A water purification apparatus (300) capable of being cleaned at a point of care, and methods for cleaning the water purification apparatus (300) at the point of care. The water purification apparatus (300) and the methods provide an efficient use of a heater (302) for heat disinfection the water purification apparatus (300), e.g. by recirculating heated fluid to further heat the fluid. Several different cleaning programs are provided that may be utilized for cleaning different parts of the water purification apparatus (300).

A modular filtration device is composed of a modular docking plate having at least one quick disconnect plumbing coupling; at least one electrical connector; and at least one alignment feature for aligning and receiving a modular filter; and a modular filter composed of a docking face having: at least one quick disconnect plumbing coupling; at least one electrical connector; and at least one alignment feature that mates with an alignment feature of the modular docking plate to provide proper alignment of the filter with the docking plate, engagement of the quick disconnect plumbing couplings, engagement of the electrical connectors, and engagement of the locking mechanism. The modular filtration device comprises a locking mechanism to hold the filter in place during operation. A modular filtration system is composed of a plurality of the filtration devices.

A modular filtration device is composed of a modular docking plate having at least one quick disconnect plumbing coupling; at least one electrical connector; and at least one alignment feature for aligning and receiving a modular filter; and a modular filter composed of a docking face having: at least one quick disconnect plumbing coupling; at least one electrical connector; and at least one alignment feature that mates with an alignment feature of the modular docking plate to provide proper alignment of the filter with the docking plate, engagement of the quick disconnect plumbing couplings, engagement of the electrical connectors, and engagement of the locking mechanism. The modular filtration device comprises a locking mechanism to hold the filter in place during operation. A modular filtration system is composed of a plurality of the filtration devices.

Inflow branch pipes of water to be treated, which are branched from an inflow line of the water to be treated, which is provided on an upper side of desalination chambers of an electrodeionization apparatus, communicate with the desalination chambers, respectively. Both ends of the inflow line of the water to be treated are opened, and a supply pipe of the water to be treated communicates with each of the ends so that the water to be treated can be supplied from both sides. In addition, in a lower side of each of the desalination chambers, outflow pipes of treated water, communicate with each other, and these outflow pipes each join an outflow line of the treated water. In addition, both ends of the outflow line of the water to be treated are opened so that the treated water can be discharged from both sides. According to such an electrodeionization apparatus, it is possible to suppress an increase in a differential pressure during passage of water.

Inflow branch pipes of water to be treated, which are branched from an inflow line of the water to be treated, which is provided on an upper side of desalination chambers of an electrodeionization apparatus, communicate with the desalination chambers, respectively. Both ends of the inflow line of the water to be treated are opened, and a supply pipe of the water to be treated communicates with each of the ends so that the water to be treated can be supplied from both sides. In addition, in a lower side of each of the desalination chambers, outflow pipes of treated water, communicate with each other, and these outflow pipes each join an outflow line of the treated water. In addition, both ends of the outflow line of the water to be treated are opened so that the treated water can be discharged from both sides. According to such an electrodeionization apparatus, it is possible to suppress an increase in a differential pressure during passage of water.

Disclosed is a process for enriching silicate content in drinking water that includes separating raw water via reverse osmosis into a permeate comprising demineralised raw water and a retentate comprising mineral enriched raw water. The permeate is mixed with a water glass solution comprising sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate. An ion exchange process is used to reduce the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions in at least part of the mixture. At least part of the retentate is supplied to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions to provide a silicate-enriched drinking water. Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing a drinking water enriched with silicate. The apparatus includes a reverse osmosis unit, a mixing unit, an ion exchanger, and a feed unit for feeding at least part of the retentate to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions.

The invention is directed to a scalable concentration device and method of use thereof based on electrokinetics.

An acidic treatment liquid processing apparatus includes: a tank having an interior space; a diaphragm permeable to a metal cation and separating the interior space of the tank into a first chamber and a second chamber; a first electrode disposed in the first chamber; a second electrode disposed in the second chamber; a power supply configured to apply a voltage while using the first electrode as an anode and the second electrode as a cathode; a first liquid passing part configured to pass an acidic treatment liquid containing a dichromate ion and a metal cation into the first chamber; and a second liquid passing part configured to pass an acid aqueous solution into the second chamber.

A water treatment system for brackish water is disclosed. The water treatment system includes a first electrochemical separation stage fluidly connected to a second, downstream electrochemical separation stage, with the concentrate outlet of the second electrochemical separation stage fluidly connectable to the concentration compartment of the first electrochemical separation stage and a control system configured to regulate feed directed to the concentration compartments of the first and the second electrochemical separation stages. Methods of treating brackish water to produce potable water and methods of treating brackish water using systems of the invention are disclosed. The Donnan potential difference and osmotic water losses are lessened by controlling a source and a flowrate of a make-up feed water directed to concentration compartments of first and the second electrochemical separation stages of the systems.

In an acidic treatment liquid processing apparatus, a space between a first electrode and a second electrode spaced from each other is separated by a first diaphragm permeable and a second diaphragm into a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber. While the first chamber is fed with an acidic treatment liquid containing a dichromate ion and a metal cation, the second chamber is fed with a first acid aqueous solution, and the third chamber is fed with a second acid aqueous solution, a voltage is applied using the first electrode as an anode and the second electrode as a cathode.