One of the most common questions asked by RO plant operators is: “What antiscalant do we need to control high levels of silica in RO systems?” There are many misguided beliefs on how to control silica. Some people recommend operating at a pH of 8, (the point of lowest solubility for amorphous silica) because they’ve
Membrane Autopsy: Damage from Permeate Backpressure
American Water Chemicals (AWC) recently received a tail end nanofiltration membrane for autopsy from a client who was experiencing issues with disinfection byproducts in their finished water. Water testing had confirmed that the NF membranes were not rejecting the high organics in their feed water, and the client was concerned that the membranes (which were
Antiscalant Impacts Water Reclamation Efforts – SPA
Conserving water has long been a major concern in California. This situation has forced the state to implement emergency water-conservation measures as it struggles to cope with an ongoing drought that has depleted reservoirs and left farms parched. The Orange County Water District (OCWD) has focused on increasing water reuse efforts by building one of
