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US 5,348,651 AGranted
Membrane simulator
AssigneeAqua-Chem, Inc.
InventorsTimothy J. Carlson, Richard D. Geiger, Gerald A. Karls, Bruce A. Meysembourg
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AssigneeAqua-Chem, Inc.
InventorsTimothy J. Carlson, Richard D. Geiger, Gerald A. Karls, Bruce A. Meysembourg
Estimating the term…
Device to simulate operation and placement of a reverse osmosis membrane element in a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU). The device simulates the drop in hydrostatic pressure occurring when a liquid (usually water) is forced across a membrane which separates different concentrations of solutes in the same solvent system. When substituted into a typical ROWPU for an actual reverse osmosis (RO) element, the drop in hydrostatic pressure is effected by an aperture or series of apertures which allow passage of liquid directly from the intake liquid piping to the purified effluent piping. The hydrostatic pressure of the waste effluent is similar to the pressure present in the waste effluent when an actual RO element is operating in a ROWPU.
In a reverse osmosis water purification unit comprising an elongated, tubular pressure vessel arranged to contain at least one reverse osmosis membrane element, wherein the improvement comprises a membrane simulator for temporary substitution of said membrane element, said simulator comprising a tube member coaxially disposed and extending substantially the length of the pressure vessel and interior support means arranged to position and support the tube member in substantial coaxial alignment with the pressure vessel, wherein said tube member comprises means for lowering hydrostatic pressure of a liquid passing through the pressure vessel, which means simulates, in the absence of said membrane element, the decrease in hydrostatic pressure normally present when liquid passes through a reverse osmosis membrane element when said membrane element is normally disposed in the pressure vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.