Dow Membrane Filters SW30HRLE-400 Seawater Reverse Osmosis Membrane Element

Dow membrane filters SW30HRLE-400 is a premium 8-inch seawater reverse osmosis element engineered for medium and high salinity desalination projects, widely installed inside FRP pressure vessels matched with PFTM11UNF high flow filter cartridge, and relies on 3M High-flow water filter cartridge to complete front-end security filtration protection. This SW30HRLE-400 thin-film composite polyamide membrane achieves stabilized 99.8% salt rejection and 92% boron rejection, producing qualified drinking water that complies with WHO standards. Balancing high permeate flux and low operating pressure demand, it effectively cuts energy consumption for large-scale seawater desalination systems. With wide pH tolerance for chemical cleaning and optional dry-type packaging, Dow SW30HRLE-400 brings stable long-term operation performance for municipal water plants, offshore platforms and industrial desalination facilities.

Product Description

Dow membrane filters SW30HRLE-400, officially FilmTec™ SW30HRLE-400 seawater reverse osmosis element, is a spiral-wound 8×40 inch RO membrane designed for seawater and high-salinity brackish water treatment. The membrane adopts advanced cross-linked fully aromatic polyamide thin film composite material, with 400 sq.ft (37 ㎡) effective membrane area and 28mil feed spacer. Nominal permeate flow reaches 7500 GPD (28 m³/d) under standard test conditions.

As a flagship seawater RO model, SW30HRLE-400 solves two core pain points of traditional desalination equipment: insufficient boron removal and excessive energy consumption. Many coastal desalination stations choose this element for single-pass seawater desalination, avoiding complicated two-stage membrane layout and lowering overall project investment. Two supply forms are available: dry membrane and wet-preserved membrane. Dry-type elements eliminate storage expiration troubles, greatly simplifying global transportation and inventory management for engineering contractors.

The normal operation of SW30HRLE-400 depends on complete pretreatment systems. After multi-media filtration, activated carbon filtration, security filter elements intercept fine particles to control inlet SDI below 5. Preventing particulate fouling and oxidative damage is critical to extend membrane service life. This membrane element is compatible with internally staged design (ISD) seawater systems, and can be combined with other FilmTec seawater membrane models to optimize system recovery rate and effluent quality. Widely applied in coastal municipal drinking water desalination, offshore oil platform water making, island water supply and industrial high-salinity wastewater concentration treatment.

Working Principle

Dow membrane filters SW30HRLE-400 operates based on the pressure-driven reverse osmosis separation principle. High-salinity seawater is transported by high-pressure pumps and flows along the surface of polyamide membrane sheet. Under 650–800 psi operating pressure, water molecules penetrate the membrane barrier, forming clean permeate collected through the central permeate tube. Salt ions, boron compounds, organic pollutants and suspended solids are intercepted on the feed side and discharged along with concentrated brine.

The 28mil thick feed spacer optimizes flow turbulence, reduces particle deposition and slows down membrane surface fouling. During continuous operation, contaminants gradually accumulate on the membrane surface, leading to rising system pressure difference and declining water yield. Operators can perform regular chemical cleaning within the pH range of 1–13 to restore flux. It is strictly forbidden to expose the membrane to free chlorine above 0.1ppm, otherwise irreversible oxidation damage will occur to the polyamide separation layer. Reasonable pretreatment and regular maintenance can help SW30HRLE-400 maintain stable separation performance for 3–5 years.

Technical Features

• 1. High-standard separation performance:

• stabilized salt rejection 99.8%, stabilized boron rejection 92%, meets strict drinking water requirements.

• Large effective membrane area of 400 sq.ft, high single-element water production capacity, reducing the required quantity of membrane elements.

• Optimized low-energy membrane formula, lower operating pressure reduces power consumption of high-pressure pumps.

• 28mil thick feed spacer, improves flow distribution and alleviates surface particulate fouling.

• 2. Wide pH operating window:

• continuous operation pH 2–11; short-term cleaning pH 1–13, excellent cleanability.

• Maximum allowable operating temperature up to 45°C, adaptable to tropical coastal seawater environments.

• 3. Two optional packaging modes:

• dry membrane and wet membrane, flexible for different global transportation plans.

• Standard 8-inch spiral wound structure, fully interchangeable with mainstream 8-inch seawater RO pressure vessels.

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• Product Advantages

• 1. Excellent boron interception capability:

• Supports single-pass seawater desalination to reach drinking water standards, saves investment of secondary RO system.

• 2. Low overall operation cost:

• Balanced flux and pressure demand effectively cut long-term power consumption of desalination plants.

• 3. Reliable long-term stability:

• Automated precision manufacturing reduces performance deviation between different elements, stable performance within service cycle.

• 4. Flexible inventory management:

• Dry-type membrane without preservation solution, no storage expiry risk, convenient for overseas project stocking.

• 5. Strong anti-fouling structure:

• Optimized membrane leaf layout and feed spacer slow down pollutant accumulation.

• 6. Wide adaptability:

• Suitable for natural seawater, high-salinity brackish water and concentrated industrial brine treatment.

• 7. Mature after-sales technical support:

• Complete system design guidelines, cleaning schemes and operation manuals available.

• 8. Good system compatibility:

• Supports single-stage, two-stage and internal staged seawater desalination process layout.

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• Application Fields

• 1. Municipal engineering:

• Coastal city seawater desalination plants, island drinking water supply projects.

• 2. Offshore industry:

• Offshore oil & gas platforms, marine mining equipment water production systems.

• 3. Tourism & island construction:

• Resort island, remote island resident domestic water preparation.

• 4. Industrial water treatment:

• High-salinity wastewater concentration, industrial brine resource recovery.

• 5. Aquaculture industry:

• Seawater purification and salinity adjustment for marine breeding bases.

• 6. Desalination equipment manufacturers:

• Standard configuration for large and medium-sized seawater RO skid-mounted systems.

• 7. Emergency water supply:

• Mobile seawater desalination vehicle for coastal disaster rescue.

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• FAQ

Q1: What are the differences between SW30HRLE-400 dry membrane and wet membrane?

A1: Dry membrane does not contain preservative liquid, no storage expiration limit, lighter and easier for long-distance shipping. Wet membrane is soaked in preservation solution, suitable for short-term domestic use. Both maintain consistent separation performance after installation.

Q2: What is the recommended pretreatment index for SW30HRLE-400?

A2: Feed water SDI ≤5, free chlorine concentration below 0.1ppm, temperature controlled within 5–45°C. Excessive particulate matter and oxidants will cause permanent membrane damage.

Q3: Can SW30HRLE-400 be used for brackish water desalination?

A3: It is mainly developed for seawater with salinity above 30000ppm. For low-salinity brackish water, BW series brackish water RO membrane elements have better cost performance.

Q4: How long is the service life of SW30HRLE-400 seawater membrane?

A4: Under qualified pretreatment and standardized operation, the service life can reach 3–5 years. Poor pretreatment and irregular cleaning will obviously shorten service cycle.

Q5: What cleaning chemicals are suitable for SW30HRLE-400?

A5: Acidic cleaning agent removes inorganic scaling; alkaline cleaning agent eliminates organic pollution. Avoid strong oxidants such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide without professional guidance. Please follow the official cleaning technical manual.

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