Reverse Osmosis

Abstract Reverse osmosis is a membrane‐based separation technology, which was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with rapid advancements in the technology through the 1980s. A highly effective and cost‐efficient technology, reverse osmosis is used industrially for desalination of seawater and brackish water, wastewater recovery and reuse, municipal drinking water treatment, and other applications. Membrane materials and types of modules used in reverse osmosis, as well as theoretical and operational aspects, general design considerations, and economics are reviewed in this article. A discussion of membrane transport theory, flux‐limiting conditions caused by concentration polarization, and membrane fouling is also included.