Protect Reverse Osmosis Membranes – RO membranes work at the ionic level which is 12 orders of magnitude smaller than a grain of sand. Particles larger than a red blood cell can clog or even damage these membranes. A pre-treatment system must be in place to prevent these potentially damaging particles from coming in contact with membrane surfaces. A media barrier is the best line of defense against these particles. However, a 1 or 5 micron barrier will plug up very rapidly if depended upon solely to pre-treat the influent. The first step in a pre-treatment system is often best performed by a screen filter. A screen media provides a positive barrier through which inorganic or organic particles larger than the screen apertures cannot pass. Add automatic self-cleaning capabilities to this filter and you have a system that needs no commodity elements, no routine labor and no personal management. These self-cleaning screen filters work autonomously once installed and commissioned. ORIVAL, Inc. has been providing automatic filters for RO pre-treatment for over twenty-four years. Filter sizes range from ?” to 32” with screen apertures down to 5 microns. Manifold systems can be provided with multiple automatic filters for flexibility and redundancy when flow cannot be interrupted for maintenance or repairs. Their water efficient self-cleaning mechanism does not require filter units to be taken off-line for cleaning but provide clean filtered water downstream at all times. Materials of construction are chosen for the application whether fresh, effluent, brackish, sea water or brine.