P/N 68/S8601
USFilter
10 Technology Drive
Lowell, MA 01851 USA
Tech Support (800) 783-7873
Customer Service (800) 466-7873
Operation and
Maintenance
Manual
FlowMAX
FM Series
FS Series
Single Pass
Reverse Osmosis Unit
Model # FMX-XX
Colorado Springs
Job # XXXXX
Rev. B Issue Date: 05/1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS MAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION DESCRIPTION PAGE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Manual User’s Guide 1-1
1.2 Disclaimer Statement 1-2
1.3 Proprietary Rights Statement 1-2
1.4 Equipment Support 1-2
1.5 General Safety Guidelines 1-3
2.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION
2.1 General System Description 2-1
2.2 Theory of Reverse Osmosis 2-3
2.3 Mechanical Component Description 2-7
2.4 Electrical Component Description 2-9
2.5 Functional Description 2-13
3.0 INSTALLATION
3.1 Required Tools and Parts 3-1
3.2 Equipment Installation Guidelines 3-2
3.3 Equipment Installation Procedures 3-2
4.0 OPERATION
4.1 Initial Startup 4-1
4.2 Normal Operation 4-3
4.3 Short Term Shutdown Procedure 4-4
4.4 Long Term Shutdown Procedure 4-5
5.0 MAINTENANCE
5.1 Maintenance Schedule 5-1
5.2 Filter Cartridge Replacement 5-1
5.3 Membrane Element Replacement 5-2
5.4 Troubleshooting 5-4
5.5 Recommended Spare Parts 5-6
5.6 RO Membrane Element Long Term Storage Procedure 5-7
5.7 RO Membrane Element Cleaning 5-10
6.0 APPENDIX
6.1 RO Data Collection Form 6-1
6.2 RO Operating Specification Sheet 6-4
6.3 QA Data Sheet 6-6
6.4 Drawings 6-7
6.5 Component Manufacturers Literature 6-9
6.6 M.S.D.S Sheets 6-9
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INTRODUCTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 MANUAL USER’S GUIDE
This manual describes the procedures necessary to install, operate, and maintain your USFilter Reverse
Osmosis System. Please read this manual carefully before installing and operating your equipment. The
equipment warranty may be voided if installation or operation instructions are not followed correctly.
This manual has been formatted for ease of use, combining the instruction for the entire RO unit into
one manual. Literature supplied with some major components being used on this equipment is provided
in the back of this manual.
This manual is divided into six sections. The table of contents for these sections is located at the front
of the manual. The pages within each section are numbered [section #]-[page #] with the page numbers
starting at 1 and incrementing sequentially.
NOTE: Page numbering will skip over any special documents and continue on the page
following the document. Special documents will be noted with an introduction statement
that is listed in the table of contents.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes are used to attract attention to essential or critical information in a
manual. Warnings and Cautions will appear before the text associated with them, and notes can appear
either before or after associated text.
NOTE: Notes are used to add information, state exceptions, and point out areas that may
be of greater interest or importance.
Warnings indicate condition, practices, or procedures which must be
observed to avoid personal injury or fatalities.
Cautions indicate a situation that may cause damage or destruction of
equipment or may pose a long term health hazard.
WARNING
CAUTION
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1.2 DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
The operation and maintenance manual is intended to be used with the information provided in the
component manufacturers literature, which is in the Appendix. These manuals should provide complete
and accurate information to meet your operating and/or service requirements based on the information
available at the time of publication. However, USFilter assumes no responsibility for the technical
content of the component manufacturers literature.
The information in these manuals may not cover all operating details or variations or provide for all
conditions in connection with installation, operation and maintenance. Should questions arise which are
not answered specifically in this manual, contact the USFilter Service Department.
USFilter reserves the right to make engineering refinements that may not be reflected in these manuals.
The material in these manuals is for informational purposes and is subject to change without notice.
1.3 PROPRIETARY RIGHTS STATEMENT
This manual discloses information in which USFilter has proprietary rights. Neither receipt nor
possession of this manual confers or transfers any right to the client, and by its retention hereof, the
client acknowledges that it will not reproduce or cause to be reproduced, in whole or in part, any such
information except by written permission from USFilter. The client shall have the right to use and
disclose to its employees the information contained herein for the purpose of operating and maintaining
the USFilter equipment, and for no other purpose.
In the event the content of this manual is altered or section/items are omitted during a reproduction, in
whole or in part, and instructions or definitions within the reproduction result in personal injury to those
who follow the altered instructions, the burden of responsibility for personal injury falls solely on the
party who affects the reproduction.
1.4 EQUIPMENT SUPPORT
USFilter continually strives to provide safe, efficient, trouble-free equipment using the optimum
technology for your application. If problems should develop, USFilter ‘s worldwide network of
technical support will be available to provide assistance. For service, sales, parts, or additional manual
copies call your area representative or the number provided on the cover of this manual.
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1.5 GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES
This equipment operates at high voltage and high pressure, has moving parts
and hazardous chemicals that may cause serious injury or fatality if not
operated and maintained according to the procedures outlined in this manual.
1. No one should use or service this equipment without proper training and supervision. It
is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that this equipment is used properly and
safely, strictly following the instructions contained herein.
2. Remain alert at all times during the operation of this equipment. Do not get near this
equipment if you are drowsy or impaired in any other way.
3. Always wear safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves) for protection while working on
the equipment.
4. Refer to Material Safety Data Sheets prior to handling hazardous chemicals.
5. Always operate the equipment at the parameters specified.
6. Never connect the system to piping that has not been approved by USFilter. If there are
any doubts, please call your USFilter local branch.
7. Never remove any components from the unit while under pressure.
8. No one under the age of 18 years of age should operate or be allowed near this
equipment.
9. Warning labels have been placed on the equipment to remind the operator of certain
hazards. Never remove these labels. If any warning label is illegible or missing, please
contact U.S. Filter for a free replacement.
10. Proper maintenance assures the equipment will run properly and can lower the risk of
injury. Be sure to follow the instructions on maintenance carefully.
11. Be sure to maintain all equipment, tools and sub-systems used with the equipment.
12. Continuously inspect the system for leaks and damage. Correcting problems as they
occur will help prolong the life of the system.
13. Use Lock-Out and Tag-Out devices when servicing the unit.
14. This manual should be used as a guidance tool and should not replace common sense. If
you are unsure about a procedure, ask your supervisor. USFilter welcomes any questions
you may have. USFilter can arrange to provide on-site training if necessary.
WARNING
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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
The purpose of this manual is to provide the user with the necessary information to operate this
equipment without undue risk. Failure to follow the instructions laid forth in this manual may
put the operators at risk of injury and possible fatality. Please read this entire manual before
beginning any procedure. This Operations and Maintenance Manual should remain with the
equipment at all times, to act as a ready reference guide for anyone who operates this equipment.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Below is a list of equipment and materials that should be kept nearby the equipment. The
equipment is the bare minimum required to maintain a safe working environment.
1. Lock-out and Tag-out devices for servicing and shutdowns.
2. Eyewash/safety shower for any chemical accidents.
3. Safety glasses are to be worn at all times.
4. Earplugs should be worn when encountering high levels of noise.
5. Gloves that offer protection from the chemicals used herein.
6. Steel toe work boots for protection against heavy equipment and components.
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2.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION
2.1 GENERAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this section is to introduce the user to the equipment. A thorough understanding of the
equipment will help when installing, testing, and operating the system. Refer to the drawings supplied
in the Appendix for further clarification.
MAX Membrane Systems are the standard 8” RO product line for USFilter . There are four different
sub groups of MAX RO units, tailored to the specific needs of the pharmaceutical and beverage industry
as well as general industrial and commercial applications. These are described below.
PharmMAX™
The PharmMAX™ RO system is packaged for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. These units
feature Filmtec RO-390-FF full fit membrane elements, Codeline FRP, 80A side port direct connect,
pressure vessels, Grundfos CRN SST pumps and Allen Bradley PLC based control systems. We have
three standard sizes available, with your choice of either PP or SST sanitary product piping. The feed
piping is PVC, but SST piping is also available. These systems feature Thornton 200 series conductivity
and flow monitors, and the new Fluidyne vortex shedding flow sensors. Another new feature is virtual
product flow display, with flow sensors in the feed and reject lines, and no dirty intrusions into the
product line. The Thornton 200F flow monitor allows you to display the product flow as the difference
of the two measured flows. (For lower flow rates, please see the new Pharm40 Series of pharmaceutical
RO units.) .
FlowMAX™
The FlowMAX™ RO system is packaged for general industrial applications. There are 10 different
sizes that come standard with Filmtec BW30-365 membrane elements, Codeline FRP, 80A side port
direct connect, pressure vessels. There are two standard pump choices, the T&T horizontal booster
pump or the Grundfos BM series submersible pump. The standard control package is a Allen Bradley
MicroLogix PLC control system. (There are standard SCL 5/04 and Remote I/O panels that can be used
if required.) The feed piping and product piping are PVC. Like the PharmMAX™ , the FlowMAX™
systems feature Thornton 200 series conductivity and flow monitors, and the new Fluidyne vortex
shedding flow sensors. The two piece frame design allow you flexibility in layout configurations, for
jobs with limited floor space. Important to note that due to the different feed flow requirements, and
depending on which membrane you select, the cartridge filter housing is not standard and mounted on
the RO frame, so must be sized and ordered separately.
BevMAX™
The BevMAX™ RO system is packaged for the beverage industry or any application that requires all
piping to be SST. They are similar to the FlowMAX, except all piping is mill finish 316L SST. These
units are available with either Filmtec BW30-365 or BW30-440LE membrane elements, and Codeline
FRP, side port, direct connect, pressure vessels. The feed pumps are all SST, T&T horizontal booster
pumps. The standard control package is a AB MicroLogix PLC based control system. Like the other
MAX RO systems, they feature Thornton 200 series conductivity and flow monitors, and the new
Fluidyne vortex shedding flow sensors. Like the FlowMAX™, the cartridge filter housing is not
mounted on the RO frame, and must be ordered separately.
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ValueMAX™
The ValueMAX™ RO system is packaged for commercial and general industrial applications. These
are the most cost efficient standard 8” RO units available, for application where a sophisticated control
system is not required. These units are available with either Filmtec BW30-365 or BW30-440LE
membrane elements, and Codeline FRP, side port, direct connect, pressure vessels. The standard control
package is a C2000 control system. The feed piping and product piping is PVC. The flow is measured
with rotameters.
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2.2 THEORY OF REVERSE OSMOSIS
Water
Water exists in nature as a pure substance, but typically not in pure form. Many substances will
readily combine with water. When water comes into contact with these substances they either
become dissolved solids, such as minerals, gases and organic compounds or they become
suspended solids such as clay, silt and micro-organisms.
Dissolved Solids
Mixtures containing dissolved solids are commonly called solutions. Solutions form when a
solute material, such as salt (sodium chloride), becomes dissolved in a solvent, such as water.
When a particle of salt contacts water, the salt disintegrates and spreads evenly throughout the
water until the salt as a solid no longer exists. The salt molecules are still present, but they now
exist in a liquid phase as part of the solution and are now referred to as dissolved ions. These
ions carry either a positive or negative electrical charge, and will hereby be referred to as
cations, if they carry a positive charge, and anions if they carry a negative charge.
Suspended Solids
Suspended solids, materials that do not dissolve in a solvent, exist as unevenly distributed
particles in a mixture. Suspended solids larger than 5 microns are filtered out by the cartridge
filters prior to the reverse osmosis membrane elements.
Ionic Content and Water Quality
The presence of ionic material (dissolved solids) in a solution, increases the solution's
conductivity, or the ability to conduct electricity. Consequently, the use of a conductivity
measurement device may be used as a means to approximate the amount of dissolved solids in a
solution. The higher the conductivity potential of the solution, the higher the dissolved solids
content. Unfortunately, the presence of dissolved and suspended solids may be detrimental to
many water based operations, such as the production of steam for power generation, the rinsing
of electronics components after manufacturing, and the preparation of food and pharmaceutical
materials, just to mention a few. Consequently, these dissolved and suspended solids must be
removed from the water prior to use in these and many other applications. One effective method
of removing the majority of these contaminants is referred to as Reverse Osmosis.
Osmosis
Osmosis is a natural phenomenon that occurs when two solutions with different concentrations
of dissolved solutions are separated by a SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE. In natural
osmosis, the solvent or water in this application travels through the membrane from the solution
with the lower concentration of ionic materials to the solution with the higher ionic
concentration. This process continues until the ionic concentration of both solutions is equal or
until the resultant passage of the water through the membrane reaches the osmotic pressure of
the solution if the solutions are trapped in a container.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis is the reversal of this natural phenomenon, by the application of external
pressure on the solution that contains the higher concentration of dissolved ions, thus forcing
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water through the semi-permeable membrane in the opposite direction, leaving behind the
dissolved ions and the suspended solids. In the Reverse Osmosis process, the water that passes
through the membrane is commonly referred to as permeate, or product, water. The water that
remains behind the membrane along with the dissolved and suspended solids is referred to as the
reject, brine, or reject water.
The table below gives some approximate osmotic pressure values as an example of how much
pressure must be applied to the solution with a greater ionic concentration before any water will
pass through a membrane into a solution containing a lesser ionic concentration.
SODIUM CHLORIDE CONC. APPROX. OSMOTIC PRESSURE
100 PPM 1 PSIG
1,000 PPM 11 PSIG
10,000 PPM (brackish water) 110 PSIG
35,000 PPM (sea water) 350 PSIG
It is impractical to convert all of the water processed to product water for several reasons
including the osmotic pressure which develops as a result of the concentration of the dissolved
ions which accumulate on the one side of the membrane, and the inability to keep the membrane
free from suspended solids that would foul the surface of the membrane if not removed.
The rate of product water passage (or productivity) through the membrane is referred to as the
flux rate and is generally expressed in "gallons per square foot of membrane surface per day" or
in "gallons per day per reverse osmosis cartridge". The flux rate of a particular membrane is
generally limited by several factors including: temperature, operating pressure, and the surface
flushing action to keep the membrane surface free of suspended solids.
The rate of recovery of feed water converted into product water is generally expressed in the
form of a percentage, with the ratio of product water being expressed as the recovery rate. For
example if the feed flow rate to the RO unit is 200 GPM and the product rate from the RO unit is
150 GPM the rate of recovery would be expressed as 75%. The remaining 50 GPM did not pass
through the membrane. It is referred to as the reject water and would be discarded (i.e., not
recovered).
Membrane rejection is an expression of the ability to restrict the passage of dissolved ions
through the membrane, and is generally expressed as a percentage. That is, if the feed water to
the membrane contains 100 PPM of dissolved solids, and the resulting product water contains
only 2 PPM of dissolved solids after processing, the resultant dissolved ions rejection rate is
98%. The opposite of this expression is also sometimes used and is known as the salt passage
rate, which, for our example, would equal a rate of 2%. A membrane rejection rate of 100% is
not practical due to imperfections in the membrane and the construction of the membrane
element.
Practical Applications
Reverse osmosis becomes practical for water treatment when synthetic, semi-permeable
membrane material is packaged in a suitable membrane element. Typically the elements are
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constructed of one of two classifications of membrane material, including cellulose acetate or
triacetate, or some type of plastic based material such as a polyamide or polysulfone based
material. These materials are then arranged into one of four element configurations including
flat plate, tubular, hollow fiber or spiral wound, with the latter two configurations being most
common in today's technology. Selection of the membrane material and element configuration
are based on numerous factors including water chemistry, space limitations, product water
quality requirements and system pre-treatment design. For this discussion, only the spiral wound
element configuration will be described, based on the design of the RO unit covered by this
Manual.
The spiral wound membrane configuration is constructed from a flat sheet membrane that is first
folded and sealed to form an envelop, with one opened end. Porous backing material, placed
inside the envelope separates the membrane sheets and forms a flow channel between them. The
opened end of the envelope is then attached and sealed around a plastic product tube that is
perforated, which allows the product water, or permeate, to pass into the product tube.
For compactness, the envelope of membrane material is then wrapped around the product tube in
a spiral wound fashion with a coarse plastic screen, referred to as a brine channel screen, being
included in the wrap, which creates a flow channel between the surfaces of the membrane where
the feed water enters the element and the reject, or brine flow, passes out of the element. The
element is then covered with an outer wrap of semi-rigid fiberglass for protection and to assist in
maintaining a uniform round shape. The final dimensions of the element are usually
approximately 40" long by either 4" or 8" in diameter.
The elements are then put into one or more cylindrical pressure vessels, which can contain one to
six membrane elements depending on the unit design.
Pressurized feed water is introduced into one end of the vessel. Some of the water, driven by the
feed pressure through the RO pressure vessel feed port, permeates through the membrane and
passes into the product tube and exits the pressure vessel from the pressure vessel product port as
product water, less most of the dissolved solids and all of the suspended solids. The remainder
of the water passes along the surface of the membrane with the rejected dissolved and suspended
solids and passes out of the pressure vessel as reject, or reject flow, from the pressure vessel
reject port.
The pressure vessels are generally arranged in stages when more product water is desired than
one vessel can produce. The staging of the vessels is designed to optimize the water flow
patterns across the surface of the membranes. This uniform water flow promotes good flushing
velocity across the membrane surface to prevent the accumulation of suspended solids on the
surface which would then foul the membrane and reduce the productivity. Multiple stages are
referred to as arrays.
A simple example of an array would be a unit containing three vessels, with two vessels plumbed
in parallel in the first stage and the third vessel plumbed in series after the first two vessels in the
second stage. In this case, the feed water to the unit is first split into two streams with each half
being directed into one of the first stage vessels. On entering these two vessels, some product
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water is produced from each and collected from the two pressure vessel product ports, which are
connected together outside of the pressure vessel in a common product water header. The water
that is not recovered is passed out of the vessels as reject, along with the dissolved and
suspended solids. This water is then collected into a common first stage reject header ( or reject
header) and directed to the feed of the third vessel which is plumbed in series behind the first
two vessels, where the process is again repeated. The second stage product is added to the first
stage product. The second stage reject is directed through a control valve and disposed of along
with most of the dissolved and suspended solids.
Recovery Limitations
As previously described, product recovery is the ratio of water volume recovered as product
water compared to the volume of water supplied to the RO unit as feed water. Naturally, in an
ideal situation you would like to recover all of the water, but this is not practical for several
reasons as described below.
If all of the water that was processed were converted to product water, there would be no water
available to flush the membrane surface area free of remaining suspended solids. Consequently,
the suspended solids would build up on the surface of the membrane and gradually restrict the
flow of product water until no permeate or product water could be produced.
The presence of some dissolved solids such as silica, barium, strontium or calcium and
magnesium when present with carbonate or sulfate ions restricts the recovery of an RO unit more
than other dissolved solids, due to their limited solubility in water. For example, the presence of
silica (SiO2) in the feed water is often times the limiting factor in RO recovery, because it starts
to precipitate out of solution when it reaches a concentration of 100-120 PPM. That means that
if the feed water contains 30 PPM of SiO2 then the recovery of product water is limited to about
75%, because the SiO2 concentration will be increased by 4 times which will result in a silica
concentration in the RO reject of approximately 120 PPM which is the limit of it's solubility. If
you tried to recover 80% of the water, the concentration of SiO2 would reach 5 times the feed
water concentration or approximately 150 PPM and start to precipitate, fouling the membrane
surface.
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2.3 MECHANICAL COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
The major mechanical components that make up the RO unit are described below.
Automatic Feed Water Control Valve
An automatic valve is mounted in the RO unit feed piping. This valve will shut off flow to the unit
when it shuts down. A solenoid valve mounted in the Control Panel controls the operation of this
valve. The solenoid requires 80 PSIG instrument air from an external source.
Feed Pressure Gauge
The line pressure from the filter inlet is displayed on a 0-100 PSI pressure gauge. The gauge has a
100mm stainless steel case, and is constructed of all stainless steel wetted parts and is glycerin filled.
High Pressure Pump
The RO unit has a high pressure booster pump mounted to the frame to boost the feed water to the
required operating pressure for the reverse osmosis membranes. The pump is a vertical or
horizontal, multi-stage type with stainless steel construction of all wetted parts. The pump is
designed to provide the pressure and flow necessary to operate the system, with additional pressure
available to allow for fouling or a minor decrease in feed water temperature. The FlowMax Series
RO units are also available with a submersible multi stage pump with stainless steel impellers.
Low Feed Pressure Switch
A low feed water pressure switch is provided to protect the pump. It is adjusted to shutdown the RO
unit if the inlet feed water pressure drops below the setpoint. The switch is wired through a delay
timer to allow short pressure drops such as those that occur when the pump starts up.
Pump Discharge Throttling Valve
The water discharged from the high pressure pump is regulated by a stainless steel ball valve. By
adjusting the position of the valve, you can regulate the flow and pressure feeding the first stage
pressure vessels of the RO unit. The valve is also equiped with a locking device, which must be
used to maintian correct valve position.
Pump Discharge Pressure Gauge
The outlet pressure from the high pressure pump is displayed on a 0-600 PSI pressure indicator.
This gauge has a 63mm stainless steel case, and is constructed of all stainless steel wetted parts, and
is glycerin filled. An isolation valve between the manifold and gauge allows you to operate the RO
unit while isolating the gauge from the high pressure.
Pump Discharge Pressure Switch
A high discharge pressure switch is provided to protect the downstream components of the system
from excess pressure. It is adjusted to shutdown the RO unit immediately if the pump discharge
pressure exceeds the setpoint.
High Pressure Manifold
The pressurized feed water is piped through 316L stainless steel high pressure manifolding. The
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manifold is constructed of butt welded Schedule 10 fittings and pipe. The manifold sections are
joined by flexible couplings, that are painted with polyurethane paint to match the frame. A
cleaning connection is supplied on each interstage header and capped over with a stainless steel
blind plug and flexible coupling. A half coupling on each interstage header is provided to
connect to the interstage pressure gauge. The manifold sections are designed to accommodate
future expansion of the system with minimum rework.
Reverse Osmosis Pressure Vessels
The RO unit has 8" round pressure vessels mounted to the frame. The vessels are constructed of
fiberglass. The side ported vessels are close coupled to reduce manifolding. The inlet and outlet
connections are 316L stainless steel with groove type connections. The vessels are built to ASME
specifications, but are not code stamped.
Reverse Osmosis Membrane Elements
The RO unit is designed for 8" x 40" reverse osmosis membrane elements housed in pressure vessels
on the frame. The standard elements are constructed of Thin Film Composite (TFC) membrane
material. The membranes are designed to reject over 98% of the dissolved solids and over 99% of
the suspended solids and organic material.
Reject Throttling Valves
The reject flow back pressure is regulated by two valves. One is a stainless steel ball valve and the
other is a stainless steel globe valve. These valves are used to control the differential pressure across
the membrane surface which in turn regulates the recovery rate of the system.
Interstage Pressure Gauge
The feed pressure from each high pressure feed manifold and the
final reject line are displayed on a 0-400 PSI pressure gauge,
located on the interstage SST header. The gauge has a 63mm
stainless steel case, and is constructed of all SST wetted parts
and is glycerin filled.
Feed & Product Piping
The feed and product piping for the FlowMax unit is PVC Schedule 80. The feed piping for the
PharmMax unit is PVC Schedule 80, the product piping is sanitary PP or SST. The feed and
product piping for the FlowMax unit is 316L SST.
Sample Valves
There is a sample valve on the product line of each pressure vessel. These valves provide an
opportunity to analyze the product water flowing from each pressure vessel. The location of
these valves permit the operator to isolate the product water of a vessel from that of all other
vessels.
There is a sample valve on the common product line of the RO. This valve provides an
opportunity to analyze the final combined product water flowing from the RO membranes.
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2.4 ELECTRICAL COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
Control Panel
The frame mounted Control Panel is U.L. listed. It houses the main disconnect switch, PLC,
solenoid valves and alarm horn The door of the Control Panel contains the disconnect switch
handle, system hour meter, % rejection monitor, flow monitors, and the switches and indicator
lights.
Starter Panel
The frame mounted Starter Panel is U.L. listed. It houses the motor circuit protector,
motor starter and overload. The door of the Starter Panel contains the disconnect switch handle. If
the submersible pump is selected, there may be a motor protection device designated CU-3. This
device is not U.L. Listed.
COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
Motor Circuit Protector
The main disconnect switch for the Control Panel is a motor
circuit protector. This replaces the standard disconnect and
motor fuses. It will trip when the Maximum amperage rating is
exceeded and can be manually reset. This switch serves as the
main power disconnect to the Control Panel.
Circuit Breaker
The low voltage components inside the Control Panel are protected with a 5 Amp circuit breaker.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is installed in the Control Panel to protect the
instrumentation. This is required for non U.L. devices mounted in a U.L. Listed Control Panel.
Flowmeters
There are two flow sensors and one flow monitor on the RO unit.
They will display the flow rates for the product and reject
flows. They consist of an in-line vortex shedding flow sensor in
the feed and reject line, and a digital monitor in the Control
Panel. The monitors will display the flow in GPM, or other
international units, and will also monitor and display the
totalized flow. The 4-20mA outputs from the monitors are wired
to terminals for data acquisition if required.
% Rejection Monitor
A percent rejection monitor is provided to indicate the overall
system rejection of dissolved solids in the feedwater. The
monitor will alarm if the product water quality is out of limits
for more than 5 minutes, in which case the unit will shut down on
low quality. The 4-20mA output from the monitor are wired to
terminals for data acquisition if required.
Alarm Horn
An alarm horn is mounted to the bottom of the Control Panel to
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give an audible warning during an alarm status condition.
Elapsed Time Meter
An elapsed time meter is mounted in the door of the Control Panel and will record the total hours
the unit has run. This is important for maintenance and service scheduling.
High Pump Discharge Pressure Switch
A High pump discharge pressure switch can be mounted on the Control Panel. It is adjusted to
shutdown the RO unit if the pump discharge pressure rises above the setpoint. This will prevent the
pressure vessels from the possibility of over pressurization.
2.5 FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
Below is a description of the function of the major system components and the features of the MAX RO
unit.
Feed Inlet Valve V-2
When the HOA switch is turned to AUTO or HAND, solenoid valve SV-1 will energize and the feed
water inlet valve will open. It will remain open during operation and remain open for an additional 60
seconds after the RO pump stops. The valve will not open if the pre-treatment lockout signal is active,
or if the call for water signal is inactive.
Feedwater Flow Sensor FE-1
The flow sensor in the feed line will send a pulse signal to the flow monitor. The feed flow will be
displayed on the secondary display line, accessible by pressing the button on the monitor.
Feedwater Low Pressure Switch PSL-1
The pressure switch in the feed line will protect the RO unit high pressure pump from cavitation if the
feed pressure drops and remains below 10 PSIG for more than 10 seconds. As soon as the alarm
initiates, the LOW FEED PRESSURE light will start to flash. After the 10 second delay, the RO unit
will stop and the alarm horn will sound. The 10 second delay is to accommodate a momentary pressure
drop when the pump first starts up.
Feed Conductivity Sensor CE-1
A feed conductivity sensor will measure the conductance of the feed water and send a signal to the
conductivity monitor in the Control Panel. The sensor has a 0.1/cm constant. The feed conductivity
reading is used to calculate the system rejection.
Feedwater Temperature Shutdown
The RTD in the feed conductivity sensor is used to measure the feedwater temperature. This value is
displayed on the conductivity monitor. If the operating feed temperature (user defined) is out of range,
the alarm initiates, the HIGH FEED TEMPERATURE light will start to flash, and the unit will shut
down. There is no time delay, this is an instantaneous shutdown. For standard TFC membranes, this
switch will be set to 100 degrees F.
High Pressure Pump
SECTION 2-11
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
The pump will start 60 seconds after the HOA switch is turned to HAND or AUTO. If the feed pressure
does not rise above the required 10 PSI, the pump will not start. The pump will not start if the pre-
treatment lockout signal is active, or if the call for water signal is inactive.
Pump Discharge High Pressure Switch PSH-1
The pressure switch located on the pump discharge manifold will shutdown the RO unit if the pressure
exceeds the safe operating limits of the system. As soon as the alarm initiates, the HIGH DISCHARGE
PRESSURE light will start to flash and the RO unit will stop. There is no time delay, this is an
instantaneous shutdown. On the standard systems it is set to 300 PSIG.
Product Conductivity Sensor CE-2
A product (permeate) conductivity sensor will measure the conductance of the product water and send a
signal to the conductivity monitor in the Control Panel. The sensor has a 0.1/cm constant. The product
conductivity reading is used to calculate the system rejection. The product and feed conductivity
readings are used to calculate membrane rejection, which is displayed as percent rejection on the
monitor. If the percent rejection value drops and stays below the setpoint (factory set at 96%), for five
minutes, the unit will shut down. The time delay gives the unit time to rinse up to quality upon start up.
Low Quality Alarm CIT-1
Whenever the percent rejection value is below the setpoint, the LOW QUALITY light will flash and a
five minute time delay begins. Whenever the LOW QUALITY light is flashing, the product divert to
drain valve will be opened. (note the product divert to drain valve is not included on the RO unit, but
must be installed in the field. If it is not installed, activation of SV-2 will have no effect on the system.)
This will keep low quality permeate water out of the storage tank. When the quality rises above the
setpoint, SV-3 will energize and open the product to storage tank valve, and after a 10 second time
delay, SV-2 will de-energize and close the product divert valve. The 10 second time delay is
incorporated to give the storage tank valve time to open before the divert valve closes.
Reject Flow Sensor FE-1
The flow sensor in the reject line will send a pulse signal to the flow monitor. The reject flow will be
displayed on the primary display line of the quality monitor CIT-1.
Flow Monitor FIT-1
The flow monitor will take the two flow signals from the feed and reject lines, and calculate the product
flow. (Feed flow minus reject flow equals product flow.) The monitor is completely programmable by
the user to adjust alarm set points and display readings. The factory default display will show product
flow and reject flow on the primary display, and feed flow on the secondary display. The 4-20-mA
outputs from the monitor for product flow and reject flow will be wired to terminals in the panel in the
event these signals are needed. The two relay alarm outputs will be used to shut down the RO if the
product or reject flows are out of range.
Flow Alarm FIT-1
The flow monitor has two relay outputs that will go into the PLC to alarm on Low Reject Flow and on
High Product Flow. If the flow is more than 5% above the recommended product flow or 5% below the
recommended reject flow, the Flow Alarm light will flash and a two minute timer starts. If the flow
stays out of range for more than two minutes, the RO unit will shut down. Incorrect flows will cause
SECTION 2-12
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
irreversible damage to the membranes, and void the warranty.
RO Product to Storage Tank Valve V-9
This valve is not include on the RO, but should be installed in the field as close to the storage tank as
possible. This allows the product piping to be rinsed to drain upon start up. It should be an air actuated
type, normally closed (fail closed) valve. The sequence of this valve is described above under Low
Quality Alarm CIT-1.
RO Product to Drain Valve V-10
This valve is not included on the RO, but should be installed in the field as close to the storage tank
valve V-9 as possible. There must not be any back-pressure on the drain piping after this valve. It
should be an air actuated type, normally open (fail open) valve. The sequence of operation for this valve
is described above under Low Quality Alarm CIT-1.
Note: If the product valves are not installed, the air outlets on the control panel
for SV-2 & 3 will need to plugged.
Auto Flush Mode
A “MANUAL-OFF-AUTO” selector switch allows you to select one of three modes:
1. MANUAL-manually hold open the product divert valve
2. OFF-de activate the 2 hour auto flush mode
3. AUTO-activate the 2 hour auto flush mode
When the selector switch is put in the MANUAL position, the product to drain valve (V-10) will open
and stay open until taken out of the MANUAL position. When the switch is in the AUTO position, a
two hour timer is initiated each time the RO shuts down. If the RO has not automatically restarted
within the two hours, the RO will automatically start up and run product to drain for 5 minutes, then
return to the standby mode, and the two hour timer is again initiated.
When the switch is in the OFF position, the autoflush will not be activated. If the product divert valves
are not installed in the product line as noted above, this selector switch must be in the OFF or
MANUAL position only, or the RO could start up for five minutes every two hours and overfill the
storage tank.
Pretreatment Lock Out
There is a relay in the control panel that can be tied into the pretreatment system to shutdown the RO in
the event of an interruption in the feedwater supply. (This is typically caused by softener going into
regeneration or multi media filters going into backwash.) When a signal from the pretreatment occurs,
the RO will shutdown and go into a standby mode. At this time the PRETREATMENT LOCKOUT
light on the panel will be flashing. The RO will automatically re-start upon de-activation of the signal
from the pretreatment equipment. If there is no pretreatment interlock required, the terminals in the
control panel need to have a jumper wire connected across them. If the RO is run in the HAND mode,
the pretreatment interlock will be ignored. A loss of feed water will cause the unit to shut down on low
feed pressure.
Hand-Off-Auto Switch (HOA)
Hand
SECTION 2-13
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
When the HOA switch is turned to HAND position, the RO unit will run and remain running until the
switch is turned back to the OFF or any of the following alarm conditions; low feed pressure, high
feedwater temperature or high pump discharge pressure. This operating mode completely bypasses the
shutdown signals from the pretreatment system, storage tank level sensing device or low product quality
alarm.. This mode is typically used for initial start-up rinse or after a cleaning cycle to rinse up the
membrane elements.
Off
Turning the HOA switch to the OFF position at any time will stop the RO pump and the unit will remain
off until the switch is placed into the HAND or AUTO position.
Auto
When the HOA switch is turned to AUTO position, the RO unit will run and remain running until a
shutdown signal is received for the pretreatment system or storage tank level sensing device. The unit
will also shutdown based on any of the following alarm conditions; low feed pressure, high feedwater
temperature, high pump discharge pressure, or low product quality. This is the position to be used for
normal operation of the RO unit.
Storage Tank Full Light
There is a relay in the control panel that must be tied into storage tank level device. This is typically a
pressure switch with a deadband or a set of level switches. The level sensing devices are used to start
the RO when the tank level drops to half full, and stop the RO when the tank is full. It is important to
maintain a deadband to prevent frequent cycling on and off of the RO unit. The level sensing device
must have a set of normally closed dry contacts to connect to the RO control panel. The RO can not be
run in the AUTO mode unless the level device is wired in. . If the RO is run in the HAND mode, the
storage tank level device shutdown interlock will be ignored. This could cause the tank to overflow and
possibly damage surrounding equipment.
Alarm Reset
After pressing the Alarm Silence pushbutton to silence the alarm, you must determine and correct the
cause of the alarm. After this has been done, you must reset the panel prior to restarting the RO. To do
this, turn the RO HOA switch to OFF, this will reset the panel and the alarm light will go off.. To restart
the RO, turn the HOA switch to HAND or AUTO.
Alarm Lights
The alarm lights will flash off & on during an alarm condition, and they will continue to flash until the
operator acknowledges the alarm. This is done by pushing the Alarm Reset pushbutton switch. After
the alarm has been acknowledged, the light will remain on until the HOA switch is turned to the OFF
position.
Alarm Horn
An alarm horn will sound whenever the unit shuts down based on the following conditions; ; low feed
pressure, low reject flow, high product flow, high feedwater temperature or high pump discharge
pressure. The alarm horn is silenced by pressing the Alarm Silence pushbutton switch. The alarm horn
is controlled by a timer that will shut it off automatically after 5 minutes, in the event it has not been
acknowledged. It will come back on after five minutes and sound for 30 seconds, then go off again.
This cycle will continue until the Alarm Silence pushbutton switch has been pushed.
SECTION 2-14
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999
USFilter United States Filter Corporation
Chemical Pump Receptacles
There are four 120 volt chemical receptacles mounted of the side of the RO Control Panel. They are
used to power chemical injection pumps if these are used in the pretreatment system. The two
receptacles labeled “Bisulfite” and “Acid/Caustic” will energize whenever the feedwater valve is on.
The receptacle labeled “ antiscalant” will only be energized when the OR pump is running. The fourth
receptacle is a convenience receptacle that can be used to power a PC or test instrument. This receptacle
is always hot, as long as the circuit breaker inside the control panel is on. The service on the
convenience receptacle is limited to 10 amps.
Auxiliary Contacts
There are two sets of auxiliary contacts in the panel that can be hooked up to remote devices. One is
energized whenever the pump is running, the second is energized during alarm fault conditions.
Optional pH Monitor
An optional pH monitor can be supplied to monitor the feed water pH, and shut down the RO if the pH
goes out of range. This alarm includes a 5 minute time delay, similar to the quality monitor. The pH
monitor is located in a separate panel, and the alarm is wired back the Control Panel.
Electrical Controls Summary
Shutdown alarms Low quality product
Low feed pressure
Flow Alarm
High pump discharge pressure
High feed water temperature
Status indicator lights Low feed pressure
Low quality
Flow Alarm
High pump discharge pressure
High feed water temperature
Product divert to drain valve open
Pretreatment lockout
Storage Tank Full
Switches RO Run Hand-Off-Auto (HOA)
Alarm Silence
Auto Flush Selector Manual-Off-Auto (MOA)
Miscellaneous controls Elapsed run time indicator
Alarm horn
Chemical pump receptacles
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