Brine flow control for membrane separation system

Claim 1

A reverse osmosis purification system comprising in combination a pressure resistant vessel containing a membrane cartridge, means for introducing pressurized feed liquid into said pressure resistant vessel, means for conducting permeate passed through said membrane out of said pressure resistant vessel and into a container, and a proportioning flow control for controlling the brine release from said pressure resistant vessel containing said membrane cartridge and for controlling pressure of permeate passed through said membrane and stored in said container under elevated pressure, comprising, an elongated small diameter duct formed of two portions, one open end of each of said small diameter duct portions communicating with a space within a common compartment, and means including a relief valve, for connecting said space within said common compartment to said container for storing said permeate, said relief valve normally closed to flow from said container for storing said permeate; in which the improvements comprise; a. said common compartment comprising a pressure resistant hollow body separate from said pressure resistant vessel containing said membrane cartridge; b. each of said small diameter duct portion passing through a wall of said hollow body and having an open interior end communicating with said space within said hollow body; and, c. means inside said hollow body and in part contained by the bottom wall of said hollow body for sealing each of said small diameter duct portions to said wall of said hollow body where each of said small diameter duct portions passes therethrough.