What is the difference between reverse osmosis equipment and ultrafiltration equipment？

In water treatment, reverse osmosis equipment (RO) and ultrafiltration equipment (UF) are two common membrane separation technologies, used in fields such as water treatment and wastewater treatment, so what is the difference between them? They have some differences in terms of membrane pore size, scope of application and working principle:

Reverse osmosis equipment (RO):

▪Membrane pore size:

The pore size of the RO membrane is very small, usually around 0.0001 microns, which can effectively block most ions, macromolecular organic substances, and bacteria and other microorganisms, achieving a high degree of deionization and desalination.

▪Scope of application:

RO is mainly used to desalinate seawater, treat high-salinity water sources (such as seawater desalination), and remove heavy metals, organic matter, microorganisms, etc. in water. It is widely used in drinking water, industrial water, electronics industry and other fields.

▪Working principle:

RO uses high pressure to drive water molecules through the RO membrane to remove solid particles such as salts, ions, and organic matter dissolved in the water to obtain pure water.

Ultrafiltration equipment (UF):

▪Membrane pore size:

The pore size of UF membrane is relatively large, usually between 0.01 and 0.1 microns, and can effectively intercept most macromolecular organic matter, colloids, microorganisms and particles.

▪Scope of application:

UF is mainly used to remove particles, colloids, macromolecular organic matter, bacteria, viruses, etc., and is widely used in drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, industrial wastewater recycling and other fields.

▪Working principle:

UF uses pressure to push water through the membrane, intercepting most particles, colloids, microorganisms, etc., while allowing water molecules to pass through to achieve the purpose of removing impurities.

Summary of differences:

1.Membrane pore size:

The membrane pore size of RO is smaller and can intercept smaller dissolved substances, while the membrane pore size of UF is relatively large and suitable for removing macromolecular substances and particles.

2.Scope of application:

RO is mainly used for high-level desalination and removal of tiny dissolved substances, while UF is mainly used for the removal of macromolecular substances and particles.

3. Application fields:

RO is widely used in drinking water, seawater desalination, industrial water, etc.; UF is widely used in wastewater treatment, drinking water purification, industrial wastewater recycling, etc.

4. Water output effect:

Generally speaking, water treated by reverse osmosis equipment can be drunk directly. Reverse osmosis devices are also widely used in tap water companies and pure water companies. Because the pore size of the treatment membrane is large, the water quality from the ultrafiltration equipment is not suitable for drinking directly. It needs further treatment by the RO system before it can be drunk.

When actually selecting reverse osmosis equipment or ultrafiltration, you also need to consider factors such as the characteristics of the water source, treatment requirements, equipment operation and maintenance costs, etc., and make decisions based on specific circumstances to ensure that the selected equipment can meet actual needs.