FCI Watermakers MAX-Q+ - Page 6

FCI WATERMAKERS, INC. 6FCI WATERMAKERS, INC. General
PRESSURE
e operating pressure has a direct eect on product water quality and quantity.
Both factors will increase as the system pressure increases (within design limits).
e system must be operated at the lowest pressure required to achieve
the designed product water ow rate. is parameter also minimizes
compaction, which occurs faster at higher pressures and temperatures.
At low temperatures or high salinity feed water, the system will have to operate at
higher than normal pressure to maintain the specied amount of product water
ow. is is normal and is due to the design characteristics of the system.
SPIRALWOUND MEMBRANE
e spiral‑wound membrane consists of multiple membrane envelopes, each
formed by enclosing a channelized product water carrying material between two
large at membrane sheets. e membrane envelope is sealed on three edges with
a special adhesive and attached with the adhesive to a small diameter pipe.
A polypropylene screen is used to form the feed water channel between the membrane
envelopes. A wrap is applied to the membrane element to maintain the cylindrical
conguration. e center tube is also the permeate (product water) collecting channel.
Several elements may be connected in series within single pressure vessel
or multiple pressure vessels.
WATER TEMPERATURE EFFECT
e product water ow through the membrane is signicantly aected
by the water temperature. At any given pressure, this ow increases with
increasing water temperature and is reduced at lower temperatures. e system
pressure will need to be adjusted to maintain a precise amount of product
water ow. For systems with APC, this adjustment will be automatic.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS (continued)