REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFIER

Abstract

A reverse osmosis water purifier that monitors Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) at the onset of entering the water filtration system and downstream upon exiting the system. A comparison of the TDS levels is made to each other or predetermined levels, and action is taken regarding whether to bypass the RO filter, or continue filtering through the RO membrane, or combine the two fluid streams. A microbiological barrier filter is introduced in-line with the egress port of a reverse osmosis filter, and downstream of the bypass water circuit. The microbiological filter is utilized to remove microbiological contaminants from the output water, either directly from the RO filter output, or the bypass filter circuit, or both.

Claims

1. A water filter system comprising: an inlet; an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet; a first total dissolved solids (TDS) probe positioned between said inlet and said outlet; a first junction positioned downstream of said first TDS probe, said first junction redirecting water from said first TDS probe towards a bypass fluid circuit in a first direction and a filtering fluid circuit in a second direction; said bypass fluid circuit comprising a bypass solenoid valve, and in fluid communication with a second junction; said filtering fluid circuit comprising a reverse osmosis filter, said reverse osmosis filter having a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet, wherein said permeate outlet is in fluid communication with said bypass fluid circuit at a second junction; a microbiological barrier filter in fluid communication with said permeate outlet and said bypass fluid circuit via said second junction, positioned downstream of said second junction; a second TDS probe downstream of, and receiving filtered water from, said microbiological barrier filter; and a storage tank positioned upstream of said outlet, said storage tank storing said filtered water prior to exiting said water filter system.

2. The water filter system of claim 1 including a sediment filter positioned between said inlet and said first TDS probe.

3. The water filter system of claim 2 including a low pressure sensor in fluid communication with said sediment filter and positioned between said sediment filter and said first TDS probe, wherein when said low pressure sensor senses a pressure drop, open contacts close, completing an electrical circuit which can send a signal to a controller, activate a pump, or other action, and when a set pressure is reached, said contacts open.

4. The water filter system of claim 1 including a first solenoid valve in said filtering fluid circuit, and positioned downstream of said first junction, said first solenoid valve, when open, allowing fluid to flow to said RO filter.

5. The water filter system of claim 1 including a RO pump in said filtering fluid circuit, positioned upstream of said. RO filter, configured to apply fluid under pressure to said RO filter.

6. The water filter system of claim 1 including a carbon filter in said filtering fluid circuit positioned upstream of said RO filter.

7. The water filter system of claim 1 including a manual control valve in said bypass fluid circuit.

8. The water filter system of claim 1 including a reject fluid circuit connected to said concentrate outlet of said RO filter for dispensing rejected water.

9. The water filter system of claim 8 wherein said reject fluid circuit includes an auto flush solenoid valve.

10. The water filter system of claim 1 wherein said microbiological barrier filter is a treated fibrillated fibered, activated carbon filter capable of removing microbiologicals and VOC's.

11. A water filter system comprising: an inlet; a sediment filter downstream of, and in fluid communication with, said inlet; an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet; a low pressure switch in fluid communication with said sediment filter; a first total dissolved solids (TDS) probe positioned between said inlet and a first junction; said first junction positioned downstream of said first TDS probe, said first junction redirecting water from said first TDS probe towards a filtering fluid circuit in a first direction, and a bypass fluid circuit in a second direction; said filtering fluid circuit comprising: a reverse osmosis solenoid valve for regulating fluid through said filtering fluid circuit; a pump positioned upstream of a reverse osmosis filter, configured to apply fluid under pressure to said RO filter; said reverse osmosis filter having a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet, wherein said permeate outlet is in fluid communication with said bypass fluid circuit at a second junction; a carbon filter positioned between, and in fluid communication with, said reverse osmosis pump and said reverse osmosis filter; said bypass fluid circuit comprising a bypass solenoid valve, and in fluid communication with a second junction; a microbiological barrier filter in fluid communication with said permeate outlet and said bypass fluid circuit via said second junction, positioned downstream of said second junction; a second TDS probe downstream of, and receiving filtered water from, said microbiological barrier filter; a storage tank positioned upstream of said outlet, said storage tank storing said filtered water prior to exiting said water filter system; and a reject water fluid circuit in fluid communication with said concentrate outlet for disposing rejected water from said reverse osmosis filter.

12. A method of purifying water in a reverse osmosis system comprising: passing fluid through a sediment filter; empirically determining a first total dissolved solids level; filtering said fluid through a first junction to either a filtering fluid circuit or a bypass fluid circuit; said filtering fluid circuit including a carbon filter, a reverse osmosis pump, and a reverse osmosis filter, wherein said reverse osmosis filter includes a permeate output in fluid communication with a second junction, and a concentrate output; said bypass fluid circuit including a bypass solenoid valve in fluid communication with said second junction; filtering fluid from said permeate output through a microbiological barrier fluid; empirically determining a second total dissolved solids level; comparing said first and second total dissolved solids level; and redirecting fluid into said filtering fluid circuit or said bypass fluid circuit depending upon a predetermined level of said first or second total dissolved solids level, or both total dissolved solids levels.

13. The method of claim 12 including storing filtered fluid in a storage tank after measuring said second total dissolved solids level.

14. The method of claim 12 including directed fluid from said concentrate output to a reject fluid circuit in fluid communication with a drain.

15. The method of claim 12 including providing a manual flow control valve in said bypass fluid circuit, and operating said manual control valve based upon said predetermined level of said first or second total dissolved solids level, or both total dissolved solids levels.

16. The method of claim 12 including monitoring fluid pressure upstream of said first junction.

17. The method of claim 14 including providing an auto flush solenoid valve in said reject fluid circuit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of the water flow of the RO system of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0038] In describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made herein to FIG. 1 of the drawings in which like numerals refer to like features of the invention.

[0039] The present invention introduces a reverse osmosis system that includes at least dual monitoring of total dissolved solids using a comparison measurement of input and output TDS probes to ensure the supply of uniformly tasting, safe drinking water irrespective of the feed water quality, which is generally difficult to produce from a RO system. The TDS probes ensure a constant supply of water with extremely low variance in conductivity and taste, and irrespective of high and variable dissolved solids content in input water.

[0040] Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are the total amount of mobile charged ions, including minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water, expressed in units of mg per unit volume of water (mg/L), also referred to as parts per million (ppm). TDS is directly related to the purity of water and the quality of water purification systems and affects everything that consumes, lives in, or uses water, whether organic or inorganic, whether for better or for worse.

[0041] Some dissolved solids come from organic sources such as leaves, silt, plankton, and industrial waste and sewage. Other sources come from runoff from urban areas, road salts used on street during the winter, and fertilizers and pesticides used on lawns and farms.

[0042] Dissolved solids also come from inorganic materials such as rocks and air that may contain calcium bicarbonate, nitrogen, iron phosphorous, sulfur, and other minerals. Many of these materials form salts, which are compounds that contain both a metal and a nonmetal. Water may also pick up metals such as lead or copper as they travel through pipes used to distribute water to consumers.

[0043] A TDS meter is an excellent tool for determining the efficacy of many types of water filtration and purification systems.

[0044] Electrical conductivity of water is directly related to the concentration of dissolved ionized solids in the water. Ions from the dissolved solids in water create the ability for that water to conduct an electric current. TDS meters, also known as TDS testers or indicators, are digital or analog meters that measure the electrical conductivity of water. Based on that conductivity, the meters estimate what the true TDS level might be.

[0045] Generally, the relationship of TDS and specific conductance of groundwater can be approximated by the following equation:

TDS=k.sub.eEC [0046] where [0047] TDS is the total dissolved solids (mg/L); and [0048] EC is the electrical conductivity (microsiemens per centimeter at 25 C.).

[0049] The correlation factor k.sub.e varies between 0.50 and 1.0; that is, the total dissolved solids in ppm usually ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 times the electrical conductivity.

[0050] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of the water flow of the RO system 10 of the present invention. As depicted, water feeds into the water purification system via a water inlet 12. It passes through a sediment filter 14. Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of water or other liquid. Well water and older public water systems sometimes contain sand, iron, silt and other forms of sediment. A sediment filter acts as a sieve to remove this particulate matter.

[0051] Next in the fluid stream is a low pressure switch (LPS) 16. There are a number of low pressure switches on the market. In preferred instances, the switch is passive, requiring no manual operationwater pressure does it all. When the pressure drops, the normally open contacts close, completing an electrical circuit which can send a signal to a controller, activate a pump, or other action. When the set pressure is reached, the contacts open again, sending another signal.

[0052] In other instances, LPS's in the water line work with a diaphragm pressing against a piston and spring inside the unit. The spring pressure is set by an adjustment screw. Sufficient pressure on the diaphragm keeps the switch off When the pressure drops, the switch activates.

[0053] In the present case, if the pressure is high enough to activate the switch the water will flow though to a first inline TDS probe or sensor 18.

[0054] As noted previously, TDS probe 18 measures the conductance of the water and sends a signal to a control unit (not shown) of the system 10 which processes the signal and may indicate the resultant level on a display panel of the device, such as an LED display. This also alerts the user to instances when the TDS is very high or very low. If the TDS level is very low the RO system may not be needed in which case the device may operate without power. Water flowing from the TDS probe enters a T junction 20 having a first connection to a bypass fluid circuit 22a,b,c commencing with a bypass feed line 22a, wherein a normally closed bypass solenoid valve 24 operates to allow or deny water flow, and a second connection to a filtering fluid circuit 26a,b,c,d starting with a filtering feed line 26a to a RO solenoid valve 28, which leads to the inlet 30 via feed line 26b to RO pump 32. If the pressure is high enough, RO pump 32 pumps water through feed line 26c to an inline carbon filter 34 connected in series by feed line 26d to a RO filter 36. RO solenoid valve 28 is capable of closing the RO fluid circuit upon activation.

[0055] At times for convenience of assembly and operation, the sediment filter (14) and carbon filter (34) can be combined to make a composite Filter that those skilled in the art shall understand. In which case the same can be placed either before or after low pressure switch (LPS) 16.

[0056] The resulting output permeate 38 is sent to a storage tank 44 via a microbiological barrier filter 40. Preferably, this microbiological barrier filter 40 is a FACT filter cartridge of K.K. Technologies, LLC of West Haven, Conn. KX Technologies' FACT media is made using various adsorbents immobilized by fibrillated microfilters. The media is produced in a wet laid process yielding an extremely uniform media, where high percentages of very small adsorbents can be immobilized down to 1 micron average particle size efficiently.

[0057] Fibrillated fibers allow immobilization of a wide range of particle types and sizes. The smallest particles that can be immobilized are approximately 1 micron average particle size. The upper limit is as large as 500 microns. Using smaller particles allows a lower total weight of media with the significant contaminant reductions.

[0058] The FACT fibers are chemically treated for microbiological filtration. The small pore size coupled with the microbiological chemistry and large pore area allows for low pressure drop and high activity. These filters are constructed to flow under gravity or pressurized conditions. They are designed to remove residual microorganisms and associated residue leaking from the RO membrane. Another TDS sensor monitors the filtered water exiting the system.

[0059] A microbiological barrier comprised of treated, fibrillated fibers, such as FACT fibers, ensures complete removal of residual odor, VOC's, pyrogens, and residual microbes that escape the RO membrane. In contrast, many prior art devices use either UV Light or an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane or the two together to achieve safe drinking water in a RO bypass stream.

[0060] The microbiological barrier filter 40 is situated on the resultant output permeate stream line 38.

[0061] Microbiological barrier filter 40 is preceded by a T-junction 46 and followed by an outlet TDS probe or sensor 48. T-junction 46 has two inlet connectionsone being the resultant output permeate stream line 38, and the other being the output of bypass line 22, which commences at T-junction 20, through bypass solenoid valve 24 and manual flow control valve 25. If TDS probe 48 detects the TDS to be below a certain predetermined limit, then a signal is sent to open the bypass solenoid valve 24 and receive water at a higher TDS. At the occurrence of this signal, RO Pump 32 and RO safety valve 28 are shut off simultaneously. The bypassed water is then mixed with permeate water in the housing of the microbiological barrier filter 40. Contrary to the prior art, introducing a microbiological barrier filter (preferably with FACT media) downstream of the RO filter and downstream of the bypass stream line, enables the microbiological barrier filter to receive bypass water, and ensure removal of bacteria, virus and cysts in the bypassed water.

[0062] TDS is measured in TDS probe 48 en-route storage tank 44. Bypass solenoid valve 24 is open as long as the desired TDS is achieved at TDS probe 48. If the TDS level at TDS probe 48 exceeds the desired, predetermined level, then TDS probe 48 signals for bypass solenoid valve 24 to be shut-off, while simultaneously signaling for RO safety valve 28 to be opened, and RO pump 32 to be activated.

[0063] The entire bypass system circuit may be overridden by manual flow control valve 25 downstream bypass solenoid valve 24 and before T-junction 46. Manual flow control valve 25 may be activated to shut down the bypass system circuit if the measured TDS level exceeds a predetermined upper limit, for example greater than 500 mg/l.

[0064] Reject water from RO filter 36 is directed via fluid conduit 52 to a waste water port 54. An auto-flush solenoid valve 56 may be placed in the fluid circuit to remove reject water in the concentrate stream from RO filter 36.

[0065] In the event of power being off (i.e., the RO pump unable to operate), the normally closed bypass solenoid valve 24 defaults to an open state, allowing the water to flow from sediment filter 14 through the microbiological barrier filter 40, and finally to storage tank 44. Storage tank 44 is preferably fitted with float valve-switch 50 to ensure that the water flow is mechanically shut-off and power supply to RO are cut-off when the tank is full.

[0066] The present invention provides a reverse osmosis water purifier that monitors Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) at the onset of entering the water filtration system and downstream upon exiting the system. A comparison of the TDS levels is made, and action is taken regarding whether to bypass the RO filter, or continue filtering through the RO membrane. A microbiological harrier filter is introduced in-line with the egress port of a reverse osmosis filter, and downstream of the bypass water circuit. The microbiological filter is utilized to remove microbiological contaminants from the output water, either directly from the RO filter output, or the bypass filter circuit, or both.

[0067] While the present invention has been particularly described, in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.