Matrix S3600 Installation Manual

OPERATION & INSTALLATION MANUAL

MATRIX S3600 SILVER SERIES

REVERSE OSMOSIS

SYSTEM

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE ....................................................................................................................... 5

A DISCUSSION OF REVERSE OSMOSIS ..................................................................... 6

THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A WATERMAKER ........................................................ 8

THE SUBCOMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES ......................................................... 10

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................................................... 13

TEMPERATURE CORRECTION TABLE ............................................................................................................ 15

OPERATING INSTRUMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 16

OPERATING INSTRUMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 17

PRODUCT WATER CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT ................................................................................ 17

PRODUCT AND CONCENTRATE FLOW MEASUREMENT .......................................................................... 17

OPERATING PRESSURE MEASUREMENT ....................................................................................................... 17

FEED PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................................. 17

MATRIX WATERMAKER LOG SHEET ............................................................................................................. 19

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................................ 20

PIPING MATERIAL ................................................................................................................................................ 20

FEED PIPING ................................ ................................................................ ............................................................ 20

CONCENTRATE PIPE ............................................................................................................................................ 20

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ..................................................................................... 26

MANUAL UNIT INITIAL START UP PROCEDURES ....................................................................................... 26

MANUAL UNIT NORMAL OPERATION ............................................................................................................ 28

AUTOMATIC UNIT INITIAL START UP PROCEDURES ................................................................ ................ 29

AUTOMATIC UNIT NORMAL OPERATION ..................................................................................................... 31

AUTOMATIC UNIT MANUAL START UP AND SHUT DOWN PROCEDURES .......................................... 32

3

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................... 33

SILVER SERIES MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ................................................................................................. 33

MAINTENANCE OF PRE-FILTRATION COMPONENTS ............................................................................... 34

TO CHANGE THE BAG .......................................................................................................................................... 36

THE WATERMAKER .................................................................................................... 38

MEMBRANE STERILIZATION AND CLEANING PROCEDURES ............................... 39

TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................................. 44

ENGINEERING DATA .................................................................................................. 47

COMPONENT ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................. 48

5

PREFACE

This material is restricted and is for use only by the personnel who
need this information. It shall not be reproduced in any manner or
distributed for any purpose, whatsoever, except by written permission
of MATRIX Desalination, Inc.

The illustrations and instructions in this manual are based on
information available at the time of issue. We reserve the right to make
subsequent changes, or revise pages or sections, and to replace
existing copies without penalty.

INTRODUCTION

This manual is intended to aid you in understanding the principles of
Reverse Osmosis, and instruct you on how to properly operate the
MATRIX watermaker system.

Before you operate your new MATRIX watermaker it is recommended
that you READ THIS MANUAL FIRST!

Familiarize yourself with this manual now so that in the event of
complications, you can competently evaluate and correct the situation.

6

SEAWATER DESALINATION:

A Discussion of Reverse Osmosis
Seawater contains many kinds of solids dissolved in solution. The most prevalent is

common table salt (Sodium Chloride). Present as well are other minerals, including
Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate, Bicarbonate Alkalinity, Silica, and others. The sum of these
dissolved solids is referred to as the Total Dissolved Solids or T.D.S.

When sodium chloride (NaCl) is dissolved in water, the sodium (Na+) and the chloride (Cl-)
actually separate. When this occurs, each is called an ion and each has an electrical
charge. Sodium has a positive charge and is referred to as a cation (Na+). Chloride has a
negative charge and is referred to as an anion (Cl-). As the number of these cations and
anions increases, the ability of the water to conduct an electrical current increases, thus
one can measure the T.D.S. of the water by its ability to conduct current.

Most seawater averages between 35,000 and 38,000 PPM T.D.S., although variations of
up to 7,000 ppm are common in Middle East waters.

Required of any desalination process is the reduction of dissolved solids in water.
Thermal, membrane, or ion exchange processes are the most common methods of
desalination.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is essentially a process for reducing dissolved solids in water.
This is accomplished by passing pressurized water over a semi-permeable membrane.
The membrane can be visualized as containing numerous tiny holes that allow the water
molecules to pass through. However, the holes are so small that they do not allow most
of the dissolved solids to pass through the membrane. These solids and the remaining
water (called the concentrate or brine) flow past the membrane surface and are piped to
drain. The water which goes through the membrane is called the permeate, or product
water.

The equipment used to desalinate water is referred to as a Reverse Osmosis system. It
must be remembered that the system cannot remove (“reject”) all the dissolved solids
from seawater. It is actually designed to reject approximately 99% of the T.D.S. or, in
other words, to allow 1% of the 38,000 PPM T.D.S. of the seawater to pass into the fresh
water. This yields water of less than 500 PPM of T.D.S (380 PPM). In this case, one
would refer to the system as having a T.D.S. passage, or salt passage, of 1%. However,
if the T.D.S. of the feed increases, there will be a corresponding increase in the level of
dissolved solids in the product water.

The fraction of the feedwater entering the system that then passes through the membrane

as product water is called the “recovery” (also called the conversion), and is usually stated

as a percentage, i.e., 25% recovery. Obviously, 100% of the feedwater cannot go through

7

the membranes because there would be no water left to flush away the solids, which do
not pass through the membranes.

Normal recoveries for small seawater conversion units are in the range of 15-30%. At
20% recovery, for every 100 gallons of raw water fed to the RO system, 20 gallons are
recovered as purified water and 80 gallons are routed to waste as concentrated rejected
salts (brine). The same concept holds true for numbers expressed as gallons per minute,
cubic meters per hour, etc.

The rate at which water flows through the membrane is directly proportional to the driving
force available. The driving force is basically the difference between the pressure on the
feedwater (system pressure) and product water sides of the membrane and the difference
in osmotic pressure of the solutions on opposite sides of the membrane. The greater the
feed pressure the greater the driving force and product flow rate will be. Increasing the
pressure on the product side of the membrane decreases the driving force and therefore
lowers the product flow. The difference in salt concentration between the feedwater and
product water also reduces the driving force due to the difference in osmotic pressure,
which must be overcome.

It follows that if the pressure is raised and the concentrate flow rate consequently
decreases, the recovery increases. On the other hand, if the system pressure is held
fixed and the concentrate flow rate is made to decrease, the recovery also goes up. If, at
constant pressure, the concentrate flow is stopped altogether, the recovery is 100%. This
condition cannot last long. Most of the solid materials in the feedwater will adhere to the
membrane if not flushed from the membrane surface and vessel. Eventually, these
materials will so heavily coat the membrane that all flow will cease. This will result in the
rapid deterioration of the membrane. There must always be sufficient concentrate flow

to carry away the rejected dissolved solids and prevent concentrations that would
allow precipitation and resulting scaling of the membranes.

Pressure is not the only factor, which affects the product flow rate of the RO system.
Temperature of the feedwater can change the output by as much as 50% in the range
from nearly freezing to 95 degrees F (35 degrees C). As a general rule of thumb, product
flow from thin film composite RO systems will decrease by approximately 1.5% per 1
degree C decrease in feedwater temperature unless pressure corrections are made. The
capacity of the system therefore may vary seasonally with temperature.

The physical or chemical nature of many natural waters and industrial process waters is
such that it is not suitable to pump some waters directly into a Reverse Osmosis system.
Among the characteristics of water that may necessitate pre-treatment are suspended
solids (turbidity), the limited solubility of some salts, and strong chemicals such as acid or
chlorine, which chemically attack the membrane. Suspended solids (not to be confused
with dissolved solids) within the spiral wound element may gradually clog the flow path.
Some salts will crystallize from solution when concentrated, and may also clog the flow
paths.

8

A common method of pretreatment is pre-filtration, which removes most of the suspended
matter from the feedwater. Although the RO system incorporates a pre-filter, some very
small particles pass through and have a tendency to collect on the membranes. In time ­ranging from months to years, depending on what is in the water - enough particles collect
inside the membrane housing that the membranes require cleaning. This is usually done
with detergents or other chemicals, as described in this manual.

Oxidizing chemicals, such as chlorine or bromine, dissolved oxygen, petroleum, solvents,
or halogens will degrade the salt rejection capability of the membranes. Adequate
pretreatment measures or operating procedures must ensure against their introduction
into the membrane systems.

Chemical post-treatment of RO water is often advisable. This is desirable to protect the
product water from re-contamination by harmful organisms such as bacteria while storing
the potable water. While the Reverse Osmosis process effectively removes bacteria from
seawater, the product water should be sterilized by chlorinating to guard against
contamination of the water after leaving the RO system's storage tanks.

Due to the very pure nature of RO product water, additional chemicals may be required to
protect against corrosion and add certain ions to the water for stability and/or taste.

THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A WATERMAKER

The main components of any water maker, in order, are:
The supply pump, which supplies the feed water necessary for the high-

pressure pump to operate. The supply pump must have sufficient capacity
and good suction head properties to prevent cavitation. Dissolved gasses in
the feed water cause cavitation. As the feed water passes into the eye of the
impeller it is exposed to a low pressure. If the pressure is low enough for the
gasses to come out of solution it will make a crackling noise as the gasses
expand then collapse. Repeated or constant cavitation can be detrimental to
the pump impeller and casing. The noise level from cavitation will usually
increase and decrease with flow rate.

Another cause of noise in the supply pump is from air leaks in the suction
piping. This noise is usually constant. Air in the feed water will cause damage
to the ceramic plungers in the high-pressure pump as well as possible
damage to the membranes.

Filtration is the next and the most important part of any water-making unit.
This is done in various ways and usually in stages.

Cartridge filters are found on nearly all reverse osmosis systems. The
cartridge filter elements can be composed of different materials such as
paper, or polypropylene. They can be in a pleated, spun, melt-blown, or

9

wound design. They are designed to be changed after they have become
fouled or clogged. Every water maker must have a final filter no larger than
five microns to help prevent fouling of the membranes. A 2-stage cartridge
filtration system incorporating a 30-micron filter followed by a 5-micron filter is
often used. This 2-stage configuration reduces the frequency at which the
filter elements become clogged.

Bag filters are another method of pre-filtering the water prior to the final
cartridge filter. These filters have a bag or sock inside, which are available in
different levels of micron filtration. These filters can be removed and cleaned
for reuse. The bag filter element can be cleaned several times before it needs
to be replaced.

A less common prefiltration type is the use of a multimedia tank, which will
have several different types of media (gravel, garnet, sand, etc.) loaded
inside, that will filter out the larger particles (25 microns) found in water. In
comparison, the diameter of a cross section of a human hair is 84 microns.
The advantage of using a media tank is in operating cost savings, as there
are no consumables required. To clean the filter, the flow of water is reversed,
and the particles that have been trapped by the filter, are then flushed out,
and dumped to waste.

Another type of filter, is an activated carbon filter. These filters can be
provided in configurations similar to the cartridge filter, or the media filter. The
activated carbon will absorb chlorine and organics in the water. Carbon filter
elements must be changed out periodically to remain effective.

High-pressure pumps or booster pumps vary in design, usually depending
on a specific application. Matrix uses only positive-displacement, plunger type
high-pressure pumps.

Pressure vessels house the membranes for a water maker. They are
manufactured from aluminum, stainless steel, or fiberglass. Generally
fiberglass pressure vessels are the most widely used because of their
resistance to corrosion, and lower cost. Pressure vessels can be produced in
assorted lengths, the shortest being for a single element (membrane).

Membranes consist of a semi-permeable thin-film composite layer
sandwiched between a permeate channel spacer and a feed channel spacer.
These layers are then spirally wound over a perforated plastic tube (product
tube). The layers are then covered with a shell of fiberglass. The actual
membrane is a thin porous film between two mesh like layers that serve as
spacers for the water to flow over. There are different types of membranes for
different purposes. The three basic types are freshwater, brackish, and
seawater. Their names refer to the type of feed water that will be applied.
Each membrane is designed for a specific rate of salt rejection, meaning that

10

the membrane will only allow a certain amount of salts to pass through. When
two or more membranes are used in a pressure vessel, the product tubes are
connected by interconnects. These interconnects allow the product water to
flow continuously from one product tube of a membrane to another, without
being contaminated with the salt water feed flowing over them. The product
water then flows out the product tube and into the permeate port of the end
plug. The product water is then collected from each permeate port into a
manifold where there are sensors to detect the flow rate of water and the
quality of water.

The regulating valve is the primary means of controlling the operating
pressure of the system by restricting the concentrate flow rate.

THE SUBCOMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES

Freshwater Flush Assembly

In order to extend the life of the membranes, MATRIX offers 4 fresh water flush options,
Manual, Solenoid Operated, Automatic, and Automatic with a flush tank. The first three

options use ship’s fresh water to flush the unit, and include a carbon filter to remove any

residual chlorine from the ship’s fresh water supply.

Manual System: This option incorporates a manual ball valve to isolate the feed

(seawater) and allow ship’s fresh water to the watermaker inlet. Ship’s pressure will flush

fresh water through the unit.
Solenoid Operated System: This option incorporates a solenoid-operated valve in place of

the manual ball valve, with a pushbutton on the RO unit control panel. Pressing the fresh

flush pushbutton starts the flush sequence. The solenoid valve will open allowing ship’s

water to flush the unit. After a pre-set time period, the solenoid valve will close.
Automatic System: This option is similar to the solenoid-operated system, except that the

flush sequence runs automatically whenever the unit shuts down, without operator
intervention.

Because the ship’s water may contain chlorine, the flush water is routed through a carbon
filter prior to the unit. The carbon filter will neutralize any residual chlorine in order to
protect the membranes from oxidation.

CAUTION: The carbon filter should be changed frequently to prevent damage to the
membranes by oxidation.

Automatic System with Flush Tank: This option includes a tank to store RO product water
to be used for flushing, and a flush pump to force the flush water through the unit. In this
configuration, the flush tank can also be used for chemical cleaning of the unit.

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Chemical Valve Assembly (Optional)

There are two (2) three way chemical valves that are available as an option that can be
plumbed to the suction port of the feed pump and the concentrate discharge on the unit.
Quick release fittings on one side of the valves enable chemical hoses to be stored when
the watermaker is in normal operation. In applications requiring a remote-mounted
supply pump, a separate cleaning system with pump can be provided for convenience.

Pressure gauges are used to indicate the pressure of the water at different
points in the system.

Flow meters show the flow of the concentrate (concentrated salt water that is
going to waste), and the product water. They are invaluable as they indicate
the recovery rate along with the production of the water maker. Again there
are different types such as the flow through indicators, and the digital or dial
type, which have small paddle wheels that spin as the water flows pass them.
The digital or dial type needs to be calibrated on a regular basis to insure their
accuracy.

Pressure switches are provided for safety, and for pump and membrane
protection. There are low pressure and high-pressure switches, each having a
certain function. The low-pressure switch is installed to shut down the water
maker in the event that the supply of water has been diminished for one
reason or another. This action protects the high-pressure pump. The high-
pressure switch is in place to shut down the water maker in the event that
the pressure after the high-pressure pump becomes too high. This action
prevents possible damage to the membranes, or other high-pressure
components.

Pressure relief valves are installed to prevent the build up of excessive
pressure in pipes and components. High-pressure relief valves are for safety
and to provide back up for the high-pressure switch, in case of failure. Low­pressure relief valves are used primarily for the accidental build up of
pressure in the PVC piping.

Conductivity Meters are included to monitor the quality of the water being
produced, and ensure that if the product quality does not meet specifications,
the water is diverted to waste. These monitors need to be calibrated on a

regular basis to ensure their accuracy.

ORP meters (optional) are used to monitor the incoming feed water to insure
that the oxidant level is low enough not to harm the membranes. They are
generally used to serve as a precautionary device. They measure the millivolt
level of the water, and they can be set up to shutdown the water maker in the

12

event that an oxidant is found in the water. This action prevents membrane
damage.

Chemical injection systems (optional) are used to feed chemical solutions
to the feed and/or product water. Different chemicals can be applied to the
feed water depending on the need. The chemical tanks may have mixers if
the chemical is a powder and needs to stay mixed, to stay soluble. Since the
water that is produced is soft, from the lack of minerals and has no alkalinity,
chemicals may be added to raise the pH level and add minerals to reduce the
corrosivity and improve taste.

Accumulators (optional, depending on model) are containers, which have a
bladder inside that can dampen the pulsations that are produced from a
positive displacement pump. Pulsation dampener is another name for the
same component. Low-pressure accumulators use air to fill the bladder, high
pressure accumulators use nitrogen as it is inert and is not a flammable gas.
The pressures used, are generally 50 to 75% of the operating pressure that
the accumulator is in contact with.

Electrical control panels are used to provide the sequencing needed to
have a sequenced startup, and shut down of a reverse osmosis unit. They
also house the electrical controls and instruments. Matrix uses electric control
panels that are constructed to the NEMA 4X standard. The 4X rating ensures
that the electrical components will be protected from water, even if the water
is sprayed on the panel under pressure.

Remineralizers (optional) are vessels that contain a mixture of calcite and
corosex to add alkalinity and raise the pH of the product water in order to
reduce corrosivity and improve taste. The remineralizer incorporates a glove
valve to regulate the amount of minerals being added to the product water.
The remineralizer also includes a bypass valve to bypass the remineralizer
when it is out of service. The remineralizert should be located between the
product outlet on the RO unit and the inlet to the water storage tank.

The remineralizer load (calcite and corosex) will slowly lose it’s effectiveness
over time. The load should be replaced when the pH of the water leaving the
remineralizer is not higher than the pH of the water entering the remineralizer.

Ultraviolet Sterilizers (optional) are components that will destroy any
biological organisms in the water. Although the reverse osmosis system will
effectively remove all microorganisms, a UV sterilizer is recommended at the
outlet of the product water storage tank to ensure that any recontamination
that occurs in the tank (such as from contaminated shore water added to the
tank) is not passed to the point of use.

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DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

WATER TEMPERATURE EFFECT

The water temperature significantly affects the product water flow rate through
the membrane. At any given pressure this flow increases with increasing
feedwater temperatures and decreases at lower feedwater temperatures. The
system design is based on expected product water output at 77°F. The water
temperature conversion chart illustrates the percent variance observed in
product water flow at temperatures other than the design basis (77°F). This data
set assumes that the operating pressure remains constant.

The graph of Production Capacity vs. Temperature demonstrates the capacity of
the watermaker versus temperature, when operating pressure adjustment is
taken into consideration. Starting at the right side of the graph, the watermaker
can be operated at constant production capacity as feedwater temperature
decreases, as long as the operating pressure is increased by closing the
concentrate control valve. At some minimum feedwater temperature, the
maximum operating pressure is reached, and no more adjustment can be made.
As the feedwater temperature continues to decline, the unit’s production capacity
will decline, since the operating pressure can no longer be increased to
compensate. The temperature at which the inflection point occurs varies with
watermaker model, feedwater salinity, membrane age, and a number of other
variables.

It is important that the maximum product flowrate, maximum operating pressure,
and maximum recovery rate of the watermaker are not exceeded.

It is recommended that the system not be operated at maximum pressures if
temperatures are significantly higher than 85°F for any length of time.

PRESSURE

The operating pressure has a direct effect on product water quality and quantity.
Both factors will increase as the system pressure increases (within design limits).
The system must be operated at the LOWEST pressure required to achieve the
designed product water flow rate. Always adjust the system pressure to the
specified PRODUCT flow, but do not exceed the specified recovery rate or
maximum operating pressure limit (950 psi).

BRINE VELOCITY

The brine flow over the membrane is very important to both product water quality
and quantity. The brine flow through an element should be maintained as given

14

in the Design Data Sheet. At lower brine flows, concentration of sparingly
soluble salts will foul the membrane surface.

High brine velocities can also be a source of difficulty. At excessive flows the
elements are subjected to severe stress and physical damage such as
telescoping, glue-line fracture, etc. Irreparable membrane damage will result.
The total system has been designed with these factors in mind, and should be
controlled as specified in the operating procedures.

TEMPERATURE CORRECTION PROCEDURES
Procedure for correcting reverse osmosis system flow rate to compensate for

feed water temperature.

1. Refer to Section I of this manual for the Engineering Data on your unit.

2. Note the designed product flow at 77º Fahrenheit (25º C).

3. Note the temperature of the water presently being fed to the membranes.

4. From the “TEMPERATURE CORRECTION TABLE” find the correction factor
for the feed water temperature.

5. Divide the design product flow rate by the correction factor to get the product
flow rate for the feed temperature.

6. This quotient is the desired flow rate at the present temperature.

7. It may be possible to increase the product flow rate at lower temperatures by
increasing the operating pressure (by closing the concentrate control valve).
Caution should be exercised not to exceed the maximum product flowrate,
maximum operating pressure, or the maximum recovery rate of the
watermaker.

Note: In cold water expect to have less product flow from your watermaker. In
warm water your unit will produce more but you will extend the life of the
membranes by not exceeding the design flow rate. See the Temperature
Correction Chart for additional information on flow rates.

15

°C

CORRECTION

°C

CORRECTION

°F

CORRECTION

°F

CORRECTION

FACTOR

FACTOR

FACTOR

FACTOR

1

3.64

26

0.97

34

3.47

82

0.90

2

3.23

27

0.94

36

3.18

84

0.88

3

3.03

38

0.91

38

2.93

86

0.82

4

2.78

29

0.88

40

2.68

88

0.79

5

2.58

30

0.85

42

2.47

90

0.79

6

2.38

31

0.83

44

2.29

92

0.77

7

2.22

32

0.80

46

2.14

94

0.75

8

2.11

33

0.77

48

2.01

96

0.73

9

2.00

34

0.75

50

1.88

98

0.70

10

1.89

35

0.73

52

1.77

100

0.68

11

1.78

36

0.71

54

1.68

102

0.65

12

1.68

37

0.69

56

1.59

104

0.63

13

1.61

38

0.67

58

1.51

106

0.61

14

1.54

39

0.65

60

1.44

108

0.59

15

1.47

40

0.63

62

1.36

110

0.57

16

1.39

41

0.61

64

1.30

112

0.55

17

1.34

42

0.60

66

1.24

114

0.53

18

1.29

43

0.58

68

1.17

116

0.51

19

1.24

44

0.56

70

1.12

118

0.49

20

1.19

45

0.54

72

1.08

120

0.47

21

1.15

46

0.53

74

1.05

122

0.45

22

1.11

47

0.51

76

1.02

23

1.08

48

0.49

77

1.00

24

1.04

49

0.47

78

0.97

25

1.00

50

0.46

80

0.93

TEMPERATURE CORRECTION TABLE