Portable Reverse Osmosis System | Disaster Relief

In disaster relief, mobile water treatment systems are the fastest solution for restoring safe drinking water supplies, especially in scenarios involving floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and infrastructure disruptions.

Background

When natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and debris flow occur, the water source is easy to be polluted and the water supply system will be seriously damaged. Moreover, after the disaster, the personnel will be evacuated and resettled in a centralized manner, and the water supply and water quality of the resettlement site are difficult to be guaranteed, which will seriously affect people’s lives and post-disaster recovery. Therefore, the treatment and supply of emergency water under the condition of sudden natural disasters are very important.

Emergency water treatment methods mainly include activated carbon adsorption, chemical precipitation, ion exchange, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, etc. Compared with traditional water treatment processes, reverse osmosis treatment technology can convert polluted water, river water, and seawater into drinking water. At the same time, it has the advantages of high efficiency, good safety, easy control, and good water quality.

The water purification system developed by the NEWater can provide a guarantee for disaster reconstruction and people’s post-disaster life.

Advantages of Portable Water Reverse Osmosis System for Emergency

Traditional treatment methods such as ultrafiltration mainly remove harmful substances such as turbidity, bacteria, and viruses in water, but can not remove heavy metal ions and organics, while reverse osmosis can remove most heavy metals and toxic and harmful organics.

In addition, the RO system can use almost any water source, including rivers, lakes, floods, oceans, or wells. The reverse osmosis equipment is completely packaged to minimize the installation workload on site. At the same time, the spare parts of reverse osmosis are ready-made, allowing rapid maintenance and preparation for the period of high demand. Most importantly, the reverse osmosis system can be customized, and the most suitable system can be selected according to emergency filing in different regions and places. In this way, we can prepare in advance so that we can respond in time and respond professionally and quickly to disasters.

The following will describe the application of reverse osmosis in disaster relief from three portable reverse osmosis emergency water purification system devices.

Types of Water Treatment Equipment Used By NEWater for Disaster Relief

1. NEWater Portable RO Drinking Water Machine for Emergency

At present, drinking water treatment systems can be basically divided into two categories according to the scope of use. One type is a large size and weight of the vehicle-type medium and large capacity purification device for drinking water that can meet the needs of dozens of people, hundreds of people, thousands of people, or even tens of thousands of drinking water. One type is for one person or a few people to use portable drinking water systems.

In the event of a major natural disaster, the site road is often interrupted, water and electricity are cut off, and a large vehicle-mounted emergency drinking water filtration system cannot be quickly transported to the disaster relief site. Small portable water purification devices produce low water, and can not meet the living and drinking water needs of the affected people, and the affected people’s life and drinking water safety problems can not be solved in a timely manner.

In order to provide safe drinking water normally in the case of road obstruction, water, and electricity cuts, this modular portable high-flow emergency drinking water purification device is particularly important.

The specific process is as follows:

• Water Intake Module composed of Water Intake Pump with Water Intake Head → Water Inlet Of Pretreatment Module composed of Composite Filter → Water Inlet of Intermediate Water Storage Module composed of Intermediate Water Tank and First Ultraviolet Sterilizer → Booster Pump Water Inlet of Advanced Treatment Module composed of Booster Pump and Double Filter → Water Production Module composed of Reverse Osmosis Water Production Tank and Second Ultraviolet Sterilization Lamp → Water Inlet of Reverse Osmosis Production Tank of Water Storage Module.
• The second water outlet of the pretreatment module provides washing water, the second water outlet of the intermediate water tank of the intermediate water storage module provides sterilized edible water, and the reverse osmosis water production tank of the produced water storage module provides sterilized direct drinking water.
• The composite filter is composed of a laminated filter, ceramic filter, activated carbon fiber filter, and ultrafiltration filter in series.
• The double filter in the advanced treatment module is composed of a security filter and a reverse osmosis filter connected in series.
• The reverse osmosis filter is a reverse osmosis membrane filter.
• The concentrated water outlet arranged on the reverse osmosis filter is connected with the concentrated water inlet arranged on the intermediate water tank of the intermediate water storage module through a connecting pipe.
• A reverse osmosis membrane device is arranged in the reverse osmosis production water tank.

The portable reverse osmosis drinking water machine adopts a central counterweight and symmetrical placement. The equipment can be assembled at will without external energy, which enhances the portability of the emergency drinking water system, so as to be suitable for vehicle-mounted and submerged drinking water emergency support equipment in various disaster areas.

2. NEWater Portable RO High Desalination Rate Emergency Water Purification Device

The reverse osmosis membrane uses hollow fiber polypropylene membrane material and ultra-low pressure composite reverse osmosis membrane elements for reverse osmosis, it can achieve the same high water flux and high desalination rate as conventional low-pressure membranes under ultra-low working pressure conditions, which is about 61% of the working pressure of conventional low-pressure composite membranes. It provides an emergency drinking water resource for the disaster relief field.

In the chemical cleaning stage, chemical cleaning agents are added to the produced water to soak and rinse the membranes according to the influent water quality of each treatment unit. Since the unit is mainly for emergency water treatment and the influent water quality is characterized by complex and variable contaminant types, the service life of the membranes is 2-3 years, which is lower than 4-5 years in common applications.

The process flow is as follows: Raw Water → Ultrafiltration → Reverse Osmosis → Concentrated Water / Produced Water Tank → Drinking Water. Cleaning: Produced Water Tank → Reverse Osmosis Effluent Tank → Ultrafiltration.

After the influent is pretreated by ultrafiltration, the large particulate matter and high molecular weight organic matter have been basically removed, while the ultra-fine pore diameter of reverse osmosis membrane (less than 0.1nm) can effectively reduce the content of organic matter in the influent, intercept salt substances and have better desalination effect. Reverse osmosis is the most effective method to separate dissolved solids. It can also ensure that the heavy metal ions in the wastewater are basically removed, which greatly ensures the drinking water safety of the affected people.

3. NEWater Portable Antibacterial Reverse Osmosis System

In order to improve the water flux and pollution resistance of portable drinking water systems, NEWater developed and adopted a new high-performance reverse osmosis membrane with good hydrophilicity and antibacterial properties to prepare portable antibacterial RO equipment:

The process flow is as follows: Inlet Pipe → Inlet → Ph Regulating Tank → Outlet → Disinfection Tank → Filtering Device (Coarse Filtering Mechanism → Ultrafiltration Filter → Activated Carbon Filter → Reverse Osmosis Filtering Mechanism).

The reverse osmosis filtration unit is provided with a rotatable casing and a spiral deflector on the outer wall of the casing, which not only intercepts the treated water and increases the contact time between the treated water and the reverse osmosis membrane. Moreover, when the water from the flushing nozzle touches the spiral deflector, the spiral deflector will drive the casing to rotate, which is conducive to the flushing of the reverse osmosis filter membrane.

The membrane surface of the reverse osmosis cartridge combines a hydrophilic coating and an antibacterial layer, which improves the hydrophilicity of the reverse osmosis membrane surface, reduces the charge on the membrane surface, and improves surface smoothness. Therefore, it has a strong resistance to contamination, while improving the long-term stability of the reverse osmosis filter membrane and extending its service life.

NEWater offers three portable drinking water filtration systems: squeeze type, foot pressure type, and manual pumping type. The equipment is designed to meet water quality standards, improve equipment structure, further enhance portability, and reduce production costs.

Application Fields of NEWater Portable RO Water Treatment Equipment

1. Flood

Flood is one of the most common natural disasters in the world. It often occurs in summer. Rainstorms, sudden melting of ice and snow, storm surge, and other conditions can cause a flood, and the degree of disaster is unpredictable. Although there is obvious excess water after a flood, its biggest threat is the impact on public facilities. Most importantly, floods will destroy the normal operation of the water supply system and affect the water quality of the water source.

This will seriously affect people’s water demand and lead to dehydration in severe cases. Therefore, the water must be treated to ensure safe drinking after the flood. NEWater reverse osmosis equipment can effectively remove impurities and bacteria in water. Also, it has high portability and integration, and it can be put into use immediately, which is very important for reducing casualties and post-disaster recovery.

2. Earthquake

More than 5 million earthquakes occur in the world every year, of which about 10 or 20 have caused harm to mankind. There are many reasons for earthquakes, including rock fractures, volcanic eruptions, stratum collapse, underground nuclear explosions, and so on. Earthquakes can cause strong ground vibration and deformation, damage buildings and public facilities, and cause serious casualties and property losses.

The post-earthquake work is very important. If the necessary living support facilities are not restored in time, the progress of disaster relief will be seriously affected and casualties will be increased. Among them, the restoration of drinking water is very important. After the disaster, NEWater reverse osmosis unit uses any river, lake, and groundwater to produce clean and drinkable drinking water. At the same time, NEWater reverse osmosis equipment can be completely packaged, which minimizes the installation workload on-site and it can respond to the disaster in a timely, professional, and rapid manner.

3. Typhoons and Tornadoes

The warm seawater in the area of low sea pressure is the key factor for the formation of typhoons. Tornadoes are caused by wind shear near the ground and significant vertical movement. Both are common natural disasters with strong destructive power, which can destroy public facilities and pollute water sources.

After a disaster, water supply systems are often not restored to operation in a timely manner. It is necessary to invest in an emergency water supply system to ensure that water is available as soon as possible. NEWater reverse osmosis systems have a high degree of flexibility, can use water sources nearby, are small in size, and are highly modular, allowing them to be put into immediate relief and provide security for post-disaster reconstruction.

NEWater has broken through the technical barriers of high-performance membrane product development technology and modular design of emergency safeguard devices and developed water purification products such as portable RO modular emergency drinking water purification devices with low energy consumption and large treatment capacity, portable RO high desalination rate emergency water purification device, portable antibacterial RO membrane system equipment and three-pressure portable reverse osmosis equipment.

On the premise of ensuring the treatment effect and low energy consumption, the portability and stability of the device are enhanced, and the equipment investment and operation cost are low. Under the harsh conditions of no power supply, the daily water treatment scale can reach more than 300 tons, which can be applied to the centralized water supply for emergency rescue.

If you have any needs in disaster relief, just contact NEWater. We will provide professional portable reverse osmosis water purification solutions to work with you to create new water sources and work together for major disaster relief to ensure life safety.

FAQ：

Why is water treatment critical in disaster relief?

Because safe, clean drinking water effectively prevents life-threatening disease outbreaks after a disaster. Water treatment equipment is one of the most crucial components of emergency response in disaster relief. After disasters such as floods, earthquakes, or hurricanes, public water supply and treatment infrastructure are often paralyzed, unable to guarantee normal drinking water supply.

At the same time, these disasters usually cause water source contamination, such as pathogens, debris, toxins, and chemical pollutants entering the water. These harmful substances seriously threaten human health and can lead to the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and gastroenteritis, and in severe cases, even endanger lives. Therefore, water treatment is crucial in post-disaster relief.

When is emergency water treatment needed after a disaster?

Emergency water treatment is necessary when public water supply infrastructure is damaged, municipal drinking water is contaminated, and temporarily available natural water sources are not suitable for direct consumption.

Disasters such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, or forest fires can damage water pipelines and water treatment facilities, leading to the mixing of drinking water and sewage, and contamination by ash, chemicals, debris, and microorganisms. This not only affects the basic water supply for affected populations but also threatens resettlement, food supply, and public health safety, and can even trigger disease outbreaks.

What types of water sources are used in disaster relief?

Common emergency water sources include rivers, lakes, ponds, wells, springs, rainwater, and seawater. These natural water sources are more readily available after the collapse of municipal water supply systems and can be used as raw water sources for emergency water supply systems.

However, most of these water sources are not suitable for direct consumption and require purification through a water treatment system. Through appropriate treatment processes, high salinity, heavy metals, debris, pathogens, and suspended solids can be effectively removed, providing relatively stable and safe drinking water and domestic water for disaster-stricken areas.

How to choose a water treatment system for disaster relief?

Disaster relief water treatment systems have diverse process combinations. Choosing the right system requires considering factors such as raw water quality, the size of the affected population (required treatment capacity), equipment portability, deployment speed, available space, power supply conditions, transportation feasibility, and budget.

The most critical determining factor is the raw water quality, such as turbidity and types of pollutants, which determines the required treatment process and system configuration. The daily water demand should also be assessed based on the number of affected people to determine the equipment’s treatment capacity. Small-scale relief efforts can usually be met with portable water purification equipment.

For large-scale water supply, priority should be given to skid-mounted, mobile, or containerized systems, considering local conditions and available space. These systems offer fast deployment, relatively simple operation, and require minimal on-site personnel training. If power is unstable, equipment supporting solar or hybrid power can be chosen.

What is the advantage of mobile or containerized water treatment systems?

Mobile or containerized water treatment systems are highly integrated, enabling rapid deployment and on-site water production. They are relatively simple to operate and maintain, and offer excellent mobility, not being limited by fixed locations.

These systems are typically pre-assembled and can be transported by truck or ship to remote or disaster-stricken areas, allowing for installation and operation in a short time, providing a continuous and stable supply of clean water to the affected area.

Can disaster water treatment systems safely produce drinking water?

Absolutely. Properly designed emergency water treatment systems can continuously produce safe water that meets drinking water standards.

These systems typically employ multi-stage treatment processes, using filtration, disinfection, and membrane filtration to efficiently remove particulate matter, bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and other harmful pollutants from the water, making them a reliable emergency drinking water solution.

How fast can emergency water treatment systems be deployed?

In most cases, emergency water treatment systems can be operational within hours to days, typically within 3 days.

Because the systems often utilize pre-assembled, mobile, skid-mounted, or containerized designs, on-site installation and commissioning time is significantly reduced. The specific deployment speed will still be affected by the system size, transportation conditions, and on-site environment. 8. What affects the capacity of disaster relief water treatment systems?

The treatment capacity of disaster relief water treatment systems is primarily affected by system size, raw water quality, energy supply, environmental conditions, and maintenance frequency.

For example, highly turbid or contaminated water sources usually require more treatment stages, which can reduce the system’s processing capacity to some extent; if the system relies on electricity or solar energy, the stability of the energy supply will also limit operational efficiency. In addition, blockages or contamination caused by improper operation and maintenance can significantly reduce system performance. In contrast, environmental factors such as temperature and water viscosity have a relatively smaller impact.

Is desalination used in coastal disaster relief?

Yes, desalination is widely used and very important in emergency water supply in coastal disaster areas.

After tsunamis or hurricanes, saltwater intrusion often leads to contamination or a shortage of existing freshwater resources, making it difficult to obtain potable water. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems can effectively remove high salinity and most pollutants, converting seawater or brackish water into fresh water, providing a reliable emergency water source for affected communities and relief workers.

Are disaster relief water treatment systems reusable?

Yes, most disaster relief water treatment systems can be redeployed and used repeatedly in multiple emergencies.

These systems are typically designed to be robust and durable, with a long service life. After a rescue mission, the equipment only needs to be inspected, flushed, disinfected, and have necessary parts replaced before being stored for future emergencies, thus reducing resource waste and lowering overall costs.