Root-cause analysis for RO and UF membranes
Membrane Autopsy
When a membrane element loses flux or salt rejection, we take it apart, characterize the foulant, and tell you exactly what caused it.
Method
Every element we autopsy is inspected for abnormality and subjected to integrity testing, which detects anything from a small mechanical leak to severe damage. The exterior is examined for cracks and operational damage, then the element is dissected and flat sheet material is harvested for cell testing, damage analysis, and foulant analysis.
- Full element wet test — flow and rejection against specification
- Comprehensive element inspection — exterior, glue lines, and internals
- Foulant analysis — SEM/EDS, element mapping, and ATR-IR
- Cleaning study — bench trial of candidate cleaners before a site CIP
- Damage testing — oxidation, abrasion, and mechanical failure
What you learn
The failure mode (scale, biological, oxidative, mechanical), likely pretreatment or operational cause, and specific program changes.
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