Editing RO systems
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Collection in an open (unpressurized) vessel simply requires placing the end of the permeate tubing into whatever vessel you want to fill with water, such as plastic water jugs. You will need to manually turn off water flow to the RO system when the vessel is full. The obvious major downside to this method is that the vessel will overflow if it runs for too long. A simple solution to avoid problems in that case is to place the collection vessel in a sink, in a tub, on the ground near a drain, or outside (weather permitting). Once you know the production speed of your system, you can set a timer to remind you to turn off the system when the vessel is full. | Collection in an open (unpressurized) vessel simply requires placing the end of the permeate tubing into whatever vessel you want to fill with water, such as plastic water jugs. You will need to manually turn off water flow to the RO system when the vessel is full. The obvious major downside to this method is that the vessel will overflow if it runs for too long. A simple solution to avoid problems in that case is to place the collection vessel in a sink, in a tub, on the ground near a drain, or outside (weather permitting). Once you know the production speed of your system, you can set a timer to remind you to turn off the system when the vessel is full. | ||
If you prefer to have the system shut-off automatically when the vessel is full, you can use a dedicated vessel with a float valve installed. The float valve will shut off the permeate flow when the water fills to the level set by the valve (similar to how a toilet tank works). In this setup, an automatic shut off valve (ASOV) is also needed to shut off the flow of water from the feed water supply line; otherwise water would continue to flow down the drain after filling stops.<ref name=bhfaq/><ref name=screwy/> Additionally, a check valve is needed to prevent backflow through the RO membrane.<ref name=buckeye>[https://www.buckeyehydro.com/content/3_Stage_RO_System.pdf Understanding and operating your new reverse osmosis system (premium series RO system instructions).] Buckeye Hydro website. Accessed October 2020.</ref> Keep in mind that tanks and plumbing in contact with the filtered water should be plastic (or lined with plastic) because the purified water is corrosive to metal.<ref name=water/ | If you prefer to have the system shut-off automatically when the vessel is full, you can use a dedicated vessel with a float valve installed. The float valve will shut off the permeate flow when the water fills to the level set by the valve (similar to how a toilet tank works). In this setup, an automatic shut off valve (ASOV) is also needed to shut off the flow of water from the feed water supply line; otherwise water would continue to flow down the drain after filling stops.<ref name=bhfaq/><ref name=screwy/> Additionally, a check valve is needed to prevent backflow through the RO membrane.<ref name=buckeye>[https://www.buckeyehydro.com/content/3_Stage_RO_System.pdf Understanding and operating your new reverse osmosis system (premium series RO system instructions).] Buckeye Hydro website. Accessed October 2020.</ref> Keep in mind that tanks and plumbing in contact with the filtered water should be plastic (or lined with plastic) because the purified water is corrosive to metal.<ref name=water/> If metal must be used for the collection vessel, [[stainless steel]] is preferred.<ref>[https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/ro-systems-cost-effective.670740/ RO systems cost effective?] HomeBrewTalk website. 2019–2020. Accessed October 2020.</ref> | ||
The third option is to store the water in a pressurized storage tank, which is designed to dispense water quickly on demand and then refill automatically. This type of tank contains an air bladder to increase pressure as the tank fills with water. Driven by this pressure, the tank can dispense water to a dedicated faucet, or even plumbed directly into an automated brewing system. Be aware that the actual capacity of a tank is less than what the manufacturer indicates because of the air bladder. For example, a 4.5 gallon tank will actually hold around 2.5-3 gallons of water. Furthermore, the exact amount of water the tank is capable of holding will differ based on the feed pressure and the settings on the shutoff valve.<ref>Woodard J. [https://www.freshwatersystems.com/blogs/blog/what-is-a-reverse-osmosis-tank-and-how-does-it-work What is a reverse osmosis tank and how does it work?] Fresh Water Systems website. October 2019. Accessed October 2020.</ref> A 14 gallon pressure tank is appropriate if you want to store 6 to 8 gallons of RO water.<ref name=hbtrofs/> As mentioned above, a permeate pump is highly recommended because the back-pressure from the pressurized tank will significantly deteriorate every aspect of system performance: decreased rejection rate, decreased recovery rate, slower production speed.<ref name=hbtguide/> | The third option is to store the water in a pressurized storage tank, which is designed to dispense water quickly on demand and then refill automatically. This type of tank contains an air bladder to increase pressure as the tank fills with water. Driven by this pressure, the tank can dispense water to a dedicated faucet, or even plumbed directly into an automated brewing system. Be aware that the actual capacity of a tank is less than what the manufacturer indicates because of the air bladder. For example, a 4.5 gallon tank will actually hold around 2.5-3 gallons of water. Furthermore, the exact amount of water the tank is capable of holding will differ based on the feed pressure and the settings on the shutoff valve.<ref>Woodard J. [https://www.freshwatersystems.com/blogs/blog/what-is-a-reverse-osmosis-tank-and-how-does-it-work What is a reverse osmosis tank and how does it work?] Fresh Water Systems website. October 2019. Accessed October 2020.</ref> A 14 gallon pressure tank is appropriate if you want to store 6 to 8 gallons of RO water.<ref name=hbtrofs/> As mentioned above, a permeate pump is highly recommended because the back-pressure from the pressurized tank will significantly deteriorate every aspect of system performance: decreased rejection rate, decreased recovery rate, slower production speed.<ref name=hbtguide/> | ||