A maintenance cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system

Abstract

This invention provides a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system, relating to the field of reverse osmosis cleaning technology. The device includes a cleaning mechanism and a chemical dosing mechanism: the cleaning mechanism includes a return water pipe, a filter element, a first flushing pipe, a cleaning pump, and a second flushing pipe connected in sequence. The second flushing pipe is equipped with a thermometer. Both the second flushing pipe and the return water pipe are connected to the concentrate chamber. The product water chamber is connected to a side return water circulation pipe, which is connected to the annular side of the first flushing pipe. The chemical dosing mechanism includes multiple chemical tanks, each of which is connected to a dosing pipe. All of the multiple dosing pipes are connected to the second flushing pipe, and each of the multiple dosing pipes is equipped with a first valve. This invention has a water-saving function, reducing the number of times conventional chemical cleaning damages the reverse osmosis membrane elements and extending the service life of the reverse osmosis membrane elements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of reverse osmosis cleaning technology, and more specifically, to a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system. Background Technology

[0002] During reverse osmosis operation, as the feed water becomes concentrated, the concentration of suspended solids and dissolved substances increases, which can cause colloidal fouling or scaling fouling of the reverse osmosis system. Furthermore, the action of organic matter and microorganisms in the water can lead to biofouling of the membrane. Biofouling of reverse osmosis systems is one of the most common and serious types of fouling during membrane system operation, and it is also a major factor affecting water production volume and quality.

[0003] Currently, reverse osmosis systems are typically cleaned only when blockages reach a point requiring chemical cleaning. Cleaning with acidic and alkaline solutions only once often fails to achieve the desired cleaning effect, and some blockages even require several cycles to achieve the desired result. Each instance of blockage requiring chemical cleaning, and each chemical cleaning process itself, causes some degree of damage to the reverse osmosis membrane elements. Large quantities of water meeting reverse osmosis feed water standards are needed to prepare the cleaning solution. Furthermore, the equipment used in conventional reverse osmosis chemical cleaning processes, such as the reverse osmosis membrane cleaning device with patent number CN216630355U, requires a cleaning water tank. Due to the excessively large tank volume, the need to alternately prepare and discharge the cleaning solutions after each cleaning, and the flushing and discharge of the previous cleaning solution from the reverse osmosis system and pipelines when changing the cleaning solution, a significant amount of water is wasted.

[0004] While the permeate from a reverse osmosis (RO) system is relatively pure, it is slightly acidic. During system shutdowns, it dissolves deposited contaminants, leading to a decline in water quality. Current RO systems are equipped with automatic shutdown flushing systems, typically using RO permeate to flush the membrane element surface, displacing the concentrated contaminants from the RO system. A startup flush is also performed when the system is restarted to remove the original system water. This means that a portion of RO permeate remains when the system is shut down and is discharged before normal restart, thus wasting this water.

[0005] The entire reverse osmosis system consumes a large amount of water during operation and maintenance. Therefore, how to extend the routine chemical cleaning cycle of the reverse osmosis system while conserving water, and reduce the number of times that routine chemical cleaning damages the reverse osmosis membrane elements under the same usage time, is a problem that needs to be solved.

[0006] In summary, a maintenance and cleaning device for reverse osmosis systems is proposed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system, which addresses the problem of high water consumption in the maintenance and cleaning process of reverse osmosis systems in the prior art. It proposes a solution that saves water, extends the routine chemical cleaning cycle of the reverse osmosis system, reduces the damage to the reverse osmosis membrane elements caused by each routine chemical cleaning, and thus extends the service life of the reverse osmosis membrane elements.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system, the reverse osmosis system including a reverse osmosis membrane housing, a reverse osmosis membrane element disposed within the reverse osmosis membrane housing, the reverse osmosis membrane element dividing the inner cavity of the reverse osmosis membrane housing into a concentrate chamber and a product water chamber, including a cleaning mechanism and a chemical dosing mechanism: the cleaning mechanism includes a return water pipe, a filter element, a first flushing pipe, a cleaning pump, and a second flushing pipe connected in sequence, the second flushing pipe being equipped with a thermometer, the second flushing pipe and the return water pipe being connected to the concentrate chamber, the product water chamber being connected to a side return water circulation pipe, the side return water circulation pipe being connected to the annular side of the first flushing pipe; the chemical dosing mechanism includes multiple chemical tanks, each of the chemical tanks being connected to a dosing pipe, the multiple dosing pipes being connected to the second flushing pipe, and the multiple dosing pipes being equipped with a first valve.

[0010] This maintenance and cleaning device mainly utilizes the water from the original shutdown and startup flushing of the reverse osmosis system for maintenance and circulating cleaning, which can significantly save water consumption for the overall maintenance and cleaning of the reverse osmosis system. At the same time, it is carried out under the condition that the reverse osmosis fouling has not reached the level of conventional chemical cleaning. It changes the original one-time removal of fouling caused by the continuous operation of reverse osmosis to multiple cleanings, which can reduce the difficulty of unified cleaning to a certain extent and reduce the damage to the upstream reverse osmosis membrane elements caused by untimely cleaning. It achieves the cleaning effect while saving water.

[0011] Furthermore, in this invention, the aforementioned filter element is a security filter.

[0012] During the water circulation cleaning process, contaminants on the membrane element will be washed out with the water flow. A security filter is added to intercept the washed-out contaminants and prevent them from re-entering the system.

[0013] Furthermore, in this invention, the aforementioned return water pipe is connected to a forward return water pipe and a reverse return water pipe, the aforementioned second flushing pipe is connected to a forward inlet water pipe and a reverse inlet water pipe, the aforementioned reverse osmosis membrane element includes a plurality of sequentially connected unit permeation membranes, the aforementioned forward inlet water pipe is connected to the aforementioned concentrate chamber near the first aforementioned unit permeation membrane, the aforementioned reverse inlet water pipe is connected to the aforementioned concentrate chamber near the last aforementioned unit permeation membrane, the aforementioned forward return water pipe is connected to the aforementioned reverse inlet water pipe, the aforementioned reverse return water pipe is connected to the forward inlet water pipe, and both the aforementioned forward return water pipe and the aforementioned reverse return water pipe are provided with a second valve.

[0014] In this design, reverse cleaning flushes out contaminants generated at the front end directly and filters them through a security filter. Reverse cleaning is equivalent to offline cleaning in effect, which can reduce the number of contaminants passing through the unit membranes in the entire reverse osmosis system during the flushing process, thereby effectively reducing the frequency of offline cleaning.

[0015] Furthermore, in this invention, the second flushing tube is connected to a pH detection instrument.

[0016] pH meters can detect the pH value of cleaning solutions in real time, allowing users to control the quantitative addition of chemicals or non-oxidizing bactericides by monitoring pH changes.

[0017] Furthermore, in this invention, a central processing unit is also included. The second flushing pipe is equipped with a flow meter. The cleaning pump, the thermometer, the flow meter, the plurality of first valves, the plurality of second valves, and the pH detection instrument are all electrically connected to the central processing unit.

[0018] In this design, the central processing unit controls the cleaning pump, thermometer, flow meter, multiple first valves, multiple second valves, and pH meter to achieve electrical control of the maintenance and cleaning device, making it more convenient for personnel to operate.

[0019] Furthermore, in this invention, the aforementioned security filter is equipped with an air valve, the aforementioned security filter is connected to a water supply pipe, and the aforementioned water supply pipe is equipped with a one-way valve.

[0020] To prevent water and air from entering the system due to filter replacement, system leaks, or other reasons, a water replenishment and venting function is provided.

[0021] Furthermore, in this invention, the water supply pipe is equipped with a safety valve, and the safety valve is connected to a discharge pipe.

[0022] To prevent excessive pressure in the water supply pipeline, a high-pressure relief valve is installed.

[0023] The present invention has at least the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0024] This maintenance and cleaning device is equipped with a water supply mechanism, which works in conjunction with the cleaning and chemical dosing mechanisms. It utilizes the water produced when the reverse osmosis system is shut down and the flushing water when it is turned on to perform circulating cleaning and soaking cleaning of the reverse osmosis membrane elements, thus delaying the routine chemical cleaning cycle of the reverse osmosis system and increasing the service life of the reverse osmosis membrane elements. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a structural view of a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a partial structural view of a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Icons: 1-Return water pipe, 2-Security filter, 3-First flushing pipe, 4-Cleaning pump, 5-Second flushing pipe, 6-Thermometer, 7-Safety valve, 8-Drain pipe, 9-Discharge pipe, 10-Chemical tank, 11-Dosing pipe, 12-First valve, 13-Reverse osmosis membrane housing, 14-Unit osmosis membrane, 15-Forward return water pipe, 16-Reverse return water pipe, 17-Forward inlet water pipe, 18-Reverse inlet water pipe, 19-Second valve, 20-pH meter, 21-Reverse osmosis system, 22-Flow meter, 23-Air valve, 24-Make-up water pipe, 25-Check valve, 26-Concentrate chamber, 27-Product water chamber, 28-Side return water circulation pipe. Detailed Implementation Example 1

[0029] Please refer to Figures 1-2A maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system, wherein the reverse osmosis system 21 includes a reverse osmosis membrane housing 13, and a reverse osmosis membrane element is provided inside the reverse osmosis membrane housing 13. The reverse osmosis membrane element divides the inner cavity of the reverse osmosis membrane housing 13 into a concentrate chamber 26 and a product water chamber 27. The device includes a cleaning mechanism and a chemical dosing mechanism. The cleaning mechanism includes a return water pipe 1, a filter element, a first flushing pipe 3, a cleaning pump 4, and a second flushing pipe 5 connected in sequence. The second flushing pipe 5 is equipped with a thermometer 6. The second flushing pipe 5 and the return water pipe 1 are both connected to the concentrate chamber 26. The product water chamber 27 is connected to a side return water circulation pipe 28, which is connected to the annular side of the first flushing pipe 3. The chemical dosing mechanism includes a plurality of chemical tanks 10, each of which is connected to a dosing pipe 11. The plurality of dosing pipes 11 are all connected to the second flushing pipe 5, and each of the plurality of dosing pipes 11 is equipped with a first valve 12.

[0030] The principle of the maintenance and cleaning device: This maintenance and cleaning device is used during each start-up and shutdown interval of the reverse osmosis system 21. When the reverse osmosis system 21 is shut down, a shutdown flush is initiated. Water from the product water tank of the reverse osmosis system 21 enters the concentrate chamber 26 of the reverse osmosis system 21, displacing the concentrate in the concentrate chamber 26. That is, the water in the concentrate chamber 26 of the reverse osmosis system 21 is discharged through the discharge structure, and the reverse osmosis product water enters the concentrate chamber 26. (This water is mostly the last product water from the reverse osmosis system 21, and because it has passed through the reverse osmosis membrane element, it is relatively clean and meets the clean water standard of the reverse osmosis system 21. Currently, when the reverse osmosis system 21 is shut down, water from the reverse osmosis product water tank also enters the concentrate chamber 26 of the reverse osmosis system 21. The structures involved in this step are all...) The current structure of the reverse osmosis system 21 (which is a cleaning water component) enters the concentrate area of ​​the reverse osmosis system 21. At the same time, the cleaning mechanism also starts working, the cleaning pump 4 starts, and the cleaning water begins to flow under the action of the cleaning pump 4. Most of the cleaning water flows along the surface of the reverse osmosis membrane element at a certain flow rate and enters the return water pipe 1. At this time, the contaminants on the surface of the reverse osmosis membrane element will flow with the water flow. The cleaning water containing contaminants then passes through the filter element. At this time, most of the contaminants in the cleaning water flow enter the filter element. The filtered cleaning water enters the first flushing pipe 3, and then returns to the concentrate chamber 26 of the reverse osmosis system 21 after passing through the cleaning pump 4 and the second flushing pipe 5. One cycle is completed. The cleaning pump 4 continues to work. During this process, the cleaning water continuously flushes the surface of the reverse osmosis membrane element, and the cleaning water is circulated for cleaning. During the cleaning process, a small amount of cleaning water will pass through the reverse osmosis membrane element and enter the product water chamber 27 of the reverse osmosis system 21. At this time, this part of the product water will return to the first flushing pipe 3 through the side return water circulation pipe 28 and rejoin the circulation cleaning process (because the cleaning pump 4 is in the open state at this time, the water pressure of the side return water circulation pipe 28 at the first flushing pipe 3 is lower than the water pressure at the pipe opening of the product water chamber 27).

[0031] During the circulating cleaning process, chemicals can be added or not. When chemicals are needed for cleaning, the first valve 12 of the corresponding dosing pipe 11 is opened, and the chemical solution enters the maintenance cleaning device through the second flushing pipe 5. After the chemicals are added, the first valve 12 is closed. Because the water volume involved in the circulation in this maintenance cleaning device is small, the circulation of water by the cleaning pump 4 will raise the water temperature to the optimal temperature required for chemical cleaning. When the water temperature reaches the upper limit required for chemical cleaning (the temperature of the maintenance cleaning device can be known by personnel through the temperature on the thermometer 6), the cleaning pump 4 needs to be stopped, the cleaning water stops flowing, and the maintenance cleaning device enters the soaking cleaning mode. After the water temperature drops, the cleaning water pump can be restarted. It is worth noting that circulating cleaning and soaking cleaning can also be performed without adding chemicals.

[0032] After the maintenance cleaning device completes the cleaning work, it stops working, and the single cleaning cycle ends. When the reverse osmosis system 21 is started, the normal reverse osmosis start-up flushing procedure begins (start-up cleaning is a built-in structure of the current reverse osmosis system). New cleaning water enters the concentrate chamber 26 in the reverse osmosis system 21, replacing the cleaning water originally remaining in the concentrate chamber 26 through the discharge pipe 9 in the reverse osmosis system 21, and the formal start-up cleaning begins. It is worth noting that in the above cleaning process, the preferred operation is to use only one chemical for each shutdown cleaning. For example, the first shutdown uses clean water for rinsing, the second shutdown uses a non-oxidizing bactericide, the third shutdown uses an alkaline bactericide, and the next shutdown uses an acidic bactericide, etc., alternating between these methods. Therefore, it is preferable to have three chemical tanks 10, and a metering pump is added to the chemical dosing pipe 11. If different chemicals are used for adjacent shutdown cleanings, a clean water rinsing process must be added in between to prevent different chemicals from reacting with each other.

[0033] The maintenance and cleaning device in this application mainly utilizes the water from the original shutdown and startup flushing of the reverse osmosis system 21 for maintenance and circulating cleaning, which can save a significant amount of water for the overall maintenance and cleaning of the reverse osmosis system 21. At the same time, it is carried out under the condition that the reverse osmosis fouling has not reached the level of conventional chemical cleaning. It changes the original one-time removal of fouling generated by reverse osmosis operation to multiple cleanings, which can reduce the difficulty of unified cleaning to a certain extent and reduce the damage to the upstream reverse osmosis membrane elements caused by untimely cleaning. It achieves the cleaning effect while saving water.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned filter element is a security filter 2.

[0035] In the above embodiments, the security filter 2 is a filtration device commonly used in industrial and commercial fields. Its main function is to filter impurities, particles and suspended solids in liquids or gases to ensure the purity and safety of the fluid. During the water circulation cleaning process, contaminants on the membrane element will be flushed out with the water flow. The security filter 2 is added to intercept the flushed contaminants and prevent them from re-entering the system. In addition, the cleaning water pump is selected according to the cleaning flow rate of the membrane element. In order to meet the cleaning flow rate of the multi-stage reverse osmosis system 21, a frequency converter is set, and the material must be able to withstand the corrosion of the cleaning solution. The filter element can be replaced after the maintenance and cleaning device has been running for a period of time.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the return water pipe 1 is connected to a forward return water pipe 15 and a reverse return water pipe 16, the second flushing pipe 5 is connected to a forward inlet water pipe 17 and a reverse inlet water pipe 18, the reverse osmosis membrane element includes a plurality of sequentially connected unit permeation membranes 14, the forward inlet water pipe 17 is connected to the concentrate chamber 26 near the first unit permeation membrane 14, the reverse inlet water pipe 18 is connected to the concentrate chamber 26 near the last unit permeation membrane 14, the forward return water pipe 15 is connected to the reverse inlet water pipe 18, the reverse return water pipe 16 is connected to the forward inlet water pipe 17, and both the forward return water pipe 15 and the reverse return water pipe 16 are provided with a second valve 19.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the forward inlet pipe 17 corresponds to the forward return pipe 15, and the reverse inlet pipe 18 corresponds to the reverse return pipe 16. To suppress fouling at the rear end of the reverse osmosis system 21 (i.e., fouling on the tail unit permeate membrane 14 of the reverse osmosis membrane element), forward cleaning is more effective. That is, the second valve 19 corresponding to the forward inlet pipe 17 and the forward return pipe 15 is opened, and water flows in from the first reverse osmosis membrane housing 13, flows through multiple unit permeate membranes 14, flows through the last unit permeate membrane 14, and flows out from the forward return pipe 15, starting the circulation cleaning. To suppress fouling at the front end of the reverse osmosis system 21 (i.e., fouling on the first unit permeate membrane 14 of the reverse osmosis membrane element), the following method is used. Reverse cleaning is more effective. This involves opening the second valves 19 corresponding to the reverse inlet pipe 18 and the reverse return pipe 16. Water flows from the last unit permeate membrane 14, passing through multiple unit permeate membranes 14. After passing the first unit permeate membrane 14, it flows out from the reverse return pipe 16, beginning the cycle cleaning. In this design, reverse cleaning directly flushes out contaminants generated at the front end, filtering them through the security filter 2. Reverse cleaning is equivalent to offline cleaning (i.e., removing the unit permeate membrane 14 for individual cleaning), reducing the number of contaminants passing through the unit permeate membrane 14 during flushing, thus effectively reducing the frequency of offline cleaning.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the second flushing tube 5 is connected to a pH detection instrument 20.

[0039] In the above embodiments, the pH detection instrument 20, also known as the pH meter, consists of a sensor and a secondary meter. It can be equipped with a three-composite or two-composite electrode to meet various application requirements. The pH detection instrument 20 can detect the pH value of the cleaning solution in real time. Users can control the quantitative addition of drugs or non-oxidizing bactericides by controlling the changes in pH value.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, a central processing unit is also included. The second flushing pipe 5 is equipped with a flow meter 22. The cleaning pump 4, the thermometer 6, the flow meter 22, the plurality of first valves 12, the plurality of second valves 19 and the pH measuring instrument 20 are all electrically connected to the central processing unit.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the central processing unit (CPU) serves as the core of the computer system for computation and control, and is the final execution unit for information processing and program execution. During the reverse osmosis cleaning process, alternating between circulating cleaning and soaking cleaning is performed using a cleaning water pump. Chemical cleaning has temperature requirements; when the cleaning water temperature reaches the maximum cleaning temperature limit, the cleaning mode needs to be changed to soaking cleaning. In this design, a flow meter 22 is added. The CPU receives the real-time temperature from the thermometer 6. When the temperature reaches the maximum cleaning temperature limit, the central controller stops the cleaning water pump, and the maintenance cleaning equipment switches from circulating cleaning to soaking cleaning. In this design, the CPU controls the cleaning pump 4, the thermometer 6, the flow meter 22, multiple first valves 12, multiple second valves 19, and the pH meter 20 to achieve electrical control of the maintenance cleaning device, making it more convenient for personnel to operate.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the security filter 2 is provided with an air valve 23, and the security filter 2 is connected to a water supply pipe 24, which is provided with a one-way valve 25.

[0043] In the above implementation, a water replenishment and exhaust function is provided to prevent water leakage and air intake caused by filter replacement, system leakage, or other reasons.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the water supply pipe 24 is equipped with a safety valve 7, and the safety valve 7 is connected to a discharge pipe 8.

[0045] In the above embodiment, a high-pressure relief valve is installed to prevent excessive pressure in the water supply pipe 24.

[0046] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention provide a maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system. By routinely flushing and maintaining the reverse osmosis system 21, the conventional chemical cleaning cycle of the reverse osmosis system 21 is effectively extended. Under the same usage time, the number of times conventional chemical cleaning damages the reverse osmosis membrane elements is reduced, thereby extending the service life of the reverse osmosis membrane elements.

[0047] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system, the reverse osmosis system comprising a reverse osmosis membrane housing, wherein a reverse osmosis membrane element is disposed within the reverse osmosis membrane housing, the reverse osmosis membrane element dividing the inner cavity of the reverse osmosis membrane housing into a concentrate chamber and a product water chamber, characterized in that, This includes cleaning and chemical dosing facilities: The cleaning mechanism includes a return water pipe, a filter element, a first flushing pipe, a cleaning pump, and a second flushing pipe connected in sequence. The second flushing pipe is equipped with a thermometer. Both the second flushing pipe and the return water pipe are connected to the concentrate chamber. The product water chamber is connected to a side return water circulation pipe, which is connected to the annular side of the first flushing pipe. The dosing mechanism includes multiple medicine tanks, each of which is connected to a dosing pipe, and all of the multiple dosing pipes are connected to the second flushing pipe, and each of the multiple dosing pipes is equipped with a first valve.

2. The apparatus for cleaning and maintaining a reverse osmosis system of claim 1, wherein, The filter element is a security filter.

3. The apparatus for cleaning and maintaining a reverse osmosis system of claim 1, wherein, The return water pipe is connected to a forward return water pipe and a reverse return water pipe, and the second flushing pipe is connected to a forward inlet water pipe and a reverse inlet water pipe. The reverse osmosis membrane element includes multiple unit permeation membranes connected in sequence. The forward inlet water pipe is connected to the concentrate chamber near the first unit permeation membrane, and the reverse inlet water pipe is connected to the concentrate chamber near the last unit permeation membrane. The forward return water pipe is connected to the reverse inlet water pipe, and the reverse return water pipe is connected to the forward inlet water pipe. Both the forward return water pipe and the reverse return water pipe are equipped with a second valve.

4. The apparatus for cleaning and maintaining a reverse osmosis system of claim 3, wherein, The second flushing tube is connected to a pH measuring instrument.

5. The apparatus for cleaning and maintaining a reverse osmosis system of claim 4, wherein, It also includes a central processing unit, the second flushing pipe is equipped with a flow meter, and the cleaning pump, the thermometer, the flow meter, a plurality of first valves, a plurality of second valves and the pH measuring instrument are all electrically connected to the central processing unit.

6. The apparatus for cleaning and maintaining a reverse osmosis system of claim 2, wherein, The security filter is equipped with an air valve, and the security filter is connected to a water supply pipe, which is equipped with a one-way valve.

7. A maintenance and cleaning device for a reverse osmosis system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The water supply pipe is equipped with a safety valve, and the safety valve is connected to a discharge pipe.

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