Arctic Reverse Osmosis System with Pre-Flush Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water treatment systems struggle to efficiently produce potable water from high salinity and subfreezing feed water, particularly in remote arctic villages where local water sources are frozen for most of the year.

Innovation Solution

A water treatment system and method that includes obtaining frozen feedwater, treating it through a filtration system and reverse osmosis, followed by a post-treatment stage to produce potable water, and incorporating a flushing process to clean the system conduits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If reverse osmosis treatment is applied to high salinity subfreezing feedwater, then potable water is produced, but the treatment membranes become fouled by precipitated minerals reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepotable water productionVSAvoidmembrane treatment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a pre-flush operation before reverse osmosis treatment by circulating feedwater through the conduits and membranes at elevated temperature. This preliminary action prevents mineral precipitation and fouling during the subsequent treatment process, maintaining membrane efficiency while enabling reliable potable water production from high salinity subfreezing feedwater

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the system operates in arctic conditions with frozen water sources, then year-round water supply is achieved, but system conduits become fouled with precipitated minerals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveyear-round operationVSAvoidconduit functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Before each treatment cycle, the system performs a pre-flush by circulating warmed feedwater through all system conduits and membranes. This preliminary warming and flushing action prevents mineral precipitation that would otherwise foul the conduits during arctic operation, ensuring reliable year-round functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system utilizes the feedwater itself as the cleaning agent by circulating it through the conduits at elevated temperature during the pre-flush phase. This converts the potentially harmful mineral-laden feedwater into a beneficial cleaning medium that prevents fouling without requiring separate cleaning systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If feedwater is heated to prevent fouling, then membrane efficiency is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemembrane treatment efficiencyVSAvoidheating energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the feedwater's own thermal energy and flow characteristics to perform the heating and flushing functions. By circulating the feedwater through the conduits and membranes during the pre-flush phase, the system leverages the water's inherent properties rather than requiring external heating sources, thereby maintaining membrane efficiency while minimizing additional energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively treats high salinity and subfreezing feed water, producing potable water year-round, even in arctic conditions, while maintaining the efficiency and longevity of the treatment membranes.

Implementation Method 1

a reverse osmosis treatment system, wherein the filtration system is configured to filter the feedwater water, and wherein the reverse osmosis treatment system is configured to further purify water which has been filtered to produce reverse osmosis treated water (also referred to as permeate)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReverse osmosis: Reverse Osmosis

Implementation Method 2

the post treatment stage comprises UV treatment of the reverse osmosis permeate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV treatment: Ultrasound

Implementation Method 3

the post treatment stage comprises re-mineralizing the reverse osmosis treated water. In certain embodiments, the reverse osmosis treated water is re-mineralized via a calcite contractor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRe-mineralization:

Implementation Method 4

the reverse osmosis treated concentrate energizes a hydraulic turbocharger of the system, the hydraulic turbocharger configured to recover energy from the water for use in boosting feed pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydraulic energy recovery: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentUS12227437B1Water treatment system using reverse osmosis process for high salinity low temperature water

Publication Date: 2025.02.18 TYSON SR ERIC MICHAEL

AI summary

A water treatment system comprising a filtration system and a reverse osmosis treatment system, incorporates a system cleansing process the uses feedwater to flush the system and further conveys reverse osmosis treated water through the system conduits by allowing the reverse osmosis treated water to settle at a low pressure system operation, and further by flushing the reverse osmosis treated water at high pressure. The system may incorporate CIP components, as well as a hydraulic turbocharger for recovering energy and boosting pressure alongside a pump system.