Intelligent reverse osmosis control

A system for intelligently controlling a reverse osmosis (RO) machine, the system comprising:

• an RO machine, the RO machine comprising:
• one or more successive stages wherein each stage comprise a plurality of membranes, wherein the plurality of membranes at each stage collectively comprise the membranes of the RO machine;
• one or more pumps preceding at least the first stage, wherein the one or more pumps move feedwater, concentrate or permeate from an inlet to a stage or from each earlier stage to a later stage of the one or more successive stages;
• one or more valves fluidically coupled to a portion of the plurality of membranes of each stage, the one or more valves controlling various controls within the RO system;
• inlet for feedwater;
• and
• outlets for concentrate and permeate, produced by the RO machine from the feedwater;
• and
• a computer system communicatively coupled to the RO machine, the computer system comprising:
• a memory;
• one or more sensors dispersed throughout the RO machine, a portion of the sensors comprising one or more measurement devices;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory and with the one or more sensors, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
• determining, by the one or more processors, various variables related to the operation of the membranes, the determining comprising:
• measuring, by the one or more processors, over time, variables comprising operating limits of the membranes;
• and
• iteratively determining, by the one or more processors, based on inferring values of variables utilizing a method in a simulation, variables related to operation of the membranes, wherein the measured variables and the inferred variables comprise the variables, wherein the iteratively determining comprises applying an iterative mathematical model to determine a portion of the inferred variables, wherein the portion comprises one or more critical variables that cannot be measured directly;
• determining, by the one or more processors, based on the variables, an upper limit and a lower limit for various control parameters within the RO machine, wherein the various control parameters are controlled by active components of the RO machine, wherein a control parameter of the various control parameters comprises brine discharge flow, and wherein determining the upper limit and the lower limit for the brine discharge flow comprises:
• obtaining, by the one or more processors, a first set of values from the various variables impacting the upper limit for a brine discharge flow adjustment for the RO machine, wherein the first set of values comprise, a maximum inlet flow to a stage of the one or more stages, a maximum pressure drop in a single membrane of the plurality of the membranes, and a total pressure drop through the stage of the one or more successive stages;
• obtaining, by the one or more processors, a second set of values from the various variables impacting the lower limit for a brine discharge flow adjustment for the RO machine, wherein the second set of values comprises a minimum outlet flow from the stage of the one or more successive stages, a maximum recovery in a single membrane of the stage of the one or more successive stages, and a maximum total dissolved solids in a brine;
• and
• determining, by the one or more processors, the brine discharge flow adjustment, wherein, based on the first set of values, a smallest upward adjustment, or a largest negative adjustment, added to a current brine discharge flow, defines the upper limit for brine discharge flow, and wherein, based on the second set of values, a largest upward adjustment, or a smallest negative adjustment, added to a current brine discharge flow, defines the lower limit for brine discharge flow;
• and
• deriving, by the one or more processors, for each of the various control parameters, an adjustment, wherein implementing the adjustment obtains optimal permeate recovery in the RO machine within the operating limits, wherein implementing the adjustment comprises setting a value.

A system for intelligently controlling a reverse osmosis (RO) machine, the system comprising:

• an RO machine, the RO machine comprising:
• one or more successive stages wherein each stage comprise a plurality of membranes, wherein the plurality of membranes at each stage collectively comprise the membranes of the RO machine, wherein the one or more successive stages comprise two or more successive stages, and wherein the stages of the two or more successive stages each comprise one or more pressure vessels and one or more membrane modules;
• one or more pumps preceding at least the first stage, wherein the one or more pumps move feedwater, concentrate or permeate from an inlet to a stage or from each earlier stage to a later stage of the one or more successive stages;
• one or more valves fluidically coupled to a portion of the plurality of membranes of each stage, the one or more valves controlling various controls within the RO system;
• the inlet for feedwater;
• and
• outlets for concentrate and permeate, produced by the RO machine from the feedwater;
• and
• a computer system communicatively coupled to the RO machine, the computer system comprising:
• a memory;
• one or more sensors dispersed throughout the RO machine, a portion of the sensors comprising one or more measurement devices;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory and with the one or more sensors, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
• determining, by the one or more processors, various variables related to the operation of the membranes, the determining comprising:
• measuring, by the one or more processors, over time, variables comprising operating limits of the membranes;
• and
• iteratively determining, by the one or more processors, based on inferring values of variables utilizing a method in a simulation, variables related to operation of the membranes, wherein the measured variables and the inferred variables comprise the variables, wherein the iteratively determining comprises applying an iterative mathematical model to determine a portion of the inferred variables, wherein the portion comprises one or more critical variables that cannot be measured directly;
• determining, by the one or more processors, based on the variables, an upper limit and a lower limit for various control parameters within the RO machine, wherein the various control parameters are controlled by active components of the RO machine, and wherein a control parameters of the various control parameters are selected from the group consisting of:
• prior stage permeate pressure and interstage booster pressure;
• and
• deriving, by the one or more processors, for each of the various control parameters, an adjustment, wherein implementing the adjustment obtains optimal permeate recovery in the RO machine within the operating limits, wherein implementing the adjustment comprises setting a value,
• wherein when the control parameter comprises the prior stage permeate pressure, and wherein determining an adjustment to the prior stage permeate pressure comprises:
• determining, by the one or more processors, a value for the prior stage permeate pressure, wherein the value for the prior stage permeate is equal to an immediate successive stage permeate pressure plus half of a pressure drop through the prior stage plus a difference in osmotic pressure of the two stages plus an accumulated percent difference between a maximum membrane flux at the prior stage and maximum membrane flux at the immediate successive stage;
• and
• automatically adjusting, by the one or more processors, the prior stage permeate pressure to the determined value for the prior stage permeate pressure;
• and
• wherein when the control parameter comprises the interstage booster pressure, determining an adjustment to the interstage booster pressure comprises:
• determining, by the one or more processors, a value for interstage booster pressure, wherein the value for the interstage booster pressure is equal to half of a pressure drop through the two stages plus a difference in osmotic pressure of the two stages plus an accumulated percent difference between maximum membrane flux of a first stage of the two stages and maximum membrane flux of the second stage of the two stages;
• and
• automatically adjusting, by the one or more processors, the interstage booster pressure to the determined value for the interstage booster pressure.

A computer-implemented method for intelligently controlling a reverse osmosis (RO) machine, the method comprising:

• determining, by one or more processors, various variables related to operation of membranes of a RO machine, the determining comprising:
• measuring, by the one or more processors, over time, variables comprising operating limits of the membranes;
• and
• iteratively determining, by the one or more processors, based on inferring values of variables utilizing a method in a simulation, variables related to operation of the membranes, wherein the measured variables and the inferred variables comprise the variables, wherein the iteratively determining comprises applying an iterative mathematical model to determine a portion of the inferred variables, wherein the portion comprises one or more critical variables that cannot be measured directly;
• determining, by the one or more processors, based on the variables, an upper limit and a lower limit for various control parameters within the RO machine, wherein the various control parameters are controlled by active components of the RO machine;
• deriving, by the one or more processors, for each of the various control parameters, an adjustment, wherein implementing the adjustment obtains optimal permeate recovery in the RO machine within the operating limits, and wherein implementing the adjustment comprises setting a value;
• obtaining, by the one or more processors, iteratively, over time, from one or more components comprising RO system, a response to change in feed pressure;
• generating, by the one or more processors, based on the response, one or more response gradients;
• determining, by the one or more processors, based on the one or more response gradients, values comprising pump speeds for one or more pumps and valve positions for one or more valves to obtain a pre-determined performance from the RO system;
• determining, by the one or more processors, a time interval in which the RO machine will adjust feed pressure, wherein the feed pressure is a control parameter of the various control parameters, the determining comprising:
• obtaining, by the one or more processors, via an interface, a command to trigger an evaluation of a step change response to feed pressure in the RO machine for measurements in the RO machine obtained by one or more measurement devices;
• confirming, by the one or more processors, that the RO machine is operating within pre-determined operating parameters, based on the operating limits of the membranes;
• based on the confirming, implementing, commencing, by the one or more processors, the step change sequence, wherein the step change sequence comprises facilitating a step change in feed pressure, while maintaining other control parameters of the various control parameters;
• monitoring, by the one or more processors, the RO machine until the measured variables reach new consistent values, wherein the monitoring comprises recording intermittent values for the variables during the monitoring;
• determining, by the one or more processors, a time period for each variable a tau for each variable;
• multiplying, by the one or more processors, a largest tau of the taus for each variable by a static value to determine the time interval;
• and
• resuming, by the one or more processors, regular operation of the RO machine.