AU2007202471B2 - Device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system - Google Patents

Device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system Download PDF

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Publication number
AU2007202471B2
AU2007202471B2 AU2007202471A AU2007202471A AU2007202471B2 AU 2007202471 B2 AU2007202471 B2 AU 2007202471B2 AU 2007202471 A AU2007202471 A AU 2007202471A AU 2007202471 A AU2007202471 A AU 2007202471A AU 2007202471 B2 AU2007202471 B2 AU 2007202471B2
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
reverse osmosis
pump
disinfectant
conduit
osmosis installation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
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AU2007202471A
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AU2007202471A1 (en
Inventor
Manfred Volker
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Individual
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Individual
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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02FTREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/44Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis
    • C02F1/441Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis by reverse osmosis
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61LMETHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2/00Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
    • A61L2/16Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using chemical substances
    • A61L2/18Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D61/00Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
    • B01D61/02Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration ; Nanofiltration
    • B01D61/10Accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D61/00Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
    • B01D61/02Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration ; Nanofiltration
    • B01D61/12Controlling or regulating
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D65/00Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes
    • B01D65/02Membrane cleaning or sterilisation ; Membrane regeneration
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D2321/00Details relating to membrane cleaning, regeneration, sterilization or to the prevention of fouling
    • B01D2321/16Use of chemical agents

Abstract

-9 The device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system comprising a pump which transports the chemical disinfectant withdrawn via a suction pipe from an atmospherically vented 5 supply tank into the piping of the reverse osmosis system is characterized by a suction chamber inserted into the suction pipe and having an upper connection to the pump and a lower connection to the supply tank and a vent pipe which is connected to the upper part and provided with a shut-off device which is closed in the operative state of the disinfectant supply and opened during the remaining operative states of the reverse 10 osmosis system. The safety of the reverse osmosis system is thereby enhanced, and disinfection of the reverse osmosis system can be carried out in a substantially automated way. FcMay 25. 2007,Z \SpecificationsWolker.cap wpd,9

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: MANFRED VOLKER Actual Inventor(s): MANFRED VOLKER Address for Service: SANDERCOCK & COWIE 180B SLADEN STREET CRANBOURNE VICTORIA 3977 Invention Title: DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM Priority Claimed: GERMAN PATENT APPLICATION NO. 10 2006026 107.0 FILED: 3 JUNE, 2006 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2007-05-25.Z.\Fing\voker ile wpd.I - la TITLE: DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The invention refers to a device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 Reverse osmosis systems particularly serve the recovery of pure sterile water from tap FcMay 25. 2007,Z \Spec:ficatonsWolker cap wpd.1 -2 water, for instance for medical or food technological applications. As is known, their functional principle consists in guiding the water to be prepared in a filter module under high pressure along the surface of a semipermeable membrane, with part of the water, the so-called permeate, passing through the membrane and being collected at the other side 5 of the membrane and supplied to the point of consumption. The part of the raw water that does not pass through the membrane and is enriched with retained substances, the so-called concentrate, flows at the end of the flow path of the primary chamber out of the membrane module. 10 Ideally, the ultrapure water obtained in this way is sterile due to the retention characteristics of the membrane and free from organic decomposition products. In reality, however, this is not readily true. Without special counter-measures the permeate system may be infested by microorganisms. A so-called biofilm forms on the inner surfaces of the liquid-conducting system. 15 A disinfecting operation must therefore be carried out on reverse osmosis systems at appropriate time intervals. To this end the normal operation is interrupted and a chemical disinfectant is supplied to the liquid-conducting system. Following an appropriate action time a flushing operation is carried out that serves to remove the introduced disinfectant 20 and its reaction products so that the normal supply operation can be resumed thereafter. Due to the great risks entailed by an uncontrolled supply of a disinfectant, especially in the case of applications in the medical sector (hemodialysis), all of the operative steps required for performing disinfection must normally be carried out manually under the 25 supervision of the operating personnel. This includes, inter alia, establishing and later disengaging the connection between the connection point of the reverse osmosis system and an external disinfectant tank and monitoring the correct supply of the disinfectant. This normally means a considerable amount of work. 30 The present invention aims at improving the safety-related prerequisites, thereby permitting a substantially automated performance of the disinfection process of a reverse osmosis system. FcMay 25. 2007.Z \Spccats\volker cp.wpd.2 -3 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus aspect of this invention provides a reverse osmosis installation with a reverse osmosis filter module, a conduit system with an untreated water supply conduit, 5 a permeate conduit and a concentrate return conduit and with a pump, which is suitable for conveying chemical disinfectant from an atmospherically ventilated supply container via a suction conduit into the conduit system of the reverse osmosis installation, characterised by an inlet chamber, inserted into the suction conduit, with an upper connection to the pump and a lower connection to the supply container and with a 10 ventilation conduit connected to the upper portion, which is provided with a shut-off element which is closed in the operational state of the disinfectant supply and is open during the other operational states of the reverse osmosis installation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 15 Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments in combination with the figures, of which: Fig. 1 shows the scheme of a reverse osmosis system with equipment features according 20 to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a device according to the invention for the supply of the disinfectant; Fig. 3 shows another version of the device for the supply of the disinfectant. 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The basic device of a reverse osmosis system is schematically shown in Fig. 1. The raw water supplied via pipe 10 passes via the inlet valve 11 into the feed tank 12. The reverse 30 osmosis filter module (RO module) 15 is fed from the feed tank via pipe 13 by way of pump 14, the primary chamber 15a of the filter module 15 being separated by a semipermeable membrane 16 from the secondary chamber 15b. The permeate flows out of the secondary chamber via an analyzer 17, e.g. in the form of an electrical conductivity meter, and via a permeate feed valve 18 into the pipe 19 leading to the points of FcOctober 3, 20 12,C \Users\Sharlene\Documens\SPECIFICATIONS\volker cap.wpd,3 -4 consumption 20. Excess permeate which is not discharged at the points of consumption flows back via the return pipe 21 to the inlet of the system and will blend in the feed tank 12 with the supplied raw water. 5 From the pipe leading to the permeate feed valve 18, a pipe with valve 22 branches off to the outlet 23. Thus, the generated permeate can be discarded by opening the valve 22 and by closing the valve 18. This especially serves the purpose to automatically interrupt the further transport of the permeate to the points of consumption when an inadequate quality is detected by the analyzer 17. 10 A flow resistance, e.g. in the form of a throttle 24, which is inserted at the outlet of the primary chamber of the filter module, is important for the pressure which is generated in the primary chamber and required for filtration. The concentrate which flows out off the primary chamber is passed into the outlet in the opened state of valve 25. In the closed 15 state of valve 25 the concentrate flows back via the check valve 26 and pipe 27a/b into the feed tank 12. A temporary closing of valve 25 during the supply operation is especially contemplated when the permeate withdrawal at the points of consumption is insignificant and the raw water consumption is to be reduced accordingly (output control). 20 In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the device 28 which is provided according to the invention and used for the supply of a disinfectant is connected to the concentrate return pipe and is inserted between pipe sections 27a and 27b. 25 Details of an embodiment of this device 28 are shown in Fig. 2. Essential components are a pump 30 whose suction connection is connected via pump valve 31 and pipe 32 to the upper part of a suction chamber 33, and a vent pipe which is also connected to the upper part of the suction chamber 33 and includes the vent valve 34. The disinfectant is kept ready in a vented supply tank 35 whose fill level is below the suction chamber and 30 which is connected to the lower part of the suction chamber via a suction pipe 36. A level sensor 37 which furnishes information as to whether the liquid level in the suction chamber is above or below a certain level is positioned in the suction chamber 33. FcMay 25. 2007,Z \Specificanons\volke cap wpd.4 -5 For the supply of disinfectant the vent valve 34 is closed. On the pump valve 31, the flow path "a" that establishes the connection to the suction chamber is opened, and the flow path "b" that bridges the suction and pressure side of the pump 30 is closed at the same time. Air is sucked out of the suction chamber by activating pump 30, and 5 disinfectant continues to flow out of the supply tank 35 due to the generated negative pressure, so that in the end the disinfectant is conveyed via the pump into pipe 27a/b. The supply operation will be continued until a predetermined volume increase is achieved in the feed tank 12, which volume increase can be detected by means of level sensors 12a, 10 or until a predetermined rise in concentration has taken place. The latter can e.g. be detected by virtue of a corresponding rise in electrical conductivity, which is measured at a suitable place in the permeate distribution system. In this process the level sensor 27 at the suction chamber 33 has an important monitoring 15 function: Upon depletion of the disinfectant reservoir in the tank 35 the level predetermined by the position of the sensor is not reached in the suction chamber, or the level will drop below this position during the supply of disinfectant, which can each time be used for triggering a corresponding alarm signal. 20 Of particular importance is the safety function of the illustrated assembly during normal supply operation of the reverse osmosis system because it is suited to prevent an unintended disinfectant supply out of the connected supply tank 35. The suction path is permanently vented by the opened valve 34, so that the disinfectant cannot rise into the suction chamber 33, also not in the event of a malfunction of other components (pump 25 30, valve 31). Moreover, an inadmissible rising of disinfectant into the suction chamber 33 would be detected by the level sensor 37, which can be used for triggering a corresponding alarm signal and, in case of need, for a safety deactivation of the system. Following chemical disinfection and after supply and distribution of the disinfectant and 30 after a predetermined action time has lapsed a flushing operation is needed for minimizing the residual concentration of the disinfectant. The arrangement according to Fig. 2 offers the possibility of including the pump 30 in the flushing process by the pump FcMay 25. 2007,Z \Speifiction\volkercp wpd5 -6 being temporarily switched on and the flow path "b" of valve 31 being opened in this process. The described controlling and monitoring functions are realized in case of need with the 5 help of a correspondingly equipped control unit 40 which also establishes the functional connection to other functional elements of the reverse osmosis system. In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the pump 30 is configured as a water jet pump which is advantageously distinguished by simplicity and robustness. A precondition for this is that 10 a relatively low pressure prevails in pipe 27a/b. In the arrangement of Fig. 1, this is the case because the pipe section 27b terminates in the atmospherically vented feed tank 12. When an externally operated pump according to Fig. 2 is used, this prerequisite is missing, i.e. it can also be inserted at another suitable place into the pipe system of the reverse osmosis system. 15 The three-way valve 31 in Fig. 2 is replaced in the embodiment of Fig. 3 by two individual valves 3 1 a and 31 b. The function, however, is in principle similar. FcMay 25. 2007,Z:\Specificationsolkcr.cap wpd,6

Claims (7)

1. A reverse osmosis installation with a reverse osmosis filter module, a conduit system with an untreated water supply conduit, a permeate conduit and a concentrate 5 return conduit and with a pump, which is suitable for conveying chemical disinfectant from an atmospherically ventilated supply container via a suction conduit into the conduit system of the reverse osmosis installation, characterised by an inlet chamber, inserted into the suction conduit, with an upper connection to the pump and a lower connection to the supply container and with a ventilation conduit connected to the upper portion, which is 10 provided with a shut-off element which is closed in the operational state of the disinfectant supply and is open during the other operational states of the reverse osmosis installation.
2. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the inlet 15 chamber is equipped with a filling level sensor.
3. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the filling level sensor is connected to a control system, which initiates an alarm signal and/or switches off the reverse osmosis installation when the filling level sensor detects an 20 increase of disinfectant in the inlet chamber during the other operational states.
4. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the control system also initiates an alarm signal when the filling level sensor detects, during the operational state of the disinfectant supply, that the filling level of the disinfectant has 25 not reached the position of the filling level sensor or sinks below it.
5. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 4, characterised in that arranged between the pump and the inlet chamber there is at least one valve and that the pump and at least one valve are connected to the control system. 30
6. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the pump is a water jet pump, which is connected into the concentrate return conduit. FcOctober 3, 2012,C:\Users\Sharlenc\Documents\SPECIFICATIONS\volker.cap.wpd,7 -8
7. A reverse osmosis installation as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the shut-off element is a valve. FcOctober 3, 201 2,C:\Users\Shariene\Documents\SPECIFICATIONS\volker.cap.wpd,8
AU2007202471A 2006-06-03 2007-05-30 Device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system Ceased AU2007202471B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102006026107A DE102006026107B3 (en) 2006-06-03 2006-06-03 Device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system
DE102006026107.0 2006-06-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU2007202471A1 AU2007202471A1 (en) 2007-12-20
AU2007202471B2 true AU2007202471B2 (en) 2012-11-01

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AU2007202471A Ceased AU2007202471B2 (en) 2006-06-03 2007-05-30 Device for disinfecting a reverse osmosis system

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EP (1) EP1862213B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE448864T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2007202471B2 (en)
DE (2) DE102006026107B3 (en)
DK (1) DK1862213T3 (en)
ES (1) ES2336955T3 (en)
PL (1) PL1862213T3 (en)
PT (1) PT1862213E (en)
SI (1) SI1862213T1 (en)

Cited By (1)

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RU2625247C1 (en) * 2015-09-04 2017-07-12 Акционерное общество "Научно-исследовательский и конструкторский институт химического машиностроения" (АО "НИИхиммаш") Method for reverse osmosis treatment of sanitary and hygienic water in closed circuit in gravity-free environment

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DE102009031043B4 (en) * 2009-06-30 2022-09-15 Vivonic Gmbh Supply system for at least one ultrapure water consumer, in particular a dialysis machine
CN101711949B (en) * 2009-12-23 2011-11-30 孙厚钧 Filter membrane device with fluid automatically controlled oscillating jet washing function
DE102011114912B8 (en) * 2011-09-24 2018-10-11 Vivonic Gmbh Device for producing ultrapure water
EP2674399B1 (en) * 2012-06-13 2014-05-14 Manfred Völker Device for producing ultra-pure water according to the principle of reverse osmosis
ES2536239T3 (en) * 2012-07-26 2015-05-21 Manfred Völker RO installation and procedure for the disinfection of RO system ducts
CN104873997A (en) * 2015-05-13 2015-09-02 成都中牧生物药业有限公司 Circulating sterilization pool

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2428240A1 (en) * 1978-06-08 1980-01-04 Genin Bernard Disinfectant injector for wash-basin - is controlled by user operated pump which adds disinfectant to water

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2625247C1 (en) * 2015-09-04 2017-07-12 Акционерное общество "Научно-исследовательский и конструкторский институт химического машиностроения" (АО "НИИхиммаш") Method for reverse osmosis treatment of sanitary and hygienic water in closed circuit in gravity-free environment

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Publication number Publication date
AU2007202471A1 (en) 2007-12-20
PL1862213T3 (en) 2010-05-31
EP1862213A1 (en) 2007-12-05
SI1862213T1 (en) 2010-07-30
PT1862213E (en) 2010-02-23
EP1862213B1 (en) 2009-11-18
DK1862213T3 (en) 2010-04-06
DE102006026107B3 (en) 2007-12-13
ES2336955T3 (en) 2010-04-19
DE502007002006D1 (en) 2009-12-31
ATE448864T1 (en) 2009-12-15

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