Patent ID: 6183646
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: A61L,B01D,C02F,Y02A,Y10S

Abstract:
A desalinization plant utilizing reverse osmosis membrane media, the permeability of which is adversely affected by the growth of biological organisms on an upstream surface of the reverse osmosis membrane media and which further may be susceptible to adverse effects on permeability caused by chemical reaction with chlorine at levels sufficient to render the biological organisms inactive, the desalinization plant comprising:piping having an inlet to water carrying inorganic material and biological organisms;a pump moving water along the piping;at least one filter along the piping for removing at least some particulate matter from the water;a reverse osmosis cell along the piping downstream of the at least one filter having membrane media for removing inorganic ions from the water;a source of oxidizing agent;a conduit arrangement for delivering a first dosage of the oxidizing agent from the source of oxidizing agent into the piping upstream of the at least one filter and a second dosage of the oxidizing agent upstream of the reverse osmosis cell with the dosage levels of the oxidizing agent being well below that required to inhibit the growth of biological organisms when acting by itself; anda source of copper ions for delivering copper ions into the piping solely upstream of the at least one filter with a dosage level of the copper ions being below that of the oxidizing agent and below that required, when acting on their own, to inhibit growth of biological organisms but sufficient, when acting together with the oxidizing agent to effectively inhibit growth of biological organisms in the at least one filter and on the membrane media, whereby adverse changes in the permeability of the membrane media by growth of biological organisms and detrimental chemical reaction of the membrane media with the oxidizing agent are prevented and an amount of copper ion discharge from the desalinization plant is limited.