Water Filter Design

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I'm a long time lurker here (I've been ghosting this forum for most of a decade) but this is my first time posting.

What I am seeking is the opinion of people who know these things better than I do. I have enough experience plumbing to competently install a bathroom but this project is an ambitious reach that has involved much research and the words of someone who actually knows these things are of high value to one such as myself who is just figuring such things out on my own. I'm designing a water filter for myself. My life plan involves building myself a homestead (at least) and a small community (at best). In the interests of staying on-topic let us suffice it to say that I know the capacity of this system is large and this is a deliberate choice to serve the wants of an ambitious future. The advice I come here seeking is not about 'scaling it down'.
With all that being said, here is my draft of the system:
Eas Aqua - Phase 1.png


...and my parts list (items in bold have already been acquired):
Pressure Tank Assembly #1: System/filter pressure (95 psi?)
  • Ball Valve, 1-1/4" FNPT, Full Port, Stainless Steel - B E Pressure Part#91.200.006
  • Cycle Stop Valve - CSV2W1.25T50120 Pump Control Valve, 50 psi-120 psi - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A6IKZJ6/ - $366 USD (June 3, 2016)
  • Tank T - 1.25 x 14 Tank Tee Kit with Union- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XLRWZ8Y/ - $220USD (June 3, 2016)
    • Relief Valve - 100 psi, stainless - included in kit (Make sure to specify/confirm 100psi, or possibly up to 105-110?)
    • Discharge Valve - stainless - included in kit
    • Pressure Gauge - stainless - included in kit
    • Pressure Switch - 40/60 M4 Square D Switch - Low Pressure Cut-Off Switch (20psi) - included in kit (reqest preset for 75/97)
  • Expansion Tank - Flexcon WWT 120 - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002YRC6F4/
  • Ball Valve, 1-1/4" FNPT, Full Port, Stainless Steel - B E Pressure Part#91.200.006
  • Union, 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-69012
  • Tee - 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-62012
  • Reducer bushing, 1" MNPT-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe SS316-66010X02
  • Pressure Gauge, 1/4" MNPT, 2-1/2" Dial, 0-160 psi Range, 1.6% Accuracy, Stainless Steel 316 Wetted Parts, Bottom Mount - REOTEMP PR25S1A4P19
  • Filter Housing - Pentek BBFS-222 - Filters: 20"x4.5" Big Blue, 1-1/4" FNPT - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003VT5ES0/
  • Tee - 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-62012
    • Reducer bushing, 1" MNPT-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe SS316-66010X02
    • Pressure Gauge, 1/4" MNPT, 2-1/2" Dial, 0-160 psi Range, 1.6% Accuracy, Stainless Steel 316 Wetted Parts, Bottom Mount - REOTEMP PR25S1A4P19
  • Filter Housing - Pentek BBFS-222 - Filters: 20"x4.5" Big Blue, 1-1/4" FNPT
  • Tee - 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-62012
  • Reducer bushing, 1" MNPT-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe SS316-66010X02
  • Pressure Gauge, 1/4" MNPT, 2-1/2" Dial, 0-160 psi Range, 1.6% Accuracy, Stainless Steel 316 Wetted Parts, Bottom Mount - REOTEMP PR25S1A4P19
  • Doulton Rio - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NOC14VK/- $286 CAD (October 17, 2016)
  • Tee - 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-62012
  • Reducer bushing, 1" MNPT-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe SS316-66010X02
  • Pressure Gauge, 1/4" MNPT, 2-1/2" Dial, 0-160 psi Range, 1.6% Accuracy, Stainless Steel 316 Wetted Parts, Bottom Mount - REOTEMP PR25S1A4P19
Pressure Tank Assembly #2: Distribution/house pressure (60 psi?)
  • Tank T - 1.25 x 14 Tank Tee Kit with Union
    • Relief Valve - 100 psi, stainless - included in kit (Make sure to specify/confirm 100psi, or possibly up to 105-110?)
    • Discharge Valve - stainless - included in kit
    • Pressure Gauge - stainless - included in kit
    • Pressure Switch - 40/60 M4 Square D Switch - Low Pressure Cut-Off Switch (20psi) - included in kit (reqest preset for 75/97)
  • Expansion Tank - Flexcon WWT 80 - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002YR8496/
  • Check Valve, 1.25" FNPT, Stainless - Flomatic MODEL #4202SS2
  • Union, 1-1/4" FNPT, Stainless 316 - Trenton Pipe Part#SS316-69012
  • Ball Valve, 1-1/4" FNPT, Full Port, Stainless Steel - B E Pressure Part#91.200.006
-> Return to bypass -> Water Output

Connections:
  • many of the connections between fittings/fixtures will be done with short (3"?) nipples
    • a count of the needed nipples still has to be done
  • longer distances will be covered be Uponor Pex-a with stainless expansion fittings
    • the 1" stainless fittings were a special order, minimum quantity of 10 from Wolseley and are sitting waiting, as is a 100' coil of 1" tubing
 
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*sigh* I spent time moving my post to a word processor to count characters to get it below 10000... once safely there the forum would still not let me post due to the 10000 character limit. Lame. With time wasted her is the tail end of the above post:

My system design logic is as follows:
  1. the first pressure tank will be what pushes the water through the filter blocks rather than the pump directly
  2. the pump raises the pressure to 95 psi (to stay within the 100 psi system limit) first and the water is pushed through the filters at this pressure, then allowed to accumulate at a lower pressure for distribution
    1. filtration is more effective/efficient at higher pressures
    2. (is a pressure regulator needed in here to make this work the way I want it to?)
    3. pressure gauges before and after each filter element will allow monitoring of pressure drops which will indicate the need for filter cleanings/changes
      1. it will be easy to retrofit the system to add electronic sensors to automate this task, most likely with arduino
    4. the first filter block is a multistage sediment removal system where all elements are cleanable/reusable
      1. this level of prefiltration should greatly preserve the life of the downstream filters
...That's my bit. Many of the parts are a US order, which is less than ideal for me right now as a Canadian. To mitigate this circumstance as much as possible I will order everything at once which leaves me needing to finalize my purchase list entirely in advance right now so I can proceed with the actual assembly which I hope to follow by enjoying it and reaping its benefits for the rest of my life.

I eagerly await the thoughts of the community. Valveman, I especially want to see what you have to say... you are the expert on cycle stop valves and I have spent years developing a high appreciation for your knowledge of fluid dynamics.
 

Valveman

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Well thanks but you are way over my head on the filter stuff. I don't see where you say what is in the water that needs filtering? This would help others that know more about filters.

The pump and CSV look like what you need for that flow and pressure. I am just not much help with filters, sorry.
 

Reach4

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Your diagram is not readable. You can upload up to 800 pixels in the biggest dimension. Yours is 448. To go even bigger, put the picture on a different service and link to that.
 
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Sorry about that; the diagram took up a whole screen in Dia so I assumed it would appear bigger. Here's an 800px copy:
Eas Aqua - Phase 1 (800px).png

I'll look into upping a link to a bigger one shortly. Valveman, I'm pretty solid on the filtration part of the filter... I think I've researched that more than just about anyone would. I was hoping for comments on the plumbing itself (remove this check valve, re-position that union, etc).
 

Reach4

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This one is mostly readable. I am not a pro, but I have some comments. They are not comprehensive; your overall design looks complex. You could make your diagram a little less intimidating by representing a tee by just having lines that connect together. The tee would be presumed. No need to show the reducers for the pressure gauges.

If you want comments, I suggest that your pieces and tee points have labels (numbers/letters) so that somebody might comment on a point without having to use a narrative to describe where the comment applies to.

Water source -- is that city water? Gravity-fed water that is pressurized?
I had to look up Thermowell (its a probe sleeve that protects a thermometer probe). If your purpose is to measure water temperature, the sensor should be in the water you are trying to measure. I don't have a suggested sensor, but I know that putting that at a leg of a tee is not going to work.
You have a both a variable speed drive for a booster pump and a Cycle Stop Valve. That is odd.
Your booster pump output would go to a pressure tank and pressure switch/sensor without a ball valve in the way. If the valve got closed, that would make your pump deadhead without a relief valve . I presume Expansion Tank #1 is your pressure tank.
What is Expansion Tank#2 with relief valve for? Is that for thermal expansion?
Using 6 big blue filter housings with cartridges for filtering is probably not the best way. I don't know what you are filtering, but bigger backwashing filters are more likely the way to accomplish that. In planning water treatment, you want a lab water test to help determine what you need.

What is that rectangle with a label that looks like "Deulton Rio" ? I snipped an area of your picture, and in one copy used Paint 4 point type to replace the labels:
img_4.png

I downloaded DIA, and saved this with Export Pixbuf [PNG]
img_5.png
That was 310 pixels wide. I reduced by 50% in Irfanview:
IMG_6.png
I can see that is getting harder to read.


Your path across the top between the tees is a bypass in case the lower part is out of operation. The two check valves are to prevent backfeeding between the two paths.
 
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Hey Reach4, thanks for taking the time for me. :) Ok, let's see:
  • Sorry about the complexity of the drawing and its readibility; things like tees are in there because they are a part that must be ordered and counting the exact number of such to make a parts list for ordering purposes has value to me. I'm using the drawn lines to infer the presence of either nipples (which as I mentioned I was thinking of using 3" long stainless pieces for but which I haven't sourced yet and added to my shopping list)
  • Yes the top is a bypass and yes that is what those check valves are for; the unions are there so that that assembly can be easily cleaned, and the ball valve that occurs before the actual system and its strainer is a 3-part for the same reason
  • The thermowell actually has a threaded fitting and will screw into one end of the tee and extend quite a ways down (5-6" as I recall) exposing that part of the 'well' to the water and its temperature. The sensor goes into this from the outside so that it is reading the temperature of the water which the well is in contact with. This saves contact between the sensor and the water itself and allows for easy changes of the sensor without de-pressurizing the system.
  • VFDs convert single-phase to three-phase... nothing else. Since my long-term setup (whenever that gets to happen) intends eventual 3-phase powerthis element is somewhat temporary. I am currently considering swapping the motor on my pump to a smaller single-phase motor for the interim as having a spare motor around in the long run seems like a good thing
    • Just last night I purchased a used Grundfos CR8 with a 7hp WEG motor. It was being decommissioned from a car wash and was very much the right price. Since this has a capacity that vastly exceeds my current wants I have a lot of headroom to lose in terms of pump capacity. I would appreciate any thought anyone has to offer on this?
  • Bigger backwashing filters are what I am currently calling 'phase 2' of this project. I will still be able to have a cleanable sediment pre-filter in front of them (that would be one triple BB housing); I think that this will probably be more useful when I'm running on lake/river water and sediments will be more of a problem than chemical contaminants. I have in my head that my target date for implementing that system upgrade is the EOL for my catalytic carbon filter. At such point as this upgrade happens the second Triple BB housing will transition to 'water enhancement' and will get things like an alkalizing cartridge, mineral stones, garnet for far infrared, etc. I'll play with that later once I have a baseline of awesome water to improve upon.
  • The second tank is to accomodate the two different pressures I want. The booster pump will increase the line pressure to 95 psi which the first tank will be held at. This tank and its membrane, rather than the pump itself, should do the majority of the work of pushing the water through the filter components. (I have read some things about wear on pumps caused by gradually clogging filters increasing the backpressure, etc.) The second tank is to be at 60 psi and it will actually push water out to 'distribution', ie my taps and such. This is one of those things that I thought of to solve a problem I have read about and didn't want to ever deal with (premature pump death). More cost initially designing/building a system to have lower ongoing costs is very much my way of thinking. I'm not trying to sell something that lasts just over its warranty so I get work again replacing things, I'm the guy who finds that way of thinking to be abhorrent and makes very little money because I always tell people how to save the money that everyone else in my shoes would pocket.
    • You can see why I LOVE Cycle Stop Valves, eh?
  • The item in question is a 'Doulton Rio', an inline silver-ceramic filter unit. The second post with the parts list includes a link to it for sale online; I'm sure that following the link will offer you more information than I could usefully repeat here. These are the technology behind the Berkey water filters (I don't know if you're familiar with them?) offering sub-micron filtration and actual purification capabilities.
 
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Reach4

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I suggest calling at least the first diaphram tanks a pressure tank.

Is the second tank kind of a retention tank analogous to the tank on an RO system because the 'Doulton Rio' is low flow compared with the expected draw at times? You say it is for two pressures, but I don't see a regulator or a second pump in the diagram.

Also, on the Big Blue housings, sometime you will have two in parallel that can be switched for being able to change cartridges without shutting down the system. It also gives redundancy in case of failure. I don't have a bypass on my BB filters, but I do keep extra O-rings on hand. Without a spare, a failed O-ring could shut me down. I like Molykote 111 on the O-rings in a very thin coat. A 5.3 oz tube goes a long way.
 

Ballvalve

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What are you taking your water from? A stock pond? Roof? You would save a lot of money starting with a sand or DE pool filter. Get them with a pump for 200 bucks. Then you could lighten up on that 10,000 word diagram.
 
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