FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a Reverse Osmosis-Demineralization
plant (RO-DM).
More particularly the present invention relates to an improved system for loading
of resins in a de-mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-
Demineralization plant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The known RO-DM plant is typically designed to have the following sub-systems.
> Pretreatment filtration system
> Filtered water supply system
> Ultra filtration (UF) system
> Reverse Osmosis(RO) system

> Degassing System
> De-Mineralization (DM) unit
> Membrane cleaning and protection system
> Piping and Valves
> Electrical, Controls and Instrumentation
Raw water from a raw water storage tank is pumped and filtered through a set
of dual media filters and collected in filtered water cum backwash tank.
Necessary pretreatment chemical dosing systems are also included in the plant.
The pretreated (filtered) water from the filtered water storage tank is pumped
through an UF membrane block and permeate is collected in a UF break tank.
The water from the UF break tank is pumped through a cartridge filter with
necessary chemical conditioning and pressurized to required pressure by a HP
pump and admitted to the RO membranes. The final brine from a RO bank-2 is
connected to an Energy Recovery Device (ERD). In the ERD, the brine energy is
recovered and transferred to the RO bank-2 feed.
The permeate from RO system is connected to a degasser tower to remove the
entrapped carbon dioxide and is stored in a degassed water storage tank, Then it
is treated in a DM plant, which typically consists of one each Strong Acid Cation
(SAC), and Strong Base Anion (SBA) followed by a Mixed bed (MB) ion
exchangers to achieve the designed quality of the DM water. The chemical
process which occurs in the DM plant is ion exchange through DM resins. During
resin loading the resin is first transferred from containers into polythene bags
which are then taken manually and resin poured into a DM vessel through a
manhole located on the top of the vessel.

This results in spillage of resin as well as increase in the time taken to load the
resin into the vessel. To avoid this spillage of resin and delay in loading.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose an improved system for
loading of resins in a de-mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-
Demineralization plant which reduces the wastage of resins.
Another object of the invention is to propose an improved system for loading of
resins in a de-mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-
Demineralization plant which reduces the wastage of resin which reduces the
time consumption for resin loading.
A further object of the invention is to propose an improved system for loading of
resins in a de-mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-
Demineralization plant which decreases the total man-hour for resin loading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENION
Accordingly, there is provided an improved system for loading of resins in a de-
mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-Demineralization plant,
the system comprising a transfer vessel for transfer of resin from external
sources; a motivating fluid centrifugal pump having a discharge pipe; a modified

inlet of a convergent nozzle connected to said discharge pipe; a diffuser
constituting an outlet of a divergent nozzle connected to an inlet flange of a de-
mineralization vessel via a flexible hose, wherein the transfer vessel is configured
to allow preparation of a resin slurry by mixing resin and water in a ratio of 1:1
and wherein the centrifugal pump is activated and operated at a predetermined
flow and pressure such that a required vacuum is created to suck the resin slurry
from the transfer vessel and deliver to the de-mineralization vessel, the created
vacuum simultaneously enabling supply of resins into the transfer vessel for
preparation of a next batch of resin slurry.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 - shows a schematic unloading arrangement of resins into
demineralization vessel of a Reverse Osmosis - Demineralization (RO-DM) plant
Figure 2 - shows a modified inlet nozzle of the nozzle system according to the
invention.
Figure 3 shows a modified outlet diffuser of the nozzle system according to the
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Resin loading procedure:
According to the invention, the resin to be transferred is converted into a slurry
by mixing with water in a ratio of 1:1 in a resin transfer vessel (5). Inlet (2) of a
convergent nozzle inlet is connected to a motivating fluid centrifugal pump (4).
The outlet (3) of a divergent nozzle (diffuser) is connected with an inlet flange of
a de-mineralization vessel through a flexible hose. The motivating fluid
centrifugal pump (4) is operated at a suitable flow and pressure. Vacuum is
created as a result of this and resin slurry is pulled from the resin transfer vessel
(5) and sent to the demineralization vessel (1). As the resin is being transferred
from the resin transfer vessel (5) to the demineralization vessel (1),
simultaneously the resin transfer vessel (5) is loaded with the resin slurry. When
the required resin quantity is transferred into the vessel (1) the system is shut
down. An isolation valve (6) is also provided.
Formulate used:
1. Bernoulli's equation:
(pl + pg) + (vl2 + 2g) = p2 + pg) + v22 + 2g)
2. Discharge equation:
q = α × √

3. Area

System Design:
Design Requirement
Resin with specific gravity of 1.06 - 1.08 (typically) is transferred from the
container to the vessel, which requires consideration of the following technical
parameters during configuration of the nozzle system:-
i) Inlet pressure
ii) Required suction pressure
iii) Outlet pressure
Design of the inlet nozzle:
The inlet nozzle is designed based on the suction pressure. Inlet has a diameter
of d1 mm and d2 mm and length L1 mm to produce the suction pressure.
Inlet diameter;
q = a1 x v1

Outlet diameter:
q = a2 × V2
Length
Tana = [d1— d2) ÷ 93]
Design of the outlet diffuser:
The outlet diffuser is designed based on the required outlet pressure. Outlet
diffuser has diameter of d3 mm and d4 mm and length of L2mm to produce the
outlet pressure.
Inlet diameter
q = a3 x v3
Outlet diameter
q = a4xv4
Length:
Tan α = [(d4 --- d3) ÷ 100]

WE CLAIM:
1. an improved system for loading of resins in a de-mineralization vessel for
operating a Reverse Osmosis-Demineralization plant, the system
comprising :-
a transfer vessel for transfer of resin from external sources;
a motivating fluid centrifugal pump with a discharge pipe segment;
a modifiedjnlet of a convergent nozzle connected to said discharge pipe
segment; a diffuser constituting an outlet of a divergent nozzle connected
to an inlet flange of a de-mineralization vessel via a flexible hose,
wherein the transfer vessel is configured to allow preparation of a resin slurry
by mixing resin and water in a ratio of 1:1 and wherein the centrifugal pump
is activated and operated at a predetermined flow and pressure such that a
required vacuum is created to suck the resin slurry from the transfer vessel
and deliver to the de-mineralization vessel, the created vacuum
simultaneously enabling supply of resins into the transfer vessel for
preparation of a next batch of resin slurry.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a isolation valve to isolate
the transfer vessel from the nozzle arrangement.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet of the convergent
nozzle is constructed to have a dimension in terms of diameters and
length so as to produce a suction pressure sufficient to transfer resin
slurry consisting of resin with specific gravity between 1.06 to 1.08.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet diffuser is configured
with diameters and length to generate an outlet pressure desired to
transfer the resin slurry pumped by the centrifugal pump from the transfer
pump.

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an improved system for loading of resins in a de
mineralization vessel for operating a Reverse Osmosis-Demineralization plant,
the system comprising a transfer vessel for transfer of resin from external
sources; a motivating fluid centrifugal pump having a discharge pipe; a modified
inlet of a convergent nozzle connected to said discharge pipe; a diffuser
constituting an outlet of a divergent nozzle connected to an inlet flange of a de-
mineralization vessel via a flexible hose, wherein the transfer vessel is configured
to allow preparation of a resin slurry by mixing resin and water in a ratio of 1:1
and wherein the centrifugal pump is activated and operated at a predetermined
flow and pressure such that a required vacuum is created to suck the resin slurry
from the transfer vessel and deliver to the de-mineralization vessel, the created
vacuum simultaneously enabling supply of resins into the transfer vessel for
preparation of a next batch of resin slurry.