Operations and Maintenance Manual
E4H Series Water Purification Machines
5
1. DESCRIPTION
Your E-Series reverse osmosis (RO) machine is a durable piece of equipment which, with proper
care, will last for many years. These instructions give operation and maintenance details vital
to the sustained performance of the machine. Please read this manual completely before
operating your machine.
1.1 Definitions
The operating definitions provided below will help you further understand your machine and
this manual.
1.1.1 Permeate Rate (Product Water Rate) [Qp]
The flow rate of purified water, which has passed through the membrane and out of the
membrane element , expressed in gal/min (gpm) or gal/hr (gph) or liter/min (lpm) or cubic
meters/hour (m
3
/h). Specified permeate rates are based on a feed water temperature of 77 °F
(25°C). Permeate rate will vary with temperature.
1.1.2 Concentrate Rate (Reject Rate) [Qc]
The flow rate of water containing rejected solids to drain in gpm or gph (lpm or m
3
/h).
1.1.3 Feed Rate [Qf ]
The flow rate of incoming water in gpm or gph (lpm or m
3
/h). Feed water rate equals permeate
rate plus concentrate rate.
1.1.4 Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Reverse osmosis is the separation of one component of a solution from another component by
means of pressure exerted on a semipermeable membrane. In other words, reversing the
natural passage of a liquid from a concentrated solution to a more dilute solution by using
external pressure. Removal of ionic, organic, and suspended /dissolved impurities occurs
during the RO process. Unlike a filter, which separates by “normal” filtration, the membrane
element separates using a process called cross flow filtration. Feed water solution is
separated in to two streams, permeate and concentrate, and collected from both sides of the
membrane. A semipermeable RO membrane, under sufficient pressure, allows passage of
purified water while rejecting and concentrating dissolved and suspended solids.