Process for producing a reverse osmosis module

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A REVERSE OSMOSIS MODULE IN WHICH A REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE IS WRAPPED ABOUT A COIL FORM WHICH GENERALLY INCLUDES THE STEPS OF: MANUFACTURING A REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE OF A DESIRED LENGTH; APPLYING A POROUS SUPPORTING MEMBER TO THE ESTERIOR OF THE MEMBRANE TO ENABLE THE MEMBRANE TO WITHSTAND INTERNAL PRESSURES; AND APPLYING COUPLINGS TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE MEMBRANE; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: CONNECTING ONE END OF THE MEMBRANE TO A PRESSURIZED SOURCE OF HEAT TREATMENT FLUID; CONNECTING THE OTHER END OF THE MEMBRANE TO A FLOW RESTRICTIVE DEVICE; PASSING THE HEAT TREATMENT FLUID THROUGH THE MEMBRANE TO PRESSURIZE THE MEMBRANE TO A LEVEL OF ABOUT 10 PSIG; INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HEAT TREATMENT FLUID FLOWING THROUGH THE MEMBRANE TO ABOUT 60*C WHILE MAINTAINING THE PRESSURE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE MEMBRANE AT ABOUT 10 PSIG; INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE AND THE PRESSURE OF THE HEAT TREATMENT FLUID FLOWING THROUGH THE MEMBRANE UNTIL THE MEMBRANE HAS HEAT TREATMENT FLUID FLOWING THERETHROUGH HAVING A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 72*C TO 94*C AND A PRESSURE OF 60 PSIG TO 120 PSIG; MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE AND THE PRESSURE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE MEMBRANE BY THE LAST PROCESS STEP FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 15 MINUTES TO 45 MINUTES TO HEAT TREAT THE MEMBRANE AND THEREBY ESTABLISH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEMBRANE FOR A REVERSE OSMOSIS PROCESS; WINDING THE MEMBRANE ON TO THE COIL FORM TO FORM A HELICAL REVERSE OSMOSIS MODULE, THE WINDING TAKING PLACE WHILE THE MEMBRANE HAS THE PRESSURE AND THE TEMPERATURE OF HEAT TREAT STEPS STILL MAINTAINED THEREWITHIN; COOLING THE WOUND MEMBRANE FROM ITS HEAT TREAT TEMPERATURE BY SUPPLYING COOLED FLUID FOR FLOW THROUGH THE MEMBRANE, THE PRESSURE OF THE COOLING FLUID BEING MAINTAINED AT HEAT TREAT PRESSURE DURING THIS COOLING; AND RELEASING THE PRESSURE OF THE HEAT TREATMENT FLUID ON THE MEMBRANE GRADUALLY TO 0 PSIG WHEN THE MEMBRANE HAS COOLED BELOW ABOUT 30*C.