An American National Standard

Designation: D 4582 – 05

Standard Practice for

Calculation and Adjustment of the Stiff and Davis Stability
Index for Reverse Osmosis 1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4582; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This practice covers the calculation and adjustment of 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in the prac-
the Stiff and Davis Stability Index (S & DSI) for the concen- tice, refer to Terminology D 1129 and D 6161.
trate stream of a reverse osmosis device. This index is used to 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
determine the need for calcium carbonate scale control in the 3.2.1 For description of terms relating to reverse osmosis,
operation and design of reverse osmosis installations. This refer to Test Methods D 4194.
practice is applicable for concentrate streams containing more 3.2.2 Stiff and Davis Stability Index (S & DSI) 4—an index
than 10 000 mg/L of total dissolved solids. For concentrate calculated from total dissolved solids, calcium concentration,
streams containing less than 10 000 mg/L of total dissolved total alkalinity, pH, and solution temperature that shows the
solids, refer to Practice D 3739. tendency of a water solution to precipitate or dissolve calcium
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the carbonate.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 4. Summary of Practice
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 4.1 This practice consists of calculating the S & DSI index
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. for a reverse osmosis concentrate stream from the total
dissolved solids, calcium ion content, total alkalinity, pH, and
2. Referenced Documents temperature of the feed solution and the recovery of the reverse
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 osmosis system.

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D 511 Test Methods for Calcium and Magnesium in Water 4.2 This practice also presents techniques to lower the S &
D 1067 Test Methods for Acidity or Alkalinity of Water DSI by decreasing the recovery; decreasing the calcium and
D 1129 Terminology Relating to Water alkalinity concentrations; or by changing the ratio of total
D 1293 Test Methods for pH of Water alkalinity to free carbon dioxide in the feedwater.
D 1888 Test Methods for Particulate and Dissolved Matter
in Water3 5. Significance and Use
D 3739 Practice for Calculation and Adjustment of Lange- 5.1 In the design and operation of reverse osmosis installa-
lier Saturation Index for Reverse Osmosis tions, it is important to predict the calcium carbonate scaling
D 4194 Test Methods for Operating Characteristics of Re- properties of the concentrate stream. Because of the increase in
verse Osmosis and Nanofiltration Devices total dissolved solids in the concentrate stream and the differ-
D 4195 Guide for Water Analysis for Reverse Osmosis ences in salt passages for calcium ion, bicarbonate ion, and free
Application CO2, the calcium carbonate scaling properties of the concen-
D 6161 Terminology Used for Crossflow Microfiltration, trate stream will generally be quite different from those of the
Ultrafiltration, Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis Mem- feed solution. This practice permits the calculation of the S &
brane Processes DSI for the concentrate stream from the feed water analyses
and the reverse osmosis operating parameters.
1
5.2 A positive S & DSI indicates the tendency to form a
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D19 on Water and
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D19.08 on Membranes and Ion calcium carbonate scale, which can be damaging to reverse
Exchange Materials. osmosis performance. This practice gives procedures for the
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2005. Published January 2005. Originally adjustment of the S & DSI.
approved in 1986. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as D 4582 – 91 (2001).
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
4
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Stiff, H. A. and Davis, L. E., “A Method for Predicting the Tendency of Oil
the ASTM website. Field Waters to Deposit Calcium Carbonate,” Petroleum Transactions, Vol 195,
3
Withdrawn. 1952.
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 D 4582 – 05
6. Procedure where:
6.1 Determine the calcium concentration in the feed solu- Alkc = alkalinity in concentrate as CaCO3, mg/L,
tion in accordance with Test Methods D 511 and express as Alkf = alkalinity in feed as CaCO3, mg/L,
CaCO3 as demonstrated in section 6.6. y = recovery of the reverse osmosis system, ex-
6.2 Determine the total dissolved solids of the feed solution pressed as a decimal, and
using Test Methods D 1888. SPAlk = alkalinity passage, expressed as a decimal.
6.3 Determine the total alkalinity of the feed solution using NOTE 2—SPAlk may be dependent on the pH of the feed solution, and
Test Methods D 1067 and express as CaCO3. its value should be obtained from the supplier of the specific reverse
6.4 Measure the pH of the feed solution using Test Methods osmosis system.
D 1293. 7.3 Calculate the ionic strength of the feed stream by:
6.5 Measure the temperature of the feed solution.
If 5 1 / 2 ( miz2i (6)
6.6 Convert feed water alkalinity and calcium as mg/L
CaCO3. where:
100gCaCO3 1000mg 1eqCaCO3
12
If = ionic strength of the feed stream,
Caf 5 [Ca # 3 mol 3 g 3 (1) mi = molal concentration of ion, i (moles/1000 g of water)
1eqCa12
in the feed solution, and
100gCaCO3 1000mg 1eqCaCo3
Alkf 5 [HCO3–# 3 3 3 (2) zi = ionic charge of ion, i.
mol g 2eqHCO3–
To calculate If use at least all major ions: Ca + +, Mg + +,
where: Na +, K +, HCO 2 5
3 , SO 4 , and Cl .
−

7.4 Calculate the ion strength of the concentrate stream

where:
from the ionic strength of the feed solution, the recovery, and
Cac = calcium concentration in concentrate as CaCO3,
the total dissolved solids of the feed solution by:
mg/L,
Caf = calcium concentration in feed as CaCO3, mg/L,
Alkc = alkalinity in concentrate as CaCO3, mg/L, and
Alkf = alkalinity in feed as CaCO3, mg/L.
Ic 5 I f
F 10 6 2 TDSf

S D
1
10 6 2 ~TDSf! 1 2 y G F G
1
12y (7)

6.7 Measure the concentration of all major ions using the

methods cited in Guide D 4195. At a minimum, measure the
where:
concentration of Mg + +, Na +, K +, SO 5 −
4 , and Cl . Ic = ionic strength of the concentrate stream and
TDSf = total dissolved solids of the feed solution, mg/L.
7. Calculation 7.5 Calculate the pCa and pAlk from Fig. 1 or use Eq. 8 or
7.1 Calculate the calcium concentration in the concentrate 9:
stream from the calcium concentration in the feed solution, the pCa 5 –0.4343 3 Ln~Cac! 1 5 (8)
recovery of the reverse osmosis system, and the calcium ion
passage as follows:
pAlk 5 –0.45 3 Ln~Alkc! 1 4.8 (9)
Cac 5 Caf 3 12YS
1 – Y~SPCa!
D (3) 7.6 Calculate K, which is a function of Ionic Strength and
Temperature in °C, from Fig. 2 or Eq. 10:
where:
K 5 ~0.0016 3 T 1 0.5528! 3 Ic3 1 ~0.002T2 – 0.0142T – 2.2695!Ic2
1 ~–0.0004T2 1 0.0266T 1 2.907!Ic 1 ~–0.0206T 1 2.598! (10)
Cac = calcium concentration in concentrate as CaCO3, where:
mg/L,

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Caf = calcium concentration in feed as CaCO3, mg/L,
Y = recovery of the reverse osmosis system, expressed Ic = ionic strength of the concentrate, and
as a decimal, and T = temperature in °C.
SPCa = calcium ion passage, expressed as a decimal. 7.7 Calculate saturation pH according to Eq. 11:
NOTE 1—SPCa can be obtained from the supplier of the specific reverse pHsc 5 pCac 1 pAlkc 1 K (11)
osmosis system. For most reverse osmosis devices, SPCa can be consid-
7.8 Calculate the free carbon dioxide content (C) in the
ered to be zero, in which case the equation simplifies to:
concentrate stream by assuming that the CO2 concentration in
1
Cac 5 Caf 3 1 – y S D (4)
the concentrate is equal to the CO2 concentration in the feed:
Cc = Cf. The concentration of free carbon dioxide in the feed
solution is obtained from Fig. 2 as a function of the alkalinity
This assumption will introduce only a small error.
and the pH of the feed solution.
7.2 Calculate the alkalinity in the concentrate stream from 7.8.1 Calculate CO2f from the alkalinity (as CaCO3) and the
the alkalinity in the feed solution, the recovery of the reverse pHf from Fig. 3 or the following equation:
osmosis system, and the passage of alkalinity by:

Alkc 5 Alkf 3
1 2 y~SPAlk!
(5)
CO2f 5 Alkf 3 exp – S 0.423 D
pHf – 6.3022
5 CO2c (12)
12y

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 D 4582 – 05

FIG. 1 K versus Ionic Strength and Temperature

FIG. 2 pH versus Methyl Orange Alkalinity/Free CO2

Assume that the CO2 in the concentrate equals that of the feed. 7.10.1.2 Decreasing the calcium and alkalinity concentra-
7.9 Calculate the pH of the concentrate stream (pHc) using tions in the feed solution by means of lime or lime soda ash
the ratio of alkalinity (from 7.2) to free CO2 in the concentrate softening will increase the pCa and pAlk and will therefore
(from 7.8), Fig. 3, or 13. decrease the pHs.
pHc 5 0.423 3 Ln~Alkc/CO2c! 3 6.2033 (13) 7.10.2 Addition of acid (HCl, CO2, H2SO4, etc.) to the feed
solution either with or without lime or lime soda ash softening
NOTE 3—For seawater systems, the calculated pH of the concentrate
stream can be 0.1 to 0.2 higher than measured pH values if the feed pH is changes the Alkf, Cf, pH and may change the SPAlk. The slight
above 7.0. In these cases, empirical correlations between the feed pH and change in If can usually be neglected. Acid addition will
the concentrate pH as a function of conversion can be used to more decrease the S& DSIc; however, since many variables change
accurately calculate the concentrate pH. Check with the supplier of the with acidification, trial and error computations are required to
reverse osmosis (RO) device to determine if empirical correlations should determine the amount of acid needed to determine the amount
be used.
of acid needed to obtain the desired S & DSIc.
7.10 Calculate the Stiff and Davis Stability Index of the
7.10.2.1 For an assumed pH (pH acid), obtained from
concentrate (S & DSIc) as follows:
addition of acid to the feed solution, obtain the ratio of
S & DSIc 5 pHc 2 pHs (14) AlkAcid/CAcid from Fig. 2. From this ratio, Alkf and Cf,
7.10.1 Adjustments of S & DSIc—If the S & DSIc is calculate the milligrams per litre of acid used (x). For example,
unacceptable based on the supplier’s recommendation, adjust- for H2SO4 addition (100 %), calculate as follows:
ments can be made by one of the following means. A new S & ~AlkAcid/CAcid! 5 ~Alkf 2 1.02x!/~Cf 1 0.90x! (15)
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DSIc can then be calculated.

7.10.1.1 The recovery (y) can be lowered and the S & DSIc 7.10.2.2 Calculate the total alkalinity of the acidified feed-
can be calculated as above by substituting a new value for the water (AlkAcid) and the CO2 content in the acidified feedwater
recovery. (CAcid) as follows:

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 D 4582 – 05
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FIG. 3 Conversion of Calcium and Alkalinity to pCa and pAlk

AlkAcid 5 Alkf 2 1.02x (16) y = HCl, mg/L (100 %).

CAcid 5 Cf 1 0.90x (17) 8. Reverse Osmosis in Operation

7.10.2.3 Using AlkAcid, CAcid, and the supplier’s value for 8.1 Once a reverse osmosis system is operating, the S &
SPAlkfor the new pH, calculate the S& DSIc in accordance with DSIc can be directly calculated from the analysis of Alkc, Cac,
Section 7. pHc, and Ic of the concentrate stream and compared with the
7.10.2.4 If HCl (100 %) is used for acidification, the equa- projected S & DSIc calculated in Section 7.
tion in 7.10.2.1 is as follows: 9. Keywords
~AlkAcid/CAcid! 5 ~Alkf 2 1.37y!/~Cf 1 1.21y! (18) 9.1 calcium carbonate; membrane scaling; reverse osmosis
(RO); stability index for RO; Stiff and Davis Stability Index (S
where:
& DSI)

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Copyright ASTM International 4

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved);
Reproduced by IHS under license with ASTM
No reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS Not for Resale
Reproduction authorized per License Agreement with Kathe Hooper (ASTMIHS Account); Mon Jan 17 13:28:06 EST 2005