Analysis of the Effect of Inlet Pressure and Feed pH on Permeate Conductivity Stability in a Reverse Osmosis Unit at a Coal-Fired Power Plant
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The Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit in the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) of a coal-fired power plant plays a vital role in producing low-conductivity demineralized water for boiler feed. Permeate quality stability is strongly influenced by operating conditions, particularly inlet pressure and feed pH. This study evaluates the effects of inlet pressure and feed pH, both partially and simultaneously, on permeate conductivity as an indicator of RO performance stability. A quantitative approach was applied using industrial operational data obtained from the SCADA system and log sheets from 8 November 2025 to 30 January 2026. Twenty data points under normal operating conditions without cleaning in place (CIP) were analyzed over an inlet-pressure range of 0.57-0.65 MPa and a pH range of 8.32-8.83. Multiple linear regression and coefficient of variation (CV) analysis were used. The results show that inlet pressure significantly affects permeate conductivity (p-value < 0.05) with a positive regression coefficient. Feed pH also has a significant effect (p-value < 0.05), with a negative regression coefficient (−0.5456). Simultaneously, both variables have a significant effect, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 82.24%. These findings confirm that inlet pressure and feed pH are dominant parameters and should be jointly controlled to maintain stable permeate quality in industrial RO operation.
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Copyright © 2026 Andi Fajri Haryansyah, Sinardi
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