Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
This professional diploma prepares you to design, operate and optimise reverse osmosis systems and other membrane technologies applied to seawater. You will study the fundamentals of transport through membranes, pretreatment, the design of trains and passes, fouling and scaling control, energy recovery and emerging technologies, always with a practical, plant-oriented approach.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this programme gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The programme is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis?
This professional diploma prepares you to design, operate and optimise reverse osmosis systems and other membrane technologies applied to seawater. You will master the fundamentals of osmotic pressure, water flux and salt passage; select intake and pretreatment options from granular filtration to ultrafiltration and dissolved air flotation; size stages, passes and recovery with membrane projection software, including boron removal; control fouling and scaling with antiscalants and cleaning protocols; and reduce specific energy consumption with pressure exchangers, recovery turbines and variable frequency drives.
What sets this diploma apart: a plant-focused approach, from the physical principle to the daily operation of a reverse osmosis train; design with the projection software used for membrane systems; operation and maintenance, with troubleshooting, cleaning and data normalisation; energy efficiency, with energy recovery devices and strategies to cut consumption; and a practical case in which you design and diagnose a seawater reverse osmosis plant.
Programme highlights
- Plant-focused approach: from the physical principle to the daily operation of a reverse osmosis train.
- Design with software: membrane system projection tools.
- Operation and maintenance: troubleshooting, cleaning and data normalisation.
- Energy efficiency: energy recovery devices and strategies to cut consumption.
- Beyond reverse osmosis: nanofiltration, membrane distillation and forward osmosis.
- Practical case: design and diagnosis of a seawater reverse osmosis plant.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of membrane processes
- 1.1. Classification of membrane processes
- 1.2. Osmotic pressure and driving force
- 1.3. Water flux and salt passage
- 1.4. Rejection and recovery
- 1.5. Concentration polarisation
- 1.6. Effect of temperature and salinity
- 1.7. Membrane materials
- 1.8. Module configurations
Seawater pretreatment
- 2.1. Open intakes and beach wells
- 2.2. Feed water quality
- 2.3. Colloidal fouling indices
- 2.4. Coagulation and flocculation
- 2.5. Granular media filtration
- 2.6. Ultrafiltration as pretreatment
- 2.7. Dissolved air flotation
- 2.8. Chemical dosing and disinfection
Reverse osmosis system design
- 3.1. Spiral-wound elements and pressure vessels
- 3.2. Stage and pass design
- 3.3. Selecting the recovery rate
- 3.4. Membrane projection software
- 3.5. Permeate quality
- 3.6. Boron removal
- 3.7. High-pressure pumps
- 3.8. Physical layout of the train
Fouling, scaling and cleaning
- 4.1. Types of fouling
- 4.2. Biofouling
- 4.3. Mineral scaling
- 4.4. Antiscalants and their dosing
- 4.5. Saturation indices
- 4.6. Chemical cleaning protocols
- 4.7. Membrane autopsy
- 4.8. Fouling prevention and control
Energy and energy recovery
- 5.1. Specific energy consumption
- 5.2. Thermodynamic minimum for desalination
- 5.3. Pressure exchangers
- 5.4. Recovery turbines
- 5.5. Variable frequency drives
- 5.6. Optimising the operating point
- 5.7. Integration with renewable energy
- 5.8. Energy efficiency indicators
Plant operation and maintenance
- 6.1. Commissioning
- 6.2. Normalisation of operating data
- 6.3. Troubleshooting performance problems
- 6.4. Integrity of membranes and seals
- 6.5. Changing membrane elements
- 6.6. Instrumentation and control
- 6.7. Shutdowns and preservation
- 6.8. Plant safety
Other membrane technologies
- 7.1. Nanofiltration and its applications
- 7.2. Electrodialysis reversal
- 7.3. Membrane distillation
- 7.4. Forward osmosis
- 7.5. High-pressure reverse osmosis for brines
- 7.6. Next-generation membranes
- 7.7. Post-treatment and remineralisation
- 7.8. Comparison of technologies
Practical case: design and diagnosis of a reverse osmosis plant
- 8.1. Defining capacity and target quality
- 8.2. Characterising the feed water
- 8.3. Selecting the pretreatment
- 8.4. Projecting the membrane system
- 8.5. Calculating energy consumption
- 8.6. Analysing operating data
- 8.7. Proposing improvements
- 8.8. Presenting the case
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the instalment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programmes.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Membrane Technologies and Reverse Osmosis
It focuses on seawater, but the concepts also apply to brackish water, wastewater and industrial processes.
Yes. You work with membrane system projection tools such as those provided by manufacturers.
It is not essential. The programme starts from the fundamentals and goes all the way to operation.
Yes. You study the design strategies used to meet boron limits in the permeate.
You design a seawater reverse osmosis system and diagnose a plant's operating data, ending with proposed improvements.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with a practical case. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enrol.
More programmes in Marine energy
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enrol in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at chemical, industrial and civil engineers who wish to specialise in water treatment, operators and plant managers at desalination or drinking water treatment plants, maintenance technicians who need to diagnose membrane systems, sales and technical staff at manufacturers who advise clients on equipment, and water consultants who assess desalination projects. A degree in chemical, industrial, civil or environmental engineering, chemistry or a related field, or professional experience in water treatment plants, is recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrolmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enrol
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.