US 9,314,742 B2 · Method and system for reverse osmosis predictive maintenance using normalization data

Abstract

The present invention can include a reverse osmosis unit, a control system, a display, and/or a memory. The reverse osmosis unit can include a filtration unit, a liquid utilization system, and/or an instrumentation system. The filtration unit includes a plurality of filter banks which each have a plurality of filter unit. The filtration unit receives a feed liquid and generates permeate and concentrate. The permeate is sent to the liquid utilization system, while the concentrate is removed. The instrumentation system can include a plurality of sensors to detect operational data of the feed liquid, permeate, and/or concentrate. Using the operational data and equations, the control unit can calculate the normalized permeate flow rate indicating whether the filters should be cleaned and/or replaced. The operational data and the equations can be used to determine whether the pressure and/or flow can be manipulated without damaging the filters.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A reverse osmosis system comprising:

a reverse osmosis unit including a plurality of filter banks configured to pass permeate and generate concentrate;
an instrumentation unit coupled to the reverse osmosis unit and having a plurality of sensors for sensing operational data of the reverse osmosis unit, the plurality of sensors including a flow sensor configured to detect a permeate flow rate of the permeate and a dissolved solid detection unit configured to detect an amount of dissolved solids in the concentrate;
a processor coupled to the instrumentation unit and configured to calculate a normalized permeate flow rate based on the operational data including the permeate flow rate and the amount of dissolved solids in the concentrate and to determine whether to clean or replace the plurality of filter banks based on the normalized permeate flow rate;
and
a display coupled to the processor and configured to display data indicating whether to clean or replace at least one of the plurality of filter banks.

2 more elements

A reverse osmosis system comprising:

a reverse osmosis unit including a first filter bank and a second filter bank and configured to receive feed liquid, pass permeate and generate concentrate;
a first pressure sensor configured to detect a feed pressure of the reverse osmosis unit;
a second pressure sensor configured to detect a rejection pressure of the first filter bank corresponding to a pressure of concentrate of the first filter bank;
a third pressure sensor configured to detect a rejection pressure of the second filter bank corresponding to a pressure of concentrate of the second filter bank;
a permeate sensor configured to detect a permeate flow rate of the permeate;
a dissolved solid detection unit configured to detect an amount of dissolved solids in the concentrate of the reverse osmosis unit;
a processor configured to calculate a normalized permeate flow rate based on the feed pressure, the rejection pressure of the first filter bank, the rejection pressure of the second filter bank, the permeate flow rate and the amount of dissolved solids in the concentrate, determine whether to clean or replace at least one of the first filter bank or the second filter bank based on the normalized permeate flow rate and determine whether a yield of the permeate can be improved based on the normalized permeate flow rate;
and
a display connected to the control unit and configured to indicate when to clean or replace at least one of the first filter bank or the second filter bank.

6 more elements

A system comprising:

a first filter for receiving feed liquid, generating a first concentrate and passing a first portion of a permeate;
a second filter for receiving the first concentrate, generating a second concentrate and passing a second portion of the permeate;
an initial pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the feed liquid;
a first pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the first concentrate;
a second pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the second concentrate;
a flow sensor configured to detect a flow rate of the permeate;
a dissolved solid detection unit configured to detect an amount of dissolved solids in at least one of the first concentrate or the second concentrate;
a processor configured to calculate a normalized flow rate based on the pressure of the feed liquid, the pressure of the first concentrate, the pressure of the second concentrate, the flow rate of the permeate, and the amount of dissolved solids in the at least one of the first concentrate or the second concentrate, determine a normalized pressure differential based on the pressure of the feed liquid and the flow rate of the permeate, determine whether a percentage of the permeate relative to the feed liquid can be increased based on the normalized pressure differential, and determine whether to clean or replace at least one of the first filter or the second filter based on the normalized flow rate;
and
a display configured to output data corresponding to the determination of whether to clean or replace the at least one of the first filter or the second filter.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for reverse osmosis predictive maintenance using normalization data

Life of this patent

Method and system for reverse osmosis predictive maintenance using normalization data

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18