USFilter FlowMAX FM Series, FlowMAX FS Series Operation And Maintenance Manual

Operation and

Maintenance

Manual

FlowMAX

FM Series

FS Series

USFilter

10 Technology Drive

Lowell, MA 01851 USA

Tech Support [phone]

Customer Service [phone]

Single Pass

Reverse Osmosis Unit

Model # FMX-XX

Colorado Springs

Job # XXXXX

Rev. B Issue Date: 05/1999

P/N 68/S8601

TABLE OF CONTENTS MAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION DESCRIPTION PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Manual User’s Guide 1-1

1.2 Disclaimer Statement 1-2

1.3 Proprietary Rights Statement 1-2

1.4 Equipment Support 1-2

1.5 General Safety Guidelines 1-3

2.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

2.1 General System Description 2-1

2.2 Theory of Reverse Osmosis 2-3

2.3 Mechanical Component Description 2-7

2.4 Electrical Component Description 2-9

2.5 Functional Description 2-13

3.0 INSTALLATION

3.1 Required Tools and Parts 3-1

3.2 Equipment Installation Guidelines 3-2

3.3 Equipment Installation Procedures 3-2

4.0 OPERATION

4.1 Initial Startup 4-1

4.2 Normal Operation 4-3

4.3 Short Term Shutdown Procedure 4-4

4.4 Long Term Shutdown Procedure 4-5

5.0 MAINTENANCE

5.1 Maintenance Schedule 5-1

5.2 Filter Cartridge Replacement 5-1

5.3 Membrane Element Replacement 5-2

5.4 Troubleshooting 5-4

5.5 Recommended Spare Parts 5-6

5.6 RO Membrane Element Long Term Storage Procedure 5-7

5.7 RO Membrane Element Cleaning 5-10

6.0 APPENDIX

6.1 RO Data Collection Form 6-1

6.2 RO Operating Specification Sheet 6-4

6.3 QA Data Sheet 6-6

6.4 Drawings 6-7

6.5 Component Manufacturers Literature 6-9

6.6 M.S.D.S Sheets 6-9

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 1-1

INTRODUCTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 MANUAL USER’S GUIDE

This manual describes the procedures necessary to install, operate, and maintain your USFilter Reverse
Osmosis System. Please read this manual carefully before installing and operating your equipment. The
equipment warranty may be voided if installation or operation instructions are not followed correctly.

This manual has been formatted for ease of use, combining the instruction for the entire RO unit into
one manual. Literature supplied with some major components being used on this equipment is provided
in the back of this manual.

This manual is divided into six sections. The table of contents for these sections is located at the front
of the manual. The pages within each section are numbered [section #]-[page #] with the page numbers
starting at 1 and incrementing sequentially.

NOTE: Page numbering will skip over any special documents and continue on the page

following the document. Special documents will be noted with an introduction statement
that is listed in the table of contents.

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes are used to attract attention to essential or critical information in a
manual. Warnings and Cautions will appear before the text associated with them, and notes can appear
either before or after associated text.

NOTE: Notes are used to add information, state exceptions, and point out areas that may

be of greater interest or importance.

Warnings indicate condition, practices, or procedures which must be
observed to avoid personal injury or fatalities.

WARNING

Cautions indicate a situation that may cause damage or destruction of
equipment or may pose a long term health hazard.

CAUTION

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 1-2

INTRODUCTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

1.2 DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

The operation and maintenance manual is intended to be used with the information provided in the
component manufacturers literature, which is in the Appendix. These manuals should provide complete
and accurate information to meet your operating and/or service requirements based on the information
available at the time of publication. However, USFilter assumes no responsibility for the technical
content of the component manufacturers literature.

The information in these manuals may not cover all operating details or variations or provide for all
conditions in connection with installation, operation and maintenance. Should questions arise which are
not answered specifically in this manual, contact the USFilter Service Department.

USFilter reserves the right to make engineering refinements that may not be reflected in these manuals.
The material in these manuals is for informational purposes and is subject to change without notice.

1.3 PROPRIETARY RIGHTS STATEMENT

This manual discloses information in which USFilter has proprietary rights. Neither receipt nor
possession of this manual confers or transfers any right to the client, and by its retention hereof, the
client acknowledges that it will not reproduce or cause to be reproduced, in whole or in part, any such
information except by written permission from USFilter. The client shall have the right to use and
disclose to its employees the information contained herein for the purpose of operating and maintaining
the USFilter equipment, and for no other purpose.

In the event the content of this manual is altered or section/items are omitted during a reproduction, in
whole or in part, and instructions or definitions within the reproduction result in personal injury to those
who follow the altered instructions, the burden of responsibility for personal injury falls solely on the
party who affects the reproduction.

1.4 EQUIPMENT SUPPORT

USFilter continually strives to provide safe, efficient, trouble-free equipment using the optimum
technology for your application. If problems should develop, USFilter ‘s worldwide network of
technical support will be available to provide assistance. For service, sales, parts, or additional manual
copies call your area representative or the number provided on the cover of this manual.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 1-3

INTRODUCTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

1.5 GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES

This equipment operates at high voltage and high pressure, has moving parts

WARNING

and hazardous chemicals that may cause serious injury or fatality if not
operated and maintained according to the procedures outlined in this manual.

1. No one should use or service this equipment without proper training and supervision. It
is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that this equipment is used properly and
safely, strictly following the instructions contained herein.

2. Remain alert at all times during the operation of this equipment. Do not get near this
equipment if you are drowsy or impaired in any other way.

3. Always wear safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves) for protection while working on
the equipment.

4. Refer to Material Safety Data Sheets prior to handling hazardous chemicals.

5. Always operate the equipment at the parameters specified.

6. Never connect the system to piping that has not been approved by USFilter. If there are
any doubts, please call your USFilter local branch.

7. Never remove any components from the unit while under pressure.

8. No one under the age of 18 years of age should operate or be allowed near this
equipment.

9. Warning labels have been placed on the equipment to remind the operator of certain
hazards. Never remove these labels. If any warning label is illegible or missing, please
contact U.S. Filter for a free replacement.

10. Proper maintenance assures the equipment will run properly and can lower the risk of
injury. Be sure to follow the instructions on maintenance carefully.

11. Be sure to maintain all equipment, tools and sub-systems used with the equipment.

12. Continuously inspect the system for leaks and damage. Correcting problems as they
occur will help prolong the life of the system.

13. Use Lock-Out and Tag-Out devices when servicing the unit.

14. This manual should be used as a guidance tool and should not replace common sense. If
you are unsure about a procedure, ask your supervisor. USFilter welcomes any questions
you may have. USFilter can arrange to provide on-site training if necessary.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 1-4

INTRODUCTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

The purpose of this manual is to provide the user with the necessary information to operate this
equipment without undue risk. Failure to follow the instructions laid forth in this manual may
put the operators at risk of injury and possible fatality. Please read this entire manual before
beginning any procedure. This Operations and Maintenance Manual should remain with the
equipment at all times, to act as a ready reference guide for anyone who operates this equipment.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Below is a list of equipment and materials that should be kept nearby the equipment. The
equipment is the bare minimum required to maintain a safe working environment.

1. Lock-out and Tag-out devices for servicing and shutdowns.

2. Eyewash/safety shower for any chemical accidents.

3. Safety glasses are to be worn at all times.

4. Earplugs should be worn when encountering high levels of noise.

5. Gloves that offer protection from the chemicals used herein.

6. Steel toe work boots for protection against heavy equipment and components.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-1

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

2.0 EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

2.1 GENERAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this section is to introduce the user to the equipment. A thorough understanding of the
equipment will help when installing, testing, and operating the system. Refer to the drawings supplied
in the Appendix for further clarification.

MAX Membrane Systems are the standard 8” RO product line for USFilter . There are four different
sub groups of MAX RO units, tailored to the specific needs of the pharmaceutical and beverage industry
as well as general industrial and commercial applications. These are described below.

PharmMAX™

The PharmMAX™ RO system is packaged for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. These units
feature Filmtec RO-390-FF full fit membrane elements, Codeline FRP, 80A side port direct connect,
pressure vessels, Grundfos CRN SST pumps and Allen Bradley PLC based control systems. We have
three standard sizes available, with your choice of either PP or SST sanitary product piping. The feed
piping is PVC, but SST piping is also available. These systems feature Thornton 200 series conductivity
and flow monitors, and the new Fluidyne vortex shedding flow sensors. Another new feature is virtual
product flow display, with flow sensors in the feed and reject lines, and no dirty intrusions into the
product line. The Thornton 200F flow monitor allows you to display the product flow as the difference
of the two measured flows. (For lower flow rates, please see the new Pharm40 Series of pharmaceutical
RO units.) .

FlowMAX™

The FlowMAX™ RO system is packaged for general industrial applications. There are 10 different
sizes that come standard with Filmtec BW30-365 membrane elements, Codeline FRP, 80A side port
direct connect, pressure vessels. There are two standard pump choices, the T&T horizontal booster
pump or the Grundfos BM series submersible pump. The standard control package is a Allen Bradley
MicroLogix PLC control system. (There are standard SCL 5/04 and Remote I/O panels that can be used
if required.) The feed piping and product piping are PVC. Like the PharmMAX™ , the FlowMAX™
systems feature Thornton 200 series conductivity and flow monitors, and the new Fluidyne vortex
shedding flow sensors. The two piece frame design allow you flexibility in layout configurations, for
jobs with limited floor space. Important to note that due to the different feed flow requirements, and
depending on which membrane you select, the cartridge filter housing is not standard and mounted on
the RO frame, so must be sized and ordered separately.

BevMAX™

The BevMAX™ RO system is packaged for the beverage industry or any application that requires all
piping to be SST. They are similar to the FlowMAX, except all piping is mill finish 316L SST. These
units are available with either Filmtec BW30-365 or BW30-440LE membrane elements, and Codeline
FRP, side port, direct connect, pressure vessels. The feed pumps are all SST, T&T horizontal booster
pumps. The standard control package is a AB MicroLogix PLC based control system. Like the other
MAX RO systems, they feature Thornton 200 series conductivity and flow monitors, and the new
Fluidyne vortex shedding flow sensors. Like the FlowMAX™, the cartridge filter housing is not
mounted on the RO frame, and must be ordered separately.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-2

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

ValueMAX™

The ValueMAX™ RO system is packaged for commercial and general industrial applications. These
are the most cost efficient standard 8” RO units available, for application where a sophisticated control
system is not required. These units are available with either Filmtec BW30-365 or BW30-440LE
membrane elements, and Codeline FRP, side port, direct connect, pressure vessels. The standard control
package is a C2000 control system. The feed piping and product piping is PVC. The flow is measured
with rotameters.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-3

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

2.2 THEORY OF REVERSE OSMOSIS

Water

Water exists in nature as a pure substance, but typically not in pure form. Many substances will
readily combine with water. When water comes into contact with these substances they either
become dissolved solids, such as minerals, gases and organic compounds or they become
suspended solids such as clay, silt and micro-organisms.

Dissolved Solids

Mixtures containing dissolved solids are commonly called solutions. Solutions form when a
solute material, such as salt (sodium chloride), becomes dissolved in a solvent, such as water.
When a particle of salt contacts water, the salt disintegrates and spreads evenly throughout the
water until the salt as a solid no longer exists. The salt molecules are still present, but they now
exist in a liquid phase as part of the solution and are now referred to as dissolved ions. These
ions carry either a positive or negative electrical charge, and will hereby be referred to as
cations, if they carry a positive charge, and anions if they carry a negative charge.

Suspended Solids

Suspended solids, materials that do not dissolve in a solvent, exist as unevenly distributed
particles in a mixture. Suspended solids larger than 5 microns are filtered out by the cartridge
filters prior to the reverse osmosis membrane elements.

Ionic Content and Water Quality

The presence of ionic material (dissolved solids) in a solution, increases the solution's
conductivity, or the ability to conduct electricity. Consequently, the use of a conductivity
measurement device may be used as a means to approximate the amount of dissolved solids in a
solution. The higher the conductivity potential of the solution, the higher the dissolved solids
content. Unfortunately, the presence of dissolved and suspended solids may be detrimental to
many water based operations, such as the production of steam for power generation, the rinsing
of electronics components after manufacturing, and the preparation of food and pharmaceutical
materials, just to mention a few. Consequently, these dissolved and suspended solids must be
removed from the water prior to use in these and many other applications. One effective method
of removing the majority of these contaminants is referred to as Reverse Osmosis.

Osmosis

Osmosis is a natural phenomenon that occurs when two solutions with different concentrations
of dissolved solutions are separated by a SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE. In natural
osmosis, the solvent or water in this application travels through the membrane from the solution
with the lower concentration of ionic materials to the solution with the higher ionic
concentration. This process continues until the ionic concentration of both solutions is equal or
until the resultant passage of the water through the membrane reaches the osmotic pressure of
the solution if the solutions are trapped in a container.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is the reversal of this natural phenomenon, by the application of external
pressure on the solution that contains the higher concentration of dissolved ions, thus forcing

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-4

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

water through the semi-permeable membrane in the opposite direction, leaving behind the
dissolved ions and the suspended solids. In the Reverse Osmosis process, the water that passes
through the membrane is commonly referred to as permeate, or product, water. The water that
remains behind the membrane along with the dissolved and suspended solids is referred to as the
reject, brine, or reject water.

The table below gives some approximate osmotic pressure values as an example of how much
pressure must be applied to the solution with a greater ionic concentration before any water will
pass through a membrane into a solution containing a lesser ionic concentration.

SODIUM CHLORIDE CONC. APPROX. OSMOTIC PRESSURE

100 PPM 1 PSIG

1,000 PPM 11 PSIG

10,000 PPM (brackish water) 110 PSIG

35,000 PPM (sea water) 350 PSIG

It is impractical to convert all of the water processed to product water for several reasons
including the osmotic pressure which develops as a result of the concentration of the dissolved
ions which accumulate on the one side of the membrane, and the inability to keep the membrane
free from suspended solids that would foul the surface of the membrane if not removed.

The rate of product water passage (or productivity) through the membrane is referred to as the
flux rate and is generally expressed in "gallons per square foot of membrane surface per day" or
in "gallons per day per reverse osmosis cartridge". The flux rate of a particular membrane is
generally limited by several factors including: temperature, operating pressure, and the surface
flushing action to keep the membrane surface free of suspended solids.

The rate of recovery of feed water converted into product water is generally expressed in the
form of a percentage, with the ratio of product water being expressed as the recovery rate. For
example if the feed flow rate to the RO unit is 200 GPM and the product rate from the RO unit is
150 GPM the rate of recovery would be expressed as 75%. The remaining 50 GPM did not pass
through the membrane. It is referred to as the reject water and would be discarded (i.e., not
recovered).

Membrane rejection is an expression of the ability to restrict the passage of dissolved ions
through the membrane, and is generally expressed as a percentage. That is, if the feed water to
the membrane contains 100 PPM of dissolved solids, and the resulting product water contains
only 2 PPM of dissolved solids after processing, the resultant dissolved ions rejection rate is
98%. The opposite of this expression is also sometimes used and is known as the salt passage
rate, which, for our example, would equal a rate of 2%. A membrane rejection rate of 100% is
not practical due to imperfections in the membrane and the construction of the membrane
element.

Practical Applications

Reverse osmosis becomes practical for water treatment when synthetic, semi-permeable
membrane material is packaged in a suitable membrane element. Typically the elements are

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-5

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

constructed of one of two classifications of membrane material, including cellulose acetate or
triacetate, or some type of plastic based material such as a polyamide or polysulfone based
material. These materials are then arranged into one of four element configurations including
flat plate, tubular, hollow fiber or spiral wound, with the latter two configurations being most
common in today's technology. Selection of the membrane material and element configuration
are based on numerous factors including water chemistry, space limitations, product water
quality requirements and system pre-treatment design. For this discussion, only the spiral wound
element configuration will be described, based on the design of the RO unit covered by this
Manual.

The spiral wound membrane configuration is constructed from a flat sheet membrane that is first
folded and sealed to form an envelop, with one opened end. Porous backing material, placed
inside the envelope separates the membrane sheets and forms a flow channel between them. The
opened end of the envelope is then attached and sealed around a plastic product tube that is
perforated, which allows the product water, or permeate, to pass into the product tube.

For compactness, the envelope of membrane material is then wrapped around the product tube in
a spiral wound fashion with a coarse plastic screen, referred to as a brine channel screen, being
included in the wrap, which creates a flow channel between the surfaces of the membrane where
the feed water enters the element and the reject, or brine flow, passes out of the element. The
element is then covered with an outer wrap of semi-rigid fiberglass for protection and to assist in
maintaining a uniform round shape. The final dimensions of the element are usually
approximately 40" long by either 4" or 8" in diameter.

The elements are then put into one or more cylindrical pressure vessels, which can contain one to
six membrane elements depending on the unit design.

Pressurized feed water is introduced into one end of the vessel. Some of the water, driven by the
feed pressure through the RO pressure vessel feed port, permeates through the membrane and
passes into the product tube and exits the pressure vessel from the pressure vessel product port as
product water, less most of the dissolved solids and all of the suspended solids. The remainder
of the water passes along the surface of the membrane with the rejected dissolved and suspended
solids and passes out of the pressure vessel as reject, or reject flow, from the pressure vessel
reject port.

The pressure vessels are generally arranged in stages when more product water is desired than
one vessel can produce. The staging of the vessels is designed to optimize the water flow
patterns across the surface of the membranes. This uniform water flow promotes good flushing
velocity across the membrane surface to prevent the accumulation of suspended solids on the
surface which would then foul the membrane and reduce the productivity. Multiple stages are
referred to as arrays.

A simple example of an array would be a unit containing three vessels, with two vessels plumbed
in parallel in the first stage and the third vessel plumbed in series after the first two vessels in the
second stage. In this case, the feed water to the unit is first split into two streams with each half
being directed into one of the first stage vessels. On entering these two vessels, some product

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-6

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

water is produced from each and collected from the two pressure vessel product ports, which are
connected together outside of the pressure vessel in a common product water header. The water
that is not recovered is passed out of the vessels as reject, along with the dissolved and
suspended solids. This water is then collected into a common first stage reject header ( or reject
header) and directed to the feed of the third vessel which is plumbed in series behind the first
two vessels, where the process is again repeated. The second stage product is added to the first
stage product. The second stage reject is directed through a control valve and disposed of along
with most of the dissolved and suspended solids.

Recovery Limitations

As previously described, product recovery is the ratio of water volume recovered as product
water compared to the volume of water supplied to the RO unit as feed water. Naturally, in an
ideal situation you would like to recover all of the water, but this is not practical for several
reasons as described below.

If all of the water that was processed were converted to product water, there would be no water
available to flush the membrane surface area free of remaining suspended solids. Consequently,
the suspended solids would build up on the surface of the membrane and gradually restrict the
flow of product water until no permeate or product water could be produced.

The presence of some dissolved solids such as silica, barium, strontium or calcium and
magnesium when present with carbonate or sulfate ions restricts the recovery of an RO unit more
than other dissolved solids, due to their limited solubility in water. For example, the presence of
silica (SiO2) in the feed water is often times the limiting factor in RO recovery, because it starts

to precipitate out of solution when it reaches a concentration of 100-120 PPM. That means that
if the feed water contains 30 PPM of SiO2 then the recovery of product water is limited to about

75%, because the SiO2 concentration will be increased by 4 times which will result in a silica

concentration in the RO reject of approximately 120 PPM which is the limit of it's solubility. If
you tried to recover 80% of the water, the concentration of SiO2 would reach 5 times the feed

water concentration or approximately 150 PPM and start to precipitate, fouling the membrane
surface.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-7

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

2.3 MECHANICAL COMPONENT DESCRIPTION

The major mechanical components that make up the RO unit are described below.

Automatic Feed Water Control Valve

An automatic valve is mounted in the RO unit feed piping. This valve will shut off flow to the unit
when it shuts down. A solenoid valve mounted in the Control Panel controls the operation of this
valve. The solenoid requires 80 PSIG instrument air from an external source.

Feed Pressure Gauge

The line pressure from the filter inlet is displayed on a 0-100 PSI pressure gauge. The gauge has a
100mm stainless steel case, and is constructed of all stainless steel wetted parts and is glycerin filled.

High Pressure Pump

The RO unit has a high pressure booster pump mounted to the frame to boost the feed water to the
required operating pressure for the reverse osmosis membranes. The pump is a vertical or
horizontal, multi-stage type with stainless steel construction of all wetted parts. The pump is
designed to provide the pressure and flow necessary to operate the system, with additional pressure
available to allow for fouling or a minor decrease in feed water temperature. The FlowMax Series
RO units are also available with a submersible multi stage pump with stainless steel impellers.

Low Feed Pressure Switch

A low feed water pressure switch is provided to protect the pump. It is adjusted to shutdown the RO
unit if the inlet feed water pressure drops below the setpoint. The switch is wired through a delay
timer to allow short pressure drops such as those that occur when the pump starts up.

Pump Discharge Throttling Valve

The water discharged from the high pressure pump is regulated by a stainless steel ball valve. By
adjusting the position of the valve, you can regulate the flow and pressure feeding the first stage
pressure vessels of the RO unit. The valve is also equiped with a locking device, which must be
used to maintian correct valve position.

Pump Discharge Pressure Gauge

The outlet pressure from the high pressure pump is displayed on a 0-600 PSI pressure indicator.
This gauge has a 63mm stainless steel case, and is constructed of all stainless steel wetted parts, and
is glycerin filled. An isolation valve between the manifold and gauge allows you to operate the RO
unit while isolating the gauge from the high pressure.

Pump Discharge Pressure Switch

A high discharge pressure switch is provided to protect the downstream components of the system
from excess pressure. It is adjusted to shutdown the RO unit immediately if the pump discharge
pressure exceeds the setpoint.

High Pressure Manifold

The pressurized feed water is piped through 316L stainless steel high pressure manifolding. The

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-8

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

manifold is constructed of butt welded Schedule 10 fittings and pipe. The manifold sections are
joined by flexible couplings, that are painted with polyurethane paint to match the frame. A
cleaning connection is supplied on each interstage header and capped over with a stainless steel
blind plug and flexible coupling. A half coupling on each interstage header is provided to
connect to the interstage pressure gauge. The manifold sections are designed to accommodate
future expansion of the system with minimum rework.

Reverse Osmosis Pressure Vessels

The RO unit has 8" round pressure vessels mounted to the frame. The vessels are constructed of
fiberglass. The side ported vessels are close coupled to reduce manifolding. The inlet and outlet
connections are 316L stainless steel with groove type connections. The vessels are built to ASME
specifications, but are not code stamped.

Reverse Osmosis Membrane Elements

The RO unit is designed for 8" x 40" reverse osmosis membrane elements housed in pressure vessels
on the frame. The standard elements are constructed of Thin Film Composite (TFC) membrane
material. The membranes are designed to reject over 98% of the dissolved solids and over 99% of
the suspended solids and organic material.

Reject Throttling Valves

The reject flow back pressure is regulated by two valves. One is a stainless steel ball valve and the
other is a stainless steel globe valve. These valves are used to control the differential pressure across
the membrane surface which in turn regulates the recovery rate of the system.

Interstage Pressure Gauge

The feed pressure from each high pressure feed manifold and the
final reject line are displayed on a 0-400 PSI pressure gauge,
located on the interstage SST header. The gauge has a 63mm
stainless steel case, and is constructed of all SST wetted parts
and is glycerin filled.

Feed & Product Piping

The feed and product piping for the FlowMax unit is PVC Schedule 80. The feed piping for the
PharmMax unit is PVC Schedule 80, the product piping is sanitary PP or SST. The feed and
product piping for the FlowMax unit is 316L SST.

Sample Valves

There is a sample valve on the product line of each pressure vessel. These valves provide an
opportunity to analyze the product water flowing from each pressure vessel. The location of
these valves permit the operator to isolate the product water of a vessel from that of all other
vessels.

There is a sample valve on the common product line of the RO. This valve provides an
opportunity to analyze the final combined product water flowing from the RO membranes.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-9

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

2.4 ELECTRICAL COMPONENT DESCRIPTION

Control Panel

The frame mounted Control Panel is U.L. listed. It houses the main disconnect switch, PLC,
solenoid valves and alarm horn The door of the Control Panel contains the disconnect switch
handle, system hour meter, % rejection monitor, flow monitors, and the switches and indicator
lights.

Starter Panel

The frame mounted Starter Panel is U.L. listed. It houses the motor circuit protector,
motor starter and overload. The door of the Starter Panel contains the disconnect switch handle. If
the submersible pump is selected, there may be a motor protection device designated CU-3. This
device is not U.L. Listed.

COMPONENT DESCRIPTION

Motor Circuit Protector

The main disconnect switch for the Control Panel is a motor
circuit protector. This replaces the standard disconnect and
motor fuses. It will trip when the Maximum amperage rating is
exceeded and can be manually reset. This switch serves as the
main power disconnect to the Control Panel.

Circuit Breaker

The low voltage components inside the Control Panel are protected with a 5 Amp circuit breaker.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is installed in the Control Panel to protect the
instrumentation. This is required for non U.L. devices mounted in a U.L. Listed Control Panel.

Flowmeters

There are two flow sensors and one flow monitor on the RO unit.
They will display the flow rates for the product and reject
flows. They consist of an in-line vortex shedding flow sensor in
the feed and reject line, and a digital monitor in the Control
Panel. The monitors will display the flow in GPM, or other
international units, and will also monitor and display the
totalized flow. The 4-20mA outputs from the monitors are wired
to terminals for data acquisition if required.

% Rejection Monitor

A percent rejection monitor is provided to indicate the overall
system rejection of dissolved solids in the feedwater. The
monitor will alarm if the product water quality is out of limits
for more than 5 minutes, in which case the unit will shut down on
low quality. The 4-20mA output from the monitor are wired to
terminals for data acquisition if required.

Alarm Horn

An alarm horn is mounted to the bottom of the Control Panel to

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-10

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

give an audible warning during an alarm status condition.

Elapsed Time Meter

An elapsed time meter is mounted in the door of the Control Panel and will record the total hours
the unit has run. This is important for maintenance and service scheduling.

High Pump Discharge Pressure Switch

A High pump discharge pressure switch can be mounted on the Control Panel. It is adjusted to
shutdown the RO unit if the pump discharge pressure rises above the setpoint. This will prevent the
pressure vessels from the possibility of over pressurization.

2.5 FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

Below is a description of the function of the major system components and the features of the MAX RO
unit.

Feed Inlet Valve V-2

When the HOA switch is turned to AUTO or HAND, solenoid valve SV-1 will energize and the feed
water inlet valve will open. It will remain open during operation and remain open for an additional 60
seconds after the RO pump stops. The valve will not open if the pre-treatment lockout signal is active,
or if the call for water signal is inactive.

Feedwater Flow Sensor FE-1

The flow sensor in the feed line will send a pulse signal to the flow monitor. The feed flow will be
displayed on the secondary display line, accessible by pressing the button on the monitor.

Feedwater Low Pressure Switch PSL-1

The pressure switch in the feed line will protect the RO unit high pressure pump from cavitation if the
feed pressure drops and remains below 10 PSIG for more than 10 seconds. As soon as the alarm
initiates, the LOW FEED PRESSURE light will start to flash. After the 10 second delay, the RO unit
will stop and the alarm horn will sound. The 10 second delay is to accommodate a momentary pressure
drop when the pump first starts up.

Feed Conductivity Sensor CE-1

A feed conductivity sensor will measure the conductance of the feed water and send a signal to the
conductivity monitor in the Control Panel. The sensor has a 0.1/cm constant. The feed conductivity
reading is used to calculate the system rejection.

Feedwater Temperature Shutdown

The RTD in the feed conductivity sensor is used to measure the feedwater temperature. This value is
displayed on the conductivity monitor. If the operating feed temperature (user defined) is out of range,
the alarm initiates, the HIGH FEED TEMPERATURE light will start to flash, and the unit will shut
down. There is no time delay, this is an instantaneous shutdown. For standard TFC membranes, this
switch will be set to 100 degrees F.

High Pressure Pump

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-11

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

The pump will start 60 seconds after the HOA switch is turned to HAND or AUTO. If the feed pressure
does not rise above the required 10 PSI, the pump will not start. The pump will not start if the pre­treatment lockout signal is active, or if the call for water signal is inactive.

Pump Discharge High Pressure Switch PSH-1

The pressure switch located on the pump discharge manifold will shutdown the RO unit if the pressure
exceeds the safe operating limits of the system. As soon as the alarm initiates, the HIGH DISCHARGE
PRESSURE light will start to flash and the RO unit will stop. There is no time delay, this is an
instantaneous shutdown. On the standard systems it is set to 300 PSIG.

Product Conductivity Sensor CE-2

A product (permeate) conductivity sensor will measure the conductance of the product water and send a
signal to the conductivity monitor in the Control Panel. The sensor has a 0.1/cm constant. The product
conductivity reading is used to calculate the system rejection. The product and feed conductivity
readings are used to calculate membrane rejection, which is displayed as percent rejection on the
monitor. If the percent rejection value drops and stays below the setpoint (factory set at 96%), for five
minutes, the unit will shut down. The time delay gives the unit time to rinse up to quality upon start up.

Low Quality Alarm CIT-1

Whenever the percent rejection value is below the setpoint, the LOW QUALITY light will flash and a
five minute time delay begins. Whenever the LOW QUALITY light is flashing, the product divert to
drain valve will be opened. (note the product divert to drain valve is not included on the RO unit, but
must be installed in the field. If it is not installed, activation of SV-2 will have no effect on the system.)
This will keep low quality permeate water out of the storage tank. When the quality rises above the
setpoint, SV-3 will energize and open the product to storage tank valve, and after a 10 second time
delay, SV-2 will de-energize and close the product divert valve. The 10 second time delay is
incorporated to give the storage tank valve time to open before the divert valve closes.

Reject Flow Sensor FE-1

The flow sensor in the reject line will send a pulse signal to the flow monitor. The reject flow will be
displayed on the primary display line of the quality monitor CIT-1.

Flow Monitor FIT-1

The flow monitor will take the two flow signals from the feed and reject lines, and calculate the product
flow. (Feed flow minus reject flow equals product flow.) The monitor is completely programmable by
the user to adjust alarm set points and display readings. The factory default display will show product
flow and reject flow on the primary display, and feed flow on the secondary display. The 4-20-mA
outputs from the monitor for product flow and reject flow will be wired to terminals in the panel in the
event these signals are needed. The two relay alarm outputs will be used to shut down the RO if the
product or reject flows are out of range.

Flow Alarm FIT-1

The flow monitor has two relay outputs that will go into the PLC to alarm on Low Reject Flow and on
High Product Flow. If the flow is more than 5% above the recommended product flow or 5% below the
recommended reject flow, the Flow Alarm light will flash and a two minute timer starts. If the flow
stays out of range for more than two minutes, the RO unit will shut down. Incorrect flows will cause

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-12

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

irreversible damage to the membranes, and void the warranty.

RO Product to Storage Tank Valve V-9

This valve is not include on the RO, but should be installed in the field as close to the storage tank as
possible. This allows the product piping to be rinsed to drain upon start up. It should be an air actuated
type, normally closed (fail closed) valve. The sequence of this valve is described above under Low
Quality Alarm CIT-1.

RO Product to Drain Valve V-10

This valve is not included on the RO, but should be installed in the field as close to the storage tank
valve V-9 as possible. There must not be any back-pressure on the drain piping after this valve. It
should be an air actuated type, normally open (fail open) valve. The sequence of operation for this valve
is described above under Low Quality Alarm CIT-1.

Note: If the product valves are not installed, the air outlets on the control panel

for SV-2 & 3 will need to plugged.

Auto Flush Mode

A “MANUAL-OFF-AUTO” selector switch allows you to select one of three modes:

1. MANUAL-manually hold open the product divert valve

2. OFF-de activate the 2 hour auto flush mode

3. AUTO-activate the 2 hour auto flush mode

When the selector switch is put in the MANUAL position, the product to drain valve (V-10) will open
and stay open until taken out of the MANUAL position. When the switch is in the AUTO position, a
two hour timer is initiated each time the RO shuts down. If the RO has not automatically restarted
within the two hours, the RO will automatically start up and run product to drain for 5 minutes, then
return to the standby mode, and the two hour timer is again initiated.

When the switch is in the OFF position, the autoflush will not be activated. If the product divert valves
are not installed in the product line as noted above, this selector switch must be in the OFF or
MANUAL position only, or the RO could start up for five minutes every two hours and overfill the
storage tank.

Pretreatment Lock Out

There is a relay in the control panel that can be tied into the pretreatment system to shutdown the RO in
the event of an interruption in the feedwater supply. (This is typically caused by softener going into
regeneration or multi media filters going into backwash.) When a signal from the pretreatment occurs,
the RO will shutdown and go into a standby mode. At this time the PRETREATMENT LOCKOUT
light on the panel will be flashing. The RO will automatically re-start upon de-activation of the signal
from the pretreatment equipment. If there is no pretreatment interlock required, the terminals in the
control panel need to have a jumper wire connected across them. If the RO is run in the HAND mode,
the pretreatment interlock will be ignored. A loss of feed water will cause the unit to shut down on low
feed pressure.

Hand-Off-Auto Switch (HOA)

Hand

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-13

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

When the HOA switch is turned to HAND position, the RO unit will run and remain running until the
switch is turned back to the OFF or any of the following alarm conditions; low feed pressure, high
feedwater temperature or high pump discharge pressure. This operating mode completely bypasses the
shutdown signals from the pretreatment system, storage tank level sensing device or low product quality
alarm.. This mode is typically used for initial start-up rinse or after a cleaning cycle to rinse up the
membrane elements.

Off

Turning the HOA switch to the OFF position at any time will stop the RO pump and the unit will remain
off until the switch is placed into the HAND or AUTO position.

Auto

When the HOA switch is turned to AUTO position, the RO unit will run and remain running until a
shutdown signal is received for the pretreatment system or storage tank level sensing device. The unit
will also shutdown based on any of the following alarm conditions; low feed pressure, high feedwater
temperature, high pump discharge pressure, or low product quality. This is the position to be used for
normal operation of the RO unit.

Storage Tank Full Light

There is a relay in the control panel that must be tied into storage tank level device. This is typically a
pressure switch with a deadband or a set of level switches. The level sensing devices are used to start
the RO when the tank level drops to half full, and stop the RO when the tank is full. It is important to
maintain a deadband to prevent frequent cycling on and off of the RO unit. The level sensing device
must have a set of normally closed dry contacts to connect to the RO control panel. The RO can not be
run in the AUTO mode unless the level device is wired in. . If the RO is run in the HAND mode, the
storage tank level device shutdown interlock will be ignored. This could cause the tank to overflow and
possibly damage surrounding equipment.

Alarm Reset

After pressing the Alarm Silence pushbutton to silence the alarm, you must determine and correct the
cause of the alarm. After this has been done, you must reset the panel prior to restarting the RO. To do
this, turn the RO HOA switch to OFF, this will reset the panel and the alarm light will go off.. To restart
the RO, turn the HOA switch to HAND or AUTO.

Alarm Lights

The alarm lights will flash off & on during an alarm condition, and they will continue to flash until the
operator acknowledges the alarm. This is done by pushing the Alarm Reset pushbutton switch. After
the alarm has been acknowledged, the light will remain on until the HOA switch is turned to the OFF
position.

Alarm Horn

An alarm horn will sound whenever the unit shuts down based on the following conditions; ; low feed
pressure, low reject flow, high product flow, high feedwater temperature or high pump discharge
pressure. The alarm horn is silenced by pressing the Alarm Silence pushbutton switch. The alarm horn
is controlled by a timer that will shut it off automatically after 5 minutes, in the event it has not been
acknowledged. It will come back on after five minutes and sound for 30 seconds, then go off again.
This cycle will continue until the Alarm Silence pushbutton switch has been pushed.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-14

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

Chemical Pump Receptacles

There are four 120 volt chemical receptacles mounted of the side of the RO Control Panel. They are
used to power chemical injection pumps if these are used in the pretreatment system. The two
receptacles labeled “Bisulfite” and “Acid/Caustic” will energize whenever the feedwater valve is on.
The receptacle labeled “ antiscalant” will only be energized when the OR pump is running. The fourth
receptacle is a convenience receptacle that can be used to power a PC or test instrument. This receptacle
is always hot, as long as the circuit breaker inside the control panel is on. The service on the
convenience receptacle is limited to 10 amps.

Auxiliary Contacts

There are two sets of auxiliary contacts in the panel that can be hooked up to remote devices. One is
energized whenever the pump is running, the second is energized during alarm fault conditions.

Optional pH Monitor

An optional pH monitor can be supplied to monitor the feed water pH, and shut down the RO if the pH
goes out of range. This alarm includes a 5 minute time delay, similar to the quality monitor. The pH
monitor is located in a separate panel, and the alarm is wired back the Control Panel.

Electrical Controls Summary

Shutdown alarms Low quality product

Low feed pressure
Flow Alarm
High pump discharge pressure
High feed water temperature

Status indicator lights Low feed pressure

Low quality
Flow Alarm
High pump discharge pressure
High feed water temperature
Product divert to drain valve open
Pretreatment lockout
Storage Tank Full

Switches RO Run Hand-Off-Auto (HOA)

Alarm Silence
Auto Flush Selector Manual-Off-Auto (MOA)

Miscellaneous controls Elapsed run time indicator

Alarm horn
Chemical pump receptacles

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-15

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

Valve Sequence Chart

RUN MODE

RO Off Off
RO start – quality below setpoint – start up rinse Off
RO start – quality above setpoint – normal operation On
Product water quality fault time delay On
RO stop - 60 second time delay Off
RO in standby mode – HOA in AUTO position Off
RO in autoflush mode – HOA in AUTO position On
RO out of Service Off

{-fully open }-partially open z-closed

PUMP V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11

V1 optional main shutoff valve located off skid, supplied in field
V2 automatic feed water shut off valve
V3 feedwater sample valve
V4 pump discharge throttling valve
V5 interstage sample valves, one per stage
V6 final product sample valve
V7 reject throttling valve
V8 manual reject throttling valve bypass valve
V9 product to storage tank valve (located off skid)
V10 product to drain valve (located off skid)
V11 reject recycle throttling valve (3M systems only)

{zz}z z}}z{}
{{z }z z}} z{}
{{z}zz}}{z}
{{z }z z}} z{}
{{z }z z}} z{}
{zz}z z}}z{}
{zz}z z}}z{}

zzzzzzzzz{z

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 2-16

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 3-1

INSTALLATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

3.0 INSTALLATION

The purpose of this section is to provide general information on installation of new equipment. All
equipment must be installed according to applicable codes. Refer to the Equipment Specification
drawing supplied in the Appendix to ensure there is adequate support and clearance around the RO unit.

Installation of the U.S. Filter MAX RO unit consists of the following steps:

1. Uncrate and move the unit to the installation site.

2. Anchor the skid to the foundation.

3. Install the feed, product and reject plumbing lines.

4. Connect the electrical high voltage power wiring.

5. Connect control device wiring.

6. Connect air supply to solenoid valve.

7. Install any pre-treatment equipment and interlock to RO unit.

8. Install any post-treatment equipment and/or storage tank and interlock to RO unit.

3.1 REQUIRED TOOLS AND PARTS

The tools and parts specified in this section are the bare minimum required to install the RO unit at the
site. The use of other tools and parts may be necessary, depending on the location chosen and other
parameters.

Required Tools

Lock-Out/Tag-Out equipment
safety glasses, gloves, earplugs
moving equipment
hammer drill with masonry bit
pipe cutting, bending, gluing equipment
electrical multi-meter

Required Parts

concrete anchor bolts (size determined by local seismic calculations).
plumbing and electrical materials as required
regulated air supply line
automatic valves for auto flush feature
product pressure relief valve

3.2 EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 3-2

INSTALLATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

1. All lifting and moving procedures must be performed by experienced construction
workers using standard rigging methods.

2. Before beginning any equipment handling procedures, refer to the appropriate sections in
the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) manual #2206: “General
Industry Standards.” Also, refer to any other applicable literature and information for
cranes, lift trucks, and other equipment used for lifting and moving.

Damaged lifting devices can fail in service and cause severe personal injury

WARNING

and/or equipment damage. Never use slings or cables that are cut, frayed or
kinked. Refer to OSHA manual #2206 for information on inspecting lifting
devices for damage.

3. Make sure all equipment used for lifting and moving is properly maintained and is in
good repair.

4. Be sure that components being lifted are balanced and will not tip or slip out of the lifting
device.

5. When moving components with a forklift, be careful not to damage components.

6. Avoid “ramming” the lifting forks under pieces; use a crane or pry bar to lift the piece up
enough to drive the forks under.

3.3 EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

1. Locate a level, flat, clean, hard surface, capable of supporting the weight of the RO unit.
Refer to the Equipment Specification Drawing to determine the floor loading
requirements and the service access space requirements for the unit.

NOTE: This area should have a local floor drain to carry away water which will fall to the floor

during operation, testing, and servicing this equipment.

2. Lay out the area that the RO System will occupy.

WARNING

Improper handling procedures can damage equipment and/or cause possible
injury or fatality.

3. Move the RO unit to the location laid down in the previous step.

WARNING

Safety equipment should be worn at all times to avoid personal injury while
securing equipment.

4. Drill holes in the pad through the frame tie down holes.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 3-3

INSTALLATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

5. Level the RO unit by installing shim stock under the frame near the frame tie down holes.

6. Install the anchor bolts and secure the frame to the anchor bolts using flat washers, lock
washers, and nuts.

WARNING

Do not use the RO unit to support external piping. All plumbing runs should
be supported per manufacturers’ recommendations and local codes.

7. Install the feed water plumbing line. The plumbing runs should
never be smaller than the actual RO inlet pipe size, and may need to be larger for pipe
runs over 50 feet.

NOTE: The plumbing materials should be of non-corroding materials (PVC, SST, etc.) Use of

this material will reduce the tendency to foul the membranes from metal precipitation.

8. Install the product water plumbing line. For the Auto Flush feature, two automatic valves
should be installed in this line near the storage tank. (See P&ID) This will allow the RO
unit to rinse the piping to drain during start-up.

NOTE: If this feature is used, install a pressure relief valve between the RO and the automatic

valves. Also it is recommended to install a manual divert to drain line for use during
cleaning cycles.

9. Install the reject, or reject line directly to an open drain.

NOTE: As a general rule, no valves should be installed in this line. If necessary, install a relief

valve set at no greater than 5 PSIG. The valve should be directed to a visible drain so
relief is obvious.

If the reject drain is below the level of the RO unit, install a vacuum breaker valve or
open pipe leg on the reject line. This will prevent siphoning of all water out of the RO
unit during shutdown.

10. Install a tank level sensing device with an adjustable deadband. We recommend a
pressure switch with inches of water scale. The deadband will prevent frequent start/stop
action of the system during run time.

11. Connect a regulated air supply to the inlet port of the solenoid on the bottom of the
Control Panel. The air pressure needs to be 80 to 100 PSIG.

The plumbing installation should now be complete. Check the plumbing to ensure all joints are
properly connected and supported.

Electrical Installation

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 3-4

INSTALLATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

WARNING

1. Employ a Lock Out Device and Lock Out Tag on the RO unit disconnect switch, located

CAUTION

2. Run electrical conduit for the high voltage power supply between the Control Panel and

3. Run electrical conduit between the Control Panel and any pre-treatment equipment lock-

4. Run electrical conduit between the Control Panel and the product water storage tank level

The following steps consist of electrical work to be performed by a qualified
electrician only.

on the front of the Control Panel. Do not energize the main power at this time.

Support all conduit runs per local code requirements and to the conduit
manufacturers recommendations. Improperly supported lines could cause
equipment failure.

the main power supply.

out relays. If there is no pre-treatment equipment in the system, the terminals in the
Control Panel need to be jumpered.. Refer to the electrical schematic drawing in the
Appendix for terminal numbers. The unit will not run without this jumper.

sensing device.

5. Run electrical conduit between the Control Panel and the chemical injection pumps. If
the chemical pumps have plugs, use the simplex receptacles mounted on the side of the
Control Panel. The three different chemical pump receptacles energize at different times.

6. Verify that all electrical connections are secure and wired
per the electrical schematic.

7. Remove the Lock-Out / Tag-Out equipment from the main power
supply for the RO unit, and energize the circuit.

8. Verify that the voltage supplied is correct and matches the
Voltage Identification Tag on the pump motor and inside the
Control Panel.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-1

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

4.0 OPERATION

4.1 INITIAL STARTUP

The following procedure should be performed for the initial startup of the RO System or to restart the
system if it has been idle and secured for a long term shutdown.

Required Equipment and Materials

Lock-Out and Tag-Out equipment
Personal safety equipment, such as safety glasses and gloves
Prefilter cartridge elements
portable TDS monitor
Chlorine test kit
Portable pH meter

Pre-Startup Checklist:

1. Verify that the Hand-Off-Auto (HOA) switch on the RO Control Panel is off.

2. Confirm the storage tank is ready to receive water and the drains are all clear.

3. Check to ensure there are no repairs or service in progress to the RO unit or down stream
equipment.

4. Verify that the valves on the RO unit are set up correctly.

5. Verify the pre treatment equipment is on-line and ready to supply the RO unit.

6. Test the water quality (TDS, chlorine, temperature, pH) to verify it is within the limits of
the membrane elements. Refer to membrane literature in appendix if necessary.

7. If the RO membranes were not installed at the factory, they need to be installed now,
before proceeding with the start up. Refer to Section 5.3 for loading instructions.

PRE-START, LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FLUSHING

New RO membrane elements are shipped with a chemical preservative applied

CAUTION

to the membranes. It is hazardous to your health and will contaminate
product water supplies. It must be flushed from the membranes prior to using
the RO product water.

1. Verify that the feed water pressure to the RO unit is within 20 to 95 PSIG. If there is no
feed pressure, make sure the main supply valve is opened. (If the pressure is too low,
you may need to install a feed water booster pump to avoid low pressure fault shutdowns.
If the pressure is too high, you must install an automatic pressure regulating valve to

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-2

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

protect the low pressure pump seals and PVC piping from over pressurization.)

2. If applicable, fully open the manual product divert to drain valve. Verify there is no
obstruction of this valve. If the automatic divert valves were installed, they will
automatically divert to drain when the system is off.

3. Close the air supply valve going to the solenoid valves.

4. Verify that the manual feed water valve (V-1) is fully closed.

5. Fully open the reject valves (V-7 & 8).

6. Manually override the RO unit automatic feed water valve and open this valve. This will
allow the RO unit to flush while the power is off. This can be done by applying an air
supply directly to the valve actuator.

CAUTION

Always open the manual valves slowly to prevent water hammer from damaging
the piping and components.

7. Remove the Lock-out/Tag-out equipment from the manual feed water isolation valve (V-

1). Slowly open the valve to allow water flow into the RO unit.

8. Verify flow through the unit by checking the feed inlet pressure gauge on the wet
instrument panel. Check for water flow out of the reject drain line.

9. Allow the flushing process to run for a minimum of 15-30 minutes. This will assure all
the membrane preservatives will be flushed out.

10. When flushing is complete, re-connect the air lines and return the valves to the operating
position.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-3

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

4.2 NORMAL OPERATION

Use this section for daily startup or to restart the system after a short term shutdown.

1. BEFORE starting the RO unit, verify that the following conditions exist:

DEVICE CONDITION

RO system H-O-A switch (HAND-OFF-AUTO) OFF

Starter Panel disconnect switch (MCP) ON

Control Panel circuit breaker (inside Control Panel) ON

Control Panel GFCI circuit breaker (for instrumentation) ON

manual feed water isolation valve (V-1) OPEN

instrument isolation air valve OPEN

flush mode selector switch (MANUAL-OFF-AUTO) AUTO

pump discharge throttling valve 1/8 to 1/4 OPEN

reject globe valve open 4 full turns

reject bypass ball valve 1/8 to 1/4 OPEN

any valves in the reject to drain line OPEN

any valves in the process supply line open

manual product divert valve closed

pre treatment equipment ready for use

post treatment equipment ready for use

storage tank ready for use

IF ALL THE ABOVE CONDITIONS EXIST, THE SYSTEM IS
READY TO START. CLOSE AND LATCH THE CONTROL
PANEL DOOR BEFORE STARTING THE RO UNIT. IF ONE
OF THE SETTINGS IS INCORRECT, CORRECT THE
SETTING PRIOR TO PROCEEDING.

2. Turn the H-O-A switch to the AUTO position. This will start the system.

NOTE: The pump will not start for 60 seconds. When you turn the H-O-A switch to AUTO, the

feed inlet valves opens to fill the unit with water under low pressure. This purges any air
out of the unit. (If any leaks are noticed at this time, turn off the system and correct the
leaking component before the pump starts.) After the 60 second delay, the pump will
start. Be prepared to adjust the pump discharge and reject valves to correctly set the
product and reject flow. If the system does not start up after the initial 60 second delay,
check the storage tank. If it is full, the system will not start until the tank drops below the
setup point by the tank level sensing device. If the low feed pressure light is on, the
system also will not start.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-4

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

The RO unit should never be run in the HAND mode unless it will be
continuously attended by a service technician. Operation in this mode over

CAUTION

rides the automatic shutdown signal provided by the RO product water
storage tank level sensing device. This can cause the tank to over fill, causing
possible damage to the storage tank or damage to surrounding equipment.

3. Verify that the product and reject flows are correct. If not, adjust the pump discharge
throttling valve and the reject valves until the correct parameters are reached.
Adjustment procedure:

First, adjust the unit to make the correct amount of RO product water by adjusting
the system pressure. This can be accomplished by regulating the pump discharge
throttling valve. Further OPEN the valve to increase the system operating
pressure and productivity, further CLOSE the valve to reduce the system
operating pressure and productivity. Once this flow is correct, make a note of the
operating pressure.

Second, adjust the unit to make the correct amount of reject to drain flow by
adjusting the reject throttling valves. Control the majority of the flow with the
ball valve and fine tune with the globe valve. OPEN the valves to obtain a higher
flow rate or CLOSE the valves to reduce the flow rate.

NOTE: This is some what of a "balancing act", in that as you close the reject valves, the product

flow increases and the reject flow decreases. As you open the pump discharge throttling
valve, the product and the reject flow increase. You may have to adjust the pump
discharge throttling valve to reestablish the operating pressure to obtain the correct
product flow as established in the first step.

4. Once the RO unit is operating at the parameters outlined on the RO Operating
Specification Sheet in Section 6.2, record the operating parameters on the data collection
form. (A sample form is in Section 6.1.) It is imperative to record the operating
parameters daily, since RO trouble shooting may require a trended analysis of the RO
operating parameters.

NOTE: If the RO will not start, or can not achieve the correct flows, go to the trouble shooting

section for more information.

5. If the RO unit shuts down due to a fault condition, you must turn the HOA switch to
OFF, then back to AUTO (or HAND) to reset the Control Panel.

4.3 SHORT TERM SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE

NOTE

:

There are two methods for shutting the RO unit down.

Short term shut down is for when the system will be down for a short period of time, as
to perform brief maintenance or service.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-5

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

Long term shut down should be used for when the system will be down for a prolonged
shutdown, as for major repairs, modifications or going out of service.

1. Turn the H-O-A switch to OFF. Install a Lock Out device and a Lock Out Tag on the
switch.

2. Close the manual feed water inlet valve (V-1), located off the RO unit.

3. Once the feed water inlet pressure indicator reads zero, it is safe to service the unit.

The system is now isolated from the standpoint of electrical and hydraulic energy and can now be safely
serviced. To restart system, simply open the manual feed water valve and turn the HOA switch back to
AUTO.

4.4 LONG TERM SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE

If the system is to be down for a period longer than 7 days, it is recommended that a biocide be
pumped into the membrane elements to prevent biological growth. Prior to shutting down the
system, read and perform the procedure in Section 5.6, RO Membrane Element Long Term
Storage Procedure.

CAUTION

irreversible damage to the membranes due to bacterial growth.

1. Turn the RO unit H-O-A switch and the disconnect switch to the OFF position.

2. Install a Lock-Out device and a lock Out Tag on the disconnect switch.

3. If the RO membranes are to be left in the vessels, go to Section 5.6 Membrane Element
Long Term Storage Procedure and follow the instructions there.

4. Fully close the manual feed water isolation valve and install a Lock-Out device and a
lock Out Tag on the valve.

5. If applicable, you may also have to fully close any process valves located in the RO unit
product line down stream of the product divert to drain valve junction to prevent
unwanted RO product water from passing this point, and install Lock-Out / Tag-Out
equipment on the valve.

The RO UNIT is now isolated from a standpoint of electrical energy and hydraulic or
water pressure energy and may be safely stored for up to a year. If longer storage is
required, the membranes need to be removed and stored under more controlled
conditions. Contact U.S. Filter for more details.

Failure to store the membranes in a biocide for long term shutdown can cause

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 4-6

OPERATION FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-1

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

5.0 MAINTENANCE

5.1 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

PROCEDURE FREQUENCY

Check system for leaks and failures Daily
Check feedwater chlorine levels Daily
Collect operational data and adjust
valves to achieve proper flow rates
Change prefilter cartridge elements monthly or when the pressure differential reaches 10-15

Test GFCI monthly
Lubricate pump motor bearings 2 times a year
Calibrate instrumentation 2 times a year
Clean RO membrane elements When normalized productivity rate drops by more than

Replace RO membrane elements When cleaning the membranes fails to restore the proper

*

Contact U.S. Filter for replacement.

Daily

PSIG, which ever occurs first

15% of the clean membrane normalized productivity
rate, when the RO feed pressure increases by 25 PSIG
over the clean feed pressure, or when the RO rejection
rate drops by more than 3%

performance *

5.2 FILTER CARTRIDGE REPLACEMENT (IF APPLICABLE)

Required down time: 25 minutes

The following is required:

replacement filter cartridges
adjustable wrench

1. Shut down RO unit as described in Section 4.3.

2. Wait until the automatic feed water valve fully closes, as evidenced by the feed inlet
pressure indicator winding down to 0 (zero).

3. Open the vent valve on top of the filter housing to relieve any pressure, then remove the
top of the filter housing by loosening the swing bolts.

4. Drain the water in the filter housing by opening the drain valve.

5. Remove the old filter cartridge elements and dispose of them.

6. Rinse the filter housing out with fresh water.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-2

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

7. Install the new filter elements by setting them over the holes in the bottom of the filter
housing. Place the tension springs over the holes on top the new elements.

8. Replace the top of the filter housing and tighten down the swing bolts.

9. Restart system as described in Section 3.2, and check for leaks around the top o-ring seal.

10. If no leaks are observed, the RO unit is back in normal service.

11. If a leak is detected, turn the RO unit off, wait for the automatic feed water valve to fully
close, remove the top, and inspect the o-ring for damage. If damage is observed, replace
the o-ring.

5.3 MEMBRANE ELEMENT REPLACEMENT

Required down time: 2 - 6 hours

You will need the following:

safety equipment (glasses, boots, etc.)
Lock-Out / Tag-Out equipment
rubber mallet
24 liquid ounces of glycerin
set of new membrane elements

1. Secure the unit for a short term shutdown as described in Section 4.3

2. Remove the product pipe connection from the end of the pressure vessel by un-screwing
the PVC union in the product lines. Some water will inevitably drain from the broken
plumbing connections so be prepared for a wet floor.

NOTE: The flow arrowhead sticker located on one end of the pressure vessel indicates the

direction of flow through the pressure vessel. You must unload and reload the new RO
membrane elements in the direction of flow. This greatly reduces the chance of rolling or
damaging the brine seals.

3. To determine the correct procedure for pressure vessel end cap disassembly, consult the
pressure vessel manufacturers literature in the Appendix.

4. Remove the retaining rings that hold the end caps.

5. Carefully remove the end caps by applying even steady pulling force on them.

NOTE: Be sure to make note of which end cap came out of which end of the pressure vessel so

they may be reinstalled in the same vessels.

6. Push the old membrane elements out of the pressure vessel in the direction of the flow

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-3

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

arrowhead sticker on the outside of the vessel.

7. Remove the membrane product tube adapters from the old membrane elements if they did
not remain on the vessel end caps and keep them. Dispose of the old membrane
elements.

8. Check the o-rings on the interconnectors for damage and replace any that show signs of
wear or damage. (It is a good idea to replace all the o-rings at the same time you replace
the RO membrane elements). Apply a liberal coating of glycerin to the o-rings and brine
seals before they are inserted back into the pressure vessel.

9. Remove enough new RO membrane elements from the protective packaging to fill one
pressure vessel.

10. Install the interconnectors between the RO membrane elements as you load them into the
vessel.

11. Load the new membrane elements in the pressure vessel in the same direction as the flow
arrowhead sticker. Make sure that the membrane brine seal is on the end to enter the
pressure vessel last.

NOTE: The flow arrow on the new RO membrane element should match the flow arrowhead

sticker on the pressure vessel.

12. Carefully reinstall the product tube adapters on the ends of the membrane element
product tubes. Apply a liberal amount of glycerin on the o-rings to make installation
easier.

13. Carefully reinstall the end caps back in the ends of the pressure vessel, taking care to put
them in the same ends that they came out of. Use a small amount of glycerin on the o­rings to make installation easier.

14. Carefully tap the end caps into place, using the rubber mallet. Re-assemble the end cap
assembly per manufactures instructions.

15. Carefully reinstall the retaining rings in both ends of the pressure vessel.

16. Once all the membranes are replaced, reinstall the product piping connections.

17. Check all connections and vessels carefully.

The RO unit is now ready to be put back into service.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-4

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

5.4 TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: CONTROL POWER IS OFF

CAUSE ACTION

Power source disconnect is opened or fuses

Check the power source and fuses.
have blown.
RO unit Control Panel fuses may be blown. Check the fuses and replace them if necessary.
RO unit Control Panel low voltage circuit
breaker may be tripped.

Check the Control Panel low voltage circuit breaker

and reset it if necessary.

PROBLEM: RO UNIT WILL NOT START IN THE HAND MODE

CAUSE ACTION

The RO unit pre-treatment interlock may be
engaged because of a filter backwash or a
softener regeneration cycle.

Check the operational status of the pre-treatment
system.
Check out the Control Panel circuitry to ensure the

proper jumpers have been installed.
Low feed pressure fault may have caused the
RO unit to drop out of service.

Turn the RO unit H-O-A switch to the OFF position

and then to the AUTO position. Allow the RO unit to

restart, and check that the feed pressure is at least 10

PSIG.
The RO unit Control Panel motor overload
may have tripped.

Reset the motor overload and observe the operation of

the RO unit to determine if this was a transient trip or

if there is a more serious electrical problem.
The RO unit Control Panel may have an

Inspect all components of the Control Panel.
electrical component failure.

PROBLEM: RO UNIT WILL NOT START IN THE AUTO MODE

CAUSE ACTION

The RO unit pretreatment interlock may be
engaged because of a filter backwash or a
softener regeneration cycle.

Check the operational status of the pretreatment
system. Check out the Control Panel circuitry to
ensure the proper jumpers have been installed.

The RO water storage tank may be full. No action is required. unit is in standby mode, storage

tank full indicator should be on.
The RO water storage tank level sensing
device may be broken or require adjustment.

Inspect the electrical functioning of the RO water

storage tank level sensing device. Inspect the settings

of the RO water storage tank level sensing device.

PROBLEM: AUTOMATIC FEED WATER VALVE WILL NOT OPEN

CAUSE ACTION

Solenoid valve may have failed. Replace the solenoid valve.
Feed water valve actuator may have failed. Repair or replace the actuator.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-5

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

PROBLEM: RO UNIT PRODUCTIVITY IS LOW

CAUSE ACTION

RO unit operating pressure is too low. Readjust the RO unit operating pressure.
RO unit product back pressure is excessive. Check the pressure of the RO unit product plumbing,

it should not exceed 25 PSIG. If it does, determine

what is causing the pressure drop and reduce it.
RO unit feed water temperature is colder then
usual. (Lower feed water temperatures require
a higher operating pressure.)

Check the RO unit feed temperature. If it has

decreased, increase the operating pressure to

compensate for this low temperature operation.
RO unit membrane elements may be fouled. Determine the nature of the foulant and clean and/or

sanitize the membrane elements.
Flowmeter readings not accurate. Verify correct operation of flow sensors and flow

meters. Calibrate or replace if necessary.
RO pretreatment failure. Inspect all pretreatment systems for problems.

PROBLEM: RO UNIT REJECTION IS LOW

CAUSE ACTION

Inadequate operating pressure. Increase RO unit operating pressure by further

opening pump discharge valve.
RO unit recovery is too high. Reduce RO unit recovery to match values listed in

RO operating spec sheet in the Appendix.
Shift in feed water chemistry (oxidants in feed
water).

Check feed water chemistry. If substantially different

from the original design feed water chemistry, have a

new RO performance projection run to determine

what the rejection rate characteristic should be.
Mechanical leak in the membrane system. Inspect all RO product tube adapter o-ring seals.
RO feed water temperature increase. Check feed water temperature. Install or adjust

temperature controls, if necessary.
RO unit reject to waste flow out of adjustment. Check flow parameters and adjust system as stated in

Section 3.2
RO unit membrane elements may be fouled. Determine the nature of the foulant and clean and/or

sanitize the membrane elements.

PROBLEM: CAN NOT ACHIEVE PROPER FLOW READINGS

CAUSE ACTION

Flow Sensors not operating correctly. Verify proper calibration of the flow sensors.

Flow monitoring devices may have failed. Confirm operation of digital flow monitors. Replace

Control valves not properly adjusted. Reset the control valves as stated in Section 3.2.
Control valve may have failed. Check that there are no obstructions or damage to the

5.5 RECOMMENDED SPARE PARTS

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

Replace or re-calibrate as required.

if necessary. Refer to Literature in Appendix for

detailed trouble shooting of this component.

control valves. Check seats on ball valves for

excessive wear.

SECTION 5-6

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

The following spare parts list includes spare parts of three different priority levels:

Priority A Parts: Includes the bare minimum of spare parts and consumables that U.S. Filter

recommends to every customer.

Priority B Parts: Includes spare parts that have a tendency to need replacement within a five year

period. Failure of most of these items would cause an unscheduled shutdown.

Priority C Parts: U.S. Filter recommends these items for customers who foresee difficulty in

obtaining spare parts in a timely manner. Also for customers who cannot
shutdown for more than a 24 hour period.

Refer to your unit for specific part numbers for these components, this Manual covers all 20 models.

PRIORITY A PARTS: QTY

Control Panel indicator light bulbs 6
Filter elements A/R*
Flow sensor 1
Flow monitor 1
Sodium bisulfite (food grade) A/R
Lubricating glycerin A/R
Propylene Glycol or Glycerol (for freeze protection only) A/R
set of membranes o-rings and brine seals 1 set
*A/R stands for as required by your unit.

PRIORITY B PARTS: QTY

Conductivity sensor 1
Solenoid valve 1
10 amp circuit breaker 1
15 amp GFCI circuit breaker 1
Automatic reject bypass valve 1
Automatic feed valve 1

RO Membrane Element(s)* 1 Set
RO High Pressure Pump 1

*

Membranes have a shelf life of only a year.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

PRIORITY C PARTS: QTY

SECTION 5-7

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

5.6 RO MEMBRANE ELEMENT LONG TERM STORAGE PROCEDURE

The solution USFilter recommends is a 0.5 to 1.0% solution of sodium bisulfite. For conditions
where freezing may be a problem, the solution should also contain up to 18% (by weight)
glycerin or propylene glycol. Refer to RO membrane data sheet in Appendix for further
information.

The following equipment and materials are needed:

USFilter CIP Cleaning Skid
RO Product Water or DI Water
Sodium Bisulfite (food grade)
Propylene Glycol or Glycerin (if required)
Safety Equipment

1. Fill the tank on the cleaning skid with the appropriate quantity of RO product water or DI
water.

CAUTION

Do not use a solution of greater than 1.0%. The pressure vessel endcaps will be
damaged otherwise.

2. Add the correct amount of sodium bisulfite powder to the cleaning tank using the
following proportions:

0.5% solution sodium bisulfite - .042 lbs. per gallon

1.0% solution sodium bisulfite - .084 lbs. per gallon

If applicable, add the appropriate amount of freeze protection (glycerin or
propylene glycol) to the solution at this point. (Refer to Table 1 & 2 at the end of
this Section)

3. Adjust the valves on the cleaning skid to the recirculation position.

4. Run the cleaning skid for at least 5 minutes to allow for complete mixing.

5. Close the RO pump discharge throttling valve.

6. Connect the supply hose from the cleaning skid to the cleaning port on the first stage feed
manifold.

7. Connect hoses from the RO unit product and reject outlets back to the cleaning tank.

8. Close the proper valves on the product and reject lines to prevent solution from entering
the storage tank.

9. Fully open the RO unit reject valves.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-8

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

10. Reset the valves on the cleaning skid to the normal position.

11. Start the cleaning skid pump.

12. Allow the solution to circulate through the RO unit for 30 minutes.

13. Turn off the cleaning skid and disconnect the hoses.

14. Fully close the manual feed water isolation valve and install a Lock-Out device and a
Lock Out Tag on the valve.

15. Fully open the product divert to drain valve and install a Lock-Out device and a Lock Out
Tag on the valve.

16. If applicable, you may also have to fully close any process valves located in the RO unit
product line down stream of the product divert to drain valve junction to prevent
unwanted RO product water from passing this point, and install a Lock-Out device and a
Lock Out Tag on the valve.

17. Drain the pump and manifold piping.

18. Seal all openings to prevent the membrane elements from drying out.

19. Tag the RO unit with the date and type of solution the membranes are stored in so that it
is properly flushed prior to being put back into service.

The RO unit is now ready to be stored. Be sure to follow the Initial Startup in Section 4.1 when ready to
put the unit back in service.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-9

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

Table 1

FREEZING POINT OF PROPYLENE GLYCOL - WATER MIXTURES

% glycol by

VOLUME

Specific Gravity

15.6oC. (60oF)

Freezing Point oC. Freezing Point oF.

5 1.004 -1.1 30
10 1.006 -2.2 28
15 1.012 -3.9 25
20 1.017 -6.7 20
25 1.020 -8.9 16
30 1.024 -12.8 9
35 1.028 -16.1 3
40 1.032 -20.6 -5
45 1.037 -26.7 -16
50 1.040 -33.3 -28

Table 2

FREEZING POINT OF GLYCEROL (GLYCERIN) - WATER MIXTURES

% glycerin by

WEIGHT

Specific Gravity

15.0oC. (59oF)

Freezing Point oC. Freezing Point oF.

10 1.02415 -1.6 29.1
20 1.04935 -4.8 23.4
30 1.07560 -9.5 14.9
40 1.10255 -15.5 4.3
50 1.12985 -22.0 -7.4
60 1.15770 -33.6 -28.5
70 1.18540 -37.8 -36.0
80 1.21290 -19.2 -2.3
90 1.23950 -1.6 29.1

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-10

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

5.7 RO MEMBRANE ELEMENT CLEANING

NOTE: To clean the membrane elements in situ, a CIP skid (stands for Clean I

n Place) is
required. This can be purchased from USFilter if you want to do your own cleaning.
Cleaning services are available from the most of the USFilter service branches. Call the
local sales and service office for details.

Read the following section to help you understand why RO membrane elements need to be cleaned, and
the nature of the foulants that can be encountered.

NOTE: RO membrane element cleaning is a complex process and if done incorrectly, could

destroy the membrane elements. A complete cleaning procedure is described in the CIP
operating manual.

It should be noted that a decrease in water temperature will result in a decrease in product water
flow and increase in the differential pressure across the membrane. This is not indicative of a
requirement for cleaning.

The data collected after the first 24 to 48 hours of operation of the RO unit should be used as a
baseline for the above parameters. It is critical that the data collection sheets, supplied in the
Appendix, are completely filled out on a daily basis.

You will find it necessary to clean the RO UNIT from time to time as a result of the natural
accumulation of some type of membrane surface foulant. This requirement to clean the RO
UNIT membranes will be evidenced by one or more of the following symptoms including, a
reduction in the NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY RATE, a reduction in the RO UNIT
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS REJECTION RATE, or an increase in the RO UNIT
OPERATING PRESSURE, in spite of no change in the RO UNIT feed water temperature. In
general, this procedure should not be required more then three (3) times per year or about every
four (4) months. If you find that this procedure is required more frequently then this, you should
have a U.S. Filter representative evaluate the effectiveness of your pre-treatment system or the
current RO UNIT operating parameters. Most cleaning procedures consist of the preparation of
a specific cleaning chemical formulation made up in warm water, which is then recirculated
through the RO UNIT elements, followed by an extended soak period in the cleaning solution,
followed by another recirculation cycle, and completed with a thorough rinse cycle.

The RO UNIT membrane foulants usually consist of one or more of three common classes of foulants
including; SUSPENDED SOLIDS, ORGANIC FOULANTS AND PRECIPITATED DISSOLVED
SOLIDS. A brief explanation of the nature of each type of foulant will is below.

SUSPENDED SOLIDS FOULANTS

Suspended solids fouling is among the most common RO UNIT foulants. This fouling condition
results from the incomplete removal of suspended solids such as silt and clay particles from the
RO UNIT feed water. In as much as some of these particles are less then 0.2 micron in size, it is
not practical to attempt to remove all of them so this type of membrane fouling is eventually
inevitable in all RO UNITS. This is most common to systems operating on a surface water
supply. The trick is to try to eliminate as much of the suspended solids material as possible,

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 5-11

MAINTENANCE FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

through good pre-treatment filtration practices including, proper selection and operation of
multimedia filtration, the correct selection and maintenance of cartridge filters, and the possible
use of chemicals aimed at dispersion of suspended solids. This type of foulant is generally
evidenced by a gradual reduction in the NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY RATE with no
reduction in the TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS REJECTION RATE.

ORGANIC FOULANTS

Organic fouling of thin film composite membranes is very common and may take place as a
result of two different mechanisms. The first mechanism may be through the presence of organic
material present in the RO UNIT feed water in the form of humic or fulvic acids, which end up
in the water supply as a result of rotting vegetation. Obviously this is more of a problem when
using surface water supplies as opposed to well water supplies.

The second mechanism is the result of actual biological growth taking place on the membrane
surface as a result of the lack of an oxidant in the RO UNIT feed water to kill off these
microorganisms. It is usually impractical to totally eliminate all organic foulants from the RO
UNIT feed water, so all you can do is try to take reasonable precautions through the possible use
of ultraviolet sterilizers on the RO UNIT feed water, conduct good maintenance procedures on
the multimedia filters, including periodic sterilization cycles, and the use of approved biocides
on the RO UNIT MEMBRANE ELEMENTS. This type of foulant is evidenced by a gradual

reduction in the NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY RATE with either no reduction or a slight
increase in the TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS REJECTION RATE.

PRECIPITATED DISSOLVED SOLIDS FOULANTS

Precipitated dissolved solids fouling is generally the least common foulant to plague RO UNIT
membranes. This type of fouling generally occurs when the RO UNIT recovery is run too high,
thus concentrating the dissolved solids in the feed water to the last few membranes beyond their
solubility limits. The most common constituents of this type of foulant are Silica (SiO2),
Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4) and various forms of Iron (Fe) and
Aluminum (Al). Generally this type of fouling is preventable through good administrative
control of RO UNIT recovery, and maintenance of pre-treatment equipment including ion
exchange softeners and antiscalant injection systems. This type of foulant is evidenced by a
gradual reduction in NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY RATE with a minor reduction in the
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS REJECTION RATE.

Refer to the manual included with the optional CIP skid for complete cleaning instructions.

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-1

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

6.0 APPENDIX

6.1 RO DATA COLLECTION FORM

SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION: _________________________________________________________

WEEK ENDING DATE: ______________________________________________________________

See calculated values on next page.

RO UNIT OPERATING PARAMETERS S M T W T F S

RO Cartridge Filter Pressure Drop (PSI)

RO Cartridge Filter Outlet Pressure (PSI)

RO Cartridge Filter Inlet Pressure (PSI)

Feed Flow Rate (GPM)

2

Product Flow Rate (GPM)

Reject Flow Rate (GPM)

Reject Recirculation Flow Rate* (GPM)

Product Recovery (%)

3

Feed Water Temperature (oF)

Feed Water pH (0-14)

Feed Water Chlorine Concentration (PPM)

Feed Water Total Hardness (PPM)

Feed Water SiO2 (PPM as SiO2)

Feed Water Conductivity (mg/l)

rst

RO 1

Stage Conductivity (PSI)

RO 2nd Stage Conductivity (mg/l)

RO 3rd Stage Conductivity (mg/l)

RO Final Reject Conductivity (mg/l)

RO Percent Rejection (%)

rst

RO 1

Stage Operating Pressure (PSI)

4

RO 2nd Stage Operating Pressure (PSI)

RO 3rd Stage Operating Pressure (PSI)

RO Final Reject Operating Pressure (PSI)

RO Normalized Productivity (GPM)

DATA TAKEN BY:

* 3M units only

COMMENTS:

1

5

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-2

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

Calculated Values:

1: RO FILTER PRESSURE DROP is equal to filter inlet pressure MINUS filter outlet pressure.

2: RO FEED FLOW rate is equal to RO product flow PLUS the RO reject flow.

3: RO PRODUCT RECOVERY is equal to the RO product flow rate DIVIDED by the RO feed

flow rate, MULTIPLIED by 100.

EXAMPLE: Product flow = 30 GPM

Feed flow = 40 GPM
(30 ÷ 40) x 100 = 75% recovery

4: RO PERCENT REJECTION* is equal to the RO feed conductivity MINUS the RO product

conductivity, DIVIDED by the feed conductivity, TIMES 100.

EXAMPLE: Feed conductivity = 380 micromoh

Product conductivity = 5 micromoh
{(380-5) ÷ 380} x 100 = 98.6% rejection

* the RO Quality monitor is set up at the factory to display this value.

5: NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY is a true indication of membrane performance. It is

calculated as follows:

NPF = MPF X TCF X (225÷MFP)

Where:

NPF = NORMALIZED PRODUCTIVITY FLOW
MPF = MEASURED PRODUCT FLOW
TCF = TEMPERATURE CORRECTION FACTOR (See table next page)
MFP = MEASURED FEED PRESSURE

EXAMPLE: MPF = 35 GPM

FEED WATER TEMP = 60 oF, THEN TCF = 1.44
MFP = 285 PSIG

NPF = 35 x 1.44 x (225÷285)
NPF = 35 x 1.44 x .789
NPF = 39.8

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-3

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

RO FEED WATER TEMPERATURE CORRECTION FACTOR

TEMP oF TCF TEMP oFTCF

34 3.64 70 1.12

36 3.18 72 1.08

38 2.93 74 1.05

40 2.68 76 1.02

42 2.47 78 0.97

44 2.29 80 0.93

46 2.14 82 0.90

48 2.01 84 0.88

50 1.88 86 0.86

52 1.77 88 0.82

54 1.68 90 0.79

56 1.59 92 0.77

58 1.51 94 0.75

60 1.44 96 0.73

62 1.36 98 0.70

64 1.30 100 0.68

66 1.24 102 0.65

68 1.17 104 0.63

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-4

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

6.2 RO OPERATING SPECIFICATION SHEET

ALL FLOW RATES EXPRESSED AS GALLONS PER MINUTE (GPM). OPERATING AT
DIFFERENT GFD RATINGS WILL PROVIDE DIFFERENT FLOW RATES, HOWEVER
THIS UNIT IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE AT 16.5 GFD, OPERATING OUTSIDE THESE
FLOWS IS NOT RECOMMENDED WITOUT CONSULTING U.S. FILTER

BW30-365 membranes

GFD GFD GFD GFD GFD

ARRAY QTY

3M 1:1:1 9 35 37 40 42 44
3M 2:1:1 12 47 50 53 56 59
3M 3:2:1 18 70 75 80 84 89

4M 3:2:1 24 94 100 106 113 118
4M 4:2:1 28 109 115 124 131 138
4M 5:3:2 40 156 165 177 188 197

6M 5:3 48 188 200 212 225 237
6M 6:3 54 211 225 239 253 266
6M 6:4 60 235 250 265 281 296
6M 8:4 72 282 300 318 338 355

The recommended flux rate for maximum membrane life

15.5 16.5 17.5 18.5 19.5

should not exceed 16.5 GFD

NOTE:

VALUES LISTED ABOVE ARE NOMINAL FLOW RATES BASED ON AVERAGE FEED WATER CONDITIONS. A
CHANGE IN WATER TEMPERATURE AND OR WATER QUALITY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE
ACHIEVABLE FLOW RATES OF THE RO SYSTEM.

TO OBTAIN OPTIMAL OPERATING PARAMETERS FOR YOUR SYSTEM, BASED ON YOUR FEED WATER
CONDITIONS, PLEASE SUBMIT A WATER ANALYSIS OF YOUR FEED WATER TO THE U.S. FILTER
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND WE WILL RUN A COMPUTERIZED RO PROJECTION FOR YOUR SYSTEM.

OPERATING THE RO UNIT OUTSIDE OF THESE PARAMETERS COULD CAUSE PREMATURE MEMBRANE
FAILURE OR RESULT IN ECSESSIVE CLEANING REQUIREMENTS.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-5

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

6.3 QA DATA SHEETS

See QA Data sheet that follows this page.

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-6

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-7

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

6.4 DRAWINGS

There are 20 different models of the FlowMAX RO unit. Only the drawings checked below that apply
to your system will be included in this section.

DWG # Model DESCRIPTION

S8600-001 ALL MAX RO BLOCK FLOW DIAGRAM
S8600-012 ALL FLOWMAX HORIZONTAL P&ID

S8601-020 FM3-09 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-021 FM3-12 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-022 FM3-18 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-023 FM4-24 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-024 FM4-28 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-025 FM4-40 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-026 FM6-48 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-027 FM6-54 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-028 FM6-60 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-029 FM6-72 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING

S8601-030 FS3-09 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-031 FS3-12 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-032 FS3-18 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING

S8601-033 FS4-24 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-034 FS4-28 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-035 FS4-40 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-036 FS6-48 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-037 FS6-54 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-038 FS6-60 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING
S8601-039 FS6-72 PACKAGED SYSTEM EQUIP SPEC DRAWING

ELECTRICAL DOCUMENTATION

S8693-050 ALL FIXED I/O PANEL SCHEMATIC
S8693-999 ALL PLC LADDER LOGIC FOR FIXED I/O PANEL

SCHEMATIC

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-8

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

SECTION 6-9

APPENDIX FLOWMAX RO MANUAL REV: B 05/1999

6.5 COMPONENT MANUFACTURERS LITERATURE

Component Manufacturer Model Number Included*

Pump Horizontal T&T H Series
Pump Submersible Grundfos BM Series
Pressure Vessels Advanced Structures 80A Series
RO Membranes Filmtec BW30-365
RO Membranes Filmtec BW30-400
RO Membranes Filmtec BW30-440LE
% Rejection Monitor Thornton 200CR
PLC Micrologix Allen Bradley 1000
Flow Sensor Fluidyne 2300
Flow Monitor Thornton 200F
pH Monitor (optional) Thornton 200pH

*Only the literature that applies to your system will be included in this section.

6.6 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET(S)

Title Use

Sodium Bisulfite RO membrane preservative

USFilter United States Filter Corporation

(THIS PAGE INTENSIONALLY LEFT BLANK)