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membrane-system-designer skill

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This skill designs membrane separation systems including RO, UF, NF, and gas separation to optimize performance and energy use.

npx playbooks add skill a5c-ai/babysitter --skill membrane-system-designer

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SKILL.md
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---
name: membrane-system-designer
description: Membrane separation system design skill for RO, UF, NF, and gas separation applications
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - Glob
  - Grep
  - Edit
  - Bash
metadata:
  specialization: chemical-engineering
  domain: science
  category: Separation Processes
  skill-id: CE-SK-011
---

# Membrane System Designer Skill

## Purpose

The Membrane System Designer Skill designs membrane separation systems including reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and gas separation applications.

## Capabilities

- Membrane selection and sizing
- Module configuration design
- Permeate flux calculations
- Fouling prediction and mitigation
- Cleaning protocol design
- Multi-stage system design
- Recovery and rejection optimization
- Energy consumption analysis

## Usage Guidelines

### When to Use
- Designing membrane separation systems
- Optimizing existing installations
- Evaluating membrane alternatives
- Troubleshooting fouling issues

### Prerequisites
- Feed characterization complete
- Separation requirements defined
- Operating conditions specified
- Fouling potential assessed

### Best Practices
- Account for fouling in design
- Plan for membrane replacement
- Include adequate pretreatment
- Consider energy recovery

## Process Integration

This skill integrates with:
- Membrane Separation System Design
- Separation Sequence Synthesis
- Process Flow Diagram Development

## Configuration

```yaml
membrane-system-designer:
  membrane-types:
    - reverse-osmosis
    - nanofiltration
    - ultrafiltration
    - microfiltration
    - gas-separation
  configurations:
    - single-stage
    - multi-stage
    - recycle
```

## Output Artifacts

- System specifications
- Module datasheets
- Performance predictions
- Cleaning protocols
- Operating procedures

Overview

This skill designs membrane separation systems for reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), ultrafiltration (UF), and gas-separation applications. It produces practical system specifications, module layouts, and performance forecasts to support engineering and procurement decisions. The skill focuses on operability, fouling resilience, and energy efficiency for both single-stage and multi-stage configurations.

How this skill works

The skill ingests feed characterization, target separation goals, and operating conditions to select membrane types and size modules. It calculates permeate flux, predicts fouling tendencies, and models recovery and rejection across stages. Outputs include module datasheets, cleaning protocols, and energy consumption estimates to guide system implementation and optimization.

When to use it

  • Designing a new membrane separation system for water, wastewater, or gas processing
  • Optimizing recovery, rejection, or energy use for an existing membrane installation
  • Comparing membrane technology alternatives (RO, NF, UF, gas separation) for a defined feed
  • Troubleshooting fouling or performance decline and planning cleaning cycles
  • Developing multi-stage or recycle configurations to meet strict separation targets

Best practices

  • Provide complete feed characterization (solids, organics, scaling ions, gas composition) before design
  • Build fouling allowance into flux and sizing calculations and specify pretreatment steps
  • Design modular layouts to simplify replacement and scale-up
  • Include cleaning protocols and spare membrane inventory in project scope
  • Evaluate energy recovery options and pumping requirements during early design

Example use cases

  • Sizing an RO system for brackish water desalination with optimized recovery and energy estimates
  • Specifying UF/NF train for industrial water reuse with pretreatment and cleaning schedule
  • Designing gas-permeation modules for CO2 removal from biogas streams
  • Reconfiguring a plant to add a polishing NF stage to meet stricter product quality
  • Creating datasheets and operating procedures to support procurement and commissioning

FAQ

What inputs are required to run a design?

A complete feed characterization, separation targets (recovery/rejection), operating temperatures and pressures, and any pretreatment constraints.

Does the skill handle fouling and cleaning design?

Yes. It predicts fouling risk, recommends mitigation and pretreatment, and outputs cleaning protocols and schedules.

Can it design multi-stage or recycle systems?

Yes. Multi-stage, recycle, and hybrid configurations are supported with performance modeling across stages.