AU2005326177A1 - A water purifier apparatus - Google Patents

Description

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 1 A WATER PURIFIER APPARATUS TECHNICAL FIELD 5 In general, this invention relates to an oil and water separator apparatus that is contained in the confines of a drainage network under a conventional pedestal basin, sink or. the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus containing a filtering structure used in such apparatuses. BACKGROUND 10 Most modern pedestal basins, sinks and the like are designed and built such that water drains from the basin through a filtering type grate so as to prevent large objects and the like from passing into the drainage system and potentially blocking the pipework. Most pedestal basins, sinks and the like also have within close proximity 15 downstream to this grate an S bend or the like, formed into the pipe conduit so as to create a wet water trap, that prevents any re-releasing of bad odours and the like back out through the basin. Nonetheless, these forms of filtering are only designed to separate solid and odour molecules from the water flowing through the system. 20, As is to be appreciated water flowing through the traditional drainage system of a basin, sink or the like is often mixed with oil and other types of hydro carbon contaminants. The oil may come from cooking that has remained on plates and the like that were required to be washed. Also other petroleum based contaminants that include grease, diesel oil, hydraulic 25 fluid, gasoline often enter the sink in workplace-environments as individuals clean tools and body parts. Various environmental protection laws set forth a variety of guidelines governing disposal of hydro carbons particularly grease, oil, petrol and other petroleum based contaminants through the public drainage network. 30 As is to be expected it is unlawful to deliberately allow water mixed with oil and WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 2 other contaminants to enter the drainage system, not for the least reason that such contaminants may wash into the stormwater drains with rainwater. Though Federal and State enforcement officers or environmental protection agency members take great concern in checking mainly manufacturing sites to make sure 5 that water is not mixed with oil on discharge into the drainage system, such observation and enforcement of the water separation from the oil is particularly difficult to achieve when we are talking about a traditional simple pedestal basin, sink or the like, of Which is the kind that will be located in most households, restaurants, cafeterias, automobile repair shops and the like. 10 Consequently, as these premises realise that it is most unlikely that they will be detected as allowing flowing water mixed with oil into the drainage system, they make no effort in providing application means to prevent such discharge of contaminated water. Nonetheless, the quantity of water mixed with oil and other contaminants in these 15 types of locations becomes substantial because though individually the quantities are small, their numbers are many and hence the consequences are significant. The problem is exaggerated because such conventional basins and sinks are not designed to practically change the structure of their pipe drainage immediately downstream of their initial discharge from the basin and as such there are no 20 available confines to house any filtering type system. Though the prior art contains many different types of filter systems that are intended at least to partly purify water that passes into the drainage system of such basins and sinks, their accessibility and placement within close proximity of the basin is particularly difficult. 25 For exampTe, gravity based systems require a volumetric size which is impractical to place under a conventional basin, sink or the like, which you would expect to find in most residential and small to medium commercial premises. The volume of the unit in order to accept the quantity of water flow and then create the spacing so as to allow the separation of the water and oil within the confines of the chamber 30 simply will not be positioned or redesigned neatly into an existing basin drainage network of a house or the like.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 3 Therefore, as is to be appreciated from the above, there remains the need in this relevant field for a water purification and separation system more conveniently adapted for use with residential and small commercial premises. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus that is adapted to 5 be placed downstream of the sink within the confines of the existing pipework so as to separate or at least substantially separate oil from water before such water enters the main drainage system. A further object of this invention is to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate some of the problems and shortcomings discussed above in relation to separation 10 of oil from water within the drainage system. Further secondary objects and advantages will become obvious from a complete reading of this document. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in one form of the invention there is provided a water purifying 15 apparatus adapted to be inserted into the downstream pipework of a pedestal basin or sink said apparatus including: an inlet portion to receive unseparated water containing oil and other hydrocarbons flowing from the basin or sink into armain body member; the main body member defining an enclosure to which unseparated water 20 and oil is to pass there through; said enclosure characterized by defining a contact area therein said enclosure to which the unseparated water and oil passes through contacting with a durable polymeric surfactant, upon which such contact with the durable polymeric surfactant retains the oil adhered to such durable polymeric surfactant, with the separated 25 water then being allowed to continue through the enclosure to an outlet portion adapted to direct water having had the oil separated to then pass through to the exclusion of the durable polymeric surfactant with the oil and hydrocarbons retained thereon.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 4 An advantage of such an arrangement is that oil and hydrocarbons that are required to be separated from water sent down the drain of the basin or sink, can be purified before it enters the main drainage network, by entering the enclosure and coming in contact with the durable polymeric surfactant. 5 Advantageously, the oil and other similar such debris adheres to this material, whereas the water is allowed to pass there through the main body of the purifier. Preferably, the enclosure defines the pathway to which unseparated water can pass through by a bag type member. Preferably, the bag type member includes various pieces or segments of the 10 durable polymeric surfactant material contained therein. An advantage of such an arrangement is that the enclosure is able to define a pathway for the flow of the unseparated water by including a bag type structure. The unseparated water is passed there into the bag where therein contained are a series of segments or pieces of the durable polymeric surfactant material. 15 As the unseparated water makes its way through the bag type structure, oil particles are able to adhere to this durable surfactant material in order to become separated from the water which then passes through and permeates its way through the bag for the onforwarding to the outlet portion to be drained away as purified water. 20 Advantageously, the use of the durable polymeric surfactant as opposed to a simple piece of textile material such as a rag or the like, is that the characteristics of the polymeric surfactant will draw the oil towards it allowing the oil to be adhered while at the same time repelling or allowing water to be pass by. Preferably, the main body has an external housing and a cartridge portion of which 25 is releasably insertable into the external housing. Preferably, the external housing of the main body member includes both the inlet portion and the outlet portion to respectively direct there into the main body member the unseparated water flowing from the basin or sink.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 5 Preferably, the cartridge member is inserted into the external housing and includes the enclosure to which unseparated water must pass through in order to come into contact with the durable polymeric surfactant material for separation of the oil and water. 5 In a further form of the invention there is provided a water purifier adapted to be inserted into the downstream pipework of a pedestal basin or sink, said apparatus including: an inlet portion to receive unseparated water and oil flowing from the basin or sink; 10 a channel member to direct unseparated water and oil into a bag member; said bag member characterized by being made of polymeric surfactant material having a fibre structure for exclusive water permeability or absorption therethrough; an outlet portion adapted to direct permeated water from the bag 15 member into existing or remaining pipework drainage apparatus of said pedestal basin or sink. An advantage of such an arrangement is that when water flows into the basin and becomes mixed with oils and related contaminants such as grease, fuel and other hydro carbon fluids associated with cooking, cleaning or the like, rather than simply 20 flowing directly into the drainage system this contaminated water undergoes a separation of the hydro carbon components by being directed into the bag member. Advantageously, the bag member by being characterized with the polymeric fibre structure so designed to exclusively allow only water permeability therethrough, 25 means that the oil is not permeated by the bag member and therefore means that the oil must remain trapped within the confines of the bag therein. However though the oil cannot permeate its way through the bag, water molecules can and so once they pass through the walls of the bag and into the outlet portion, and as they are no longer mixed with oil and hence they are directed onto the 30 remaining drainage system into the environment free of hydro carbon contaminants.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 6 A further advantage of such an arrangement is that unlike conventional filtration methods no gravity or fast flowing filtering systems are required. Uniquely, the bag is just placed inbetween the inlet and the outlet portions, so as to literally scoop up hydro carbons and keep them secured within the bag. Nonetheless, in a sense 5 this bag leaks not oil but water. This leaked water from the bag re-enters the traditional drainage system in a purified form. Advantageously, as the water leaks through the bag it separates itself from the oil which is not allowed to permeate the walls of the bag. Again, advantageously, as discussed above once the water is separated from the oil that remains inside the 10 bag, it is then largely hydro carbon contaminated free as it enters the public drainage system. As the person skilled in the art will appreciate by having a bag member as the mains means in which to separate the oil from the water, such an apparatus can be easily designed and inserted into the existing pipework arrangement downstream 15 of the conventional pedestal basin, sink or the like that one would expect to find in most residential and small to medium commercial premises. As the person skilled in the art would also appreciate the levels of oils or hydro carbon contaminants in the water will decide on the size of the bag. Obviously, water flowing mixed with oil at high levels, with a higher flow rate, of course 20 generally would enter into bag member adapted to accept high quantities of oil. Alternatively, as expected if smaller bags are employed within the apparatus, they will need to be changed more regularly. In preference, the polymeric surfactant material is the synthesis product of a reaction between a natural drying or semi drying oil and various methacrylate esters. 25 Preferably the polymeric surfactant durabte.material is provided in two layers so that either exposed surface of the material can act with its ability to adhere hydro carbon contaminants to the surface of the material but allow water to permeate there through. In preference, with this invention such polymeric surfactant technology wipers are 30 used. Preferably, this invention will utilize such wipers that are stitched together in double layers being of substantially square or rectangular form.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 7 Preferably stitching will simply be removed from one edge of the double layer wiper with the remaining edges defining inner walls of the bag. In preference, the apparatus is contained within a cartridge or chamber. In preference, the cartridge includes an inlet conduit with dimensions so as to be 5 conveniently fastened to the downstream pipework from the basin. Preferably, the cartridge is divided between an upper channel member portion and a portion to which the bag member is housed. In preference, the channel member portion includes a cylindrical column having a multiplicity of apertures on its circumferential surface perimeter to which water can 10 then pass through and be directed at the distal end of the hollow cylindrical column into the bag member. In preference, the bag member also includes extra pieces or the like of the polymeric surfactant material assisting further adhesion of the oil and hydrocarbons. In preference, when the bag member is full it can be removed from the apparatus 15 and incinerator or the like to be used as a fuel base. An advantage of such an arrangement is that not only does the oil and water separating apparatus remove that oil mixed with the water as it enters the drainage system, it also collects this oil for reuse as a fuel. Conventionally this oil mixed with the water as a contaminant enters the 20 environment for destructive purposes. Advantageously, in this invention as the oil mixed with the flowing water has been removed before discharge of the water into the environment, it can also then be used for more constructive purposes. The bag made of the preferred polymeric surfactant material simply means that the entire bag member and contents therein can be incinerated to produce fuel which 25 can be utilized in a variety of applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to describe the invention more fully a preferred embodiment will now be described with assistance from the following illustrations: WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 8 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2a is a cross section of figure 1, while figure 2b shows the bag extracted from the cartridge; 5 Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d show the steps in the preparation of the bag member; Figures 4a and 4b show the respective oil and water characteristics of the bag member when in use; Figure 5 shows the apparatus being installed into the downstream pipework of a conventional pedestal basin, sink or the like which one could recognize in most 10 residential and small to medium size commercial or industrial premises. Figure 6 is a perspective'view of a further embodiment of the invention whereby unseparated water is directed into an enclosure that provides the opportunity for such unseparated water to become in contact with durable polymeric surfactant material. 15 Figure 7 is in part a cross sectional view of figure 6 showing the directing of the unseparated water into the apparatus for purification and separation from its oil content as it makes its way to the outlet portion. Figures 8a and 8b are further embodiments of the invention showing various methods by which unseparated water can be brought in contact with durable 20 polymeric surfactant material so that oil can be separated from the water. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings now in detail there is a water purifier apparatus 10. The apparatus has a main body shown generally at 12 that includes the cartridge. The cartridge 14 includes an inlet conduit 16 and an outlet conduct 18. 25 The inlet conduit 16 is adapted to be inserted or connected with the pipe work downstream of the basin.

WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 9 Cartridge 14 is divided by plate 20 and includes an O-ring 21 to seal off the respective compartments of the cartridge 14. The upper portion 22 includes cylindrical hollow column 24. The distal end 26 of the column 24 extends through opening 28 of plate 20 so as to enter the bag member 30. 5 The hollow cylindrical column 24 includes a multiplicity of apertures or holes 31 of which flowing water is directed or flows into the subsequent discharge at the distal end 26 of the column 24. A cap 32 with a handle portion allows access to the internal components of cartridge 14. 10 As best seen in figure 2b the cap 32 can be removed by a user by rotating or breaking the fastening connection of the cap 32 to the cartridge 14, normally by the handle. Referring now to figures 3a to 3C in the construction of the bag member 30. Traditionally the polymeric surfactant is made available as a wiper, rag or the like 15 represented in its conventional wiper form as 34. The polymeric surfactant wiper 34 is made up of two identical layers 36, 38 that are stitched together along hemlines 40. As shown in figure 3c hemline 42 is withdrawn so access can be made to separate internally the two layers 36 and 38. Column 24 can then be inserted into the bag 20 30. As the person skilled in the art will appreciate there are a variety of ways of actually preparing the bag 30. In this preferred embodiment the polymeric surfactant bag is prepared using all readily available wipers or rags which are characteristically stitched together in a double layer. 25 Figure 4 shows that additional individual pieces of the polymeric surfactant material 71 can be added internally to the bag to assist in the separation of the oil from the water. With the assistance of each of the illustrations of figure to 5, a person skilled in the art can appreciate that the conventional basin 60 has a supply of water 62 from the 30 main water supply. This water 62 in the basin 60 can become contaminated and WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 10 mixed with oil through a variety of causes as referred to above, not the least cleaning and the like associated with cooking or dealing with industries that utilize grease, oil and fuel. Once the plug 66 is removed from the basin 60 water passes through grate 68 5 into the downstream pipe network system of the basin 60. Though the piping system includes the grate to remove large material objects and also a wet trap 72 by virtue of the S bend in the pipe to prevent the re-release of bad odours, it is the introduction of the apparatus 10 of this invention into the pipework 70, that will ultimately allow the discharge of water shown at 74, as in 10 figure 5, free or at least substantially of reduced levels of hydro carbons. Flowing water 60 from the basin enters the inlet conduit 16 where it swirls around in the upper portion 22 and enters the holes 31 of the hollow cylindrical column 24 where it will be directed down and out through the distal end 26 of the column 24 into the bag 30 contained within the cartridge 14. 15 The bag member 30 acting as the filter made up of a durable polymeric surfactant will allow water to seep through shown best at 76 in figure 4b while confining the oil and other related hydro carbon contaminants within the bag member 30. The fibre structure 78 of the polymeric surfactant bag 30 will allow the permeability of the flowing water from the basin to pass through this wall 78 out into the lower portion 20 80 of the cartridge 14. Once the water is in the lower portion 80 having permeated through the bag member 30, it then can be directed onto the outlet conduit 18 for discharge into the environmental drainage system. Advantageously, as referred to above when the bag becomes full of oil separated 25 from the water passing therethrough, as best seen in figure 2b, the bag can be removed from the cartridge 14 and replaced with another bag. The full bag containing the oil will then be used as a fuel source or the like by ultimate incineration of the polymeric surfactant bag with the oil contaminants contained therein. Figures 6 and 7 show a further embodiment. In this embodiment rather than having 30 a bag actually made of the durable polymeric surfactant material, there is provided a water purifying apparatus that includes a main body 80. The main body has an WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 11 external housing 82 which provides access for respective inlet and outlet conduits 84, 86. Insertable into the main body is a refittable cartridge 88. As best seen in figure 7 the cartridge is divided into various compartments 90,92 and 94, unseparated 5 water 96 makes its way down the inlet conduit 84 where it enters the main enclosure cartridge 88. Unseparated water 96 builds up in compartment 90 and by virtue of divide 98 is forced to move up through compartment 92. In this embodiment compartment 92 also includes a bag member 100 to which the unseparated water 96 is forced to permeate and pass there through. As the 10 unseparated water 96 makes it way through the bag member 100 it comes in contact with pieces of the durable polymeric surfactant material 102. Oil and the like contained in the unseparated water adheres to the durable polymeric surfactant material and water becomes separated and continues further movement into compartment 94 by virtue of divide 104. 15 Figures 8a and 8b simply show further preferred embodiments to illustratively detail that there are a variety of means in which untreated, unseparated, non purified water, made up largely of water and oil, can be passed into the purifying apparatus of this invention, whereby the unseparated water is able to come in contact with the durable polymeric surfactant material so that the oil can be removed from the water 20 so it can leave the apparatus in a purified state. In figure 8a unseparated water 108 enters the main body 110 of the purifying apparatus through the inlet 112 where it comes in contact with suspended durable polymeric surfactant material 114, whereby passing there through the defined enclosure 116 of the main body 110, the oil has the opportunity of adhering to 25 suspended durable polymeric surfactant material so that water 118 leaving the outlet portion 120 will be in a purified state. In figure 8b the embodiment remains the same as the description provided for in figure 8a, however, the polymeric surfactant material are arranged in plates or layers 122 and inserted laterally across the defined enclosure 116 of the main body 110 30 of the Water purifying apparatus. It is to be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 12 modifications may be made to the water purifier apparatus shown in the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive of the invention.

Claims (16)

1. A water purifying apparatus adapted to be inserted into the downstream pipework of a pedestal basin or sink, said apparatus including: an inlet portion to receive unseparated water containing oil and/or other 5 hydrocarbons flowing from the basin or sink into a main body member; the main body member defining an enclosure, said enclosure including a pathway to which unseparated water and oil is to pass there through; said enclosure pathway characterized by defining a contact area therein said pathway to which the unseparated water and oil contact a durable polymeric 10 surfactant, upon which such contact with the durable polymeric surfactant, oil and hydrocarbons will adhered to such durable polymeric surfactant, with the separated water then being allowed to continue through the enclosure to an outlet portion adapted to direct water having had the oil and/or hydrocarbons separated, to then pass through to the exclusion of the durable polymeric surfactant with the oil and 15 hydrocarbons retained thereon.

2. The water purifier apparatus of claim 1 wherein the enclosure pathway includes a bag type member.

3. The water purifier apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bag type member includes various pieces or segments of the durable polymeric surfactant material 20 contained therein the bag.

4. The water purifier apparatus of claim 3 wherein the main body has an external housing and a cartridge portion of which is releasably insertable into the external housing.

5. The water purifier apparatus of claim 4 wherein the external housing of the 25 main body member includes both the inlet portion and the outlet portion to respectively direct there into the cartridge member the unseparated water flowing from the basin or sink and to then subsequently after contact with the durable polymeric surfactant material is made, direct out such purified water. WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 14

6. The water purifier apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cartridge member is inserted into the external housing and includes compartments to which one such compartment includes the bag member.

7. A water purifier apparatus adapted to be inserted into the downstream 5 pipework of a pedestal basin or sink, said apparatus including: an inlet portion to receive unseparated water containing oil and/or hydrocarbons flowing from the basin or sink; a channel member to direct unseparated water containing the oil and/or hydrocarbons into a bag member; 10 said bag member characterized by being made of polymeric surfactant material characterized in allowing the oil and/or the hydrocarbons to adhere thereto and in allowing water to permeate there through; and an outlet portion adapted to direct permeated water from the bag member into existing or remaining pipework drainage apparatus of said pedestal 15 basin or sink.

8. The water purifier apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the polmeric surfactant has a fibre structure for exclusive water permeability therethrough and exclusive adhering of the oil and/or hydrocarbons thereon.

9. The water purifier apparatus of claim 8 wherein the polymeric surfactant 20 material is the synthesis product of a reaction between a natural drying or semi drying oil and methacrylate esters.

10. The water purifier apparatus of any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the polymeric surfactant durable material is provided in stitched two layers so that either exposed surface of the material can act with its ability to adhere hydro carbon 25 contaminants to the surface of the material but allow water to permeate there through.

11. The water purifier apparatus of claim 10 wherein the polymeric surfactant durable material layers are substantially square or rectangular form. WO 2006/079141 PCT/AU2005/001613 15

12. The water purifier apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stitching will simply be removed from one edge of the double layer sheets with the remaining edges defining inner walls of the bag member.

13. The water purifier apparatus of claim 12 further including a channel 5 member portion for directing the unseparated water, said channel member being a cylindrical column having a multiplicity of apertures on its circumferential surface perimeter to which water can then pass through and be directed at the distal end of the column into the bag member.

14. -The water purifier apparatus of any one of claims 7 to 13 wherein the 10 bag member also includes extra pieces or the like of the polymeric surfactant material assisting further adhesion of the oil and hydrocarbons.

15. The water purifier apparatus of any one of claims 7 to 14 wherein when the bag member is full of adhered or contained oil/hydrocarbons it can be removed from the apparatus and incinerated to be used as a fuel base. 15

16. A water purifier apparatus according to any one or each of the accompanying figures and related text describing such figures included with this patent application.