NeoPermIon permeate cabinet system – 230 l/h incl. Aqua-Stop, sensor and drip trays

Permeate - the most important areas of application

In water treatment, permeate refers to the filtered or purified water that has passed through a membrane. It is the “end product” of processes such as reverse osmosis, nanofiltration or ultrafiltration.

Permeate is free of larger particles, dissolved salts, microorganisms or other impurities (depending on the filter type). The opposite of permeate is the concentrate (or retentate): the retained, “depleted” water with the separated substances.

Typical areas of application in which permeate water is required are drinking water treatment, industrial processes (e.g. for boiler feed water), the food industry and pharmaceutical production.

Permeate is therefore required in many areas where high-purity or specifically treated water is required.

The areas of application for permeate are described below:

1. Drinking water treatment

• Removal of salts, germs, heavy metals or pollutants
• Use in seawater desalination or well water treatment

2. food and beverage industry

• Production of beverages (e.g. table water)
• Milk processing (e.g. for lactose or protein fractionation)

3. Pharmaceutical industry

• Production of ultrapure water for medicines or infusion solutions
• Use in cleaning processes (CIP/SIP)

4. electronics and semiconductor industry
   • Production of ultrapure water for wafer cleaning and production

5. Power plants and industrial facilities

• Feed water for steam generators and boiler systems
• Corrosion protection and reduction of deposits

6. Aquaristics and laboratory technology

• Pure water for sensitive organisms or analytical processes

But what is the difference between permeate and demineralized water?

The difference between permeate and demineralized water (fully demineralized water) lies in the purity and the type of treatment:

Permeate

• Origin: Result of membrane filtration (e.g. reverse osmosis)
• Purity: Highly reduced in salts and organic compounds, but usually not 100% salt-free
• Conductivity: Typically 10-50 µS/cm (depending on precursor and quality)
• Use: Pre-treatment for demineralized water, process water, drinking water treatment

Demineralized water (fully demineralized water)

- Origin: Treatment using ion exchangers, often downstream of reverse osmosis

- Purity: Almost completely salt-free

- Conductivity: < 1 µS/cm (often even < 0.1 µS/cm)

- Application: Boiler feed water, pharmaceuticals, electronics, laboratory

Permeate can therefore no longer be used if it no longer meets the quality requirements of the respective area of application. Typical reasons why permeate becomes unsuitable are

1. too high conductivity

• Indication of increased salt content or leaks in the membrane
• Critical e.g. in semiconductor, pharmaceutical or steam production

2. Microbiological contamination

• Biofilm formation in pipes or tank systems
• Problematic in hygienically sensitive processes (pharmaceuticals, food)

3. Organic or chemical contamination

• Redissolution due to poor materials or chemical reactions
• Limit of use reached in laboratory, analysis or medical technology

4. Membrane ageing or defect

• Decreasing retention rate → permeate becomes too “permeable”
• Typical with old or improperly operated systems

5. Demineralized water or ultrapure water requirements

• Permeate is not sufficient for processes that require fully demineralized or ultra-pure water

In such cases, the permeate is discarded if it cannot be post-treated or is post-treated (e.g. with mixed-bed ion exchangers, UV, final filtration). The post-treated permeate then becomes demineralized water.

The table below shows a comparison of permeate and demineralized water (fully demineralized water):

Permeate is therefore the central product of membrane filtration - i.e. the purified water that fulfills essential quality requirements for many applications. Here is a summary of the main reasons for its importance:

1. Aim of water treatment

• The main aim of many treatment processes is to produce permeate of a defined quality.
• It forms the basis for downstream processes or direct consumption (e.g. drinking water, process water).

2. High purity - but cost-efficient

• Permeate contains significantly fewer dissolved substances, germs and organic contamination.
• It can be produced at a lower energy cost than fully demineralized water with chemical regeneration.

3. Flexible in use

• Permeate can be used directly or processed further (e.g. into demineralized water).
• Ideal as base water for many industries: Food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy.

4. Conserves resources

• Reverse osmosis and related processes reduce chemical consumption (e.g. no regeneration agents as with ion exchangers).
• Enables sustainable concepts such as recirculation and water recycling.

5. quality can be controlled

• The quality of permeate can be easily monitored via conductivity, TOC or bacterial counts.
• Quick intervention possible in the event of process deviations.

Together, we are responsible for the responsible use of the resources required for the process. The water used in the water treatment process is one of the scarcest resources available to us.

By recovering and reusing water, Permeat makes a significant contribution to conserving natural resources and reducing environmental pollution.

For this reason, the conservation of resources through the use of permeate is examined in detail below.

• Reuse of water: Permeate is the purified water that remains after a filtration process (e.g. reverse osmosis). It can be reused - e.g. for technical processes, cooling or even drinking water - which means less fresh water is required.
• Reduction of waste water: By recovering water as permeate, less waste water is produced, which is good for the environment and reduces disposal costs.
• Energy efficiency: Modern membrane processes for permeate production are often more energy efficient than other treatment processes, which reduces the consumption of energy resources.
• Sustainable use of raw materials: The use of permeate helps to use natural water resources more sparingly and in a more targeted manner.

In conclusion, it can be said that permeate is a key component of innovative membrane processes in water treatment and makes a significant contribution to increasing efficiency and conserving resources.

Permeate helps to treat water in a modern and environmentally friendly way - an important step towards a sustainable future.