Method and system for performing reverse osmosis with brine recirculation and energy recovery
AssigneeFluid Equipment Development Company, LLC
InventorsEli Oklejas, Jr., Michael Anthony Gisclair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reverse osmosis system and a method of operating the same includes a membrane housing comprising a reverse osmosis membrane therein. The membrane housing has a feed fluid inlet, a brine outlet and a permeate outlet. A first turbocharger has a first pump portion and a first turbine portion. The brine outlet is coupled to a first pipe directing a first portion of brine to the first pump portion. The first pump portion is in fluid communication with the feed fluid inlet. A feed pump communicates feed fluid to the feed fluid inlet. The brine outlet is coupled to a second pipe directing a second portion of brine away from the first pump portion.
Claims8
A reverse osmosis system comprising:
- a membrane housing comprising a reverse osmosis membrane therein, said membrane housing comprising a feed fluid inlet, a brine outlet and a permeate outlet;
- a first turbocharger comprising a first pump portion and a first turbine portion;
- said brine outlet coupled to a first pipe directing a first portion of brine to the first pump portion;
- said first pump portion in fluid communication with the feed fluid inlet;
- a feed pump communicating feed fluid to the feed fluid inlet;
- a second turbocharger comprising a second pump portion and a second turbine portion;
- and
- said brine outlet coupled to a second pipe directing a second portion of brine to the second turbine portion.
A method of operating a reverse osmosis system having a feed fluid inlet, a brine outlet and a permeate outlet, said method comprising:
- fluidically communicating a first portion of brine from the brine outlet to a first pump portion of a turbocharger;
- fluidically communicating the first portion of the brine from the first pump portion to the feed fluid inlet;
- fluidically communicating feed fluid from a feed pump to the feed fluid inlet;
- communicating a second portion of brine in a second pipe to a second pump portion of a second turbocharger;
- communicating feed fluid to the second pump portion from the feed pump;
- communicating feed fluid to a first turbine portion from the second pump portion;
- and
- fluidically coupling the first turbine portion to the feed fluid inlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.