Water conditioning systems having diversion devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549239-B2
Application number	US-201615350919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 12, 2015
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A portable water conditioning system is provided that includes an incoming water inlet; a reverse osmosis stage in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet, the reverse osmosis stage having a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet; a diversion device having a diversion valve, the diversion valve placing the concentrate outlet in fluid communication with a waste water outlet; a deionizing stage in fluid communication with a pure water outlet; a bypass valve configured to selectively place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with one or more of the waste water outlet, the deionizing stage, and the pure water outlet; and a controller configured to control the diversion device and the bypass valve to provide water at the pure water outlet of a desired condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable water conditioning system, comprising:
an incoming water inlet;
a reverse osmosis stage in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet, the reverse osmosis stage having a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet;
a first sensor configured to detect a first condition of the water before the reverse osmosis stage;
a second sensor configured to detect a second condition of the water after the permeate outlet, wherein the first and second conditions each comprise a level of total dissolved solids of the water;
a deionizing stage in fluid communication with a pure water outlet;
a diversion device having diversion valve and a flow control valve, the diversion valve being configured to selectively place the concentrate outlet in fluid communication with a waste water outlet, the flow control valve being configured to ensure a determined flow around the diversion valve to the waste water outlet;
a bypass valve configured to selectively place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with one or more of the waste water outlet, the deionizing stage, and the pure water outlet; and
a controller in communication with the first and second sensors and the diversion device, the controller being configured to determine a percent rejection of the reverse osmosis stage after the controller controls the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the waste water outlet.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diversion device is in communication with the controller so that the controller is configured to detect a position of the diversion valve, wherein the controller is configured to determine the percent rejection when the diversion valve is at the position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control a position of the diversion valve.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control valve is set to a predetermined level of flow or has an adjustable level of flow.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump having a pump inlet in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet and a pump outlet, the reverse osmosis stage being in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet via the pump outlet.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the diversion device further comprises a recirculation line, the recirculation line placing the concentrate outlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a backpressure regulator controlling a pressure within a concentrate stream in the recirculation line to divert a portion of the concentrate stream back to the pump inlet.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-filter stage placing the incoming water inlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet, wherein the pre-filter comprises a particle filter and/or a chlorine filter.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diversion valve is manually operable to balance a flow of permeate and concentrate from the reverse osmosis stage.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises an automated startup state, wherein the controller, when in the automated startup state, is configured to control the bypass valve to discharge water on a permeate side of the reverse osmosis stage to the waste water outlet for before determining the percent rejection.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller, before determining the percent rejection, operates in the automated startup state for a predetermined period of time or until a sensor in communication with the controller measures water quality at the permeate outlet of a predetermined state.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller, after completion of the automated startup state, is configured to control the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the deionization stage or the pure water outlet.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the diversion valve is in communication with the controller, wherein the controller is configured to start the automated startup state based on a detected position of the diversion valve.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate the automated startup state based on a system downtime timer.

15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a pump having a pump inlet in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet and a pump outlet, the reverse osmosis stage being in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet via the pump outlet, wherein the controller, when in the automated startup state, is configured to turn the pump to an on state.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the diversion device further comprises a recirculation line, the recirculation line placing the concentrate outlet in fluid communication with the pump inlet.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a backpressure regulator controlling a pressure within a concentrate stream in the recirculation line to divert a portion of the concentrate stream back to the pump inlet.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises an automated shutdown state, wherein the controller, when in the automated shutdown state, is configured to control the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the waste water outlet.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller operates in the automated shutdown state for a predetermined period of time.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller operates in the automated shutdown state until a sensor in communication with the controller measures water quality at the permeate outlet of a predetermined state.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the diversion valve is in communication with the controller, wherein the controller is configured to start the automated shutdown state based on a detected position of the diversion valve.

22. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a pump having a pump inlet in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet and a pump outlet, the reverse osmosis stage being in fluid communication with the incoming water inlet via the pump outlet, wherein the controller, when in the automated shut down state, is configured to turn the pump to an on state.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a temporary hold state, wherein the controller, when in the temporary hold state, is configured to control the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the waste water outlet.

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the controller controls the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the pure water outlet, water exiting the pure water outlet bypasses the deionizing stage.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the controller controls the bypass valve to place the permeate outlet in fluid communication with the deionizing stage, water exiting the pure water outlet is conditioned by the deionizing stage.

Assignees

• Unger Marketing Int Llc

Inventors

• Hirsch Kai
• Huda Stephen
• Camp Robert
• Adams Paul H

Classifications

• C02F2201/006

  Cartridges · CPC title

• B01D15/361

  Ion-exchange · CPC title

• B01D2201/4076

  Anti-rotational means · CPC title

• B01D2313/44

  Cartridge types · CPC title

• B01D61/12

  Controlling or regulating · CPC title