CN106466554B

CN106466554B - Reverse osmosis system with built-in pressure regulation

Info

Publication number: CN106466554B
Application number: CN201510733735.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 蒂莫西·艾伦·比埃尔
Original assignee: TOPPER Manufacturing CORP
Current assignee: TOPPER Manufacturing CORP
Priority date: 2015-08-18
Filing date: 2015-08-18
Publication date: 2021-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 2035-08-18
Also published as: CN106466554A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reverse osmosis system with built-in pressure regulation, and more particularly to a system for use on platform level and below platform having an independent reverse osmosis filtration system having a manifold assembly with a portion of the independent reverse osmosis filtration system attached below the manifold assembly and a raw water pressure regulator also attached below the manifold assembly, the raw water pressure regulator having an inlet for coupling to a source of raw water and having an outlet coupled to the inlet of the independent reverse osmosis filtration system, thereby maximizing the ratio of produced water to waste water under normal operating conditions without clogging the independent reverse osmosis filtration system if the pressure of the source of raw water is high.

Description

Reverse osmosis system with built-in pressure regulation

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of reverse osmosis water filtration systems.

Background

U.S. patent No. 7,601,256 discloses a reverse osmosis filtration system that is completely self-contained, efficient and aesthetically pleasing, and can be used for either platform-side or under-platform installations. Moreover, such a system can be used for installations above the platform and then easily converted to installations below the platform. A very favourable ratio of produced water to waste water is obtained in this system, partly by using raw water as flushing water (squeeze water) passing through the reverse osmosis membrane, so that a clean flow is provided above the membrane each time produced water is distributed through the flushing flow above the membrane and into the flushing side of the tank.

However, if the ratio of produced water to waste water is maximized under normal operating conditions (normal line pressure), the ratio of produced water to waste water will further increase for higher line pressures, which may result in a relatively short service life and clogging of the reverse osmosis membrane.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view of a stand-alone reverse osmosis water filtration system incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the reverse osmosis water filtration system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a manifold assembly of the reverse osmosis water filtration system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of a pressure regulator installed below a manifold assembly of the reverse osmosis water filtration system of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

To avoid the problems described in the prior art section above, the present invention includes a pressure regulator 20 shown in FIGS. 1,2, 3 and 4. Here, as can be seen from the drawings, the pressure regulator is mounted at and below the manifold assembly 22, spaced from the axis of the tank 24 so as not to interfere with the tank. Also mounted at and below the manifold assembly 22 are: three cartridges (i.e.,

cartridges

52, 54, and 56) containing conventional filters, reverse osmosis membrane filters, and carbon filters, respectively, and a control valve 62, the control valve 62 hydraulically controlling the operation of the osmotic filtration system. The box 52 is behind the box 56 and is hidden from view by the box 56.

In the illustrated embodiment, the output of the pressure regulator 20 is coupled by a line 26 to an elbow 28, which in turn is coupled to the raw water inlet on the manifold assembly 22. This makes port 30 the new raw water inlet for the system.

Of course, it will be apparent that rather than plugging the elbow 28 into a configuration that is already the raw water inlet to the system, that raw water inlet may be plugged in place and the manifold assembly 22 opened (tap) for connection of the line 26 so that the line 26 and elbow 28 do not extend beyond the sides of the manifold assembly, but are located entirely below the manifold assembly.

In one embodiment, the regulator used is of the type FMP60 manufactured by Apex Valves, Inc. of New Zealand, although other suitable sizes and capacities of regulators may be used as desired.

The use of a pressure regulator not only avoids fouling of the reverse osmosis membrane by avoiding over-production, but also reduces the pressure requirements for all pressure vessels in the system downstream thereof. This is particularly advantageous for its design and manufacture by reducing the burst pressure requirements of the tank 24. Thus, the inclusion of a pressure regulator as part of the system to regulate the pressure at a maximum of, for example, 510-590kPa (75-85psi) maximizes the ratio of produced water to waste water under normal operating conditions without the risk of premature failure of reverse osmosis membranes in those less installations where pressures up to 870kPa (125psi) may be encountered.

The advantage of integrating the pressure regulator 20 into the system design, as using the system over a platform (counter, herein platform including but not limited to a table such as a counter, work table, etc. on which objects may be placed) would be unsightly and impact sales, as opposed to using only a single inline pressure regulator, is the fact that one of the features of the reverse osmosis system of the aforementioned patent is its ability to be used essentially interchangeably as an on-platform and an off-platform device and the use of a single inline regulator, without the operation of the pressure regulator being disadvantageous.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed and described herein for purposes of illustration and not limitation, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A reverse osmosis filtration system comprising, as a single, self-contained component:

a manifold assembly with a lower side to which portions of the reverse osmosis filtration system are attached and supported, the portions of the reverse osmosis filtration system including a product water storage tank, cartridges housing filters, reverse osmosis filtration membranes and activated carbon filters, respectively, and a control valve that hydraulically controls operation of the reverse osmosis filtration system; and

a raw water pressure regulator housed within the self-contained reverse osmosis filtration system and coupled to the lower side of the manifold assembly, the raw water pressure regulator having an inlet for coupling to a source of raw water having a first pressure and having an outlet coupled to the manifold assembly,

the raw water pressure regulator operates independently of the control valve.

2. A reverse osmosis filtration system according to claim 1 wherein the raw water pressure regulator is set to a second pressure that maximizes the ratio of produced water to waste water under normal operating conditions without clogging the reverse osmosis filtration membrane regardless of the first pressure.

3. A reverse osmosis filtration system according to claim 2 wherein the second pressure is between 510 and 590 kPa.

4. The reverse osmosis filtration system of claim 1, wherein the water production storage tank has a burst pressure selected based on the second pressure.

5. The reverse osmosis filtration system of claim 4, wherein the raw water pressure regulator is spaced from an axis of the production water tank so as not to interfere with coupling of the production water tank to the lower side of the manifold assembly.

6. The reverse osmosis filtration system of claim 1, wherein the outlet of the raw water pressure regulator is coupled to the manifold assembly such that the raw water pressure regulator and the coupling to the lower side of the manifold assembly are located entirely below the manifold assembly.

7. A method of assembling a reverse osmosis filtration system as a single self-contained component, the method comprising:

providing a manifold assembly with a lower side to which portions of the reverse osmosis filtration system are attached and supported, the portions of the reverse osmosis filtration system including a product water storage tank, cartridges housing filters, reverse osmosis filtration membranes and activated carbon filters, respectively, and a control valve that hydraulically controls operation of the reverse osmosis filtration system;

coupling a raw water pressure regulator to the lower side of the manifold assembly such that the raw water pressure regulator is entirely within the self-contained assembly;

coupling an inlet of the raw water pressure regulator to a source of raw water having a first pressure;

coupling an outlet of the raw water pressure regulator to the manifold assembly; and

operating the raw water pressure regulator independently of the control valve.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising setting the raw water pressure regulator to a second pressure that maximizes a ratio of produced water to waste water under normal operating conditions without clogging the reverse osmosis membrane, regardless of the first pressure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second pressure is between 510 and 590 kPa.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the water producing storage tank has a burst pressure selected based on the second pressure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the raw water pressure regulator is spaced from an axis of the water production tank so as not to interfere with coupling of the water production tank to the lower side of the manifold assembly.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the outlet of the raw water pressure regulator is coupled to the manifold assembly such that the raw water pressure regulator and the coupling to the lower side of the manifold assembly are located entirely below the manifold assembly.