초록 ▼

A water-on-water filtration system that includes a filter member and two storage vessels. The system includes a plurality of valves that are controlled to place a first of the storage vessels in a fill state in which the first storage vessel is being filled with filtered water, and concurrently plac

A water-on-water filtration system that includes a filter member and two storage vessels. The system includes a plurality of valves that are controlled to place a first of the storage vessels in a fill state in which the first storage vessel is being filled with filtered water, and concurrently place the second of the storage vessels in a service state in which filtered water held in the second storage vessel is delivered as an output of the filtration system. The filtration system can be configured to supply a constant output of filtered water to meet a constant demand while using a relatively small filter member and relatively small storage vessels.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A filtration system, comprising: at least one reverse osmosis filtration member connected to a feed line, a tank line, and a drain line;an output line to deliver an output flow from the filtration system;first and second water-on-water vessels each configured to alternate between a service state

1. A filtration system, comprising: at least one reverse osmosis filtration member connected to a feed line, a tank line, and a drain line;an output line to deliver an output flow from the filtration system;first and second water-on-water vessels each configured to alternate between a service state and a fill state such that when the first water-on-water vessel is in the fill state, the second water-on-water vessel is in the service state, and when the second water-on-water vessel is in the fill state, the first water-on-water vessel is in the service state, each water-on-water vessel comprising a first container and a second container; wherein, for each vessel: in the service state, the first container is fluidly connected to the output line while the second container is fluidly connected to the feed line; andin the fill state, the first container is fluidly connected to the tank line while fluid in the second container is fluidly connected to the drain line;a plurality of valve members; anda control system configured to control the plurality of valve members to switch between service and fill states for the first and second vessels. 2. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a bypass line coupled in fluid communication with the feed line and the output line and configured to bypass the filtration member and the first and second water-on-water vessels. 3. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein each first water container comprises a compressible portion, the first water container being positioned within the second water container. 4. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein the first and second water-on-water vessels each include a piston movably positioned therein, the piston dividing the water vessel into a filtered water storage space and a delivery water storage space. 5. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein the control system control the plurality of valve members to provide only one of the first and second vessels in a service state at any given time. 6. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein the control system controls the plurality of valve members to automatically switch between service and fill states for the first and second vessels when one of the first and second vessels is in an empty state. 7. The filtration system of claim 3, wherein the first water container is configured to retain filtered water received from the filtration member. 8. The filtration system of claim 7, wherein the service state of the first and second vessel includes an arrangement of the plurality of valves in which the second water container is filled with water to compress the first water container thereby expelling filtered water from the vessel. 9. The filtration system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor associated with each of the first and second vessels, the pressure sensors configured to monitor water pressure and generate a pressure signal used by the control system to determine when to alternate between the service and fill states. 10. A method of delivering filtered water with a water filtration system, the water filtration system including at least one reverse osmosis filtering member connected to a feed line, a tank line, and a drain line, an output line to deliver an output flow from the filtration system, first and second water-on-water storage vessels, a plurality of valves, and a control system, the first and second storage vessels each being configured to alternate between a fill state wherein the storage vessel is filled with filtered water and a service state wherein filtered water is expelled from the storage vessel such that when the first storage vessel is in the fill state, the second storage vessel is in the service state, and when the second storage vessel is in the fill state, the first storage vessel is in the service state, each storage vessel comprising a first container and a second container, wherein for each vessel: in the service state, the first container is fluidly connected to the output line while the second container is fluidly connected to the feed line; and in the fill state, the first container is fluidly connected to the tank line while fluid in the second container is fluidly connected to the drain line, The method comprising:Generating a supply of filtered water with the filtering member;Controlling the plurality of valves with the control system to set the first storage vessel in a fill state and the second storage vessel in a service state; andControlling the plurality of valves with the control system to set the first storage vessel in a service state and the second storage vessel in a fill state. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first storage vessel is set in the fill state when the second storage vessel is set in the service state, and the second storage vessel is set in the fill state when the first storage vessel is set in the service state. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the filtration system further includes a hydraulic accumulator and an output line of the filtration system, the output line connected in fluid communication with the filtered water outputs of each of the first and second vessels. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the filtration system further includes a drain water outlet, the drain water outlet being connected in fluid communication with the a drain outlet of each of the first and second vessels and the filtration member, the method further comprising draining water from the filtration system. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second vessels each including a movable separating member that divides the vessel into a filtered water storage space and a delivery water storage space, wherein in the fill mode the filtered water storage space is filled with the supply of filtered water and the delivery water storage space is drained to atmospheric pressure, and in the service mode the delivery water storage space is filled with water to move the movable separating member thereby expelling the filtered water stored in the filtered water storage space at a predetermined pressure level.