REMOVABLE SAMPLING DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT NON-DESTRUCTIVE AUTOPSIES IN SPIRAL MEMBRANES

Fouling of desalination membranes poses a serious problem for the water-treatment industry. In order to identify the level of membrane fouling, a device has been developed that permits the retrieval of significant membrane samples for analysis in a laboratory, without having to extract, transfer and sacrifice one or more membrane elements of the system. The distribution of the device at different points of an installation allows for preventative and corrective monitoring of the fouling. The device comprises a hollow plastic tube that is perforated around the outside, and which can be opened at both ends when being substituted for the inter-connector having an external outlet, or closed at one end when being substituted for an end-cap of the permeate collector, a polymeric membrane, a spacer and an impermeable plastic.