How does 8040 RO Membrane work? Find the solution now.

Hey everyone, it’s your boy back again with another project update. Today, I’m diving deep into the world of 8040 RO membranes. Yeah, you heard that right – the stuff that makes dirty water drinkable. Sounds boring? Maybe, but trust me, it got pretty interesting.

Getting Started

It all started when I got my hands on a bunch of different 8040 membranes. I’d been researching water purification, and these things kept popping up. So, I figured, why not get some and see what the fuss is all about? I ordered a few different types – some claimed to be super fouling-resistant, others boasted high salt rejection. The goal? To see which one worked best for my needs.

The Experiment

I set up a makeshift testing rig in my garage. Nothing fancy, just some pipes, a pump, and a few pressure gauges. I started by running some brackish water through each membrane, measuring the flow rate and checking the total dissolved solids (TDS) of the output water.

• First up, the “fouling-resistant” one. It did okay, but after a few hours, the flow rate started to drop. Not a great start.
• Next, the “high salt rejection” membrane. This one impressed me. The TDS levels were super low, which means it was pulling out a lot of the gunk.
• I also tried a seawater membrane. It’s made by some company named DuPont or something, I can’t recall the name now. This one handled the high salinity like a champ, but it was overkill for the brackish water I was using.

The Messy Part

Things got real messy when I decided to push these membranes to their limits. I started adding all sorts of nasty stuff to the water – mud, oil, you name it. I really wanted to see how well they could handle a real-world situation, or maybe even worse. The fouling-resistant one clogged up pretty quick. The high salt rejection membrane held up better, but it still needed a good cleaning afterward.

Cleaning Up

Speaking of cleaning, that’s a whole other story. I learned that you can’t just rinse these things off and call it a day. You need special cleaning solutions to break down the gunk that gets trapped inside. I spent a good chunk of time experimenting with different cleaning methods, and let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks. I have no idea how those big industrial places do it.

Wrapping Up

So, what did I learn from all this? Well, 8040 RO membranes are pretty darn effective at purifying water, especially the high salt rejection ones. But, they’re not invincible. Fouling is a real issue, and you need to be prepared to clean them properly if you want them to last. Would I recommend them? If you’re serious about water purification, then yeah, definitely. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty, literally!

That’s it for this project. It was a wild ride, and I learned a ton. Stay tuned for more adventures in my next post!