Can RO be used to desalinate?
Yes, there are several membrane processes, such as reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodialysis, which can be used for efficient desalination. In RO, the water is pumped through semipermeable membranes to separate and remove the minerals from the saline water. Before being pumped through the membranes, the water is pretreated to remove any particles that might clog membrane pores. Suspended solids in the raw water can be removed by using coagulation and filtration. What is the desalinated water quality? Distillation plants produce water with total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations ranging from 1 to 50 milligrams per liter (mg/l) and RO plants produce water with TDS concentrations ranging from 10 to 500 mg/l. The quality of the treated water depends on the concentration of salts in the raw water, and, in the case of RO, the membranes selected and the pressure applied. In distillation, the quality depends upon the heating system, the pressures applied, etc. Quality of treated water can b
