Mathematical modeling and simulation of concentration polarization layer in reverse osmosis process

This paper describes membrane transport model which focuses on the concentration of polarization layer builds at the Reverse Osmosis(RO) membrane in terms of permeate flux and concentration of solute. This model presented here is based on concentration polarization unsteady-state differential material balance equation. The model presented here characterised by the parameters solute diffusivity (D
_bi
) in the concentration polarization layer, volumetric flux of permeate(J
_v
), thickness of polarization layer (δ
_pol
),thickness of membrane(δ
_mem
), solute concentration(U
_i
), initial bulk feed concentration(U
_bio
), solute bulk feed concentration (U
_bi
). These parameters estimated by using the Levenberg-Marquardt Method using the experimental data obtain from the Reverse Osmosis Plant developed at CEERI Pilani. Simulation result show the deposition of different solutes concentration on the reverse osmosis membrane using the MATLAB software tool.