Apparatus for processing liquids such as water and the like by reverse osmosis

• US 4,321,137 A
• Filed: 02/11/1980
• Issued: 03/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haftung Fried Krupp Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter
• Original Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Buckau R Wolf AG
• Inventors: Kohler, Wolf-Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): SPEAR JR, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US06/120,853
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 210/652, 210/321.1, 210/433 M, 210/134, 210/137, 210/416.1
• US Class Current: 210/137
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/243 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/06 Energy recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis

Abstract

An apparatus for processing liquids such as water or the like by means of a reverse osmosis device has a main pump which provides an entrance pressure to the reverse osmosis device in connection with a throttle. In order to avoid any losses of energy, another pump is connected to the main pump. Via a rigid shaft, a turbine is connected to the other pump which turbine receives the high pressure located in the concentrate and releases it to the other pump.

Claims

1. An improved apparatus for processing a solution, such as waste water and the like by means of a reverse osmosis unit, having an inlet for the solution and two outlets for pure water and concentrate wherein the solution is conducted to the reverse osmosis unit by a first pump driven by a motor, the pressurized concentrate being expanded in a turbine which is connected to said first pump while the pure water is withdrawn in a pressureless state, the improvement which comprises:

a second pump associated to said first pump and located between said first pump and said reverse osmosis unit, the second pump being connected to an individual motor via a clutch, wherein the motor of said first pump is connected thereto via a disengageable clutch.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the motor of the first pump is working only as starting motor.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second pump has such a power as to compensate the losses of operation and losses of the reverse osmosis device.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a throttle is provided to control the pressure of the solution into the reverse osmosis unit.

4. An apparatus as defined in clam 3, wherein the speed of the second pump is controllable, the second pump being developed as centrifugal pump.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the second pump is driven by a motor developed as a direct current motor.