US 11,939,234 B2
Optimizing efficiency of a water purification apparatus
Henrik Lindgren, Genarp (SE); and Per-Ola Wictor, Stehag (SE)
Assigned to Baxter International Inc., Deerfield, IL (US); and Baxter Healthcare SA., Glattpark (CH)
Appl. No. 16/960,699
Filed by BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC., Deerfield, IL (US); and BAXTER HEALTHCARE SA, Glattpark (CH)
PCT Filed Jan. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/051042
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 8, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/141724, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1850058-7 (SE), filed on Jan. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0354232 A1, Nov. 12, 2020
Int. Cl. C02F 1/00 (2023.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01); C02F 1/469 (2023.01)
CPC C02F 1/008 (2013.01) [C02F 1/441 (2013.01); C02F 1/4691 (2013.01); C02F 1/4695 (2013.01); B01D 2311/2523 (2022.08); C02F 2209/003 (2013.01); C02F 2209/006 (2013.01); C02F 2209/05 (2013.01); C02F 2209/40 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for optimizing efficiency of a water purification apparatus comprising a fluid circuit including a reverse osmosis (RO) unit that provides a permeate flow, and an electrically controlled deionization unit downstream from the RO unit that receives at least part of the permeate flow, the method comprising:
obtaining, using a sensor, a current or voltage value indicative of power consumption by the electrically controlled deionization unit;
determining whether the obtained current or voltage value meets at least one power consumption criterion; and
controlling, using one or more valve units, recirculation of reject water produced by the water purification apparatus based on whether the obtained current or voltage value meets the at least one power consumption criterion, wherein the controlling comprises at least one of:
increasing the recirculation of reject water in response to determining that the obtained current or voltage value indicative of power consumption is below a first threshold, or
decreasing the recirculation of reject water in response to determining that the obtained current or voltage value indicative of power consumption is above a second threshold.