Showing papers on "Reverse osmosis published in 1987"

Water purification process

Abstract: Potable water from a municipal water supply is treated to remove suspended solids, organic and inorganic dissolved solids, dissolved carbon dioxide gas and metal contaminants so as to produce ultra-pure water in the 16 megohm-cm 3 and greater range. The process involves prefilteration of the water; activated carbon filtration; secondary guard filtration; double reverse osmosis treatment of the water. The process further involves the use of either an anion exchange or electrodialysis unit to remove further impurities from the water. A method for recycling part of the discharged water is also provided.

Method and apparatus for purifying fluids

Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying and/or separating fluids including passing such fluid from a feed side of a reverse osmosis unit to the product side of such unit and to an ultimate user during a purifying cycle and recirculating residual fluid back to the feed side in bypass relation to the reverse osmosis unit during a treating cycle to introduce suitable treating fluids into the system for disinfecting and rejuvenating the system.

Water purification machine

Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying water to two different laboratory quality levels of purity, both of which are made available for dispensing. Ordinary tap water is prefiltered and treated by reverse osmosis to produce virtually salt free product water which is made available to a cabinet mounted faucet. The product water is delivered to a system of polishing cartridges which produce polished water and supply it to a special hand held dispensing gun. A recirculation pump operates to recirculate the water in the polishing system to prevent it from standing and eliminate the need for water storage. The product water is also recycled through the reverse osmosis cartridge. Some of the reject water from the RO cartridge is directed to a drain, but most of the reject water is recycled to conserve water. A microprocessor based control system monitors and displays the water quality and other conditions and generates an alarm if an abnormal condition arises.

Energy efficient dialysis system

Abstract: An energy efficient dialysis system which requires a minimal amount of energy to operate and maintains critical operating temperatures for effective reverse osmosis and dialysis. The system includes a hot fluid inlet for causing a flow of washing fluid, a reverse osmosis machine for receiving the flow of washing fluid at a first given temperature to filter the washing fluid and discharge impurities in a discharge stream, a plurality of kidney machines receiving the filtered washing fluid to remove contaminants from a body fluid at a second given temperature, a heater adjacent to the entry of the kidney machine to change the temperature of the filtered washing fluid from the first given temperature to the second given temperature, and a valve to control the temperature of the washing fluid entering the reverse osmosis machine; an energy conserving apparatus comprising a heat exchanger for receiving the discharge streams from the reverse osmosis and kidney machines and a cold fluid inlet to introduce fresh washing fluid through the heat exchanger.

Apparatus for reverse osmosis using fluid recirculation

Abstract: A membrane element pumping and circulation mechanism comprising a pressure vessel containing a centrifugal pumping mechanism and a membrane module wherein aqueous fluid to be purified undergoes active circulation and purification while following a continuous path without leaving the primary container; as well as a purification process using the mechanism.

Preventing plugging by insoluble salts in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation and associated production wells

Abstract: Plugging in fluid passageways of a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation or associated production wells caused by the accumulation of insoluble salt precipitates therein which results from an in situ interaction between precipitate precursor ions in an injection water and resident ions already occurring in the formation is prevented by removing the precursor ions from the injection water by a reverse osmosis membrane before injecting the water into the formation.

Using Reverse Osmosis to Remove Agricultural Chemicals From Groundwater

Abstract: Suffolk County, N.Y., has examined its groundwater for agricultural and organic contaminants since 1978. Recent discoveries of specific chemicals in private wells increased the concern over contamination and spurred a study to determine a cost-effective system for removing agricultural chemicals from groundwater. Tests of cellulose acetate; spiral-wound, thin-film composite; and hollow-fiber membranes showed that reverse osmosis should be considered for pesticide and organics removal. Pilot tests should be conducted on in-situ water to assure proper process design.

Method and apparatus for fluid treatment by reverse osmosis

Abstract: Either of the two relatively large capacity tanks can be connected in a high pressure loop or system including a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and a circulating pump. When the pressure is high enough in this loop, product is drawn from the vessel. A feed pump supplies fluid to the tank not in the high pressure system for flushing that tank. The feed pump also supplies fluid to the input of a high pressure pump which provides make-up fluid to the high pressure system at a pressure sufficient to sustain reverse osmosis. The tanks are interchanged periodically. This system only has to provide high pressure fluid at a rate equivalent to the rate of withdrawal of product from the system.

Method and plant for separation of synthetic water soluble polymers

Abstract: Aqueous solutions of water soluble synthetic resins, such as urea-formaldehyde resins, are charged to an ultrafiltration membrane unit (2) for separation into a concentrate (C) solution and a permeate (P) solution. The permeate solution is recirculated to a polymerization reactor (1), preferably after first having been subjected to reverse osmosis for upgrading of the permeate. A plant for production and separation of synthetic water soluble resins comprises a polymerization reactor (1) and an ultrafiltration membrane unit (5) whereby the permeate outlet (P) of the ultrafiltration unit is connected with the polymerization reactor, preferably via a reverse osmosis unit (10).

Regulated control valve assembly for a water purification system

Abstract: A regulated control valve assembly is provided for use in a water purification system having a reverse osmosis unit to produce relatively purified water from a feed water supply of ordinary tap water or the like. Purified water produced by the reverse osmosis unit is supplied to a purified water chamber in a storage vessel ready for dispensing on demand by operation of a faucet valve. The control valve assembly includes a throttle valve responsive to the purified water chamber reaching a substantially filled condition to throttle or halt feed water inflow to the system. In addition, the control valve incorporates a pressure regulator for shifting the throttle valve in a manner regulating the pressure of feed water supplied to the purification system to a predetermined, relatively low pressure level.

Water supply system using reverse osmosis unit for treatment of water supply

Abstract: A water supply system for use in connection with a variety of water using equipment such, for example, as commercial ice makers and commercial steam cooking equipment wherein the water supply system utilizes a reverse osmosis unit thereby providing water of low mineral content to be used as product water in the equipment and at the same time utilizing the waste water generated from use of the reverse osmosis unit to provide cooling or condensing water for the same units to which the low mineral water is supplied.

Osmotic distillation process and semipermeable barriers therefor.

Abstract: A system for the concentration of a dilute solution of low osmotic pressure by a process of osmotic distillation, which process utilises a hydrophobic semipermeable diffusion barrier and has as its driving force the difference in osmotic pressure between two fluids (e.g., fruit juice and seawater) separated by the semipermeable barrier to achieve the concentration of the fluid having the lower osmotic pressure (e.g., fruit juice). Ideally, the hydrophobic semipermeable barrier is a reticulated structure comprising a matrix of highly conductible strands of a metal (e.g., copper) which have been surface coated with a hydrophobic material. When coupled with reverse osmosis means there is provided a method for the recovery of solvent (e.g., potable water) from the process, e.g., desalination of seawater.

Reverse osmosis assembly operating valve

Abstract: A single control valve and associated conduits for operating a reverse osmosis assembly that includes a reverse osmosis cartridge, a reservoir that has a movable barrier therein that subdivides the interior into first and second confined spaces of variable volume, and a manually operated purified water dispensing valve, so that as the first confined space approaches a filled condition with purified water, the single control valve throttles the flow of pressurized feed water to the cartridge to minimize the use of feed water in the operation thereof, with the maximum backpressure to which purified water is subjected in discharging from the cartridge being that due to the weight of reject water in the second confined space, and a membrane in the reverse osmosis cartridge being fast-flushed with feed water to remove foreign material therefrom when the purified water dispensing valve is discharging purified water.

REVERSE OSMOSIS CONCENTRATION of APPLE JUICE: FLUX and FLAVOR RETENTION BY CELLULOSE ACETATE and POLYAMIDE MEMBRANES

Abstract: Apple juice was concentrated in a pilot scale reverse osmosis unit using two commercial spiral wound cellulose acetate membranes with 97% (CA-97) and 99% (CA-99) NaCl rejection ratings and an experimental polyamide (PA-99) membrane with 99% salt rejection rating. Flux and concentration rates were higher for the PA-99 membrane than for the CA membranes. Gas chromatographic analysis of feed, permeate, and concentrate samples was undertaken and a mass balance of odor-active volatiles was performed. the PA-99 membrane retained 45% of the total odor-active volatiles while the CA-99 retained 23 %. Acetates were not found to increase when apple juice was concentrated with the cellulose acetate membrane. Retention of individual aroma compounds for the CA-99 and PA-99 membrane was rationalized using polar, nonpolar, and steric parameters.

Simultaneous double reverse osmosis process for production of low and non-alcoholic beverages

Abstract: Simultaneous double reverse osmosis process for production of low and non-alcoholic beverages, particularly wines, from any traditionally fermented table wine feedstock. A portion of the feed wine is subjected to remove alcohol and water as a permeate, with recycle of the concentrated retentate, while simultaneously a volume-balanced amount of reverse osmosis water is input back into the feed tank to maintain the inprocess wine at the initial level of the feedstock wine. The process may be run batch-wise, alternately, or in a modified semi-continuous operation to produce non-alcoholic wines (wines having residual alcohol content of less than 0.01% by volume) low alcohol wines (less than 0.5 volume percent alcohol), or wines having reduced alcohol content (less than 11-13 volume percent). The process also overcomes the 5% alcohol barrier problem of conventional reverse osmosis. The resulting finished wine has flavor, aroma and color solids concentrations of a level acceptable in good commercial practice.

Ultrafiltration of bleach plant effluent

Abstract: An up-to-date evaluation of capacity and retention of new membranes with regard to bleach plant effluents has been made. The results from a trial of seven reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes are reported. The trial has even included membranes not yet commercially available. The trial has demonstrated that some of the tested membranes could probably combine a satisfactory flux and an acceptable retention. A rough estimate of the costs shows that treatment of the E-stage effluent with ultrafiltration could be performed within a total cost of approximately 25 SEK per tonne of pulp.

Reverse osmosis treatment to remove inorganic contaminants from drinking water

Abstract: The purpose of the research project was to determine the removal of inorganic contaminants from drinking water using several state-of-the-art reverse osmosis membrane elements. A small 5-KGPD reverse osmosis system was utilized and five different membrane elements were studied individually with the specific inorganic contaminants added to several natural Florida ground waters. Removal data were also collected on naturally occurring substances.

Process and a device for the treatment, by means of ozone, of feed water for reverse osmosis

Abstract: The feed water for a reverse osmosis device (7) is treated, by means of ozone, by being passed through a mixing vessel (4), in which the charging with ozone is carried out, a direct contact time container (5), and a residual-ozone destruction vessel (6) into the reverse osmosis device (7). At the permeate outlet (9) of the latter, part of the stream is branched off and fed, for charging with ozone, into an electrolysis cell (2) which is provided with a solid electrolyte, and fed back into the mixing vessel (4).