Troubleshoot RO Desalination Plant
Budget: $30 – $250 USD
I run a reverse-osmosis seawater desalination plant that has recently suffered a noticeable drop in permeate flow. The membranes, high-pressure pumps, and pre-treatment system are all in place and were producing to spec until a few weeks ago; now we are well below design output. I need a seasoned RO specialist who can zero-in on the root cause, propose corrective actions, and guide my on-site team through implementation.
Scope
• Focus strictly on operation & maintenance troubleshooting—design changes are not required at this stage.
• Primary symptom: reduced water output. Water quality and unexpected shutdowns are not major concerns right now, but insight on preventing those would be a welcome bonus.
What I’m looking for
• A step-by-step diagnostic plan that my technicians can follow (including recommended checks on membranes, pumps, pressures, flow meters, and instrumentation).
• Analysis of recent operating data (SCADA logs, feedwater chemistry reports, differential pressures) to pinpoint fouling, scaling, mechanical, or control issues.
• Clear recommendations for immediate corrective actions and any spares or chemicals we should have on hand.
• Remote walk-through session (video or phone) while we perform the checks.
• A concise final report summarizing findings, root cause, and actions taken, so our maintenance SOP can be updated.
Acceptance criteria
• Permeate flow restored to within 95 % of design capacity and shown stable over a 72-hour run.
• All proposed actions documented, with before/after operating parameters clearly indicated.
If you’ve solved similar low-output problems in SWRO or BWRO plants and are comfortable working with common RO software tools and controllers (e.g., Hydranautics IMSDesign, DOW ROSA, PLC-based SCADA), I’d like to hear how you would approach this and the timeline you’d need.
Scope
• Focus strictly on operation & maintenance troubleshooting—design changes are not required at this stage.
• Primary symptom: reduced water output. Water quality and unexpected shutdowns are not major concerns right now, but insight on preventing those would be a welcome bonus.
What I’m looking for
• A step-by-step diagnostic plan that my technicians can follow (including recommended checks on membranes, pumps, pressures, flow meters, and instrumentation).
• Analysis of recent operating data (SCADA logs, feedwater chemistry reports, differential pressures) to pinpoint fouling, scaling, mechanical, or control issues.
• Clear recommendations for immediate corrective actions and any spares or chemicals we should have on hand.
• Remote walk-through session (video or phone) while we perform the checks.
• A concise final report summarizing findings, root cause, and actions taken, so our maintenance SOP can be updated.
Acceptance criteria
• Permeate flow restored to within 95 % of design capacity and shown stable over a 72-hour run.
• All proposed actions documented, with before/after operating parameters clearly indicated.
If you’ve solved similar low-output problems in SWRO or BWRO plants and are comfortable working with common RO software tools and controllers (e.g., Hydranautics IMSDesign, DOW ROSA, PLC-based SCADA), I’d like to hear how you would approach this and the timeline you’d need.