Pure water machine maintenance-free filter combination technology

Abstract

The maintenance-free filter cartridge combination scheme for pure water machines belongs to the related technology of RO reverse osmosis water purification equipment. Pure water machines equipped with this type of filter cartridge can achieve the technical effect of 5-10 years of normal water use without maintenance for households. The specific filter cartridges and combination sequence are the important features of this utility model technology: First stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (1) Second stage CTO activated carbon (2) Third stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (3) Fourth stage RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) Basic principle In the specific four-stage filter cartridge combination, the raw water is already very clean after being filtered through the first, second and third stages. When it is pressurized by the booster pump to the fourth stage RO reverse osmosis membrane, the damage is minimal, so that the normal service life of the RO reverse osmosis membrane can reach up to 10 years. Technical value The birth and application of this utility model technology of maintenance-free filter cartridge combination for pure water machines makes using pure water as simple and affordable as tap water, which will accelerate the popularization of pure water machines and realize the beautiful wish that every household can use healthy water as soon as possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to RO reverse osmosis water purification equipment and can achieve the application effect of long-term use of pure water machines without maintenance. Background Technology

[0002] Severe water pollution poses a significant threat to people's health. Water is the source of life and is closely related to people's lives and health. Installing point-of-use water purifiers is widely recognized as the best way to improve water quality, making the entry of water purifiers into countless homes a trend and an inevitability.

[0003] However, the existing reverse osmosis (RO) technology is unfriendly and impractical for the elderly or families with limited financial resources due to the frequent and high cost of filter replacements. This has become the biggest problem and obstacle to the widespread adoption of RO systems in homes.

[0004] Therefore, a simple, easy-to-use, maintenance-free technology for pure water machines is urgently needed for research and development. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the issues of frequent filter replacements and high water costs associated with existing water purifiers, after more than a decade of real-world use and extensive testing, a filter cartridge combination solution with superior filtration performance and a longer lifespan has finally been developed. Figure 2 The entire process of water purification (water that needs to be purified) is as follows: raw water (water that needs to be purified) is filtered from the first stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (1), then to the second stage CTO activated carbon (2), then to the third stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (3), and then pressurized by a booster pump to the fourth stage RO reverse osmosis membrane (4).

[0006] Example application proof, attached Figure 2 The filter cartridge combination shown can last for 5-10 years, provided the water quality meets standards (the exact time varies depending on the quality of the raw water and the amount of daily water consumption). In other words, a water purifier equipped with this filter cartridge combination... Figure 1 For households, this can ensure normal water use for 5-10 years without the need to replace the filter. Figure 5 Compared to other water purifiers currently available ( Figure 3 In terms of needing to replace the filter dozens of times over 5-10 years ( Figure 4 This achieves a near-maintenance-free and low-cost technical effect. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the application of this filter cartridge combination scheme in a maintenance-free pure water machine: first stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter cartridge (1), second stage CTO activated carbon (2), third stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter cartridge (3), RO reverse osmosis membrane (4).

[0008] The different functions of each type of filter element: First-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (1): The first-stage filter of most water purifiers on the market is 5-micron PP cotton, but this technology uses a 0.01-micron UF ultrafiltration membrane. This is the difference between this utility model technology and other water purifier technologies. It is the key to achieving maintenance-free technology. Ultrafiltration membrane is a widely used polymer separation membrane in drinking water treatment. It can effectively filter suspended waste, colloids, algae, bacteria and other aquatic viruses. It can protect the downstream activated carbon well and greatly extend the service life of the activated carbon filter. Moreover, the ultrafiltration membrane is a long-life filter and can be disassembled and washed without frequent replacement. Second-stage CTO activated carbon (2): adsorbs and filters residual chlorine, off-colors and odors, inhibits scale and improves taste in water; The third stage UF ultrafiltration membrane (3): Although the water after the first and second stages of filtration is relatively clean, as time goes by and the filtration volume increases, there will inevitably be some "fish that slip through the net" that are not filtered. Therefore, the third stage uses a UF ultrafiltration membrane. The purpose is to make the water entering the RO membrane cleaner, effectively protect the RO membrane, and make the RO membrane achieve a better filtration effect while greatly extending its service life, ultimately achieving the technical effect of long-term maintenance-free pure water machine. The fourth-stage RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) has a pore size of 0.0001 micrometers and can retain various inorganic ions, colloidal substances and macromolecular solutes in the water, thereby obtaining pure drinking water. Long-term application experience has proven that the fixed filter combination scheme (1), (2), (3), (4) in the figure cannot be changed, otherwise the long-term filter effect and the maintenance-free use of the pure water machine for 5-10 years cannot be achieved.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the filter element assembly scheme of this utility model.

[0010] Figure 3 It is a pure water machine that uses PP cotton filter cartridges as the primary filter.

[0011] Figure 4 A reference table for the replacement cycle of various filter elements in a water purifier equipped with PP cotton.

[0012] Figure 5 A table showing the actual replacement cycle of each filter element in a pure water machine equipped with a UF ultrafiltration membrane. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The long-term maintenance-free technology of a pure water machine is a device that achieves water purification by filtering different filter elements in a specific combination sequence and in a graded manner. Figure 1However, the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) is the one that can actually filter out drinking water. In order to make the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) have a better filtration effect and a longer lifespan, it is necessary to set up multi-stage filtration protection (1), (2), and (3) in front of the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) to make the raw water relatively cleaner before it is pumped into the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) by a booster pump. In fact, the cleaner the water flowing through the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4), the longer the lifespan of the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) will be. Therefore, how to make the raw water as clean as possible through different filter cartridge combinations, so as to greatly extend the lifespan of the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) and at the same time, the filter cartridges at each level do not need to be replaced frequently are the two major issues that this utility model technology aims to solve.

[0014] Experiments have shown that the raw water filtered by the combination of filter cartridges (1), (2), and (3) becomes quite clean. When pressurized by the booster pump to the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4), the damage to the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) is minimal, and the service life of the RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) is greatly extended, which can meet the normal household water demand for 5-10 years. Figure 5 Compared to other water purifiers that currently use PP cotton as the coarse filter ( Figure 3 In terms of the need to replace the filter dozens of times every 5-10 years, ( Figure 4 This achieves the technical goals of being maintenance-free, low-cost, and easy to use.

[0015] Based on this, combined with the industry-first "overall synchronous filter replacement method" that uses the quality of the output water as the basis for filter replacement, the use of the water purifier becomes extremely convenient and simple, allowing the water purifier to be used normally for 5-10 years without the need for filter replacement. Figure 5 This truly achieves the ideal effect of long-lasting filter cartridges and long-term maintenance-free water purifiers. (Special note: The "overall synchronous filter replacement method" is based on whether the water quality and water production of the water purifier are up to standard. When the water quality is up to standard and the water production is normal, there is no need to replace any filter cartridges. If the water quality is not up to standard or the water output is very low, then the entire filter cartridge assembly of the water purifier should be replaced. With this filter replacement rule and standard, not only does the RO reverse osmosis membrane not need to be replaced frequently, but the other first, second, and third stage filter cartridges also do not need to be replaced frequently.)

[0016] However, other pure water machines with PP cotton as the first stage ( Figure 3 Not only does the RO membrane need to be replaced every two years, but the first, second, and third stage filters before it also have different lifespans, requiring replacement according to different cycles. Figure 4 The filters need to be replaced in batches, requiring different filters to be replaced 2-4 times a year, which is very troublesome and results in extremely high water costs.

[0017] The reason for the significant difference between the old and new technologies is that the pore size of PP cotton is 1-5 micrometers, which is simply unable to filter out fine impurities and bacteria smaller than 1 micrometer. These impurities and bacteria cover and encapsulate the surface of the activated carbon, affecting its purification effect and even becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. As a result, water containing both particles and bacteria will damage or clog the RO membrane when pumped into it by the booster pump, quickly reducing the filtration effect of the RO membrane or decreasing the water output, thus requiring frequent replacement of the filter cartridge.

[0018] However, water purifiers equipped with UF ultrafiltration membranes are completely different. Because the pore size of UF ultrafiltration membranes is only 0.01 microns, they can effectively filter suspended waste, colloids, algae, bacteria and other aquatic viruses. This not only protects the activated carbon at the back end, allowing it to perform better purification, but also the ultrafiltration membrane is a long-life filter cartridge that does not need to be replaced frequently (Note: When the incoming water quality meets the standards, the service life of the ultrafiltration membrane can reach more than 5 years. If a washable UF ultrafiltration membrane cartridge is used, its service life and replacement cycle will be even longer).

[0019] Although the water after the first and second stages of filtration is relatively clean, as time goes by and the filtration volume increases, there will inevitably be some unfiltered impurities. Therefore, the third stage uses an ultrafiltration membrane (UF) to further clean and sterilize the water entering the RO membrane, effectively protecting the RO membrane from damage and clogging by particles and bacteria. This allows the RO membrane to achieve better filtration results while greatly extending its service life, thus enabling the true realization of this invention.

[0020] As a further improvement to this utility model, the first-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (1), the second-stage CTO activated carbon filter element (2), and the third-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (3) can be stacked sequentially to form a composite filter element. This structure has the advantages of small size and simpler filter element replacement operation.

Claims

1. A maintenance-free filter cartridge combination technology for a pure water machine, characterized in that: The system includes a first-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (1), a second-stage CTO activated carbon filter element (2), a third-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (3), and a fourth-stage RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) connected in sequence. After the raw water passes through the first-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (1), the second-stage CTO activated carbon filter element (2), and the third-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (3) in sequence, it is pressurized by a booster pump and enters the fourth-stage RO reverse osmosis membrane (4) to achieve step-by-step filtration and purification of the raw water, thereby obtaining a long-lasting maintenance-free technical effect.

2. The water purifier maintenance-free filter cartridge combination technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (1), the second-stage CTO activated carbon filter element (2), and the third-stage UF ultrafiltration membrane filter element (3) are stacked in sequence to form a composite filter element.

Images