Getting the concentrate up to holding tank...

[JP Quality Maple Syrup]

Hello again. Yup, back with another question. I am researching and pricing parts for a homemade R/O that happy thoughts was nice enough to post for me in his reply to another question. What I am building is close to the floor and wanted to get the concentrate back up to a holding tank to gravity feed to my new evaporator. Would the pressure the liquid leaves at be able to lift it 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet to the holding tank?

Additional to my question, I have seen home made units but can't seem to find information on whether I need an additional pump or ? to fill the holding tank. I know, I know, what a rookie....lol

[Rhino]

Will be interesting to hear if any R.O's have enough pressure to lift concentrate up to a elevated tank. I know in your case 2 to 3 feet isn't much to lift and i would think they should be able to do that. Like in our case, i think most producers have the r.o sending concentrate to a ground tank, and then pumped up to a higher elevated tank (feed tank). We have ours on a float valve switch with a red flashing light in the sugar shack, that tells us when the pump is sending concentrate up to the upper feed tank. At that time we do monitor the tank just in case something fails, sap is bad enough to run over, concentrate would make me lose sleep.

[maple flats]

Filter presses have plenty of pressure to push concentrate up to the head tank. They are operating at much higher pressure than your well pump. Mine runs at about 275-280 PSI most of the time. While the entire pressure in the membranes is not in the concentrate discharge, there is far more than you need to push it up to the head tank.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I think Maple Flats meant RO pump not filter press pump. Anyway, my RO sends concentrate 15 feet up to head tank. I used to send it 20 ft up plus 150 foot distance, no problem.

[heus]

Ray told me that my 375 unit would have no problem pushing concentrate into a second story of a barn.

[BreezyHill]

Most of the units have plenty of pressure to get it up. Our setup sends the concentrate to a tank 12' above floor of RO to two holding tanks for the evap.

The unasked question is the question most regretted.

Ben

[PerryFamily]

My Waterloo/Small pushed it 12' vertically from about 50' away. Shouldn't be an issue.

[gmcooper]

My Waterguy pushes 8' with no issues.

[maplefarmer]

I have a gas powered ray gingerich ro, I start running sap thru it and returning to the same tank, and then I'll switch it to my smaller concentrate tank to feed the evap. both tanks the ro pumps into are 7ft off the ground and pumping up there is no problem.