# US 2014/0151297 A1 · Portable reverse osmosis water purification system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151297 A1 - Document ID: US20140151297A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/092,638 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Mar Cor Purification, Inc. - Applicants: Mar Cor Purification - Inventors: Clinton William Hulme; Sean Jay West; Kelly Dean Ross - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151297A1 ## CPC - B01D 65/02: Membrane cleaning or sterilisation {; Membrane regeneration} - B01D 61/08: Apparatus therefor - B01D 61/12: Controlling or regulating - B01D 65/022: {Membrane sterilisation} - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - A61L 2/04: Heat (radiation A61L2/08) - A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation - B01D 2201/26: Transport systems for filtering devices - B01D 2201/265: mounted on vehicles - B01D 2221/08: Mobile separation devices - B01D 2221/10: Separation devices for use in medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory applications, e.g. separating amalgam from dental treatment residues - B01D 2315/18: Time sequence of one or more process steps carried out periodically within one apparatus - B01D 2321/02: Forward flushing - B01D 2321/2066: Pulsated flow - B01D 2321/40: Automatic control of cleaning processes - C02F 1/002: {using small portable filters for producing potable water, e.g. personal travel or emergency equipment, survival kits, combat gear (C02F1/003 takes precedence)} - C02F 9/20: Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems - C02F 2103/026: {Treating water for medical or cosmetic purposes} - C02F 2201/008: Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle - C02F 2303/20: Prevention of biofouling - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - A61L: METHODS 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 (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract In a reverse osmosis fluid purification system, an input fluid is received at an input of the purification system, and a fluid purification run cycle is performed on the input fluid. The fluid purification cycle includes pumping the input fluid through a membrane with a pump at a first pressure and first flow rate to generate product fluid and waste fluid. The product fluid is provided to an external system and the waste fluid is provided to a drain port. The membrane is then rinsed after performing the fluid purification run cycle by providing the input fluid to the pump and pumping the input fluid through the membrane at a second pressure less than the first pressure and a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate for a predetermined period of time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a reverse osmosis fluid purification system, the method comprising: receiving an input fluid at an input of the purification system; performing a fluid purification run cycle on the input fluid, the fluid purification cycle comprising pumping the input fluid through a membrane with a pump at a first pressure and first flow rate to generate product fluid and waste fluid, wherein the product fluid is provided to an external system and the waste fluid is provided to a drain port; and rinsing the membrane after performing the fluid purification run cycle, wherein rinsing the membrane comprises: providing the input fluid to the pump; and pumping the input fluid through the membrane at a second pressure less than the first pressure and a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least one minute. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising: providing the fluid pumped through the membrane in the rinsing step to a drain port. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the rinsing step occurs automatically after the performing step and cannot be overridden by an operator of the reverse osmosis fluid purification system. ### Claim 5 A method for operating a reverse osmosis fluid purification system, the method comprising: initiating a disinfection cycle; draining an internal tank to a minimum level; pumping input fluid from a fluid source through a membrane to generate product fluid and waste fluid, wherein the waste fluid is provided to a drain port; terminating flow of the input fluid from the fluid source; directing the product fluid to the internal tank until the internal tank is filled to a maximum level; and pumping an amount of the product fluid from the internal tank through the membrane until the product fluid in the internal tank is at an intermediate level between the minimum and maximum levels, wherein the amount of product fluid pumped from the internal tank forces fluid between the internal tank and the membrane through to the drain port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, and further comprising: heating the product fluid to a disinfecting temperature; and holding the product fluid at the disinfecting temperature for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the heating step comprises heating the product fluid to at least about 80° C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least about 30 minutes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, and further comprising: connecting a chemical sterilant source to a product return line in fluid communication with the internal tank; and circulating chemical sterilant from the chemical sterilant source through the reverse osmosis fluid purification system for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least about one hour. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, and further comprising: flushing the chemical sterilant from the reverse osmosis fluid purification system, wherein flushing comprises repeatedly pumping input fluid from the fluid source through the membrane for a plurality of cycles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cycles comprises at least 30 cycles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, and further comprising: terminating connection of the reverse osmosis fluid purification system from the fluid source and the waste drain; and initiating a storage heat cycling mode in which the product fluid in the internal tank is repeatedly heated and circulated through the reverse osmosis fluid purification system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the product fluid in the internal tank is repeatedly heated and circulated at a user-selected frequency. ### Claim 15 A method for operating a reverse osmosis fluid purification system, the method comprising: disconnecting the fluid purification system from a fluid source and waste port; transporting the fluid purification system to a storage location; connecting the fluid purification system to an electrical source at the storage location; and performing a storage heat cycling mode in which the product fluid in the internal tank is repeatedly heated and circulated through the reverse osmosis fluid purification system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the product fluid in the internal tank is heated to a temperature of at least about 80° C. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the product fluid in the internal tank is repeatedly heated and circulated at a user-selected frequency. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the reverse osmosis fluid purification system automatically re-initiates the storage heat cycling mode when connection to the electrical source is lost and subsequently re-established. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1, 15) The method of claim 15, and further comprising: terminating the storage heat cycling mode; connecting the reverse osmosis fluid purification system to the fluid source and waste port; and operating the reverse osmosis fluid purification system according to the method of claim 1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 4, 15) The method of claim 15, wherein prior to the disconnecting step, the method further comprises: purging the membrane with product fluid according to the method of claim 4.