CN117460567A - Separator equipped with a pump - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to preventing microplastic from entering the environment. In particular, the invention relates to the pressure consumption of regenerating filters used to remove microplastic from effluents from any source, but in particular to remove microfibers from domestic and commercial washing machine wastewater, industrial textile processing waste and roadside runoff. There is provided a separator for separating microplastic from an effluent, the separator comprising: a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a screen structure forming a permeable barrier between the inlet and the outlet to filter the effluent, and a pump in fluid communication with the outlet of the chamber.

Description

Separator equipped with a pump

Background

Technical Field

The present invention relates to preventing microplastic from entering the environment. In particular, the invention relates to the pressure consumption of regenerating filters used to remove microplastic from effluents from any source, but in particular to remove microfibers from domestic or commercial washing machine wastewater, industrial textile processing waste and roadside runoff.

Description of related Art

Microfibers are the most abundant form of microplastic pollution in rivers and oceans. Because of their microscopic dimensions, microfibrils are consumed by organisms at all food chain scales from plankton to top-class predators. Once ingested, the plastic reduces feeding efficiency (pseudo satiety) and they may damage the animal's gut and transfer harmful additives such as PCB, pesticides, fire retardants to the animal consuming it. The plastic consumed by animals on the bottom of the food chain also affects their grazing, which consumes many contaminated prey items every day. The widespread nature of microfibrils in the food chain has naturally led to concerns about the transfer of these microfibrils to humans, and contamination has been observed in crustaceans, molluscs and fish destined for human consumption.

Unlike microbeads, which are easily excluded from cosmetic and cleaning products, microfibers are formed by damage to laundry. One third of all microplastic in the ocean comes from the washing of synthetic textiles. Synthetic fabrics derived from petrochemicals account for 65% of all textiles. Abrasion and tearing caused by abrasion forces in the washing machine result in the disintegration of the man-made textile, forming hundreds of thousands of microfibrils less than 5mm in length, which leak from the residential and drainage networks into the sea.

The tremendous impact of microplastic on the marine ecosystem is beginning to be understood. Study in 2019 published in journal of global environmental science (Science of the Total Environment) found that 49% of 150 fish samples from the north eastern atlantic ocean contained microplastic, with evidence that this resulted in injury to brain, gill and dorsal muscles. These microplastics are also delivered to fish consumers at a rate of 518-3078 microplastic articles per year.

This effect occurs not only in fish shoals, but also in algae (vital building units). Studies published in journal of aquatic toxicology (Aquatic Toxicology) in 2015 demonstrate that high concentrations of polystyrene particles reduce algae growth by up to 45%. This should be of interest, as microalgae are one of the largest oxygen producers in the world on this earth.

Wastewater treatment plants cannot remove millions of fibers through these microalgae every day. Currently, secondary horizontal water treatment removes about 98% of the microplastic passing through these microalgae. However, a small fraction of the escape still corresponds to tens of millions of fibers per treatment run per day.

In addition, wastewater treatment plants produce "sewage sludge", and when the sludge is spread on agricultural land, plastic microfibers are found on the emissions released into the natural environment, so that the microfibers enter the food chain, waste transduction (which can destroy fibers but release harmful gases), or are discharged into rivers or oceans.

Solutions are being developed to capture microfibers produced in domestic washing machine effluents by filtering these machines.

A typical front-loading domestic washing machine is shown in schematic form in fig. 1. The machine 100 comprises a rotatable sealing drum unit 101 for receiving laundry to be washed. The drum unit 101 has a perforated cylindrical rotatable drum mounted inside a static waterproof cover. Clean water is fed into the drum 101 via a cold or hot water inlet 102 connected to the mains and at a mains pressure of typically 1-5 bar. Under the control of the CPU 104, the electronic valve manages the water entering the drum 101. The inlet 102 is connected to a drawer 105 in which a user can add liquid or powdered detergent. The drawer has an outlet to the drum unit 101. The drum unit may include a heater under the control of the CPU to heat the water to a desired wash temperature, typically up to 90 degrees celsius. The drum may be rotated by motor 106 under the control of CPU 104 at a speed typically 5 to 1600 rpm. The drum unit may be emptied via a CPU controlled exhaust pump 108. The discharge pump is rated with a given power to produce a known pressure at its output. The discharge pump feeds into an outlet 109 which is connected to a domestic or industrial discharge pipe and ultimately to a waste water network.

A typical top-loading machine will have a vertical drum axis, but will otherwise share many of the features of the front-loading machine.

Fig. 2a shows a typical home washing machine arrangement, wherein the washing machine 201 is located on a floor 202 below a work surface 203. The waste output 204 of the washing machine is fed into an open drain 205. The drain opening is typically located at a given height of 30-100cm above the floor and is opened to prevent any water siphoning out of the washing machine when draining. The top of the drain 206 is called the waterline and the pump of the washing machine needs to generate enough pressure to lift the waste above the waterline to effectively drain the waste. When the washing machine starts to fill water, a certain amount of water is required to be injected into the area under the drum, which is where the water is actually required for the washing process, before the drum itself fills water. In general, washing machines are designed to retain a small portion of the water between washes, so that no additional water is required in the drum. This is advantageous because as the detergent is flushed from the drawer into the drum, the water that first enters the drum contains the detergent. Without a small portion of water remaining, the detergent will run off and the washing process will not proceed effectively.

In use, soiled laundry is placed in the drum and a wash cycle is initiated by the user. The CPU allows cold water to flow through the drawer to mix with the detergent and then into the drum where the water is heated. The combined water, detergent and laundry is agitated by rotating the drum. During this process, dust and grease are released into the water and fibers are also released from the garment. If the garment is synthetic, the microfibers are typically released when the garments rub against each other. The effluent produced at the end of the washing cycle is a mixture of chips, dust, grease and microfibers, and potentially large objects such as coins or nails left in the laundry. The effluent is then discharged and pumped out of the drum at a typical rate of 3-8 gallons per minute. A second or third rinse cycle with clean water may be performed, producing an effluent with a lower concentration of contaminants. The discharge rate of the washing machine is affected by the water level in the drum, the height of the outlet point and whether the filter is connected to the outlet.

Current washing machine filters are designed to prevent coins and buttons from damaging the washing machine pump. These filters typically have 7mm to 14mm openings that are too large to effectively capture a large number of microfibers. The filtration required to prevent microfibers is typically less than 400 micrometers (um). Reducing the pore size will remove a greater proportion of the fibers in the water.

Microfiber separators are being developed that can be installed externally to the washing machine by connecting the output of the washing machine to a separate separator unit and then passing the output of the separator unit to an open drain. However, the position of the separator unit is limited above the waterline. If the separator unit is below the waterline, it will not drain completely and will be filled with contaminated wastewater, causing problems in draining the unit. Thus, the separator unit needs to be located above the waterline. However, as shown in fig. 2b, problems may arise in mounting the separator unit above the waterline. The filter unit 207 shown in phantom needs to be above the waterline, but the gap between the working surface 203 and the top of the drain 206 is insufficient to allow the unit to be installed above the waterline.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a separator unit that can be installed at any location, including below the waterline.

Another problem is that the mesh filter is clogged quickly, and once this occurs, its efficiency is greatly reduced. This can lead to pressure drops and reduced flow rates, resulting in damage to and flooding of the pumps and other components in the system.

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a separator unit for separating microfibres from an effluent which is free from clogging and which is capable of maintaining an effective working pressure for a long period of time.

Disclosure of Invention

There is provided a separator for separating solid material (including microplastic) from a fluid such as an effluent, the separator comprising: a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a screen structure forming a permeable barrier between the inlet and the outlet to filter a fluid, and a pump in fluid communication with the chamber,

wherein the separator may further comprise a filter pressure regeneration device for removing filtered material from the screen structure, wherein the filter pressure regeneration device comprises a conduit and a nozzle assembly having at least one cleaning jet, and wherein the pump is arranged to recirculate filtered fluid to the conduit of the filter pressure regeneration device. The description herein relates to filtering microplastic from the effluent, but the separator may be used to separate any solid material from any fluid.

The at least one cleaning jet may be used to direct fluid towards the outlet side of the screen structure.

The pump may be a water pump arranged to also empty the separator, or may be a separate pump arranged to empty the separator.

A restriction may be provided in the conduit downstream of the pump, wherein the orifice of the restriction may be configured to ensure that a predetermined amount of filtered fluid is recirculated into the filter pressure regeneration device and a certain amount of filtered fluid is expelled.

A vent may be provided in the conduit between the pump and the filter pressure regeneration device to introduce air into the conduit.

The filter pressure regeneration device may comprise a conduit and a nozzle assembly having at least one cleaning jet directed towards the outlet side of the screen structure, and wherein the second pump is arranged to recirculate filtered fluid to the conduit of the filter pressure regeneration device.

The separator may also include an air pump between the pump and the filter pressure regeneration device to introduce air into the conduit and to exhaust the separator.

The pump may be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump.

The filter pressure regeneration device may include a conduit and a nozzle assembly having at least one cleaning nozzle directed toward an outlet side of the screen structure.

The chamber may be cylindrical and the screen structure may be a coaxial cylinder within the chamber and wherein the wall may be provided to one side of the inlet such that fluid is directed around the screen structure through the passage such that filtered solids removed by the wash water from the cleaning nozzle accumulate on the side of the wall remote from the inlet. The advantage of this arrangement of the filtered solid material advancing along the channel is better utilization of space, increased solid material collection capacity and ease of handling of the filtered solid.

A trap may be provided that includes an opening in the base of the channel to a subchamber where the accumulated filtered solids may be collected.

The nozzle assembly may include a plurality of cleaning nozzles rotatable about a central axis of the screen structure.

The nozzle assembly may be rotated by a motive nozzle arranged to direct a flow of water. The nozzle may be arranged offset from the central axis to provide propulsion or have a vector tangential to the circumference of the screen structure.

The nozzle assembly is rotatable by an arrangement of cleaning nozzles which are offset from the central axis of rotation to provide propulsion.

The chamber may have a closed top and bottom.

The structure may have an opening at the top to release pressure.

The separator may further comprise a filter pressure regeneration device for removing filtered material from the screen structure, wherein a fluid detector is provided, and wherein the filter pressure regeneration device is arranged to be actuated in dependence of an output from the fluid detector.

A reservoir may be disposed below the chamber and a fluid detector located adjacent the reservoir.

The fluid detector may be a float switch, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic detector, an optical sensor or a pressure sensor.

A bypass conduit may be provided between the inlet and the outlet to provide an alternative route for the fluid in the event that flow of the fluid is impeded.

The nozzle assembly may comprise a nozzle arranged to direct a fluid flow towards the rotatable plate, wherein the plate is arranged to rotate under the force of the fluid flow and to spray fluid outwards towards the screen structure.

In one embodiment, a washing machine having a separator as described above is provided.

In one embodiment, a method of operating a separator of the type described above is provided, the method comprising the steps of: the fluid is filtered through the screen structure, and the pump is operated to pressurize the filtered fluid.

The pump is operable to empty the separator.

The pump is operable to recirculate filtered fluid to a pressure regeneration device arranged to jet filtered sides of the screen structure with washing fluid to remove debris from unfiltered sides of the screen structure.

Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a typical home washing machine.

Fig. 2a shows an under-counter type washing machine.

Fig. 2b shows the position of the external separator of the washing machine.

Fig. 3a shows a conventional separator.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of a conventional filter assembly.

Fig. 5 shows a cross section of an embodiment with a discharge pump.

Fig. 6 is a graph illustrating the efficacy of different types of filter assemblies.

Fig. 7 shows a cross section of an embodiment with a single nozzle for regenerating the pressure consumption of the filter.

Fig. 8 shows a cross section of an embodiment with a single nozzle for regenerating the pressure consumption of the filter with a combined recirculation and drain pump.

Fig. 9 shows a cross section of an embodiment with a single nozzle for regenerating the pressure consumption of the filter with separate recirculation and drain pumps.

Fig. 10 shows a cross section of an embodiment with a single nozzle for regenerating the pressure consumption of the filter with a recirculation pump and an air discharge pump.

Fig. 11 shows a cross section of an embodiment with an array of nozzles for regenerating the pressure consumption of the filter.

Fig. 12a shows an embodiment with a cylindrical screen structure and a fixed cleaning nozzle array.

Fig. 12b shows another view of the embodiment of fig. 12 a.

Fig. 13a shows an embodiment with a rotating cleaning nozzle.

Fig. 13b shows a detailed view of the ejection of waste material from the unfiltered side of the screen structure by spraying with fluid jets from the filtered side of the screen structure.

Fig. 13c shows a detailed view of the water pellet being ejected from the nozzle.

Fig. 14a shows an alternative arrangement of cleaning nozzles.

Fig. 14b shows an alternative arrangement of cleaning nozzles.

Fig. 15a shows a propulsion nozzle assembly.

Fig. 15b shows the motive nozzle assembly in operation.

Fig. 16a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the separator.

Fig. 16b shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the separator.

Fig. 16c shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the separator.

Fig. 16d shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the separator.

Fig. 17 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a separator with a recirculation pump for recirculating filtered effluent as a washing fluid.

Fig. 18a shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a separator with a combined recirculation and discharge pump for recirculating the filtered effluent as a washing fluid and for evacuating the separator.

Fig. 18b shows an alternative arrangement of pump and tubing.

Fig. 19a shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a separator with separate recirculation and discharge pumps for recirculating the filtered effluent as washing fluid and for evacuating the separator.

Fig. 19b shows an alternative embodiment of the separate regeneration and drainage pump design.

Fig. 19c shows an alternative embodiment using a single pump that can alternately supply wash water and empty the filter by using one or more valves.

Fig. 19d shows an alternative embodiment of a single pump, wherein the pump pumps water to both the regeneration device and the discharge pipe.

Fig. 20a shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a separator with a water pump for recirculation and an air pump for evacuating the separator.

Fig. 20b is a perspective view of a filter assembly having a nozzle assembly with a rotatable plate.

Fig. 21a is a perspective view of an embodiment of a separator unit.

Fig. 21b is a perspective view of the embodiment of fig. 21a with the jug removed.

Fig. 22a is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of fig. 21 a.

Fig. 22b is a perspective view of the pump and tubing assembly of the embodiment of fig. 21 a.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a portion of the filter assembly of the embodiment of fig. 21 a.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the nozzle assembly of the embodiment of fig. 21 a.

Fig. 25 is a top view of the jug of fig. 21b with the lid removed.

Fig. 26 is a view of a printed circuit board in place in the components of the embodiment of fig. 21 a.

Fig. 27a shows a washing machine internally equipped with an embodiment of a separator.

Fig. 27b shows a washing machine externally retrofitted with an embodiment of the separator.

Detailed Description

While the following description focuses on a washing machine for laundry, it should be understood that the teachings herein are not limited to use in a washing machine, as they are equally applicable to other processing appliances, such as, but not limited to, dryers, such as dryer, tumble dryers, dyeing machines, cutting machines, recycling machines, dry cleaners, or any other home or commercial textile processing equipment. The teachings herein may also be used in other industries where particulates may be generated as a result of the treatment of an article. Accordingly, references herein to a washing machine should be understood to include any similar appliance of the type contemplated herein.

The separator described herein may be installed within the appliance itself during manufacture (as shown in fig. 27 a) or retrofitted externally to a washing machine or other appliance (as shown in fig. 27 b).

The separator system 2800 described above may be installed in a washing machine as shown in fig. 27 a. Waste from the washing machine drum is connected to an inlet 2807 of a separator 2800, and the outlet of the separator is connected to a waste outlet 2809. A fresh water supply 2806 for a regeneration device is shown, but is not necessary if a recirculation system is used. The separator system 2808 can be located outside the washing machine, connected to a waste water outlet of the washing machine, as shown in fig. 27 b. Inlet 2809 feeds effluent into separator 2808 and outlet 2810 feeds into blow down pipe 2805. The illustrated embodiment is equipped with a drain pump to achieve a mounting below the dashed waterline in the figure (i.e., the top of the drain). The illustrated embodiment also has a recirculation system, so that a separate fresh water supply is not required. The device may be connected to an electrical power source (not shown) to operate the pump.

It should also be appreciated that the teachings herein are applicable to any application where microplastic (including microfibers) need to be removed from any effluent (including wastewater) in which such materials may be entrained. This also includes runoff from roadside discharge pipes.

It should be noted that wastewater from washing machines and other applications contains a variety of compounds including microplastic. Although the filter is particularly suitable for capturing microplastic, due to the operating environment in which it is located, the system is also robust to the harsh and diverse compounds with which the filter is in contact, and is also suitable for filtering out any solid materials entrained in the effluent.

Effluent is understood to include wastewater from the sources mentioned above. It may also include wastewater from wastewater treatment plants. The effluent includes entrained dust, detergents, and micropollutants including microplastic (which includes microfibers).

In a typical wash, the highest concentration of microfibers is in the range of 5mm to 150um, but shorter microfibers are present, which are still harmful to the environment. If it is desired to remove 99% of all sizes of microfibers down to 50um in length, a grid with holes of 50um would theoretically be able to achieve this. However, in practice, such a mesh placed directly in the flow of effluent will become blocked almost immediately and the filter will become inoperable. This will lead to an increase in pressure consumption in the outlet and potentially damage the pump.

Fig. 3 shows a conventional separator or filter arrangement. Inlet 301 directs the effluent into a filter housing 302, within which a screen structure 303 is supported. The screen structure may be a mesh or other perforated material in which the mesh opening size is selected to capture particles of a desired size. The filtered effluent passes through the screen structure 303 to the outlet 304. The filtered waste accumulates on the so-called unfiltered side of the screen structure, while the outlet side of the screen structure is called the filtered side. The filter efficacy is its effectiveness in removing debris of a given size range while maintaining an acceptable flow rate, and is closely related to the pressure consumption of the filter. The screen structure shown in fig. 3 will quickly become clogged with filtered debris, resulting in increased pressure consumption and reduced efficiency.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative arrangement, wherein the effluent inlet 401 is located at one end of the channel 402, wherein the screen structure 403 forms the wall of the channel 402. In this way, the incoming effluent will urge the filtered waste towards the other end of the channel.

Fig. 5 is an embodiment of the invention, which is a separator unit 208 that may be fitted below the waterline, as shown in fig. 2 b. The separator unit comprises an inlet 501, a housing 502, a screen structure 503 and an outlet 504. The outlet is provided with a pump 505 which can empty the filter unit. Without a pump, if the separator unit is installed below the waterline, the effluent will remain in the pipe between the top of the washing machine outlet and the waterline. With the pump 505, all of the effluent left in the washing machine outlet line 209 on the unfiltered side of the separator can be pulled through the separator, and all of the filtered effluent on the outlet side can be pushed up the separator outlet line 210 on the filtered side of the separator and into the drain 205. The pump may be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump or any other type of pump.

The arrangement of the pump allows for greater flexibility in the mounting location of the filter. This is advantageous for users where the filter installation location may be limited.

In use, as the effluent fills the chamber, particles are filtered out and still adhere to the outside of the mesh, increasing power consumption and reducing the effectiveness of the filter as the mesh begins to clog.

Curve 1 in fig. 6 is a measure of the effectiveness of the arrangement shown in fig. 5 given a constant dirty water flow and a consistent pollution level. The y-axis represents the fluid pressure P at the inlet 201; it can be seen to rise gradually and then exponentially as the mesh becomes clogged with filtrate.

In practice, the flow of effluent from the washing machine is not constant over time, since a limited amount of water is used in each washing cycle. Curve 2 in fig. 6 shows how the inlet pressure varies over time, wherein the flow of effluent stops, exits through the apparatus, and then begins again. A decrease in pressure can be seen as the flow stops and the debris previously held against the mesh by the pressure of the flow falls, exposing the holes allowing the fluid to flow again until they are re-blocked in the next cycle. Curve 2 shows that the pressure consumption required for conventional plants increases through use, so that the inlet pressure required for filtering the effluent eventually becomes greater than the pump can provide.

It is necessary to open the device and manually clean the grid to bring its pressure consumption back to a level that can be effectively operated, i.e. to regenerate its pressure consumption. This is a tedious process. For some types of filters, regeneration, such as a cartridge filter, is not possible. These filters require periodic removal and replacement by the user, which not only reduces the user experience, but also results in wastage of consumable components. The present invention therefore seeks to overcome the pressure-consuming regeneration problem of mesh filters used to separate microplastic from effluent streams.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention for separating microplastic from an effluent, which regenerates the pressure depletion of the filter, comprising an effluent inlet 701 feeding the channels defined by the filter housing 702 and the screen structure 703. The filtered effluent exits the separator via outlet 704. A cleaning nozzle 707 is provided, which is arranged to direct a cleaning jet of washing fluid towards the filtering side of the screen structure 703. The cleaning nozzle 707 is connected to a washing fluid supply via a conduit 708. The cleaning nozzles are periodically actuated to remove filtered material from the unfiltered side of the screen structure, which regenerates the pressure drain, thus allowing more effluent to be filtered out and thus regenerating the pressure drain. When the waste material is removed, the effluent stream carries the waste material further away from the inlet toward the distal end of the channel. In this embodiment, the washing fluid supply is the filtered effluent itself. Conduit 705 delivers the filtered effluent to pump 706, which supplies pressurized washing fluid to cleaning nozzle 707. The unit cannot be installed below the waterline.

Fig. 8 is another embodiment in which the filter is pressure regenerated and the separator unit may be installed below the waterline. A pump 805 is provided to evacuate the unit and to supply pressurized washing fluid to the cleaning nozzles 807. The separator unit comprises an inlet 801 provided in a housing 802 supporting a mesh filter 803. The outlet 804 of the unit is connected to a pump 805. The pump is arranged to direct the filtered effluent into a conduit 806 which provides pressurized washing fluid to the cleaning nozzles and also empties the separator via an outlet 808. When the filter is in operation, the volume of filtered effluent discharged from the washing machine is much greater than the volume of filtered effluent required to clean the nozzle. Thus, the restriction 809 in the outlet 808 needs to provide sufficient resistance to flow through the outlet to urge filtered effluent into the wash fluid conduit 806.

Optionally, an air inlet 810 may be provided in the washing fluid duct 806 to introduce air into the washing fluid. This may increase the efficiency of the washing fluid in removing debris from the screen structure.

It may be advantageous to be able to control the draining and pressure regeneration of the separator unit separately. Fig. 9 shows an embodiment that allows this by providing two pumps; a drain pump 905 and a recirculation pump 908. The separator unit has an inlet 901 into a housing 902 which supports a screen structure 903 separating the inlet 901 from an outlet 904. The outlet 904 has a conduit leading to a drain pump 905. Also on the filter side of the screen structure is a washing fluid conduit 907 which leads to a washing fluid pump 908 and on to a further washing fluid conduit 909 feeding a cleaning nozzle 910. The drain pump 905 may be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump that operates at about 0.1 bar 15 liters per minute, but may operate in a range up to 1 bar and 30 liters per minute. The recirculation pump 1408 operates at approximately 0.3 bar and 8 liters/min, but may operate in a range up to 5 bar and 15 liters/min.

Fig. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of a separator unit, wherein an air pump is used to assist regeneration and drainage. The inlet 1001 is provided in a housing 1002 that supports a screen structure 1003 separating the inlet 1001 from the outlet 1004. The conduit leads to a pump 1006 which pumps the filtered effluent into a further conduit 1007 which feeds the washing fluid to a cleaning nozzle 1008. An air pump is connected in the further conduit 1007 to pump air into the washing fluid system. The air enhances the cleaning effect of the washing fluid jet emitted from the cleaning nozzle 1008. The air pump may also be operated to expel the remaining fluid in the filter, which enables this embodiment to be installed below the waterline. A one-way valve is required at the inlet (not shown) to prevent the fluid from being pushed back into the washing machine.

The pressure regeneration effect may be enhanced by a filter pressure regeneration system. The system includes a nozzle assembly having a cleaning nozzle array. Fig. 11 shows an embodiment for separating microplastic from an effluent, which includes an effluent inlet 1101 feeding a channel defined by a filter housing 1102 and a screen structure 1103. The filtered effluent exits the separator via outlet 1104. The nozzle assembly 1105 includes a plurality of cleaning jets 1105a, b, c, d, e fed with a washing fluid from a conduit 1107. The cleaning jet is periodically actuated to remove filtered material from the unfiltered side of the screen structure, which regenerates the pressure drain, thus allowing more effluent to be filtered out. When the waste material is removed, the effluent stream carries the waste material further away from the inlet toward the distal end of the channel.

Figures 12a and 12b illustrate an embodiment of the present invention for separating microplastic from effluent that regenerates the pressure consumption of the filter back to or near the level at which it was a new filter. A cylindrical chamber 1201 is provided having an inlet 1202 and a central cylindrical screen structure 1203. A wall 1204 is provided on one side of the inlet which acts as a baffle to allow the effluent to flow only unidirectionally as it enters the chamber and to allow filtered debris to collect in a designated location in the chamber. The inner walls of the chamber 1201, the outer walls of the screen structure 1203 and the wall 1204 define a channel through which unfiltered effluent flows to the other side of the wall 1204 where the effluent can accumulate. Holes 1205 are provided through which the filtered material may pass and be trapped. A filter pressure regeneration system is provided comprising a wash fluid conduit 1206 supplying wash fluid to an array of cleaning nozzles 1207 protruding radially outwardly from the conduit 1206 and arranged to direct the wash fluid vertically on the filtered side of the screen structure 1203 to remove material accumulated against the unfiltered side of the screen structure. As material is removed, it is swept by the effluent stream toward the end of the channel, through aperture 1205 and into the trap. The jet of washing fluid may be operated continuously or periodically. The washing fluid is pressurized and forced through the cleaning nozzle such that the jet of washing fluid ejected from the cleaning nozzle has sufficient force to remove material against the flow of the fluid component of the effluent through the screen structure. In one embodiment, when the filter is in direct communication with the washing machine, it may be advantageous to briefly pause the washing machine drain to enable the mesh to be cleaned without pressure from the waste drain. The wash fluid may be clean mains water and have a pressure provided by mains water pressure. The pump may also be used to pump clean water or another fluid from another source, or to recirculate filtered water. If the washing fluid is pressurized by a pump, the power consumption of the pump is a design consideration; it is preferable to minimize this power consumption to reduce the cost of the pump itself and its operating cost as well as energy consumption.

Fig. 13a shows an embodiment with a filter pressure regeneration system comprising a nozzle assembly with two rotatable opposing cleaning nozzles 1301a, b extending radially from a central conduit 1302. The center tube 1302 feeds the cleaning nozzles with pressurized washing fluid. The effluent enters the separator via inlet 1303 and follows the channel formed by the outer wall of the chamber and the screen structure 1304 to wall 1305 where filtered material M accumulates in the catcher 1306. The cleaning nozzles 1301a, b are aligned perpendicular to the screen structure 1304. The cleaning nozzle may be rotated by a motor (not shown) or other means. In fig. 13a, the cleaning nozzle is rotated in or against the flow direction of the effluent. Fig. 13b shows a detailed view of the ejection of waste material M from the unfiltered side of the screen structure 1304 by a jet of washing fluid 1307 ejected from the cleaning nozzle 1301 a. By having a reduced number of rotating cleaning nozzles or reduced aperture area, the same coverage of the screen structure by the wash fluid jets as the stationary cleaning nozzle array shown in fig. 12a can be achieved, but with less power required by the wash fluid pump. The cleaning nozzle may also be directed downwardly to force the sprayed material downwardly toward the catcher. This arrangement is advantageous because the diameter of the screen structure, and thus the surface area of the mesh, can be increased without the need for additional cleaning nozzles.

The washing fluid may be water or may be a mixture of air and water. Fig. 13c shows a cleaning fluid jet comprising water and air, wherein pellets of water 1308 are ejected from a cleaning nozzle 1301 a. This increases the speed and spray effect of the washing fluid.

In another embodiment, the nozzle assembly may be attached to a motor having a shaft with an impeller attached thereto, the impeller being located in the reservoir. The motor simultaneously drives the rotator and the impeller to rotate. The impeller discharges water from the reservoir. The outlet has a recirculation passage and a discharge passage and a water stream is fed through both passages to empty the separator and to jet the filtered side of the screen structure with the filtered effluent.

The cleaning nozzle of the filter pressure regeneration system may be configured such that the component of the pressurized washing fluid is tangential to the filtering side of the screen structure. The end of the cleaning nozzle may be angled in the flow direction of the effluent. This has the effect of projecting the filtered material further into the effluent stream where it may be swept further towards the trap before reattaching to the screen structure under the influence of the effluent stream passing through the screen structure. The nozzle assembly may be rotated in or against the flow direction of the effluent.

Fig. 14a shows an alternative arrangement of a nozzle assembly for a filter pressure regeneration system. The central hub 1401 supports an array of cleaning nozzles 1402a, b, etc. extending radially from the hub 1401. The hub includes a conduit that feeds pressurized washing fluid to the cleaning nozzle. The cleaning nozzles are arranged in a stack of four nozzles all directly above each other and a matching stack directly opposite on the hub. This arrangement ensures that each sweep of the nozzle assembly cleans the entire width of the screen structure.

Fig. 14b shows a nozzle assembly in which the cleaning nozzle arrays are arranged in a helical configuration around a central hub. This forces the exiting filtered material down in the effluent stream and more quickly to the trap.

Fig. 15a shows a nozzle assembly rotation unit 1500 for propelling a nozzle assembly of a filter pressure regeneration system. The nozzle assembly rotating unit 1500 is fixed to the cleaning nozzle. The rotary unit includes a central hub 1501 which serves as a conduit for the propulsion fluid. The propulsion fluid and the washing fluid may be the same fluid, wherein the washing fluid conduit and the rotary unit hub are connected. The rotary unit 1500 has radially extending arms 1502a, b that terminate in thrust nozzles 1503a, b oriented perpendicular to the arms. Fluid exiting the motive nozzle is directed tangentially to the axis of the hub, causing rotation of the rotary unit 1500 and thus the nozzle assembly secured thereto.

Fig. 15b shows the nozzle assembly rotation unit 1500 in operation.

Fig. 16a shows an embodiment of a separator unit comprising a filter pressure regeneration system. Separator unit 1600 includes an outer cylindrical wall 1601. In this embodiment, the outer wall is transparent so that the user can see when the separator is operating and also see accumulated filtered waste. The separator unit 1600 has a circular cap 1602 and a base 1603. An inlet 1604 is provided in the wall 1601. An outlet 1605 is provided in the base 1603.

Fig. 16b shows a cross section of a separator unit 1600. The cylindrical screen structure is arranged coaxially with the outer wall 1601. The screen structure extends between the cover 1602 and the base 1603 and provides a seal beyond which unfiltered effluent cannot pass. The screen structure includes an open support frame to which a grid having 50 micron holes is secured. Mesh sizes in the range of 5-150 microns are also suitable. The mesh separates the solid material from the liquid component of the effluent. The inner dividing wall 1607 creates a channel for effluent to flow around the screen structure (beginning at inlet 1604). The chamber is divided horizontally into two parts by a partition 1608. The partition 1608 has an opening on the other side of the inner dividing wall 1607. The combination of the opening and the lower portion of the chamber below the divider 1608 provides a trap 1609 within which waste material may accumulate. The outlet 1605 is connected to a scoop 1610 that collects filtered effluent passing through the mesh.

Fig. 16c is a cross-section of the separator unit 1600 taken along line A-A' in fig. 16a, wherein components of the filter pressure regeneration system are shown. The central vertical tube 1611 provides the washing fluid to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a motive nozzle 1612 mounted on a rotatable hub 1613.

Fig. 16d is a cross-section of the separator unit 1600 taken along line B-B' in fig. 16a, wherein components of the filter pressure regeneration system are shown. The nozzle assembly includes cleaning nozzles 1614 a-d mounted on a rotatable hub 1613. The cleaning nozzle extends radially outwardly from the hub to about the filter side of the screen structure.

The diameter of the separator unit was about 15cm. However, it should be understood that larger or smaller diameters may be selected depending on the application. The size of the unit is selected according to the flow rate of the effluent to be filtered. A separator of 15cm diameter is sufficient to treat the effluent from a domestic washing machine flowing at a rate of 13 litres/minute.

The open area of the mesh that allows water to pass through at a given flow rate can be adjusted by changing the mesh surface area or mesh holes. The mesh openings affect efficiency, so smaller mesh openings are generally preferred to provide better efficiency. The mesh surface area is a function of height and diameter, so if the diameter is reduced, a given area can be matched by increasing the height, and vice versa. All variables can be adjusted to meet product packaging and efficiency specifications.

Fig. 17-20 show how the pump-assisted embodiments of fig. 7-9 can be applied to a separator unit with a complex pressure regeneration system. The separator unit 1770 has an inlet, a cylindrical housing and a screen structure 1703. The outlet 1705 collects the filtered effluent. A portion of the filtered effluent is diverted into the tube 1706 where it is pressurized by the pump 1707 and directed into a central vertical tube 1708 that provides a washing fluid to the nozzle assembly 1709.

Fig. 18a shows an embodiment suitable for use at a location below the waterline and also to recirculate some of the filtered wastewater to regenerate filter pressure. The separator unit 1800 has an inlet 1801, a housing 1802, a screen structure 1803, and an outlet 1804. All filtered effluent from outlet 1804 is pumped outward via pump 1805. The pump 1805 is arranged to divert a portion of the filtered effluent via conduit 1806 to a central vertical conduit 1807, which provides a washing fluid to a nozzle assembly 1808. A restriction 1809 is disposed in the pump outlet tube 1810 to ensure that a sufficient volume of fluid is recirculated to the pressure regeneration system. Alternatively, pump 1805 may have a single outlet as shown in fig. 18b and junction 1812 where some of the filtered effluent to be recycled to the pressure regeneration system is diverted to conduit 1813 and the remainder diverted to the blowdown conduit. Restriction 1814 is configured to determine the proportion of filtered effluent that is recycled. Alternatively, pump 1805 may have a single outlet and electronically controlled diverter valve as shown in fig. 18b that diverts some of the filtered effluent to be recycled to the pressure regeneration system to conduit 1813 and the remainder to the blowdown conduit. These embodiments do not require separate recirculation and drainage pumps. An air inlet 1815 may be provided in the conduit 1806 that allows air to enter the pressure regeneration system to enhance the cleaning effect of the jet of cleaning fluid on the filter side of the screen structure.

It may be advantageous to be able to control the draining and pressure regeneration of the separator unit separately. Fig. 19 shows an embodiment that allows this by providing two pumps; a drain pump 1905 and a recirculation pump 1908. The separator unit has an inlet 1901 into a housing 1902 that supports a screen structure 1903 separating the inlet 1901 from an outlet 1904. The outlet 1904 has a conduit leading to a drain pump 1905. Also on the filtering side of the screen structure is a washing fluid conduit 1907 that leads to a washing fluid pump 1908 and on to a further washing fluid conduit 1909 feeding a cleaning nozzle assembly 1910. The drain pump 1905 may be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump that operates at 0.05 to 1 bar and 5 to 30 liters/min. The recirculation pump 1908 is operated at 0.1 to 5 bar and 2-20 liters/min.

Fig. 19b shows an alternative embodiment with a separate washing fluid recirculation pump 1707 and drain pump 1910. The main advantage of this arrangement is that the drain pump can be sized to only drain the filter and does not need to be run during the washing machine drain cycle. This reduces the power consumption, size and cost of the drainage pump. A one-way valve 1911 is required to prevent recirculation of the discharged water to the pump inlet.

Fig. 19c shows an alternative embodiment with a single pump 1707 that can supply wash water or empty the filter by using a diverter valve 1912. A one-way valve 1913 is required to prevent recirculation of the discharged water to the pump inlet.

Fig. 19d shows an alternative embodiment of a single pump 1707, where the pump may pump water to both the regeneration system 1708 and the discharge pipe. The drain line has a restriction 1913 to force most of the water through the regeneration route. A one-way valve 1914 is required to prevent recirculation of the discharged water to the pump inlet.

Fig. 20a shows an alternative embodiment of a separator unit, wherein an air pump is used to assist regeneration and drainage. The inlet 2001 is disposed in a housing 2002 that supports a screen structure 2003 separating the inlet 2001 from the outlet 2004. The conduit leads to a pump 2006 that pumps the filtered effluent into a further conduit 2007 that feeds the washing fluid to the cleaning nozzle assembly 2008. An air pump 2009 is connected into the further conduit 2007 to pump air into the washing fluid system. The air enhances the cleaning effect of the washing fluid jet emitted from the cleaning nozzle 2008. The air pump is also operable to push any remaining fluid in the tubing connected to the outlet 2004 up to the waterline, which enables this embodiment to be installed below the waterline. A one-way valve is required at the inlet (not shown) to prevent the fluid from being pushed back into the washing machine. The air pump also allows the filtered microplastic to be dried for ease of handling when the unit is emptied, as the force of the air compresses the captured effluent and reduces the water content.

Fig. 20b shows an alternative nozzle assembly with nozzles 2005 arranged to direct a fluid flow 2010 towards a rotatable plate 2011. The plate has features 2012 arranged to deflect the fluid flow toward the screen structure 2013. The feature 2012 is also arranged to rotate the plate such that the ejected fluid sweeps across the surface of the outlet side of the screen structure and thereby removes debris on the other side.

A reservoir with a fluid sensor (e.g. a float switch) may be provided below the separator unit. The float switch detects when fluid is present in the reservoir. The float switch is arranged to control the pump wash screen structure to regenerate the filter pressure. A pressure sensor may also be provided. Alternatively, a sensor may be provided at the inlet to detect when the effluent is flowing back, and this may be used to actuate a pump to regenerate the filter pressure. The fluid sensor may be arranged to be actuated when a certain level of fluid is detected, then to actuate the draining of the separator or the pressure regeneration means or both. Alternatively, the fluid sensor may be graduated so that it determines the fluid level in the reservoir and activates drainage at a given fluid level and activates regeneration at a different fluid level. An alternative approach is to combine the use of a sensing system to make the system more intelligent. This may be a capacitive sensor on the filter inlet for identifying the presence of fluid, or a pressure sensor measuring the filter mesh, bypass, or both.

A bypass system may be provided to connect the inlet to the outlet. This ensures that if the separator is blocked or the regeneration system fails for some reason, the entire wash load of the effluent will not fall back and cause flooding or affect the performance of the washing machine or the drain cycle, but will be diverted to the waste outlet. The separator unit has an effluent inlet, a housing supporting a screen structure, and an outlet. A bypass conduit connects the inlet to the outlet. A pressure actuated valve is located in the conduit. The pressure actuated valve opens when the pressure of the inlet relative to the outlet exceeds a certain predetermined value. Thus, if the effluent is returned at the inlet because the filter is plugged, the valve will open and pass the effluent to the outlet where it can safely drain to the waste pipe. Alternatively, the valve may be of a type that can be electronically controlled. A pressure sensor detecting the pressure difference between the two sides of the screen structure may control the valve such that if the pressure difference reaches a predetermined level, the valve is operated and the bypass is actuated.

The nozzle assembly may be rotated using a direct drive such as a motor, as shown in fig. 18. The chamber 1801 has a grid structure 1802 and a nozzle assembly 1803, wherein the nozzle assembly is driven by a motor 1804. This configuration has the advantage of improving the reliability of the nozzle assembly. The efficiency of the bearing surface between the nozzle assembly and the mounting spigot is critical when the rotation of the nozzle assembly is powered by water pressure. If these surfaces are clogged with debris, the nozzle may cease to rotate. Furthermore, the use of a motor to rotate the nozzle assembly may eliminate the need for a pump to pressurize the wash fluid provided to the nozzles; centrifugal forces generated in the nozzles draw the washing fluid into the nozzles and throw it towards the screen structure.

The above-described separator system may be installed inside the washing machine or located outside the washing machine and connected to a waste water outlet of the washing machine. A more detailed description of the individual separators is provided below:

fig. 21a shows a separator unit for positioning outside a textile treatment device, such as a home washing machine. The unit 2100 includes a main body 2101 having a wastewater inlet and outlet (not shown) and a removable jug 2102. The jug includes a filter that can collect the filtered microfibers. Removal of the jug allows the filtered microfibers to be emptied. Fig. 21b shows the unit 2100 with the jug removed and separated from the unit. The jug has a conduit for an effluent inlet, an effluent outlet and a pressure-consuming regeneration fluid feed. The pressure-depleted regeneration fluid is a recycled filtered effluent. The pipes terminate in short pipes and the body of the unit has openings to receive these pipe short pipes; an effluent inlet 2103, a filtered effluent outlet 2104, and a recycled filtered effluent 2105. Each opening has a watertight seal which ensures that no fluid leaks from the joint between the stub and the opening when the jug is in place.

Fig. 22a shows a cross section of the unit 2100 taken along line A-A' in fig. 21 a. The unit has a waste water inlet 2201 connectable to the outlet of the washing machine. The conduit leads to an inlet nipple 2202 of a jug 2203, wherein when the unit is in use, waste water is directed tangentially into a cylindrical chamber 2204 of the jug 2203. The cylindrical filter assembly 205 is centrally located within the jug 2203, shown in more detail in figure 23. Which is a plastic cage 2301 having a series of openings between a set of vertical ribs. A mesh (not shown) is over-molded to the plastic cage. The mesh is flush on the outside of the rib. A baffle 2302 is provided that forms a wall inside the chamber 2204 on one side of the jug inlet 2202 so that effluent advances around the chamber interior in only one direction. The captured particulates bypass the filter, collect at the baffle and accumulate at the distal side of the filter away from the inlet. This limits the recirculation of the captured particles. The mesh through the inlet remains clean and particle free. Thus, as the wastewater enters the filter chamber, it can pass through the mesh. The filter assembly has a cover 2203b to prevent unfiltered effluent from escaping into the outlet. The filter cover may also be removed to allow a user access to the regeneration device for maintenance. A cap is designed into the top of the filter assembly to ensure that no trapped effluent can leak through this path during maintenance. The jug 2203 has an open top so that the interior is accessible to a user to remove filtered microplastic. The jug 2203 has an outer edge with a flange 2206. When the jug 2203 is installed in the unit, the lid 2207 is lowered onto the jug. The cover includes a seal 2208 that engages with the flange 2206. The lever 2209 operates a mechanism to lower the lid onto the jug and provide a watertight seal of the jug into the unit.

Located within the filter assembly of the pitcher is a pressure consuming regeneration device that includes a rotatable nozzle assembly 2210 mounted on a hollow faucet 2211. The rotatable nozzle assembly is tethered to the faucet by a filter assembly cap 2203 b. As shown in fig. 22b, the faucet is fed by a conduit leading through the unit to a recirculation pump 2216a, which can provide wash fluid to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly is shown in more detail in fig. 24. Two hollow arms 2402a, 2402b are connected to a central hub 2401; they are offset from the axis of rotation and protrude tangentially from the hub. The end of each arm has a vertical column of linear nozzles 2403a, 2403b arranged to extend the full height of the grid. The nozzle may be flexible so that any scale build up can be easily broken up. The nozzle may also be made of a rigid plastic, which is advantageous for manufacturability and recycling of the product parts. The offset tangential arrangement of the nozzle assembly means that when pressurized fluid is forced through the nozzle by the recirculation pump, the tangential arrangement will cause the assembly to rotate at about 30-150 rpm. The rotation is arranged in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the fluid around the chamber; in this way, the angle of impingement of the fluid jet emitted from the nozzle coincides with the flow of the effluent, which allows the removed debris to flow even further around the grid than if the angle were opposite to the flow of the effluent. Figure 25 shows the nozzle assembly in place within the jug assembly. The tap on which the regeneration device is mounted operates as a plain bearing. Which has a discharge path at the upper and lower portions that allows a quantity of washing fluid to leave. This is limited by the labyrinth seal of the groove. It is important to allow the washing fluid to leave here, as this ensures that any debris that may enter the mechanical system can also be discharged and limits the risk of clogging. The tolerance of the grooves allows the largest particles that can fit through the mesh holes in any orientation to pass through the bearing.

The pot 203 is provided with a moulding 2212 which collects the filtered effluent that has passed through the mesh. The molded part passage flows out to a kettle outlet 2213. The jug outlet feeds two reservoirs; a recirculation reservoir 2214 and a drainage reservoir 2215. The recirculation reservoir is connected to a recirculation pump 2216a. As shown in fig. 22b, the drain reservoir is connected to a drain pump 2216b. The outlet of the drain pump feeds into a chamber 2217 having a one-way valve 2218 to prevent filtered effluent from returning to the reservoirs 2214, 2215. The filtered effluent exits the unit via outlet 2219.

Upon draining from the filter unit, the reservoir is arranged to fill the recirculation reservoir prior to draining the reservoir. This ensures that there is always a supply of washing fluid for recirculation and that it is not removed by the drainage pump.

The volume of the recirculation reservoir is designed to ensure a supply of washing fluid that can provide constant recirculation without completely evacuating the reservoir. In some scenarios, it may be advantageous to limit this situation and only provide enough wash fluid for "bursting" because this reduction in volume enables a reduction in product size.

The volume of the drain reservoir is designed to ensure that any return fluid from the outlet conduit and hose can be refilled into the chamber without spilling. This ensures that the user can remove the filter pot and not cause any overflow when the product is mounted horizontally close to the floor.

The geometry of the reservoir is designed with an angled base and a centralized feed point for the pump. This reduces sedimentation in the cylinder by removing the static flow area in the cylinder and creating a dynamic draining environment that encourages the particles to travel to the feed point and be removed by the pump along with any waste water.

The geometry and depth of the reservoirs are further designed to limit the turbulence of the pump that would otherwise reduce their ability to draw water into the pump and reduce their operating efficiency

The inlet 2201 and the outlet 2219 of the unit 2100 are connected by a conduit 2220. A dispensing valve 2221 is provided at the inlet of conduit 2220. The dispensing valve opens at a predetermined pressure such that if there is a fault in the unit and pressure builds up, the valve operates and the effluent bypasses the filter portion of the unit directly to the outlet. One-way valve 2222 is configured to prevent recirculation of filtered effluent and one-way valve 2223 is configured to prevent bypass effluent from entering the reservoir. In another embodiment of the design, the bypass is accessible to a user for maintenance, e.g., to remove a blockage.

An air valve 2224 is provided in the inlet to prevent the recirculation pump and/or drain pump from drawing water from the connected washing machine to ensure that sufficient water remains in the washing machine.

Fig. 26 shows an arrangement of an electronic control system of a unit mounted on a PCB 2601. Two sensors are provided; i) A capacitive sensor in the inlet or other area of the pipe that detects the presence of effluent according to control methods and software logic, and ii) a pressure difference sensor arranged to measure the pressure difference between the two sides of the grid. A pressure differential sensor may be used to indicate the pressure differential between each side of the grid. This may be used to monitor the health of the system and may be used to provide feedback to the logic, such as to indicate whether the mesh is quickly plugged with debris and whether regeneration should be activated. A micro switch 2602 is provided which detects when the jug is fully in the unit. Any other type of sensor (such as an IR sensor) may be used to detect mechanical movement. If the jug is not positioned and the unit is turned on, an alarm is sounded to alert the user to position the jug prior to use. This may also operate on a timer so that the user is alerted to replace the jug during maintenance and not to detach the unit.

The capacitive sensor is of the fluid sensor type; any other type may be used, such as a float switch.

The electronic system is arranged to operate the unit in multiple modes involving different combinations of sensors and software logic to optimize system operation or to change system operation for different areas, users, functions or cost requirements. For example, only a capacitive sensor (without a pressure sensor) may be used to reduce the number of components and reduce costs. The following are examples of usage patterns:

example 1 capacitive sensor and pressure sensor

Active filtration：

If the capacitive sensor indicates that there is effluent at the inlet (i.e., the washing machine is draining) and the pressure sensor indicates that the grid has been plugged, then the drain pump is actuated to assist the unit in draining, and the recirculation pump is actuated to spray the grid to remove debris and regenerate the pressure drain. Once active filtering has been triggered, it may run for a set time.

Passive filtration：

Passive filtering is initiated if the pressure sensor indicates that the pressure differential is below a threshold and the capacitive sensor is triggered. This is the case when the recirculation pump is turned off but the drain pump can be operated.

Drainage cycle：

If the capacitive sensor indicates that the effluent at the input has stopped, operating the recirculation pump after a delay (which may be about 100 seconds) to clean the grid; the delay may be adjusted. Shortly thereafter, e.g. 2 seconds, the drainage pump is operated to drain the system. The recirculation pump is then turned off after, for example, another 3 seconds, and then the drainage pump is turned off after, for example, 10 seconds.

Standby：

If the capacitive sensor is low, both the recirculation pump and the drain pump may be turned off.

Example 2-capacitive sensor only

A capacitive sensor is disposed on the inlet tube. When water is detected, the pump is actuated until water is no longer detected. The pump is programmed to overrun a predetermined number of seconds to clean the mesh and drain the filter.

Example 3-capacitive sensor with current monitoring on drain pump.

A capacitive sensor is disposed on the inlet tube. When water is detected, the discharge pump is turned on. If the current on the drain pump is low while the fluid sensor reading is high, the recirculation pump is turned on. The recirculation pump is turned off after a predetermined time while the discharge pump is kept on.

Example 4-integration in washing machine-pressure sensor only

The separator unit may be integrated into a washing machine or other textile processing device. A fluid sensor is not required as the integration with the washing machine control logic enables the filter to know when water is pumped into the filter. When fluid is pumped through the filter and the pressure sensor is low, the recirculation pump is not operated, but the drain pump is actuated. When fluid is pumped through the filter and the pressure sensor is triggered, then the recirculation pump is operated. The washing machine drain cycle may be suspended at this point for several seconds to increase the pressure-consuming regeneration efficiency.

The unit may be used to reduce water consumption of existing washing machines or other textile treatment equipment by recycling water from the output back into the washing machine. This is possible because the filter removes a high proportion of the debris from the effluent and is therefore very clean. A unit integrated into the washing machine may also provide this function.

The separator unit may be integrated into the washing machine and used to replace a conventional filter that is used to prevent debris from reaching and damaging the washing machine pump. Furthermore, by replacing existing filters with advanced filtration techniques disclosed herein, different washing machine pumps may be used together, i.e., operated at higher efficiency.

A separator may be provided wherein the inlet feeds the interior of the screen structure and the outlet collects filtered effluent from the exterior of the screen structure.

When the effluent has been discharged, the separator housing may be opened to empty the trap.

An opening may be provided at the top of the screen structure to avoid airlocks.

An air inlet may be provided at the inlet of the separator to avoid siphoning all waste water from the washing machine.

Instead of regenerating the pressure of the separator unit, a disposable cartridge may be provided. A portion of the separator containing the filter element (i.e., the screen structure) may be provided as a cartridge that is removed and disposed of and replaced with a new cartridge. Alternatively, the cartridge may be sent for cleaning or for rinsing by a user and then reused.

The wastewater discharged from textile mills is contaminated with microfibers and cannot be guaranteed to be filtered at municipal facilities. When these facilities are present, they can remove up to 98% of the microplastic, however the microplastic discharged is still equivalent to millions of microfibers per day. The microfibers removed from the water may then be transferred into the environment as "sewage sludge" and spread as fertilizer on agricultural land. Eventually, the microfibers are passed into the natural environment as contaminants-they need to be blocked at the source.

Wet processing plants currently operate in a linear system whereby microfiber resources are discharged as contaminants from technical processes into a biological environment. The separator system described herein is used to close the circuit into a continuous loop to maintain the value of the microfibers in the technical process and to prevent damage to the biological environment.

Embodiments of the separator system may be retrofitted to existing wastewater outlets of wet-process textile plants to achieve microfiber capture at the source before contamination of the natural environment may occur.

The separator system may be used to filter microplastic and other micropollutants from an environmental drainage system, such as a roadside ditch. Many microplastic materials in the environment break down from larger plastic articles such as automobile tires, pavement and road markings. Tires are the largest source of microplastic next to synthetic plastics and contain hazardous materials such as mineral oil.

Catalytic converters are mounted on most automobiles and contain very valuable materials such as platinum, palladium, copper and zinc. During use, small amounts of these metals are lost in the car and debris is deposited on the road surface. While the metal concentration varies geographically, the collection and recycling of these materials not only reduces environmental pollution, but may also be a return stream in the recycling economy.

The larger scale embodiments of the present invention may be applied to effluent treatment in wastewater treatment plants. For example, the diameter of the separator chamber may be 1 meter or 2 meters or more.

A typical sewage network is built along one of two designs:

i) And combining the sewer. These combined drains collect surface water and sewage together, meaning that all wastewater passes through a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). During stormwater, sewage overflow typically occurs, releasing untreated sewage and pollutants into the body of water.

ii) independent sewer. These separate drains drain surface water directly into the body of water.

In both systems, roadside runoff (i.e., surface water from the road) is released into the environment.

Most roadside ditches have drainage pipes at regular points, and these drainage pipes have sediment "tanks" that settle heavy materials (such as gravel and sand) to prevent clogging. These contain some micropollutants, but most microplastic and valuable metals are too small to be retained.

Embodiments of the separation system of the present invention may be retrofitted as an insert into a sediment tank of a discharge pipe to filter micropollutants at the source. Designed to fit existing trenches and to be evacuated using a mobile vacuum pump.

In another embodiment, the system may be used as part of a filtration system for ocean waste treatment. At a marine vessel, waste water contaminated by activities on the vessel is dumped, which includes microplastic from various sources. The filter system may be used to filter the effluent prior to treatment and thus combat the source of contamination.

Claims (23)

1. A separator adapted for separating solid material from a fluid, the separator comprising:

a chamber having an inlet and an outlet,

a screen structure forming a permeable barrier between the inlet and the outlet to filter the fluid,

and a pump in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the separator further comprises a filter pressure regeneration device for removing filtered material from the screen structure,

wherein the filter pressure regeneration device comprises a conduit and a nozzle assembly having at least one cleaning jet, and wherein the pump is arranged to recirculate the filtered fluid to the conduit of the filter pressure regeneration device.

2. A separator according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a water pump arranged to also empty the separator, or a separate pump arranged to empty the separator.

3. A separator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one cleaning jet is for directing fluid towards the outlet side of the screen structure.

4. A separator according to claims 1 to 3, wherein a restriction is provided in the conduit downstream of the pump, wherein the orifice of the restriction is arranged to ensure that a preset amount of filtered fluid is recirculated into the filter pressure regeneration device and an amount of the filtered fluid is discharged.

5. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein a vent is provided in the conduit between the pump and the filter pressure regeneration device to introduce air into the conduit.

6. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the separator further comprises an air pump located between the pump and the filter pressure regeneration device to introduce air into the conduit and empty the separator.

7. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the water pump is a positive displacement pump.

8. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the water pump is a centrifugal pump.

9. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the chamber is cylindrical and the screen structure is a coaxial cylinder within the chamber, and wherein a wall is provided to one side of the inlet such that the fluid is directed around the screen structure through a channel such that filtered material removed from the cleaning nozzle by the wash water accumulates on the side of the wall remote from the inlet.

10. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein a trap is provided, the trap comprising an opening in the base of the channel leading to a sub-chamber where accumulated filtered material can be collected.

11. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a plurality of cleaning nozzles rotatable about a central axis of the screen structure.

12. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the nozzle assembly is rotated by a motive nozzle arranged to direct a water flow having a vector tangential to the circumference of the screen structure or offset from the central axis.

13. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein the chamber has a closed top and bottom.

14. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein a fluid detector is provided, and wherein the filter pressure regeneration means is arranged to be actuated in dependence on an output from the fluid detector.

15. The separator of claim 14, wherein a reservoir is disposed below the chamber and the fluid detector is located in the reservoir.

16. The separator of claim 15, wherein the fluid detector is a float switch.

The separator of claim 14, wherein the fluid detector is a pressure sensor.

17. A separator according to any preceding claim, wherein a bypass conduit is provided between the inlet and the outlet to provide an alternative route for the fluid in the event that flow of the fluid is impeded.

18. The separator of claim 78, wherein the bypass conduit comprises a pressure actuated valve.

19. A washing machine having a separator according to claims 1 to 18.

20. The separator of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle arranged to direct a fluid flow towards a rotatable plate, wherein the plate is arranged to rotate under the force of the fluid flow and to spray the fluid outwards towards the screen structure.

21. A method of operating a separator according to claims 1 to 20, the method comprising the steps of:

the fluid is filtered through the screen structure and,

a pump is operated to pressurize the filtered fluid.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the pump is operated to empty the separator.

23. A method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the pump is operated to recirculate the filtered fluid to a pressure regeneration device arranged to spray the filtered side of the screen structure with a washing fluid to remove debris from the unfiltered side of the screen structure.