Comprehensive Analysis of Physico-Chemical and Biological Mechanisms of Reverse Osmosis Membrane Fouling with the Development and Optimization of Preventive Strategies to Enhance the Operational Stability of Membrane Systems

Аннотация

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical and biological mechanisms underlying reverse-osmosis membrane fouling, along with the development and optimization of preventive strategies to enhance the operational stability of membrane systems. The relevance of this research is determined by the growing freshwater scarcity and the rapid expansion of desalination capacities, where over 65% of produced water is obtained through reverse osmosis. The work aims to integrate classical and modern non-invasive fouling diagnosis methods—from SEM-EDS, ATR-FTIR, and XPS to optical coherence tomography and online ATP/BGP sensors—to delineate four primary foulant types and identify key intervention points at the early stages of deposit formation. The novelty of the study lies in the design and optimization of cascade preventive strategies that combine fine physicochemical pretreatment, targeted chemistry, and adaptive control of cleaning and reagent dosing protocols via machine-learning algorithms. The proposed closed-loop control model—from deep diagnostics to automatic adjustment of operating parameters—enables a substantial extension of the maintenance interval and a reduction in the total cost per cubic meter of treated water. Key results demonstrate that: Inorganic fouling can be effectively suppressed by antiscalants and pH regulation, preventing irreversible carbonate and sulfate deposit formation; Organic deposits and colloidal particles are most robustly removed by combining surfactant-enhanced cleaning and membrane-surface modification with hydrophilic coatings; Biofouling is controlled through two-stage biocide protocols triggered by early signals from ATP sensors, which reduces cleaning costs and downtime to a critical minimum. Online monitoring of hydraulic and biological markers is integrated with trainable algorithms that flexibly adapt flow parameters and chemical protection in real-time. This article will appeal to specialists in membrane technology and desalination, as well as researchers and developers of reverse osmosis systems and preventive water quality management strategies.