Gravity Fed Reverse Osmosis System

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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Manhattan63

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 3, 2011
17
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Bucks, UK
The water supply at my house isn't on a water meter, so I'm thinking I can use a water bowser (on a trailer) to move water down to my fish room which is down the lane (only a few 100 metres) in a farm unit (which has metered water).

Then I'll have an issue of no water pressure for putting through an RO filter. Does anyone have experience of a gravity-fed RO system that can filter a large amount of water daily (bigger than the Berkey style things)?
 
Most RO units need around 60 PSI or more to operate efficiently. I run my 70 GPD unit on 40 PSI with a cold water supply only and it works great. If you already have the RO unit, hook it up to your sink, test it, hook it up to the water supply you describe above and test that. Compare the two and it they are consitent you may be good to go. This is opinion based, not personal experience BTW. GL
 
A reverse osmosis booster pump appropriately sized for the RO filter can provide all the pressure required. Priming it might be slightly tricky though since the line pressure is usually what fills the pump with water.
 
I've seen the pumped filters (designed to help those with low water pressures) but these seem to want 10-15 psi minimum to work, plus obviously cost money to run. The 'booster' pumps that you can attach to regular RO filters are only recommended to use an hour at a time (and then 2 hours cool down).

I'll have to put my thinking cap on (or google it) and work out some gravity pressures. If I can store the water in a deep enough container, I might be able to get a decent pressure from gravity alone.
 
Hmmm...I have an Aquatec 8800 and there's no minimum PSI for the feed water indicated. It also states that it's intended for continuous use.

I can't think of a reason why a booster pump would need a 10-15 psi minimum if it has no problems being primed.

Katadyn makes survival RO desalinators that likely have no inlet pressure as they're intended to draw water from the sea:

http://www.katadyn.com/caen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-desalinators/

The pumps do use energy to operate but the creation of a concentration gradient creates order in the universe which, due to entropy, requires energy.

You could use gravity but the work will be done by the pump that fills up the cistern or whatever you do to obtain the gravitational potential energy that forces the water through the RO membrane.
 
Thanks for this healthy talk I was just about to make the thread. but i think i have to study more on this do anyone have bet source to know more
 
If you cover an open water tank with clear plastic sheet outdoors, you can catch the condensation to get pure (soft - low mineral) water with no need for water pressure or electricity. It's easy to upscale if you have space and far more water efficient than RO.

Or catch rain water ...
 
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