perspective - Case Study

Click here for the full dowloadable paper. Air bubbles generated using a novel micro-bubble generator have displayed a dramatic enhancement in cleaning efficiency when used in conjunction with specially formulated cleaning chemicals. In order ...

Oct. 23, 2013 R. Wilson, M. Fazel, S. Jarrige, S. Chesters

Evaluating impact of fouling on reverse osmosis membranes performance

Abstract Membrane fouling is commonly defined as an undesirable formation of deposits on mem- brane surfaces and it is considered a major problem in most brackish, seawater, and waste water reclamation applications. Depending on nature of the scale ...

May 30, 2012 N. Pena;S. Gallego;Fernando Del Vigo;Stephen P. Chesters