Design and Construction of Commercial Spiral Wound Modules

Abstract

The spiral‐wound membrane module offers users of industrial‐scale reverse osmosis an economical combination of low cost, high membrane area density, and favorable mass transfer. The module combines flat‐sheet reverse osmosis membrane with spacer materials for conveying feed and permeate, engineered components for sealing and isolating the fluid streams, and structural members to protect the membrane and maintain integrity in severe environments. Considerations relevant to the design of commercial modules are reviewed on a component‐by‐component basis, drawing upon fundamental engineering principles and representative works from the scientific and applied literature. Future directions in module design and recent developments related to large‐diameter modules are also discussed.

A review of spiral wound membrane modules and processes for groundwater treatment

“…The active membrane area for the modules varies depending on the manufacturer. However, it is approximately 7, 41 and 158 m 2 for the 4, 8 and 16″ modules respectively (Johnson, 2013).…”

“…TFC membranes are now state-of-the-art for desalination and widely used in the spiral wound module configuration. This configuration has also seen significant developments in terms of improved production capacity, active surface area, permeability, selectivity, stability among others, making it the go-to choice for desalination (Johnson and Busch, 2010;Johnson, 2013;Hassan et al, 2020).…”