We are a leading water treatment company based in Cape Town, South Africa, specialising in the design, manufacture and supply of various water treatment systems individually tailored to suit your water requirements.
Tel: +27 21 5101196
Email: info@awsa.co.za
Alternate Water Solutions
Unit 8B Old Mill Park, 22 Old Mill Road, Ndabeni, 7405
Reverse Osmosis (RO) makes the removal of salt (desalination) from water possible. Desalination is not the only major task that can be performed via a RO system. Reverse Osmosis can be effectively used in various other jobs such as treating wastewater or even contributing to the production of energy.
CIP stands for clean-in-place and the CIP process aids in cleaning the membranes in a way that is not harsh, which is to say damage to the system is not likely. Cleaning methods that inflict any damage to the membrane is not going to be very helpful to say the least. The membranes cannot perform their required tasks correctly if this is the case. When a membrane cannot remove all the salt in the correct manner, what use is it? CIP cleaning devices are capable of chemically cleaning and overall sanitizing a RO system. The chemicals selected do have to be chosen wisely though. Harsh chemicals can actually cause corrosion necessitating repairs or, worse, the replacement of the overall system.
Building a RO system with a CIP component is not standardized though. A client can request a custom Reverse Osmosis unit with a CIP built into it. A business or other entity that already owns a fully function Reverse Osmosis system lacking a CIP really shouldn’t worry. Having one installed is possible when the right professionals are at the helm. Upon a careful and thorough examination of the RO device, technicians can determine what would be the proper CIP mechanism for the system and also how to install it. Once the technicians have done their job, the RO can operate much more effectively since chemicals, bacteria, and other fouling materials can be removed from the RO membranes to ensure the integrity of the plant. This means integrity of the RO plant improves immensely. This is going to be the case whether the system is a smaller one found in average sized business or in large scale, industrial environments.
A word of caution does have to be mentioned here. A RO system can only handle so much work before it starts to underperform. The system and its membranes do have to be cleaned and cleaned the right way. If not, RO membranes within the plant will deteriorate to a point where they will not perform as required. Managers of enterprises utilizing RO systems do have to be timely with cleaning out the units. Lack of diligence with caring for the systems means its going to under-perform, waste energy, and never run at optimum design. Those who already are using a RO system should move quickly on having a CIP cleaning component or process installed. You cannot delay having the cleaning unit installed forever. A point of no return can be reached in where the membranes cannot be effectively cleaned. Why is this? Over time, various impurities and particles travel through the membranes and are caught. Day after day, these particles continue to build up and removing them becomes harder and harder.
Time is not on the side of anyone running a RO system. The longer you wait to launch a CIP cleaning, the more trouble the membranes can end up suffering. In particular, cleaning out the membranes becomes much more difficult since there is more to clean….if the membranes can be cleaned at all. Membranes weighted down by excessive organic or inorganic fouling lose their ability to filter effectively. Again, delays are never a good thing when it comes to cleaning. In reality, a thorough cleaning might not be possible if the membranes have fallen into a severe state of neglect. Never allow the unit to reach this point. Always schedule regular cleanings and inspections to make sure the membranes always work as expected.
As long as the membranes have not reached a totally ruined condition, they can still do what is intended. However, the efficiency of the system slows down quite a bit and may even reach unacceptable levels. To ensure the RO unit is able to effectively clean out the water traveling through it, the cleaning must be performed at regular intervals. Doing so ensures the membranes are always clear and as totally unobstructed as possible.
For those with major concerns over what they have taken the right steps towards CIP cleaning, contacting a provider of clean-in-place units is well advised.
Having a CIP custom ordered for a RO system that either does not have one or is operating with an older, less efficient model is strongly recommended. The technicians working for the company can examine your membranes, determine any problems present, and then advise on what CIP process can prevent any troubles from occurring again in the future.
From that point forward, a new cleaning schedule can be implemented and your RO system should be kept working perfectly fine.
More info can be found here
