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Industrial reverse osmosis water purification plant with membrane housings and pressure vessels

RO Plant · Reverse Osmosis Systems

Industrial RO Plants — 99% TDS Removal, Engineered for India's Water

Unicare manufactures reverse osmosis plants from 500 LPH to 1,00,000 LPH — removing dissolved salts, heavy metals, bacteria, and biological contaminants from bore well, brackish, and municipal feed water. Engineered in multiple stages (3, 4, 5, 7-pass) to match your source water TDS and product water quality requirement.

  • Up to 99% TDS Removal
  • 500 LPH – 1,00,000 LPH
  • Multi-stage (3–7 pass)
  • Drinking Water · Boiler Feed · Pharma
  • India-wide AMC

Overview

Membrane-based purification — remove what other technologies miss

A Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant forces pressurised water through a semi-permeable membrane — the pores of which are 0.0001 microns, smaller than a water molecule's contaminants. Dissolved salts, heavy metals, hardness minerals, bacteria, viruses, and organic compounds are rejected by the membrane and discharged as concentrate (reject water). The purified water — permeate — passes through for use.

Unicare designs and manufactures RO plants in multiple stages (3, 4, 5, and 7-pass configurations) depending on your source water TDS and the required product water quality. A bore well in Maharashtra with TDS of 1,500 ppm needs a different membrane configuration and pretreatment train than a municipal water source at 400 ppm. We assess source water before specifying any RO system — oversizing wastes CAPEX, undersizing risks membrane fouling and performance failure.

Our RO plants are used for safe drinking water production, boiler feed water, pharmaceutical process water, food and beverage manufacturing, haemodialysis pre-treatment, ion exchange pre-treatment, and industrial process water. Each plant comes with a complete pretreatment train, high-pressure pump, membrane housing array, instrumentation, and post-treatment where required — skid-mounted and ready for connection.

99%

Typical TDS rejection rate

500 LPH – 1,00,000 LPH

Capacity range

3–7 Pass

Multi-stage configurations

<10 ppm

Achievable product water TDS

Process

How a Unicare RO plant works — stage by stage

Reverse osmosis plant process flow showing pre-filtration, membrane, and post-treatment stages

Step 01

Raw water intake & screening

Feed water from bore well, municipal supply, surface water, or brackish source enters the system through a raw water tank and intake screen. A raw water pump delivers water at constant pressure to the pre-treatment train. Source TDS, SDI, iron, and turbidity are the key parameters assessed before pre-treatment design.

Step 02

Multi-media pre-filtration (MMF)

Water passes through a multi-media filter vessel containing layers of graded sand, gravel, and anthracite. This removes suspended particles, turbidity, and silt down to 10–20 microns — protecting the downstream cartridge filter and RO membranes from physical fouling.

Step 03

Activated carbon filtration (ACF)

An activated carbon filter removes residual chlorine, chloramines, organic compounds, colour, and odour from the feed water. Chlorine is particularly damaging to thin-film composite (TFC) RO membranes — activated carbon ensures the membrane is protected before the feed water reaches the high-pressure pump.

Step 04

Antiscalant dosing & cartridge filtration

A chemical antiscalant is dosed into the feed line to prevent calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate, and silica scaling on the membrane surface during operation. A 5-micron cartridge filter downstream provides the final particle barrier before the high-pressure pump — protecting pump impellers and membrane elements from fine debris.

Step 05

High-pressure pump & RO membrane array

The high-pressure pump raises feed pressure to 8–15 bar (brackish water) or 55–70 bar (seawater) depending on source TDS. The pressurised feed water is distributed across an array of spiral-wound TFC membrane elements housed in FRP or SS pressure vessels. The membrane rejects dissolved salts, heavy metals, bacteria, and organics — passing only purified permeate water. Reject (concentrate) is discharged to drain or recycled to improve recovery.

Step 06

Post-treatment & product water storage

Depending on application, permeate water may receive post-treatment: UV sterilisation for drinking water, remineralisation for palatability, pH correction (CO2 removal / NaOH dosing), or polishing via mixed-bed deionisation for pharmaceutical or ultrapure applications. Purified water is stored in a food-grade SS or FRP product tank and distributed to point of use via a product water pump.

Models

RO plant configurations — drinking water to industrial process

Packaged Drinking Water RO Plant

  • Capacity: 500 LPH – 5,000 LPH
  • Feed TDS: Up to 2,000 ppm (bore well / municipal)
  • Product TDS: <150 ppm (potable water standard)
  • Stages: 3–4 pass configuration
  • Best for: Apartments, housing societies, schools, offices, hospitals, restaurants, water ATM feed supply
  • Features: Pre-filter + ACF + 5-micron cartridge pre-treatment; High-pressure pump (SS impeller); 4040 or 8040 TFC membrane elements; SS / FRP product tank; UV steriliser post-treatment; Auto flush on shutdown; Digital TDS display & flow meter
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Most specified

Commercial RO Plant

  • Capacity: 5,000 LPH – 30,000 LPH
  • Feed TDS: Up to 3,000 ppm (brackish bore well)
  • Product TDS: <100 ppm
  • Stages: 4–5 pass configuration
  • Best for: Hotels, hospitals, food processing units, commercial buildings, pharmaceutical facilities (pre-RO), boiler feed water pre-treatment
  • Features: MMF + ACF + antiscalant dosing + 5-micron cartridge; High-pressure multistage pump (SS); 8040 TFC membrane elements (Dow/Hydranautics/Toray); Automatic control panel with PLC; Online TDS monitor, flow totaliser, pressure gauges; Auto flush, high-low pressure switches, conductivity meter; Recovery rate: 65–75%; Skid-mounted, SS frame, ready to connect
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Industrial RO Plant

  • Capacity: 30,000 LPH – 1,00,000+ LPH
  • Feed TDS: Up to 5,000+ ppm (high-TDS brackish / surface water)
  • Product TDS: <10 ppm (achievable with 2-pass design)
  • Stages: 5–7 pass, 2-pass configuration available
  • Best for: Power plants (boiler feed), pharmaceutical manufacturing, food & beverage production, semiconductor manufacturing, textile industry, municipal water supply, ETP/STP treated water reuse (tertiary RO)
  • Features: Full pre-treatment train: coagulation + MMF + ACF + softener or antiscalant + 5-micron cartridge; High-pressure pump with VFD for energy efficiency; 8040 TFC membrane elements in multi-vessel arrays; SCADA / PLC control with remote monitoring; Online conductivity, pH, flow, and pressure instrumentation; Energy recovery device (ERD) for high-TDS applications; Recovery rate: 70–80% (with recirculation); CIP system for membrane cleaning; Custom skid or containerised configuration
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Specifications

Technical specifications — indicative

ParameterPackaged (500–5K LPH)Commercial (5K–30K LPH)Industrial (30K–1,00,000+ LPH)
Capacity500–5,000 LPH5,000–30,000 LPH30,000–1,00,000+ LPH
Feed TDS (max)2,000 ppm3,000 ppm5,000+ ppm
Product TDS<150 ppm<100 ppm<10 ppm (2-pass)
TDS rejection rateUp to 97%Up to 98%Up to 99%+
Stages / pass3–4 pass4–5 pass5–7 pass / 2-pass
Pre-treatmentMMF + ACF + cartridgeMMF + ACF + antiscalantCoagulation + MMF + ACF + softener + antiscalant
Membrane type4040 / 8040 TFC8040 TFC8040 TFC (Dow/Hydranautics/Toray)
Membrane housingFRPFRP / SSSS / FRP multi-vessel
High-pressure pumpMultistage SSMultistage SSVFD-controlled multistage SS
Recovery rate60–70%65–75%70–80% (with recirculation)
Control systemManual / basic autoPLC + HMI panelSCADA / PLC with remote access
Post-treatmentUV steriliserUV + conductivity monitorUV + deionisation + CIP
Product tankSS / FRP (included)SS / FRP (included)SS / FRP (custom capacity)
FrameSS skidSS skidSS skid / containerised
Power supply230V / 415V AC415V AC415V AC (VFD)
AMC availableYesYesYes (comprehensive)

Specifications are indicative. Final design is validated against source water analysis (TDS, pH, hardness, iron, SDI, turbidity, chlorine), required product quality, and peak flow demand. Submit your water analysis report or request a free site assessment for accurate sizing.

Features

Engineered for India's water — built for continuous operation

Multi-stage configuration (3–7 pass)

Unicare RO plants are available in 3, 4, 5, and 7-pass configurations depending on source water TDS. High-TDS bore well water (1,500–5,000 ppm) requires more membrane stages than municipal feed water (400–800 ppm). We design the correct number of passes — not the cheapest.

Premium TFC membranes (Dow, Hydranautics, Toray)

We specify membranes from globally trusted manufacturers — Dow Filmtec, Hydranautics (Nitto), or Toray — for consistent rejection performance, long service life, and reliable CIP recovery. Membrane brands specified in writing before order confirmation.

Complete pre-treatment train

An RO membrane is only as good as its pre-treatment. Every Unicare RO plant includes a pre-treatment train sized for your feed water: multimedia filtration, activated carbon, antiscalant dosing or softener, and cartridge filtration — protecting membranes from physical, chemical, and biological fouling.

High-pressure SS multistage pump with VFD

Industrial models use Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) controlled pumps for energy efficiency — reducing power consumption at partial load and extending pump life. All pumps are stainless steel for corrosion resistance with Indian bore well water conditions.

Auto-flush on shutdown

Every Unicare RO plant includes automatic flush on shutdown — flushing the membrane with low-pressure feed water to remove concentrated reject and prevent scaling during idle periods. Critical for plants that are not operated 24/7.

Online instrumentation

Feed and product TDS/conductivity meters, flow totaliser, pressure gauges on feed, reject, and permeate lines, and low/high pressure switches are standard. Commercial and industrial plants include PLC control panel with HMI display showing all operating parameters.

CIP (Clean-In-Place) system

Industrial plants include a CIP (Clean-In-Place) system for periodic chemical cleaning of membranes — restoring flux and rejection performance when fouling is detected. Reduces need for membrane replacement and extends plant life.

High recovery rate — 65–80%

Unicare RO systems are designed for 65–80% water recovery — meaning 65–80% of feed water becomes purified permeate and only 20–35% is discharged as reject. Reject recirculation options improve recovery further, reducing water wastage.

Skid-mounted, ready to connect

All plants are assembled and factory-tested on a stainless steel skid before dispatch. Site work is limited to connecting feed inlet, product outlet, reject drain, and power — reducing installation time and civil scope significantly.

Our plants

Unicare RO plants — installed across India

Packaged RO plant skid with membrane housings, high-pressure pump and control panel
Packaged RO plant — 2,000 LPH drinking water
Commercial RO plant with multi-membrane vessel array and PLC control panel
Commercial RO plant — 10,000 LPH hotel & hospital
Industrial RO plant installation with pre-treatment train and stainless steel pressure vessels
Industrial RO plant — 50,000 LPH boiler feed
RO plant control panel with PLC, HMI display, pressure gauges and instrumentation
PLC control panel with online TDS monitoring
Reverse osmosis membrane housings with stainless steel frame and interconnect piping
8040 TFC membrane array — commercial configuration
Water purification facility with RO membranes and pre-treatment filtration vessels
Pre-treatment train — MMF + ACF + antiscalant

Applications

Where Unicare RO plants are installed

Drinking water — residential & institutional

Safe drinking water production for apartments, housing societies, schools, colleges, offices, and community water supply. Output meets BIS IS 10500 drinking water standard. Typically 500–5,000 LPH packaged configuration.

Hotels, hospitals & commercial buildings

Consistent low-TDS water for kitchens, laundries, HVAC cooling towers, and medical facilities. Hospitals additionally specify RO for haemodialysis pre-treatment and sterile process water. 5,000–30,000 LPH commercial configuration.

Boiler feed water — power & process industries

Hardness and dissolved solids in boiler feed water cause scale and corrosion that reduces boiler efficiency and causes tube failure. RO-treated boiler feed water (TDS <50 ppm) dramatically reduces chemical treatment cost and extends boiler life.

Pharmaceutical & biotechnology

Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires purified water (PW) and water for injection (WFI) meeting USP/IP standards. RO is the primary purification step before polishing with mixed-bed deionisation, electrodeionisation (EDI), and ultrafiltration.

Food & beverage processing

Breweries, dairies, beverage manufacturers, and packaged food plants need process water that meets FSSAI quality specifications. RO removes dissolved solids, organics, and microbial contaminants to deliver consistent process-ready water.

STP & ETP treated water reuse (tertiary RO)

RO is increasingly used as a tertiary treatment step after STP or ETP biological treatment — producing near-potable water from treated sewage for industrial reuse, cooling tower makeup, or irrigation. Combined STP + RO systems offer zero liquid discharge (ZLD) pathways for water-stressed industries.

Source water guide

What RO plant do you need? — source water TDS guide

Feed water sourceTypical TDS (ppm)Recommended configurationRecovery
Municipal tap water (city)200–5003-pass packaged RO, no softener70–75%
Bore well — low TDS500–1,0003–4 pass RO + antiscalant65–70%
Bore well — medium TDS1,000–2,0004–5 pass RO + softener/antiscalant65–70%
Bore well — high TDS2,000–5,0005–7 pass brackish water RO60–65%
Surface water (river/lake)100–800 + turbidityRO + coagulation + MMF pre-treatment70–75%
STP/ETP treated effluent500–2,000Tertiary RO — 4–5 pass60–70%
Boiler condensate polishing<100Polishing RO + mixed-bed DI80–85%

TDS alone does not determine RO system design. Iron, silica, hardness, SDI (Silt Density Index), chlorine, pH, and temperature all affect membrane selection and pre-treatment design. Submit your source water analysis report for an accurate system recommendation.

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Performance

RO plant performance — at a glance

Up to 99%

TDS rejection from feed water

<10 ppm

Product water TDS achievable (2-pass)

65–80%

Water recovery rate — low waste

3–7 Pass

Configuration options for any feed water

FAQs

RO plant — common questions

1What is an RO plant and how does it work?
A Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant purifies water by forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane under high pressure. The membrane's pores (0.0001 microns) reject dissolved salts, heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, and organic compounds while allowing pure water molecules to pass through. The purified water (permeate) is collected for use and the rejected contaminants are discharged as concentrate (reject water).
2What is the difference between RO plant stages or passes?
A "pass" or "stage" in an RO system refers to how many times the water passes through a membrane array. A single-pass 3-stage system is suitable for feed water at 500–1,000 ppm TDS. High TDS bore well water (2,000–5,000 ppm) requires a 5–7 pass or 2-pass configuration where the permeate from the first pass is fed into a second RO pass for further purification. Unicare sizes the number of passes based on your source water TDS and the product water quality you need.
3What pre-treatment does an RO plant need?
Pre-treatment protects the RO membrane from fouling and scaling — the most common cause of early membrane failure. Standard pre-treatment includes multi-media filtration (removes suspended particles), activated carbon filtration (removes chlorine and organics), antiscalant chemical dosing (prevents calcium carbonate scaling), and a 5-micron cartridge filter (final protection before the high-pressure pump). High-turbidity or high-iron water may additionally require coagulation, flocculation, or a water softener upstream of the RO.
4What TDS can a Unicare RO plant achieve?
Product water TDS depends on feed water TDS and the number of passes. A single-pass system typically achieves 95–98% TDS rejection. From 1,000 ppm feed water, permeate TDS will typically be 20–50 ppm. A 2-pass system can achieve below 10 ppm product TDS — required for pharmaceutical, boiler feed, and electronics applications.
5What is the water recovery rate of an RO plant?
Water recovery is the percentage of feed water converted to purified permeate. Unicare RO plants typically achieve 65–80% recovery depending on feed water TDS, pre-treatment quality, and operating pressure. The remaining 20–35% is discharged as concentrate (reject). Recirculation loops on reject water can improve recovery to 80–85% in some configurations.
6How often do RO membranes need replacement?
With proper pre-treatment and operating discipline, RO membranes typically last 3–5 years. Membrane life is reduced by exposure to chlorine (requires dechlorination by activated carbon), physical fouling from suspended particles (requires adequate pre-filtration), biological fouling, and calcium carbonate scaling (requires antiscalant or softener). Our AMC program monitors membrane performance and flags replacement before output quality degrades.
7What is CIP (Clean-In-Place) and when is it needed?
CIP (Clean-In-Place) is a periodic chemical cleaning process for RO membranes where a cleaning solution (acid or alkali, depending on foulant type) is recirculated through the membrane housings to restore flux and rejection performance. It is typically done every 3–6 months for industrial plants with challenging feed water. Unicare's industrial RO plants include a dedicated CIP skid for this purpose.
8Can an RO plant treat STP-treated sewage for reuse?
Yes. RO is increasingly used as a tertiary treatment step after biological STP treatment to produce near-potable quality water from treated sewage. The STP permeate (after clarification and filtration) is fed to an RO plant for desalting — suitable for cooling tower makeup, industrial process water, or restricted irrigation. This combined STP + RO approach is the most practical route to Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) for water-stressed industries.
9What capacity RO plant do I need?
Capacity is determined by your peak hourly demand and daily production requirement in litres per hour (LPH) or kilolitres per day (KLD). For drinking water applications, calculate the number of people served and average per-capita consumption. For industrial applications, the process daily water demand and peak flow rate govern sizing. Contact our team with your daily demand and source water TDS for a recommendation.
10Do you provide installation, commissioning, and AMC for RO plants?
Yes. Unicare provides end-to-end RO plant delivery: source water assessment, system design, supply, factory testing, installation, commissioning, performance demonstration, and operator training. AMC programs cover membrane performance checks, pre-filter media replacement, antiscalant system servicing, pump inspection, instrument calibration, and CIP support — with India-wide coverage.
11What is the difference between a packaged RO plant and a skid-mounted plant?
A packaged RO plant is a compact, factory-assembled unit where all components — pre-treatment, high-pressure pump, membrane housing, and controls — are housed in a single enclosure or compact skid. It is ideal for smaller capacities (500–5,000 LPH) where space and installation time are priorities. A skid-mounted plant is assembled on a structural steel or SS frame with individual components interconnected — easier to maintain and customise for larger capacities and complex pre-treatment.

Get the right RO plant for your water and application

Share your source water TDS, feed water source (bore well / municipal / surface), required product flow rate (LPH or KLD), and application (drinking water / boiler feed / pharmaceutical / food processing). Our engineers will design the right multi-stage configuration, pre-treatment train, and membrane specification for your conditions.

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