Patent ID: 7186331

Claim:
A monitoring unit for monitoring the condition of a semi-permeable membrane, the monitoring unit comprising a flow chamber having a feed fluid inlet for permitting ingress of a feed fluid into the flow chamber; a fluid permeable support member for supporting a semi-permeable test membrane in the flow chamber, the support member constituting a base portion of the flow chamber such that feed fluid entering the flow chamber passes at least in part through the support member; at least one fluid outlet arranged in fluid communication with the flow chamber for permitting egress of fluid from the monitoring unit after having passed through the test membrane; and an inspection window for permitting visual inspection of the semi-permeable test membrane, the inspection window being oriented substantially parallel to and spaced from the support member such that the flow chamber is defined intermediate the support member and the inspection window; the monitoring unit being located in-line with a reverse osmosis water purification system having the semi permeable membrane intermediate a feed fluid tank and the semi-permeable membrane for monitoring fouling of the semi-permeable membrane.