RO Membranes are the key component in all reverse osmosis systems. The membrane itself is an extremely thin plastic sheet material that is added to other plastic sheets including a membrane support layer, a feed spacer, a permeate (treated water) carrier, and finally an outer wrap. Once these items are wrapped around a perforated product/permeate tube the assembly becomes the RO element which has as its functional component the reverse osmosis membrane.
The exact mechanism of how the RO Membrane works is best explained by physicists, physical chemists, and polymer chemists. A basic explanation of its function is that water passes through under pressure but absolutely everything dissolved in the water is prevented from passage or rejected by the RO Membrane from 10% to 99.99% depending on applied pressures and the specific elements and compounds in the water being treated.
Though a workhorse the RO Membrane is quite fragile and must be protected from damage and plugging from chlorine, pH extremes, high temperature, hard water scale, organics, microbiology, iron, manganese, dirt, and silt. This highlights the need to work with a company such as Dime Water, Inc. to be assured that your system includes the proper pretreatment and utilizes RO Membranes selected to do the job and last as long as possible.
