Wholly H2O - Mainstreaming Efficient Water (Re)Use

The Water Shield Low/No Waste Membrane Treatment System design can be used to purify a municipal or well water source; while minimizing and in many cases eliminating system concentrate that ordinarily must be wasted to drain when using processes, such as reverse osmosis for water purification or nanofiltration for softening. The core of the Water Shield design is a unique open-loop recirculation flow pattern that utilizes a pressurized recirculation tank with control system; allowing controlled dilution of the concentrate to render it potable and able to be reused at on-site locations for residential, commercial, industrial or institutional applications.

The patented "open-loop recirculation flow pattern" is a flow pattern that allows concentrated salts and minerals to accumulate inside a recirculation tank, which is also connected to existing piping in a building feeding water-use fixtures. From the recirculation tank, salts and minerals are diluted to allow the membrane process to operate as normal, even though no (or minimal) concentrate actually goes to drain.

Without any water being used at a location, salts and minerals that build up during a membrane process will be diluted inside the recirculation tank. However, the use of water fixtures at a location (such as faucets, toilets, etc.) permits further dilution of concentrated salts and minerals inside the recirculation tank and connected piping distribution system.

The size of the recirculation tank varies depending upon the application. For instance, to create a zero-waste residential drinking water system, a recirculation tank volume of approximately 2-gallons works well. For a water softening application at a restaurant, a volume of 50 - 100 gallons is necessary to insure salts and minerals can be sufficiently diluted by the random use of water at a location.