Modular Reverse Osmosis Unit for Easy Membrane Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reverse osmosis systems for desalinating water are complex and costly, requiring additional equipment and maintenance, making them unsuitable for widespread use in households and requiring complex pre-treatment measures to prevent fouling and scaling, which limits their accessibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A modular reverse osmosis apparatus with a detachable reverse osmosis device and a base unit for fixed installation, allowing for easy replacement of the membrane and integration of a blending device for adjustable mixing of permeate and concentrate, enabling simple operation and maintenance, suitable for both industrial and household use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional reverse osmosis systems are used, then water desalination is achieved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reverse osmosis system is divided into modular components: a detachable reverse osmosis device containing the membrane element and a separate base unit with inlet/outlet connections. This segmentation allows the membrane to be easily replaced without replacing the entire system, reducing maintenance complexity while maintaining desalination effectiveness.
2Reliability
If conventional reverse osmosis systems are used, then salt removal is achieved, but pre-treatment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for complex pre-treatment systems by designing a reverse osmosis device that can handle tap water directly. The detachable membrane module is designed to withstand typical household water conditions without requiring chemical pre-treatment or complex filtration systems upstream.
3Ease of repair
If detachable reverse osmosis device is used, then ease of maintenance is improved, but connection reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The detachable reverse osmosis device is designed with integrated connection elements that merge the membrane housing, seals, and connection interfaces into a single unified module. This ensures that when the module is reattached to the base unit, all connection points are simultaneously re-established, maintaining sealing integrity and connection reliability while allowing easy removal and replacement.
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 apparatus effectively reduces salt content in water by over 90% with minimal maintenance requirements, making it universally usable and accessible for treating tap water in various sectors without the need for complex pre-treatment or specialized expertise.
Implementation Method 1
Reverse osmosis is a membrane separation method in which a salt-containing untreated water stream, often also referred to as a feed stream, is guided along a semipermeable membrane under pressure. The pressure is usually generated by a pump, the so-called feed pump. Some of the water penetrates through the membrane, whereas a large portion of the salts dissolved in the water is kept back by the membrane.
Implementation Method 2
Some of the water penetrates through the membrane, whereas a large portion of the salts dissolved in the water is kept back by the membrane
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus that treats salt-containing water by reverse osmosis, in which the salt-containing water is separated into a permeate stream and a concentrate stream, includes an inlet for the salt-containing water; an outlet for the permeate; an outlet for the concentrate, and a reverse osmosis device, wherein the inlet and the outlets are integrated into a base unit adapted for installation in a positionally fixed manner, and the reverse osmosis device is an exchangeable unit detachably connected to the base unit.