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Thread: needing help with ro

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Nuttby ,nova scotia
    Posts
    10

    Default needing help with ro

    looking for some input on what I'm doing wrong . we have a small commercial ro system that came out of a restaurant for there water . it's a 25x40 vessel with a procon pump. We have two pre filters before the unit. Our sap is coming in at 1.3 and our first pass can get up to 2% and on a second pass we are lucky to get a half a percent and even after our 4 pass we might get 3 to a 3.5%.looking for ideas

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Rochester, NY USA
    Posts
    639

    Default

    What kind of membrane is inside and has it been maintained? Any idea what your flows and pressures are? Are the prefilters new and clean? Please tell us more about the unit.
    Smoky Lake 2x6 fuel-oil fired, raised flue, hoods, SSR, concentric exhaust
    Home-built auto draw off
    Home-built RO - double XLE 4040, PLC controlled
    8x10 Sugar Shed
    200 taps on tubing with Shurflo vacuum with solar
    https://www.facebook.com/flowercitymaplesyrup/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Nuttby ,nova scotia
    Posts
    10

    Default

    we are running a new this season filmtec BW30 which was recommended running pressure is 240 -250 pre filters are also new first one is a 30 micron and the second one is a 5 micron20160309_131052.jpg
    Last edited by Rodshobbies; 03-09-2016 at 01:04 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Rochester, NY USA
    Posts
    639

    Default

    It seems like it should be concentrating more. I don't see any flow meters but you could time your flows using 5 gallon buckets. If the concentrate flow is much higher than permeate flow, then that's why you are not removing a lot of water. In that case you will need to restrict the concentrate flow if I'm not mistaken. That's how mine works.

    Where are you restricting flow to generate pressure? I see a ball valve near where the feed to the membrane is but it looks that is for drainage.

    I didn't see anything in the DOW documentation either that makes me think this membrane would not work.
    Smoky Lake 2x6 fuel-oil fired, raised flue, hoods, SSR, concentric exhaust
    Home-built auto draw off
    Home-built RO - double XLE 4040, PLC controlled
    8x10 Sugar Shed
    200 taps on tubing with Shurflo vacuum with solar
    https://www.facebook.com/flowercitymaplesyrup/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Nuttby ,nova scotia
    Posts
    10

    Default

    How much pressure do I darn apply . There is a ball valve on the to head of the vessel .the head is off in the picture as we have to drain and remove the membrane after each day to protect it from freezing.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Nuttby ,nova scotia
    Posts
    10

    Default

    I figured its time for an up date .gave up on the ro for 2017 and went for it again in 2018 . After lots of reading and getting frustrated I starting increasing the pressure to the membrane and holy smokes I drove up the sugar content. Now with sap coming in at 1.5% I can easily take it to 5% one pass . Only problem now cant keep up to rate of evaporationso now for 2019 I added a second vessel and membrane of the same side .Only boiled on the weekend 200 gallonsbut seems to work excellent. Processing approximately 38 gph. Very happy

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