The disclosure relates to water treatment systems that may be used to remove impurities from water, particularly systems that inserted at the point of entry of a water supply into a building.

A water purifier comprising: a filter unit comprising at least one filter filtering water to generate purified water; a flow rate sensor measuring a flow rate of the water; a concentrated water channel discharging concentrated water, having been filtered by the filter unit; an extraction unit extracting the purified water; a flow rate control valve controlling a flow rate of purified water; an opening and closing degree measurement unit, measuring a degree of opening and closing of the flow rate control valve; a concentrated water ratio calculation unit, calculating a ratio between purified water and concentrated water, according to the degree of opening and closing of the flow rate control valve; and a controller, using the flow rate of water and the calculated ratio between purified water and concentrated water, to calculate amounts of water used, integrating the calculated amounts of water, and calculating a lifespan (remaining life) of the filter.

A portable water conditioning system is provided that includes a water conditioner, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The water conditioner has a plurality of conditioning stages that condition water. The plurality of conditioning stages include, in a direction of flow of the water through the water conditioner, a reverse osmosis stage and a deionizing stage. The first sensor detects a first condition of the water before the reverse osmosis stage. The second sensor detects a second condition of the water after the reverse osmosis stage. The controller is in communication with the first and second sensors and determines a health status of the reverse osmosis stage based the first and second conditions. The first and second conditions each include a level of total dissolved solids of the water.

The water dispensing device of the present invention with the given flow path of water and the control circuit configured store at least two threshold TDS values X.sub.A and X.sub.B, wherein X.sub.A is a higher TDS value than X.sub.B; and to drain water from the treatment unit through the drain line, when TDS value sensed is higher than X.sub.A, and alternately when the sensed value of TDS is less than X.sub.B then direct water from the reject line into the first recycle line; it was seen that the TDS of the output water of the device was in a constant range and the device of the present invention also contributed to minimizing the wastage of water by allowing recycling of water through the reject line of the treatment unit.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for evaluating dialyzers used in different medical applications (e.g., hemodialysis). Red blood cell volume lost in a dialyzer is monitored by obtaining blood flowrate measurements and hematocrit measurements at input ports and output ports of the dialyzer. The flowrate and hematocrit measurements are used to determine an accumulation of red cell blood volume in the dialyzer. The measurements may be obtained in a lab environment with an in-vitro blood source or may be obtained in a clinical setting with an in-vivo blood source from a patient.

A water purification apparatus and method for optimizing efficiency of the water purification apparatus comprising a fluid circuit including a Reverse Osmosis, RO, unit (3), providing a permeate flow, and an electrically controlled deionization unit (4) downstream the RO unit (3) receiving at least part of the permeate flow. The method comprises obtaining (S1) a value indicative of power consumption by the electrically controlled deionization unit and determining (S2) whether the obtained value indicative of the power consumption meets at least one criterion. The method further comprises controlling recirculation of reject water produced by the water purification apparatus, based on a result of the determining (S2), in order to optimize efficiency of the water purification apparatus.

A product includes a nanoporous membrane having a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a fill material in interstitial spaces between the carbon nanotubes for limiting or preventing fluidic transfer between opposite sides of the nanoporous membrane except through interiors of the carbon nanotubes. The longitudinal axes of the carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel, an average inner diameter of the carbon nanotubes is about 20 nanometers or less, and both ends of at least some of the carbon nanotubes are open. Moreover, the fill material is impermeable or having an average porosity that is less than the average inner diameter of the carbon nanotubes.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for evaluating dialyzers used in different medical applications (e.g., hemodialysis). Red blood cell volume lost in a dialyzer is monitored by obtaining blood flowrate measurements and hematocrit measurements at input ports and output ports of the dialyzer. The flowrate and hematocrit measurements are used to determine an accumulation of red cell blood volume in the dialyzer. The measurements may be obtained in a lab environment with an in-vitro blood source or may be obtained in a clinical setting with an in-vivo blood source from a patient.

A water purification system includes a tank which stores permeate during periods of standby during which impurities can migrate across a filtration membrane, resulting in impure water on the downstream side of the membrane. During an initial portion of a water draw immediately following a period of standby, the impure water on the downstream side of the membrane is used as a motive fluid to force the permeate out of the tank for delivery to the faucet. Permeate is provided on a continuous bases directly from the membrane to the faucet after the tank is depleted of permeate. The system includes a control system and a plurality of valves to recycle the impure water used as a motive fluid to the membrane to produce permeate. At the conclusion of a water draw, the tank is filled with permeate and the system enters a period of standby until the next water draw.

A portable water conditioning system is provided that includes a water conditioner, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The water conditioner has a plurality of conditioning stages that condition water. The plurality of conditioning stages include, in a direction of flow of the water through the water conditioner, a reverse osmosis stage and a deionizing stage. The first sensor detects a first condition of the water before the reverse osmosis stage. The second sensor detects a second condition of the water after the reverse osmosis stage. The controller is in communication with the first and second sensors and determines a health status of the reverse osmosis stage based the first and second conditions. The first and second conditions each include a level of total dissolved solids of the water.