Patent ID: 9360848
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: B01D,C02F,G05B,Y02A,Y02W

Claim Text:
1. A reverse-osmosis water desalination plant comprising: a reverse-osmosis membrane unit comprising an inlet, a first outlet for delivering filtered water, and a second outlet for delivering a concentrate, a duct through which passes the total flow rate of resource water, which is to be treated by the membrane unit, said duct being divided into a first duct and a second duct, a first portion of the resource water flowing through the first duct, which connects the first portion of the resource water to an inlet of at least one high-pressure pump, an outlet of the high-pressure pump connecting the first portion of the resource water to the inlet of the membrane unit, and a second portion of the resource water flowing through the second duct, a means for adjusting a flow rate of the high-pressure pump, this means comprising an adjustable valve installed on the outlet of the high-pressure pump and/or a drive motor for driving the high-pressure pump at variable speed, an energy collector configured to transfer pressure of the concentrate leaving the membrane unit to the second portion of the resource water and to mix a first portion of the concentrate with the second portion of the resource water, the energy collector comprising: an adjustable control valve fitted to the second outlet of the energy collector, wherein the adjustable control valve is positioned to adjust a conversion ratio of the reverse-osmosis desalination plant, a plurality of sensors positioned to generate sensor signals based on a plurality of detected operating parameters, the plurality of operating parameters comprising pressure, flow rate, temperature, and salinity ratio, control loops that maintain the various operating parameters detected by the sensors at a setpoint value, a programmable controller coupled to the sensors to receive the sensor signals and configured to determine, based on the sensor signals, a combination of setpoint values for: which makes it possible to minimize the energy consumption of the reverse-osmosis desalination plant, these optimal setpoint values being situated within limits ensuring the quantities and qualities of water produced and operability of the reverse-osmosis water desalination plant, wherein the programmable controller outputs said optimal setpoint values to said control loops to adjust one or more of the flow rate of the high-pressure pump, the control means for adjusting the ratio of the mixture, and the adjustable control valve, so as to minimize energy consumption of the reverse osmosis desalination plant.