Ways to improve RO/DI efficiency?

[dkelly]

Given the water crisis in metro Atlanta area, I'm investigating ways to improve the efficiency of my RO/DI system.

I currently use a Kent Maxxima Hi-S with a single RO membrane and running tap pressure. This system runs at about a 2/1 ration (waste to RO water).

I'm considering adding 1 or 2 more membranes. Since RO membranes operate efficiently at higher input pressure I might also add a booster pump.

Spectrapure has a system they claim reduces waste water 1/1 ratio.

 

[suasati]

I have used boosterpump, if you want to go that route, add a mixed resin to reduce your TDS, booster pump will increase the TDS you get out of the membrane but will reduce the total waste water.... I just use the waste water to change my fresh water tanks.....

 

[sshindell]

This sounds like a great contest...I wonder if we can figure out how to get a lot of people interested in trying different ideas and then give a monetary prize (or better yet, have one donated) and give out at MACNA. Sort of decreasing the environmental impact of our hobby.

What do people think?

 

[roundman]

Roland Ja..... has already done this as discussed with this post.

 

[roland jacques]

You can achieve 1:1 waste to water ratio by adding more membranes. I choose 3 membranes but it can be done with 2 also. Some pros, few cons
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[roland jacques]

SShindell;92458 wrote: This sounds like a great contest...I wonder if we can figure out how to get a lot of people interested in trying different ideas and then give a monetary prize (or better yet, have one donated) and give out at MACNA. Sort of decreasing the environmental impact of our hobby.

What do people think?

Oops, disregard my previous post, I'm in for the contest.

J/K I do think it should be considered by all. Especially for those who use a lot of water.

 

[roland jacques]

dkelly;92437 wrote:

Spectrapure has a system they claim reduces waste water 1/1 ratio.

Theirs is awesome but cost $900. The filter guys have one runs around $250. DIY for the price of a membrane and a tee fitting and a adjustable resistor, $60-$70.

 

[roundman]

Can I get a diagram with flow of that system that is unbelieveable.

 

[roland jacques]

It pretty straight forward. Just disregard the Black hoses and the blue valves, those are for testing. those were to Just make sure everything worked like I was hoping it would, It did.

The yellow hose is prefiltered tap water.
The blue hose is clean water.
The red hose is waste water

So its just taking the waste from the first membrane and running it to the next. The resistor is after all the membranes.