Development of a transient model for the desalination of sea/brackish water through reverse osmosis

ABSTRACT

Mathematical models that adequately represent steady state and transient behaviour of desalination process comprising of equalisation tank, reverse osmosis (RO) system using a constant rate of transfer of diffusing substance per unit area of the cylinder surface and a potable water tank system are developed. A solute mass transport model is solved using the partial differential equation parabolic elliptical numerical technique using Crank–Nicholson method is inbuilt. Solution of this model shows decline in the permeate flux in the RO membrane. The theoretical transient and steady state models are compared with experimental results. The comparison shows that both the transient and steady state models are matching with the experimental results. A Transfer function model has also been developed to represent input–output relations. The decrease in flux in the RO membrane was compared with the experimental results.

Keywords:

• Desalination
• Modelling
• Membrane
• Reverse osmosis
• Multivariable