TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Reverse Osmosis Monitoring & Troubleshooting
Training Level: Advanced

To test your proficiency on the topics covered in this seminar, 20 questions are provided. The questions cover the major concepts participants learn in this seminar.

Membrane Performance Monitoring

1. Which of the following parameters is(are) required to monitor Normalized Permeate Flow?

a. Feed water temperature

b. Feed water pressure

c. Feed water TDS (based on conductivity)

d. Permeate flow

e. Permeate pressure

f. Concentrate flow

g. Concentrate pressure

h. Concentrate TDS (calculated)

i. All except a.

j. All except c.

k. All except e.

l. All except f.

2. Which of the following parameters is(are) required to monitor Salt Rejection/Salt Passage?

a. Feed water temperature

b. Feed water pressure

c. Feed water TDS (based on conductivity)

d. Permeate flow

e. Permeate pressure

f. Permeate TDS (based on conductivity)

g. a., b., c. & f.

h. c. & f.

i. All are required

3. Which of the following should be monitored regularly on RO permeate?

a. ORP

b. SDI

c. Sulfite

d. Both a. & b.

e. Both b. & c.

f. None of the above

g. a., b., & c.

4. Which of the following should be monitored regularly on RO concentrate?

a. ORP

b. SDI

c. Total chlorine

d. Both a. & b.

e. Both b. & c.

f. None of the above

g. a., b., & c.

Figure 1

5. Use Figure 1:  Given that the feed water to this RO unit is well water with no chlorination, acid injection or scale inhibitor injection, how many more instruments are required to properly monitor this RO unit?

a. 0

b. 1

c. 2

d. 3

e. 4

f. 5

Figure 2

Profiling & Probing

6. Use Figure 2:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen today?

a. Chemical attack by chlorine

b. Scaling

c. Biofouling

d. O-ring leak(s)

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 3

7. Use Figure 3:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following alone (no other problem) could cause the performance seen today?

a. Chemical attack by chlorine

b. Scaling

c. Biofouling

d. O-ring leak(s)

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 4

8. Use Figure 4:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following alone (no other problem) could cause the performance seen today?

a. Chemical attack by chlorine

b. Scaling

c. Biofouling

d. O-ring leak(s)

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 5

9. Use Figure 5:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Blown element glue line

b. Rolled brine seal

c. Leaking end cap adaptor o-ring

d. Bad reading

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 6

10. Use Figure 6:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Blown element glue line

b. Cut membrane

c. Leaking end cap adaptor o-ring

d. Bad reading

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 7

Performance Trends

11. Use Figure 7:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Chemical attack by chlorine

b. O-ring leak(s)

c. Scaling

d. Biofouling

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.
g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 8

12. Use Figure 8:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Chemical attack by chlorine

b. O-ring leak(s)

c. Scaling

d. Biofouling

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 9

13. Use Figure 9:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Upstream softener breakthrough

b. Upstream well casing break (sand intrusion)

c. Upstream multimedia filter underdrain break

d. Acid injection pump breaks

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 10

14. Use Figure 10:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Upstream softener breakthrough

b. Upstream well casing break

c. Upstream multimedia filter underdrain break

d. Improper chemical cleaning

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Figure 11

15. Use Figure 11:  Referring to the illustration, which of the following could cause the performance seen? NOTE: Feed water characteristics and operating flow rates constant.

a. Moderate to severe scaling with calcium carbonate

b. Moderate to severe scaling with calcium sulfate

c. Moderate to severe dissolved organic fouling

d. Moderate to severe chemical attack by chlorine

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

Pretreatment Performance Monitoring

16. The pretreatment scheme is:
       Multimedia Filtration – Activated Carbon Filtration – Scale Inhibitor Injection – Acid Injection – Cartridge Filtration

The SDI of the activated carbon filter (ACF) influent is 2-3. The SDI of the ACF effluent is 5-6. Which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Chlorine attack of the SDI pad

b. Multimedia filter’s underdrain is broken

c. ACF’s underdrain system is broken

d. ACF shedding bacteria

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

17. The pretreatment scheme is:
       Multimedia Filtration – Ion Exchange Softening – Sodium Bisulfite Injection – Cartridge Filtration

The SDI of the cartridge filter (CF) influent is 2-3. The SDI of the CF effluent is 5-6. Which of the following could cause the performance seen?

a. Chlorine attack of the SDI pad

b. Multimedia filter’s underdrain is broken

c. CF’s underdrain system is broken

d. CF shedding bacteria

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

18. The pretreatment scheme is:
       Multimedia Filtration – Ion Exchange Softening – Activated Carbon Filtration – Cartridge Filtration

The Normalized Permeate Flow for the RO unit dropped over the weekend. The first stage DP stayed the same but the second stage DP rose.
Which of the following could cause this?

a. Multimedia filter malfunction

b. Softener malfunction

c. ACF malfunction

d. Cartridge filter malfunction

e. a. & b.

f. a. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

19. The pretreatment scheme for a well water is:
       Scale Inhibitor Injection – Acid Injection – Cartridge Filtration

The Normalized Permeate Flow for the RO unit dropped over the weekend. The first stage DP rose but the second stage DP stayed the same.
Which of the following could cause this?

a. Scale inhibitor pump failure

b. Acid injection pump failure

c. Cartridge filtration malfunction

d. Well casing break introduces sand

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above

20. The pretreatment scheme for a well water is:
       Scale Inhibitor Injection – Acid Injection – Cartridge Filtration

The Normalized Permeate Flow for the RO unit rose sharply over the weekend. No abnormal particles were observed on the cartridge filters or the face of the lead elements. The first stage and second stage DPs stayed the same. Which of the following could cause this?

a. Scale inhibitor pump failure

b. Acid injection pump failure

c. Cartridge filtration malfunction

d. Well casing break introduces sand

e. a. & b.

f. c. & d.

g. All (a. – d.)

h. None of the above