Naval reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants force pressurized seawater through semipermeable polyamide membranes to produce potable water. Pre-treatment filters trap coarse silt and organic particulates to prevent premature membrane fouling, while anti-scalant chemicals are metered in to inhibit mineral precipitation. Operating at high pressure causes membrane compaction over time, gradually reducing pure water permeate flux even when feed salinity remains constant. If pre-filter differential pressure rises sharply, technicians must backwash the coarse filters immediately to avoid starving the high-pressure pump, which relies on positive intake pressure to prevent internal cavitation.
Based on the passage above, match each inference about the desalination system to its correct evidentiary status.
- A decline in potable water production can occur without any increase in the salt concentration of the incoming seawater.Supported deduction directly justified by physical membrane compaction under sustained operating pressure
- High-pressure pumps will suffer severe cavitation damage during every standard pre-filter backwash cycle.Unsupported assumption that misinterprets a preventative maintenance procedure as a cause of pump damage
- Adding anti-scalant chemicals eliminates the necessity of using semipermeable membranes in the desalination unit.Unsupported claim that confuses supplementary mineral inhibition with the core membrane separation process