Apparatus for monitoring water purification system

Claim 2

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a fluid separation system, said system comprising separation apparatus including means defining an inlet chamber for receiving a solution, means defining an outlet chamber, and means for defining a membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing a component part of said solution from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: first means operatively associated with said inlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said solution; second means operatively associated with said outlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said component part of said solution; means connected to said first and second means for applying an input signal to said first and second means; and means responsive to said inlet and outlet chamber conductivity signals for comparing said signals and continuously providing a signal which indicates the relative impurity concentrations of the fluids on opposite sides of said membrane-defining means.

Claim 3

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 1, in which: said comparing and indicating means includes circuit means having an output signal proportional to the ratio of the impurity concentration of said component part of said solution to the impurity concentration of said solution.

Claim 4

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a fluid separation system, said system comprising separation apparatus including means defining an inlet chamber for receiving a solution, means defining an outlet chamber, and means for defining a membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing a component part of said solution from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: first means operatively associated with said inlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said solution; second means operatively associated with said outlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said component part of said solution; means connected to said first and second means for applying an input signal to said first and second means; and circuit means including a high loop gain amplifier having an input and an output and a negative feedback path connecting said input and said output, said second means being connected to said input of said amplifier and said first means being connected to said feedback path, a circuit means output signal proportional to the ratio of the impurity concentration of said component part of said solution to the impurity concentration of said solution being provided at the amplifier output.

Claim 5

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a fluid separation system, said system comprising separation apparatus including means defining an inlet chamber for receiving a solution, means defining an outlet chamber, and means for defining a membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing a component part of said solution from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: first means operatively associated with said inlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said solution; second means operatively associated with said outlet chamber for providing a conductivity signal representative of the conductivity of said component part of said solution; means connected to said first and second means for applying an input signal to said first and second means; and circuit means including a high loop gain amplifier having an input and an output and a negative feedback path connecting said input and said output, said second means being connected to said input of said amplifier and said first means being connected to said feedback path, a circuit means output signal proportional to the ratio of the impurity concentration of said component part of said solution to the impurity concentration of said solution being provided at the amplifier output.

Claim 6

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 3, in which: said circuit means is energized by a direct current source.

Claim 7

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 3, in which: said circuit means is energized by an alternating current source.

Claim 8

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 5, in which: said output of said amplifier is coupled to a phase sensitive detector referenced to a signal generated by said alternating current source, said phase sensitive detector inverting alternate half cycles of said source, said circuit output signal comprising a direct current signal developed by said phase sensitive detector.

Claim 9

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 2, in which: said means for applying an input signal includes means for controlling the current level through said first means and maintaining said current level substantially constant, the voltage applied to said first means varying substantially solely as a function of the electrical resistance exhibited by said first means and means connected to said second means for applying said voltage to said second means, said comparing and indicating means being connected to sense and measure the current through said second means, said current being proportional to said ratio.

Claim 10

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductIvity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying a single input signal to said cells, the electrical circuit having an output indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution and providing a warning when the ratio is beyond a selected level.

Claim 11

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductIvity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying a single input signal to said cells, the electrical circuit having an output indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution and providing a warning when the ratio is beyond a selected level.

Claim 12

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductivity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying an input signal to said cells, said circuit including a high loop gain amplifier having an input, an output terminal and a feedback path coupling said output terminal and said input, said first conductivity cell being connected in said feedback path and said second conductivity cell being connected to said amplifier input, a circuit output indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution appearing at said output terminal.

Claim 13

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductivity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying an input signal to said cells, said circuit including a high loop gain amplifier having an input, an output terminal and a feedback path coupling said output terminal and said input, said first conductivity cell being connected in said feedback path and said second conductivity cell being connected to said amplifier input, a circuit output indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution appearing at said output terminal.

Claim 14

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductivity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying an input signal to said cells, said circuit including an AC current generator connected to pass a selected, closely regulated AC current through said first conductivity cell, an electrical potential developed by said generator being applied to both said conductivity cells and means for sensing and indicating the magnitude of current through said second cell, the sensing and indicating means and said second cell being connected in series, the current magnitude indication being indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution.

Claim 15

Apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purification system, or the like, said system comprising purification apparatus including an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, an outlet chamber and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing relatively pure water from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber, said monitoring apparatus including: a first conductivity cell in said inlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said solution; a second conductivity cell in said outlet chamber for sensing the conductivity of said water; and an electrical circuit coupled to said conductivity cells for applying an input signal to said cells, said circuit including an AC current generator connected to pass a selected, closely regulated AC current through said first conductivity cell, an electrical potential developed by said generator being applied to both said conductivity cells and means for sensing and indicating the magnitude of current through said second cell, the sensing and indicating means and said second cell being connected in series, the current magnitude indication being indicative of the ratio of the impurity concentration of the water to the impurity concentration of the solution.

Claim 16

A monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 10, in which: said AC current generator comprises an AC square wave generator operating at a line frequency of one half the frequency of a source of AC power for the circuit and operating at a magnitude dependent upon a control signal and a high gain feedback loop including a current-to-voltage converting amplifier responsive to the AC current through said first conductivity cell, a phase detector having a balance control permitting the adjustment of DC bias in the input signal thereto responsive to the converting amplifier and a gating signal at the frequency of the current through said first cell, and a high gain comparator connected to provide a control signal to the square wave generator in response to inputs from a reference source and the phase detector.

Claim 17

A monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 11, in which: said sensing and indicating means comprises a second current-to-voltage converting amplifier responsive to current through said second cell and a second phase detector responsive to the second converting ampliFier and a gating signal at the frequency of the current through said first cell.

Claim 18

A monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 12, in which: said sensing and indicating means further comprises a meter responsive to the second phase detector and a gain control having a first position wherein the meter provides a full scale reading when the conductivity sensed by said first cell equals the conductivity sensed by said second cell and a second position wherein the meter provides a full scale reading when the conductivity sensed by said second cell is a selected fraction of the conductivity sensed by said first cell.

Claim 19

A monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 13, in which: said sensing and indicating means further comprises a limit comparator circuit having an amplifier with an adjustable input responsive to a reference signal and a signal at a limit comparator input terminal and an output providing a failsafe alarm inhibit signal, the adjustment of the input determining the magnitude of the signal at the limit comparator input terminal for which the limit comparator amplifier ceases to provide the alarm inhibit signal, and switching means having a normal operating position wherein the meter and limit comparator input terminal are connected to the second phase detector and a test position wherein the meter and limit comparator input terminal are connected to the output of the limit comparator amplifier.

Claim 20

In a water purification system, the combination comprising: water purification apparatus including means defining an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, means defining an outlet chamber, and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing water from said solution in said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber; and means coupled to said purification apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of the purification process including: first means operatively associated with said inlet chamber for providing a conductance proportional to the impurity related conductivity of said solution; second means operatively associated with said outlet chamber for providing a conductance proportional to the impurity related conductivity of said water; and circuit means for applying a single input signal to said first and second means, said circuit means further being responsive to the outputs of said first and second means, making a comparison between said outputs and indicating the relative impurity concentrations of said solution and water.

Claim 21

In a water purification system, the combination comprising: water purification apparatus including means defining an inlet chamber for receiving an impure aqueous solution, means defining an outlet chamber, and a semipermeable membrane separating said inlet and outlet chambers for passing water from said solution in said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber; and means coupled to said purification apparatus for monitoring the effectiveness of the purification process including: first means operatively associated with said inlet chamber for providing a conductance proportional to the impurity related conductivity of said solution; second means operatively associated with said outlet chamber for providing a conductance proportional to the impurity related conductivity of said water; and circuit means for applying a single input signal to said first and second means, said circuit means further being responsive to the outputs of said first and second means, making a comparison between said outputs and indicating the relative impurity concentrations of said solution and water.

Claim 22

The combination, as defined in claim 15, in which: said circuit means has an output signal proportional to the ratio of the impurity concentrations on opposite sides of said membrane.

Claim 23

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 16, in which: said circuit means includes means for controlling the current level through one of said first and second means and maintaining said current level substantially constant, the voltage applied to said one of said first and second means varying substantially solely as a function of the resistance exhibited by said one of said first and second means, means connected to said other of said first and second means for applying said voltage to said other of said first and second means, and means connected to said other of said first and second means for sensing and measuring the current through said other of said first and second means, said current being proportional to said ratio.

Claim 24

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 16, in which: said circuit means includes a high loop gain amplifier having an input and an output and a negative feedback path connecting said input and said output, one of said first and second means being connected to said input of said amplifier and the other of said first and second means being connected in said feedback path, said output signal being derived at said amplifier output.

Claim 25

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 18, in which: said circuit meAns is powered by a direct current source.

Claim 26

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 18, in which: said circuit means is powered by an alternative current source.

Claim 27

Monitoring apparatus, as defined in claim 20, in which: said output of said amplifier is coupled to a phase sensitive detector referenced to a signal generated by said alternating current source, said phase sensitive detector inverting alternate half cycles of said source, said circuit output signal comprising a direct current signal developed by said phase sensitive detector.

Claim 28

In a reverse osmosis water purification system having a reverse osmosis membrane with an inlet chamber on one side of the membrane for holding impure aqueous solution under relatively high pressure and an outlet chamber disposed on the other side of said membrane for holding, at a relatively low pressure, relatively pure water having passed through said membrane, a conductivity ratio monitor comprising an electric circuit continuously responsive to the conductivity of the solution in the inlet chamber and the water in the outlet chamber continuously generating a single output indicative of the ratio of the conductivity of said water to the conductivity of said solution.

Claim 29

In a reverse osmosis water purification system having a reverse osmosis membrane with an inlet chamber on one side of the membrane for holding impure aqueous solution under relatively high pressure and an outlet chamber disposed on the other side of said membrane for holding, at a relatively low pressure, relatively pure water having passed through said membrane, a conductivity ratio monitor comprising an electric circuit continuously responsive to the conductivity of the solution in the inlet chamber and the water in the outlet chamber continuously generating a single output indicative of the ratio of the conductivity of said water to the conductivity of said solution.

Claim 30

A monitor, as defined in claim 22, in which: said monitor includes an alarm responsive to said ratio indicative output, said alarm signalling when said ratio reaches a preselected level.