Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove larger particles from drinking water. In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used to overcome osmotic pressure, a colligative property, that is driven by chemical potential, a thermodynamic parameter.
The Crystal Quest© Difference
How Does Osmosis Work?
To get a sense of how a reverse osmosis system works, you need to understand osmosis. A naturally occurring phenomenon, osmosis is when weak solutions migrate toward stronger solutions. For example, if you have a container with a very salty solution and a not-so-salty solution, separated by a permeable membrane, the less salty solution starts to move toward the more, salty solution.
In nature, this happens when plants absorb water from the soil into their roots, and in humans, this process happens when your kidneys absorb water from your blood.
How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?
Reverse osmosis is simply the opposite of the natural process explained above. In other words, with reverse osmosis, the stronger solution moves toward the weaker solution. To make this possible, you have to add energy to the stronger solution so that it can push through the membrane and get to the weaker solution.
To create filtration through this process, you need to have a semi permeable membrane that allows the water to pass through but not any minerals, bacteria, or other unwanted contaminants.
Residential Freshwater Reverse Osmosis
A reverse osmosis whole house system relies on the process of reverse osmosis to provide clean and healthy water for your home. With many filtration systems, the contaminants stay in the filter, and you change the filter as it gets saturated. With reverse osmosis whole house systems, the contaminants get released in a separate stream that goes down the drain or a waste pipe, rather than into the filter.
Commercial Freshwater Reverse Osmosis
Crystal Quest provides commercial and industrial water filters, water conditioning, water treatment and reverse osmosis solutions for apartment complexes, dry cleaners, restaurants, food services, vending, health clubs, laundries, nursing homes, factories, schools, office complexes, car washes, resorts, manufacturers, breweries, hospitals, food processing, dairies, hotels & motels, condominium complexes, boiler pre-treatment, farms, distilleries, beauty salons, and many other businesses and industrial or government complexes.
Industrial Freshwater Reverse Osmosis
Our industrial ro systems are offered with a variety of options such as pre and post treatment equipment, distribution pumps and integrated controls for a complete water treatment solution. The Thunder RO Systems are skid mounted, pre plumbed, and pre wired allowing for quick installation and start up. A variety of membrane types are available including low energy, brackish and low fouling, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration.
Desalination Reverse Osmosis
These systems are designed and engineered for seawater applications requiring capacities ranging from 600 to 7,000 gallons per day.
Our Shark RO Systems for Desalination are equipped with premium components, including a 316 plunger-type pump for high performance and corrosion resistance, a high-grade corrosion resistant aluminum frame, a programmable computer controller with many built-in features, and fiberglass membrane housings for durability.
Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis
Brackish water or briny water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. Brackish water is also the primary waste product of the salinity gradient power process.
Our standard features are what make us stand out.
Our standard features are what make us stand out.
Crystal Quest© Reverse Osmosis water filtration systems are manufactured with the highest-quality Scientific World Products© components for guaranteed reliable performance.
Low and High Pressure Switch:
A pressure switch is a safety device that will protect your RO system from damage by stopping the water when your water pressure is too high or too low.
Pressure Guages
Dual standard pressure guages let you not only know if there is an issue, but will also help show you exactly where the issue is.
Prefilters
Having multiple prefilters will help extend the life of your membranes as well as increase the overall life of your system.
Stainless Steel Membrane Housings
All systems come standard with stainless steel membrane housings making for a well protected, great looking system.
High Quality RO Membranes
An RO System is only as good as the memranes. This is why we only source the highest quality, yet most cost-effective membranes for your system.
RO Motor/Pump
Our systems are equipped with high performance, durable motors that will provide for a reliable, long-lasting system for many years to come.
Lightweight Frame
Every frame is made with a high-strength, yet lightweight, frame making for easy moving and long-lasting durability.
Powder-coat Finish
Each system has a white powder coat finish. This provides for a great, long-lasting look as well as resistance to chips, scratches, and fading.
Quality Components
By using all high-quality plastic tubing, plumbing, and components, our systems require less maintenance and repairs over the years.
Optional Add-On:
TDS Meter: Feedline, Permeate, or Both
A TDS meter is a digital device used to indicate the Total Dissolved Solids in water. Since dissolved ionized solids, such as salts and minerals such as calcium and magnesium, increase the conductivity of a solution, a TDS meter measures the conductivity of the solution and estimates the TDS from that reading.
Control Panel
The Control Panel of a Reverse Osmosis water system monitors the functionality of the reverse osmosis water filter. Features include valve relay, temperature, operating time set, pressure switch, and flow meter(s). Crystal Quest Reverse Osmosis control panels can be designed to meet the specific needs of the water system.
Autoflush
An auto flush valve is recommended to prevent scaling or fouling of the reverse osmosis membranes. The valve releases a high pressure rinse which will rid the system of impurities and keep the membrane clean.
Recirculation
The main purpose of a concentrate recycle loop in a reverse osmosis system is to reduce the amount of concentrate or waste water flowing to the drain. Recycle loops are also used to maintain an optimum flow velocity across the membrane surface and reduce individual membrane recovery.
A recycle loop takes a portion of the concentrate flow which would have otherwise gone to drain and returns it to the feed of the RO pump in a continuous loop. Reducing the concentrate flow to drain achieves a higher system “recovery” percentage. Pump sizing needs to take the additional flow coming from the concentrate recycle loop into consideration.
Concentrating the waste stream to a higher degree can only be done to a certain point before fouling will occur in the membranes. This fouling point will vary with each feed water.
Pre-Treatment
Nothing has a greater effect on a reverse osmosis system than the feed water quality.
NOTE: It is very important to meet the minimum feed water requirements. Failure to do so will cause the membranes to foul
and void the warranty
Pre-treatment is required based on feedwater condition. Contamination guidelines must be followed for the Reverse Osmosis system to produce quality drinking-water and to work at optimum level. If contamination guidelines are not followed correctly, and pre-treatment is not added with poor feedwater condition, the system will malfunction, and the membrane will be exhausted damage and low quality permeate. Hard water will build a shield around the membrane and create more wastewater and shorten the life of the membrane.
| Feed Water Conditions | MCLs* | Feed Water Conditions | MCLs* |
|
Free Chlorine |
<0 ppm |
Maganese |
<0.05 ppm |
|
Total Dissolved Solid |
<2000 ppm |
Organics |
<1 ppm |
|
Turbidity (SDI) |
<5 |
Silica |
<1 ppm |
|
pH |
3-11 |
Iron |
<2 ppm in Concentration |
|
Temperature |
40 F - 105 F |
Hardness |
<15gpg |
A Dosing System is needed if your water is harsh and requires additional help with difficult contaminants such as high or permanent hardness, high or low pH as well as addressing bacterial or metal concerns. Depending on the need, a specific solution is injected into the concentrate flow before it reaches the filtration system itself. The solutions we offer can prevent scale build-up, pre-filter foulant water, enhance or reduce a pH, eliminate bacteria growth and oxidize metals as required.
Post-Treatment
When water goes through a reverse osmosis system, it strips and makes water acidic. For a healthy pH range, between 6.4-84, remineralization must occur. If consumption of water is low, a UV light is often recommended to ensure that any microorganism that grow in the tank are eliminated.
Storage Tank
The storage tank kit is essential in turning your Reverse Osmosis system into an effective "Whole House" Reverse Osmosis system. The Storage Tank will stay filled with water by the RO System and the use of the float switches. The Reboosterizer Pump will pump water from the tank through to the pipes in your home. If at any point your water level drops below the float switch, the RO System will cut on to start refilling the tank.
The storage tank kit is necessary to create this "buffer" between your RO system and your home. It makes it to where you will not run out of clean water. During peak water consumption times, most RO systems will not produce enough flow directly out of the system, so a storage tank kit is required
Membrane Technology
Determining the accurate membrane and module for your system is necessary to achieve your desired filtration. Scientific World Products consists of an exceptional and driven team of engineers and manufacturers therefore we are committed to providing the best water filtration membranes and components for your systems.
Desal/Seawater Membranes will separate dissolved salts and other minerals from your water. Feed-water sources may include brackish, seawater, wells, surface (rivers and streams), wastewater, and industrial feed and process waters. Seawater requires pre-treatment to remove various contaminants such as organics, algae, and fine particles.
Crystal Quest RO Membranes, are among the finest in the industry. Crystal Quest Membranes are made of a high quality of thin film composite from ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities. For over 30 years Crystal Quest Membrane elements have earned the reputation of consistent quality.
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SHARK© Desal/Seawater
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VIPER© Brackish Water
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THUNDER© Freshwater
SHARK© Seawater Filtration
Desalination is a filtration process that removes mineral components from saline, or, sea/salt water. Desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in soil desalination, which is an issue for agriculture.
Crystal Quest Shark RO Systems for Desalination are equipped with premium components, including a 316 plunger-type pump for high performance and corrosion resistance, a high-grade corrosion resistant aluminum frame, a programmable computer controller with many built-in features, and fiberglass membrane housings for durability. These systems are designed and engineered for seawater applications requiring capacities ranging from 600 to 7,000 gallons per day.
- Freshwater - Less than 1,000 ppm
- Slightly saline water - From 1,000 ppm to 3,000 ppm
- Moderately saline water - From 3,000 ppm to 10,000 ppm
- Highly saline water - From 10,000 ppm to 35,000 ppm
- Ocean water contains 35,000 ppm of salt
VIPER© Wastewater Filtration
The Viper Reverse Osmosis Systems for Brackish Water is designed for overall superior performance, high recovery rates, minimal energy consumption and offers great savings with low maintenance and operation costs.
This Commercial RO System featurse a new, innovative and expandable design which utilizes fewer fittings and connections. These systems feature only the highest quality components, including a programmable computer controller with many built-in standard features, a stainless steel booster pump for high performance and corrosion resistance, low energy membranes and fiberglass membrane housings for enhanced performance and durability.
The VIPER Series Commercial RO Systems have been engineered for capacities ranging from 1,500-180,000 gallons per day.
THUNDER© Freshwater Filtration
Thunder Industrial Systems utilize reverse osmosis (RO) technology to produce high purity water by reducing contaminants such a dissolved minerals, particulates and organic impurities. These systems are engineered using the highest quality components and materials for reliable operation and exceptional performance. Our standard systems are available with water outputs ranging from 15-360 GPM (21,600-518,400 GPD).
Our industrial ro systems are offered with a variety of options such as pre and post treatment equipment, distribution pumps and integrated controls for a complete water treatment solution. The Thunder RO Systems are skid mounted, pre plumbed, and pre wired allowing for quick installation and start up. A variety of membrane types are available including low energy, brackish and low fouling, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration.