Production Mode; Reject; Permeate; Spent Driving Water - Kinetico K5 Manual

K5 Drinking Water Station

Production Mode

Reject

Feed water is split into permeate and reject by the RO membrane. Reject exits the membrane
cartridge via the outer port and flows to an area under the reject flow control. Reject water flows
upward through the flow control screen and orifice, through the drain path and reject exits the
system manifold via the port with the red collet.

Permeate

Permeate exits the center port of the membrane cartridge. It flows upward through the path of
least resistance towards the depressurized storage tank. Permeate is slowly passed through the
two auxiliary cartridges entering the outer ring and exiting the center chamber of each in series.
Permeate then flows into the inside of the bladder on the WOW tank.

Spent Driving Water

As the inside of the bladder receives permeate from the membrane, the drive water on the
outside of the bladder simultaneously is forced out of the system via the vent valve. It then goes
to the drain chamber, and exits the unit along with reject from the reject flow control.
Production Shutoff
When the inside of the bladder is full of permeate water, the permeate pressure quickly rises
from near zero and begins to fill the remaining chambers in the system. First, the spring-loaded
flush accumulator fills. It begins at 5 psi and completely fills to 200 ml at 25 psi. Next, the upper
signal chamber is filled to slightly higher than 2/3 line pressure. This permeate pressure defeats
the feed pressure and closes the drive valve. The lower effective hydraulic area is reduced as
only the center remains under pressure after the outer annular area is vented through the reject
flow control.
Permeate Flush, Standby Mode
When the RO control shuts off the feed water, the reject flow control continues to drain the
residual pressure of the membrane. It is at this time the stored flush water can now escape to
the depressurized membrane feed port. The accumulator spring forces 200 ml of permeate to
the feed side of the membrane, then to drain via the reject flow control.
After the permeate flush, the unit is in standby mode and all flows incoming and outgoing cease.
Inside the bladder the permeate side of the storage tank is pressurized. Outside the storage
tank bladder the drive water side remains vented. The faucet, post filter, and the top signal
chambers remain pressurized.
Begin Delivery, Restart Production
The customer opens the tap which depressurizes the signal ports, and the permeate side of the
storage tank. Drive water at line pressure lifts the drive valve and holds it up with the now larger
effective hydraulic area beneath. Drive water simultaneously flows to the inside of the WOW
tank bladder and to the top of the vent valve. This causes two things to occur. First, the vent
valve is forced down as the pressure approaches 12 psi (see pre-production mode description).
Shutting the vent valve prevents major loss of driving water. Secondly, driving water flows to
Drinking Water Systems
Revised: 09/2016 Section 7
Page 9