Making an ro to handle 2000 taps

[cjf12]

Right now I do recirculate the concentrate thru the head tank back through the ro. Over n over until I foul out the membrane when it pushes 8-10%. Will a recirculating system at the ro like maple flats described benefit that much? Just do what I'm doing?

[maple flats]

Likely just do what you are doing. One thing that does help is to either find a way to mix the tank a few times or draw from the middle of the tank. When you pull from the bottom you are getting the most dense part and running it thru again. The more sugar, the heavier it is.

[Mead Maple]

Likely just do what you are doing. One thing that does help is to either find a way to mix the tank a few times or draw from the middle of the tank. When you pull from the bottom you are getting the most dense part and running it thru again. The more sugar, the heavier it is.

Been watching this thread from afar but a cool idea. Even a simple bulkhead fitting plumbed into the lower feed line with some valves to switch the draw source would work well. Great idea maple flats


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[Russell Lampron]

Been watching this thread from afar but a cool idea. Even a simple bulkhead fitting plumbed into the lower feed line with some valves to switch the draw source would work well. Great idea maple flats


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I've thought of making a floating pick-up using a hose with a float on the end to suck the sap from the top of the tank. I never did that because I added a second tower to my RO and don't recirc back into the sweet tank anymore. I did make a diffuser though so that the first pass can cool some as it goes in to the sweet tank.

[Clinkis]

Struggling with the money side of things for a commercially built ro. Contemplating adding another membrane and recirculation for this next season. Hopefully I can save some $ and improve in the future.
2 questions. Will my procon 330 run 2 membranes? Thought I read somewhere it couldn't but now I see some older posts that it can.
2nd question. Is anyone willing to show me a few pics or a schematic on recirculation with a 2 post 4x40 ro?

Yes you can run 2 membranes with a 330 procon. I’m currently running 3 membranes in series with a 330 procon. I started off with 2 for a couple years and this year I added a third. I recirculate in batches up to about 12-14%. I have to flush between each batch to keep flow rates up but overall works very well. The big thing is being vigilant with washing and rinsing to keep membranes in good shape.

On another note, I’ve probably got over $3500 into my RO. If I’d know I could buy a used Lapierre 600 for $5000 I think you’d be crazy not to go with the commercial RO. I’m very happy with my homemade RO but it’s no comparison to a commercial unit.

[wiam]

When I used to recirculate my tank fed from the bottom. I had a piece of 1” plastic pipe that would fit into the bottom fitting. It had slots cut in the pipe about half way up the tank height. The pipe was long enough to reach the tank top. I would drop it in the drain before starting ro. This did two things. Drew from farther up tank. Also would shut down ro when it had removed 1/2 the water. Then I would pull the pipe out, restart ro and send to my feed tank.

[cjf12]

Yes you can run 2 membranes with a 330 procon. I’m currently running 3 membranes in series with a 330 procon. I started off with 2 for a couple years and this year I added a third. I recirculate in batches up to about 12-14%. I have to flush between each batch to keep flow rates up but overall works very well. The big thing is being vigilant with washing and rinsing to keep membranes in good shape.

On another note, I’ve probably got over $3500 into my RO. If I’d know I could buy a used Lapierre 600 for $5000 I think you’d be crazy not to go with the commercial RO. I’m very happy with my homemade RO but it’s no comparison to a commercial unit.

Series is one membrane flowing to second then to third correct? Verses parrellel would have all 3 fed at same time? Does the 3rd membrane foul fairly quick? I understand you'll get higher concentrate but if it fouls quick would you be better keeping flow rates up in parrellell and let all three foul about the same time as your tank hits higher concentration?
Thanks for the help guys.

[Clinkis]

They all seem to foul at about the same rate as far as I can tell. Yes in series is one membrane feeding into the next membrane. Running parallel would not be an option with this size of pump because your flow rate per membrane would be cut in 1/2 (or 1/3 in my case) and they would foul very quickly. Series is definitely best for this size of pump.