RO membrane model naming rules

Simplify product selection

Understanding the naming conventions of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is the key to quickly screening products that meet your needs. RO membrane models usually include core parameters such as size, flow rate, and desalination rate, which are presented through specific coding rules. For example, in a certain brand model SW400-8040, "8040" means that the membrane element is 8 inches in diameter and 40 inches in length, while the "400" in "SW400" may represent a standard water production of 400 GPD (gallons per day). If the user needs a system with a daily processing capacity of 500 gallons, you can directly filter models with "500" or higher in the name without having to check the technical manual one by one.

The following table shows the correspondence between common model parameters and naming conventions:

By interpreting these codes, users can quickly narrow down their choices and avoid blindly comparing hundreds of models. For example, if a food processing plant needs to treat high-hardness groundwater, it can directly screen models with "BW" (brackish water membrane) in the name and a desalination rate marked ≥99%, shortening the screening time from several hours to 10 minutes.

Ensure product compatibility

The compatibility of RO membranes directly affects the operating efficiency of the system. The size codes in the naming rules (such as 8040, 4040) are directly related to the membrane shell specifications. If the diameter or length of the model is not matched, it may cause seal failure or uneven water flow distribution. For example, in one case, a factory mistakenly installed a 4040 membrane (4-inch diameter) into an 8040 membrane shell (8-inch diameter), resulting in interface leakage, insufficient system pressure, and direct losses of more than $50,000.

In addition, the performance parameter codes in the naming (such as "HR" for high rejection rate and "FR" for anti-fouling) determine the matching degree between the membrane and the water quality conditions. For example, a seawater desalination project used ordinary brackish water membranes (BW series) to treat seawater with TDS ≥ 35,000 ppm. Due to insufficient rejection rate (only 98%), the conductivity of the produced water exceeded the standard, and an additional secondary treatment unit was required, which increased the cost by 30%. The correct selection of SW (seawater) series membranes (rejection rate ≥ 99.8%) can avoid such problems.

Facilitate communication with suppliers

When communicating with suppliers, accurate model descriptions can significantly improve efficiency. For example, directly stating that "BW30-4040" is needed instead of vaguely describing "4-inch membrane for brackish water" can avoid the risk of mis-delivery due to ambiguous specifications. A water company once verbally requested a "high-flow 8-inch membrane", and the supplier mistakenly sent a standard flow model (such as SW400-8040), while the actual requirement should be a high-flow version (SW400H-8040), resulting in water production less than 20% of the expected amount and a two-week delay in the project.

In addition, brand-specific identifiers in the naming rules (such as Dow TMG series, Hydra Energy PROC10 series) can help suppliers quickly lock in the corresponding products in the spare parts library. For example, in an emergency repair case, the engineer provided the complete model PROC20-400, and the supplier completed the transfer within 15 minutes, while only providing "20 square meters of effective area membrane" required an additional 48 hours of technical confirmation.

Membrane size indication

The size code in the RO membrane model is the core basis for selection, and is usually presented in the combination of "diameter × length". The general industry rules are:

• The first two digits represent the diameter of the membrane element (in inches), for example, "40" means 4 inches (about 101.6 mm), "80" means 8 inches (about 203.2 mm);
• The last two digits represent the length of the membrane element (in inches), for example, "40" means 40 inches (about 1,016 mm), "60" means 60 inches (about 1,524 mm).

The following is a comparison table of common size codes and physical specifications:

Case analysis: In a certain model SW8040-800, "8040" means a diameter of 8 inches and a length of 40 inches, which is suitable for a seawater desalination system with a daily processing capacity of 800 gallons (about 3,028 liters). If the user mistakenly selects a "4040" membrane (4-inch diameter), the membrane shell will not match, and the pipeline layout needs to be redesigned, which will increase the cost by about 30%.

Flow rate and capacity representation

Flow and capacity parameters are directly related to system efficiency and are usually marked with "GPD (gallons per day)" or "m³/d (cubic meters per day)" in the naming convention:

• Conversion between GPD and m³/d: 1 m³/d ≈ 264.17 GPD;
• Flow rate identification in the name: For example, the "400" in the model BW30-400 means that the water output under standard test conditions is 400 GPD (about 1.51 m³/d);
• Influence of pressure parameters: Some models will mark the operating pressure (such as the "400" in TMG20-400 represents the design pressure of 400 psi), and high-pressure models (such as XLE-400) can increase the flow rate by 20%-30%.

Flow classification example:

Case: A beverage plant needs to process 1,500 gallons (about 5.68 m³) of process water per day. The SW1500-8040 model is selected, and its nominal flow rate of 1,500 GPD can meet the demand. If the 800 GPD model is mistakenly selected, two sets of equipment will need to be connected in parallel, and the initial investment will increase by 45%.

Performance parameter encoding

Performance parameter coding is the core of distinguishing RO membrane technology levels, mainly including:

(1) Salt Rejection Rate:

• Basic type: marked as "98%" or "99%" (such as BW30-400);
• High performance type: marked with "HR" (High Rejection), with a salt rejection rate ≥ 99.5% (such as BW30HR-440);
• Desalination type: starting with "SW" (Seawater), with a salt rejection rate ≥ 99.8% (such as SW400-8040).

(2)Anti-fouling properties：

• FR (Fouling Resistant): Anti-fouling membrane, suitable for high turbidity water sources (such as TMG20-FR400);
• LC (Low Cleaning Frequency): Reduce the number of chemical cleaning times and reduce operation and maintenance costs (such as PROC10-LC300).

(3)Energy consumption label:

• LE (Low Energy): Low energy consumption design, working pressure reduced by 10%-15% (such as BW30LE-400);
• XR (Extra Recovery): High recovery rate model, reducing wastewater discharge (such as SW800XR-8040).

Performance parameter comparison table:

Technology trends: In recent years, some brands have added the AI ​​logo to their model numbers (such as XLE-AI500), indicating that an integrated intelligent algorithm optimizes membrane flux and can dynamically adjust operating parameters, reducing energy consumption by another 8%-12%.

Analysis of Vontron's Naming System

As a leading company with a market share of over 35% in China's reverse osmosis membrane market, Times Vontron adopts a three-stage naming logic of "technology generation + application field + flow enhancement".:

(1)Prefix ID：

• VON-S: Seawater desalination series (Seawater)
• VON-B: Brackish water series (Brackish Water)
• VON-U: Ultrapure water series (Ultrapure)

(2)Technology generation: The membrane technology iteration is indicated by numbers, e.g.：

• 70: Seventh generation anti-pollution composite membrane
• 80: Eighth generation high desalination rate membrane

(3)Flow/Size Identification：

• Flow unit: GPD (gallons per day) or LMH (liters per square meter per hour)
• Size code: Use general standards such as "8040" and "4040"

(4)Special suffixes：

• HR: High Rejection
• PRO: Professional Fouling Resistance
• ECO: Eco-friendly

Typical model：

Practical cases:

• Successful application: A coastal nuclear power plant used VON-S80-800-8040HR to treat seawater (TDS 42,000 ppm), the system recovery rate increased to 50%, and the annual operation and maintenance cost decreased by 18%;
• Lessons from misselection: A pharmaceutical factory mistakenly used ordinary brackish water membrane (VON-B70-440) for ultrapure water preparation. Due to insufficient ion retention rate (98.5% vs. the requirement ≥99.3%), the product conductivity exceeded the standard, resulting in a loss of batch value of 1.2 million yuan.

Huamo brand naming features

**Huamo** adopts a composite coding system of "technical identification + flow + size", and the rules are as follows:

(1)Prefix identification：

• HM-SW: Seawater desalination membrane
• HM-BW: Brackish water membrane
• HM-FR：HM-FR: Fouling Resistant membrane

(2)Middle number：represents the standard water production (GPD), for example, "800" represents 800 gallons per day;

(3)Suffix size：Use the industry's common code (such as 8040 = 8 inches in diameter × 40 inches in length);

(4)Special suffixes：

• -HP: HP: High Pressure Model
• -LE: Low energy version

Typical Model：

Application case: An island resort uses HM-SW800-8040 to treat seawater (TDS 38,000 ppm), and the water production rate is stable at 45%. When the brackish water membrane (HM-BW440-4040) is used incorrectly, the desalination rate is only 98.5%, resulting in frequent scaling of the reverse osmosis system.

Differentiation positioning: Huamo focuses on small and medium-sized industrial scenarios and emphasizes cost advantages. The price of its model HM-BW300-4040 is 15%-20% lower than that of the same-level Vontron membrane, but the life cycle is shortened by about 30%.

Xiongjin brand naming characteristics

**Xiongjin**'s naming rules are centered on "application scenarios + algebra + performance enhancement":

(1)First letter classification：

• XJ-I：Industrial
• XJ-C：Commercial
• XJ-M：Municipal

(2)Generational identification: A number represents a technology iteration (e.g. "30" represents the third generation of membrane technology);

(3)Performance-enhancing code：

• HR：High Rejection
• XF：High Flux
• EC：Energy Conservation

Typical Model：

Failure case: A chemical plant mistakenly used a municipal-grade membrane (XJ-M40EC-8060) for high-COD wastewater treatment. Due to the lack of anti-pollution design, the membrane life was shortened from 5 years to 1.5 years, and the replacement cost exceeded US$120,000.

HatChee brand naming system

**HatChee** adopts the naming logic of "brand abbreviation + membrane area + exclusive technology":

(1)Fixed prefix: All models start with "HC-";

(2)Membrane area identification: in square meters (m²), for example, "20" represents 20 m² effective area;

(3)Technical code：

• PRO: High desalination rate series (Premium Rejection)
• Nano: Nano coating anti-pollution technology
• Flex: Flexible adaptation to multiple specifications of membrane shells

Typical Model：

Successful case: A shipbuilding company replaced traditional membrane elements with HC-Flex25. Due to the compatible design of Flex technology, it saved 15% of the membrane shell modification costs.

Comparison: Haiqi HC-Nano15 is superior to Times Vontron in the field of oily wastewater treatment. Its nano-coating technology extends the membrane life by 40%, but the desalination rate (98.8%) is lower than that of Vontron's same-level products (99.3%).

A comparison of the naming rules of the four major Chinese RO membrane brands

Determine required membrane size

The selection of reverse osmosis membrane size requires comprehensive consideration of three factors: water volume, equipment space limitations, and operating costs. The following are the analysis steps and practical cases:

Step 1: Calculate daily processing capacity

Determine the total water output of the membrane element according to system requirements.：

• A hotel uses 2,000 gallons (about 7.57 m³) of water per day. If a single membrane produces 400 GPD, five membranes need to be installed (2,000 ÷ 400 = 5);
• If a high-flow model (such as VON-B70-800-8040, with a water production of 800 GPD) is selected, only three membranes are needed, and the equipment footprint is reduced by 40%.

Step 2: Match the physical dimensions

Confirm the diameter and length by the code in the model number (such as 8040, 4040)：

Failure case: A beverage plant mistakenly selected 4040 membrane (4-inch diameter) during expansion, but the original system was designed based on 8040 membrane, resulting in the complete replacement of the membrane shell and pipelines, with a cost of more than $50,000.

Step 3: Verify pressure compatibility

High flow models (such as XJ-I30HR-8060) may require higher operating pressure (≥800 psi), and the pressure bearing capacity of the pump and pipe valves needs to be checked.

Identify suitable performance parameters

The selection of performance parameters must be strictly linked to the inlet water quality and the output water standard. The following is the key parameter analysis method：

Salt Rejection

Case: The ultrapure water system of an electronics factory requires the produced water conductivity to be ≤0.1 μS/cm. It is necessary to select VON-U85-100LMH with a desalination rate of ≥99.3% instead of an ordinary brackish water membrane (desalination rate 99%).

Anti-pollution level

Match water quality through codes such as FR (anti-fouling) and Nano (nano coating) in the model number：

Energy consumption and recovery rate

The ECO (energy saving) and XR (high recovery rate) in the model directly affect the operating cost.：

• ECO models (such as HM-BW300-4040ECO) can reduce power consumption by 20%, but the water output decreases by 10%;
• XR models (such as VON-S80-800XR) increase the system recovery rate from 40% to 55%, reducing wastewater discharge.

Consider brand-specific naming elements

The naming rules of different brands imply technical advantages and applicable scenarios, which need to be decoded in a targeted manner：

(1)Vontron

• Technology generation identification: The larger the number, the newer the membrane technology (such as VON-B70 is the seventh generation, VON-B80 is the eighth generation);
• Flow unit difference: BrThe ackish water series uses GPD, and the ultrapure water series uses LMH (liters/square meter·hour).

(2)Huamo

• Cost-oriented coding: Omit the technology generation identification and directly mark the flow rate (such as HM-BW300-4040);
• High-pressure model: The suffix HP represents a pressure of ≥600 psi, suitable for deep well water treatment.

(3)Xiongjin

• Precise scene matching: The prefixes XJ-I (industrial) and XJ-M (municipal) directly correspond to the application fields;
• Generation and performance association: "30" in XJ-I30HR represents the third-generation membrane technology, and "HR" stands for high desalination rate.

(4)HatChee

• Membrane area priority: The model directly indicates the effective area (such as 20 m² for HC-PRO20) rather than the water production;
• Compatibility design: The Flex series (such as HC-Flex25) allows a dimensional tolerance of ±5% to adapt to non-standard equipment.

Comprehensive Selection Tool Sheet

Practical Exercise: Complete Analysis from Requirements to Models

Case background: A chemical plant needs to treat wastewater containing heavy metals (TDS 8,000 ppm, COD 300 mg/L), with a daily processing capacity of 1,200 gallons. The budget is limited and the membrane life is required to be ≥ 3 years.

Selection process:

(1) Size determination: Daily processing capacity 1,200 GPD ÷ single membrane 400 GPD = 3 membranes required → Select 8040 size (single membrane has high flux, reducing the number of membranes);

(2) Performance parameters:

• Desalination rate ≥ 99.5% (due to high TDS) → select HR or PRO code;
• Anti-COD pollution → select FR or Nano technology;

(3) Brand comparison:

• VON-B70-440PRO-8040 (about $320/piece, lifespan 4 years);
• HM-BW400-8040FR (about $240/piece, lifespan 3 years);
• XJ-I30HR-8040 (about $280/piece, lifespan 3.5 years);

(4) Decision result: The Huamo model is selected because budget constraints are prioritized and the life span meets the minimum requirements.

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