The research aims to develop a reliable method to diagnose and predict the particulate fouling of RO systems, particularly seawater RO (SWRO) systems. The research will provide a support tool for the engineers and plants operators to design, operate, monitor and maintain SWRO systems in more effective way. The new method will be developed as follow:
1. Develop further MFI method at constant flux filtration using UF membranes of MWCO smaller than 10 kDa.
2. Measure and model particles deposition in RO systems.
3. Apply the developed MFI method, incorporating particles deposition correction factor, to diagnose and predict the particulate fouling of full-scale SWRO plants including pre-treatment processes, and compare the measurements with MFI-0.45, MFI-UF10kDa and MFI-UF100kDa.
4. Set an MFI guidelines framework for SWRO applications to minimize particulate fouling.