Basic RO questions

[farmerEd]

Can someone give me the 5 minute overview of how a RO fits into a syrup operation?

Do you collect all you sap into a big tank, run it thru an RO into another tank, and then begin your boiling? Or is it running from the tank, into the RO and then directly into the boiling?

If, for example, you had 500 gallons of sap, how many gallons of usable sap comes out of the RO? How long would it take to RO 500G of sap? Are there consumable supplies when using an RO?

Sorry for the very basic questions...never seen one in action before.

[Russell Lampron]

It all would depend on the size of the RO compared to evaporation rate of the evaporator. In my case I have a 150 gph RO and a 2x6 evaporator. The evaporation rate of the evaporator is about equal to the output of the RO. I start my RO and then light the evaporator. I build up a little concentrate supply while the evaporator is getting up to temp. Then when I run out of raw sap and the RO shuts off I have about 1 more hour of boiling before I am done.

In that time I start the wash cycle on the RO and start heating the syrup in the canner.

Pre filters and RO soap are about the only expendable supplies for an RO. With proper cleaning a membrane will last several years.

It is pretty much like you said, you put the raw sap in a big storage tank and the RO pumps it into the feed tank for your evaporator. You will also need a tank for the filtrate water which you use for cleaning the RO. Concentrating to 8% removes about 3/4 of the water from the sap saving alot of fuel for the evaporator and cutting down the time needed to boil.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Russ summed it up, I have a 500 gal/hr ro, it will process about 400 gal/hr of cold sap, producing about 100 gal/hr of concentrate. My rig boiles about 125 a hour so I need to start the ro and get ahead a little before I start the rig.. The big thing is, it concentrates the sugar, as well as bacteria etc so concentrate will not store, and the longer it sits the darker the syrup.

[Jeff E]

A few other questions:

-What is the requirement for keeping the RO freezing? Operational room temps?
I see most images of RO's in small rooms. Why?

-Power requirements and wiring for a CDL 600GPH unit?

[Russell Lampron]

You need to keep the RO from freezing because the ice will damage the pumps and membrane. I keep mine in a small room because it is less expensive to heat. I only heat it during sugaring season. Then rest of the year the machine is drained and the membrane is safely stored in my bedroom.

My 150 gph Lapierre is on a 30 amp circuit. You would have to check your manual or call CDL to find out what is required. I think a 600 gph Lapierre uses a 30 amp circuit as well.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Total amp usage on a Lapierre 600 is 28 amps according to the report that comes with it.

If you haven't gotten the RO yet? the first thing the person that sold it/Should have told you is= Don't let it freeze---)Membrane, Low PSI pump and High PSI pump come into mind along with the figure of $4,000?? :( :( :( They need to be in place that is kept above freezing continiously (RO Room w/milkhouse heater and i put in 2heaters W/ ea. one on different breakers :)) when it is below freezing temps outside.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

LOL=ROTFLMAO Bigtime= I just read russ's post and he has the membrane in his bedroom=doesn't want to let that girl out of his sight :) :)

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

farmerEd-Most of us let your other questions ride right over out head.

Generally the GPH rating of say 600 is the amount of raw sap that the RO will process at 55* farenheight per hour. Depending upon what you wanted to come out of the vessel for concentrated sugar % would depend upon your GPM through your flow gauge. Normally if you figured about say 3 GPM flow through your flow meter with 2.5% sap you would get 180 gals of concentrated sap at say 8% per hour from the machine.

You can however though cut the output flow back out of the RO and up the % of sugar that will now be released from the pressure vessel. Up at the captains(Royalmaple's sugarhouse) he about had everything nutted (full to the rim with sap)when i got there with my Lapierre 600 Turbo and we had no containers for storage of concentrated sugar or permeate(filtered sap water) and i was only letting out like 3/4 of a GPM of concentrate leave the vessel from the RO and the sap was coming out over 22% sugar on 1 pass through the membrane that we checked with a refractometer.

I think the sap going is was like 1.3 or 1.4% sugar from his red maple at that time at the end of the season. Might have been 1.1 or 1.2% sap that he had that comes into mind now?

[royalmaple]

Russ-

I need to know exactly where in the bedroom do you store the membrane in the off season.

That is pretty hardcore.

[Russell Lampron]

I keep it behind the lamp at the head of my bed where the dog and cats can't knock it over. Don't want that baby getting cracked and passing sugar.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Doesn't want any prowlers sneaking in at night and walking off with it/if they do try it? Hopefully he'll hear them with it that close to his ear :)