Drainless Reverse Osmosis System Brine Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reverse osmosis water purification systems face challenges with significant water waste due to the disposal of retentate and limited membrane service life, leading to increased operational costs and customer reluctance in handling cartridge replacements.
Innovation Solution
A drainless reverse osmosis system that recycles retentate into the hot water circuit and incorporates a catalyst pre-filter to extend membrane life, along with a multi-cartridge unit design for easy replacement and a conductivity monitor system for maintenance alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If retentate is discharged as waste, then the RO membrane can operate continuously, but water is significantly wasted (4:1 brine to purified water ratio)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers retentate (brine) from the RO membrane and redirects it to the hot water circuit instead of discharging it as waste. The retentate is mixed with hot water and circulated through the catalyst pre-filter, transforming a waste stream into a useful resource for maintaining hot water supply and extending membrane life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of retentate discharge into a beneficial system feature. By recycling retentate to the hot water circuit, the system uses what would be waste to maintain hot water supply and extend RO membrane service life, turning a disadvantage into an advantage.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a catalyst pre-filter is added to extend membrane life, then the service life of the RO membrane is significantly extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the catalyst pre-filter with the existing hot water circuit and integrates it into the multi-cartridge unit. The catalyst filter is merged with the hot water supply system, allowing it to serve dual purposes: extending membrane life and maintaining hot water supply, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst pre-filter is designed to serve multiple functions: it protects the RO membrane from chlorine-based contaminants, extends membrane service life, and simultaneously maintains the hot water circuit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems and simplifies the overall device.
3Reliability
If multiple filter cartridges are used, then water purification effectiveness is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex cartridge replacement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filter cartridges (pre-filter, RO membrane, post-filter) into a single multi-cartridge unit that can be replaced as one component. This integration simplifies the replacement process for users while maintaining the multi-stage purification effectiveness, as the entire unit is swapped out together rather than requiring separate replacement of individual cartridges.
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
Substantially reduces water waste and extends the service life of the RO membrane, simplifying maintenance and reducing operational costs by recycling brine and alerting users to membrane replacement needs.
Implementation Method 1
a reverse osmosis (RO) unit or the like for removing dissolved ionic material and other contaminants from an ordinary supply of tap water
Implementation Method 2
the reverse osmosis unit comprises a semi-permeable RO membrane through which a portion of the tap water supply is passed, such that the membrane acts essentially as a filter
Implementation Method 3
a catalyst pre-filter for treating a tap water supply to remove contaminants, particularly such as chlorine-based contaminants
Data Source
AI summary
A drainless reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system provides relatively pure water for on-demand dispensing, while recycling brine to a domestic hot water system. The drainless purification system includes a pre-filter catalyst cartridge for removing chlorine-based contaminants from a tap water supply upstream from an RO membrane. The catalyst is regularly refreshed by a high through-flow of water to a conventional cold water dispense faucet, thereby significantly prolonging the service life of the RO membrane. The RO membrane is incorporated into a multi-cartridge unit adapted for facilitated slide-out removal and replacement as needed. A control valve recycles brine from the RO membrane to the hot water system during pure water production, and recirculates tap water through the RO membrane when a pure water reservoir is substantially filled. The multi-cartridge unit may further include an air filtration system for providing a flow of filtered air.