TheoryThere are two approaches for flow modelling: the momentum equations deriving from Navier -Stokes equations and the global method issued from the exploitation of the tracing experiments (Danckwerts, 1953). The first one needs a tedious, finite-elements numerical resolution to obtain the flow pattern in each point of the device. It is difficult to conduct this methodology on the spiral wound reverse osmosis geometry. The second method splits up the device into a small number of well-known reactor flows (perfectly mixing cells, plug flow, dispersed plug flow) according to the device geometry (Leclerc et al., 1995).