CENTRIFUGAL CLARIFIER FOR PRETREATMENT OF ROWPU FEED

TO PRODUCE POTABLE WATER FROM NATURAL WATER SOURCES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL IN THE FIELD, THE U.S. ARMY IS DEVELOPING A NEW CLASS OF WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEMS UTILIZING REVERSE OSMOSIS TECHNOLOGY. THE FIRST OF THESE REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION UNITS (ROWPU) HAS BEEN DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 600 GPH OF POTABLE WATER AND IS DIVIDED INTO TWO BASIC SUBSYSTEMS, A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM AND AN INITIAL PRETREATMENT SYSTEM. THE FILTRATION COMPONENTS OF THE PRETREATMENT SYSTEM (MIXED MEDIA FILTER, CARTRIDGE FILTER, BACKFLUSH PUMP AND BOOSTER PUMP) ARE ESTIMATED TO WEIGH IN EXCESS OF 1800 LB, OCCUPY APPROXIMATELY 30 FT3 AND UTILIZE A MAXIMUM OF 13.5 HP. SINCE THIS UNIT MUST BE AIR TRANSPORTABLE AND CAPABLE OF AIRDROP DELIVERY, THE TOTAL UNIT WEIGHT AND SIZE HAS BEEN APPROPRIATELY REDUCED. REDUCING THE SIZE AND WEIGHT WILL IMPROVE THE ROWPU'S TRANSPORTABILITY. THE ALTERNATE PRETREATMENT SYSTEM BEING PROPOSED USES A CENTRIFUGAL CLARIFIER TO REPLACE THE MIXED MEDIA FILTER AND CARTRIDGE FILTER, WHILE ELIMINATING THE BACKFLUSH AND BOOSTER PUMPS. THIS PROPOSED CHANGE ACCORDING TO INITIAL ESTIMATES WILL REDUCE THE WEIGHT, SIZE AND TOTAL POWER REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRESENT ROWPU BY AT LEAST 1475 LB, 20 FT3 AND 9 HP, RESPECTIVELY.