The principle phenomena limiting the recovery of full-scale membrane desalination
processes is scaling by sparingly soluble salts in the feed, resulting in permeate water flux
decline. Laboratory scale testing was performed to assess the scaling potential of Alamo River
water subjected to desalination by reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes. The permeate
disposal technique was used to establish the performance limiting concentration factor (CF), which is the principle
scale-up factor between lab- and full-scale reverse osmosis (RO)/nanofiltration (NF) desalination performances. Experimental
studies with drainage water samples and model solutions showed high scaling potential of Alamo
River water. High carbonate ion concentration resulted in calcium carbonate bulk
crystallization, and dramatic water recovery decrease. Includes 13 references, table, figures.