Avaliação de um sistema hídrico para dessalinização de águas salinas pelo processo de osmose inversa.

Abstract

The objective of the present work is to outline the performance of a small desalination system, made from the following semipemeable reverse osmosis (RO) membranes: high filtration (HF), ultra low pressure (ULP) and high rejection (HR). The system has been tested for solutions of sodium chloride, with concentrations ranging from 1020 to 3938 mg/L. It also includes the use of brackish water from two wells of the arid region of Paraiba state, with concentrations ranging from 1075 to 2240 mg/L. It has been found that the electric conductivity of the permeate solutions during the RO process changed, as a function of applied pressure. From this finding the following critical process parameters have been identified: water flux crossing the RO-membrane, water mass transfer coefficient, energy consumption and water cost. It was found that the energy consumption and the cost ranging from R$ (0,14 - 0,68)/m\ decreased as a function of the permeate production. The experimental results are in agreement with data provided in literature.