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The need for a good quality water in the Canary Islands was, and continues to be, the driving force for the use of reverse osmosis to desalinate brackish water and seawater for irrigation and potable use. A number of case histories are presented which show the development of the use of reverse osmosis, from the small plants built 25 years ago in the early 1970s to current-day use. The case histories show not only the increase in use of reverse osmosis but also plot the development of the performance of the available membranes. The case studies show the importance of bringing previous experience to the design and direct technical support to the customer by the membrane supplier in order to ensure satisfactory long-term stable system performance.

The case histories presented show the development of both the brackish water and seawater membranes and illustrate the many improvements made in membrane performance Fig. 7. Flux vs. year for Fluid Systems’ TFC sea elements. in terms of increased flow and enhanced rejection. They demonstrate the successful use of this technology over a 25-year period. The Magnum® and Premium elements are superior products and, with the innovative designs, promise significant future benefits. The good operation confirms the importance of bringing field experience to the design and also the advantage of technical support direct to the customer from the membrane supplier in order to ensure satisfactory, long-term, stable system performance.