DE29611839U1 - Water treatment device - Google Patents

Description

10

DESCRIPTION Water treatment device

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a water treatment device, as used in particular for domestic water pipes, in order to prevent or reduce limescale deposits in water pipes.

STATE OF THE ART

Water treatment devices are known in which the water treatment is based on physical principles. The water is passed through an electrostatic field that is built up between two electrodes that are insulated from the liquid. For example, such a device in the form of two coaxially arranged cylindrical tubes is known from US-A-4,073,712. The two tubes form the two electrodes. The water to be treated flows longitudinally through the two tubes in the annular space between the two tubes. The inner tube is provided with an electrically non-conductive coating on its outside and the outer tube on its inside, so that the two tubes are electrically insulated from the water to be treated.

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In addition, a backwashable filter device is known from DE-OS 40 02 290. The cleaning effect of the filter medium is achieved by reversing the flow of water flowing through the filter device. The contaminants detached from the surface of the filter medium during the backwash process are led out of the filter device together with the backwash water through a separate backwash channel.

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05 July 1996

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DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Based on this previously known state of the art, the invention is based on the object of specifying an improved water treatment device.

This invention is characterized by the features of claim 1. The water treatment device is accordingly characterized according to the invention by a backwashable

IQ filter insert, whose filter medium can be optionally flowed through by the water to be treated in both flow directions. The device according to the invention can therefore act on the water in such a way that limescale deposits are at least greatly reduced and this water can also be freed of dirt particles or other particles.

An essential embodiment of the invention is characterized by the fact that there is both an inlet and an outlet opening in the head area of the device housing. The water to be treated can flow into the device through the inlet opening and out of the device again through the outlet opening, which is practically at the same point as the inlet opening. The water to be treated thus flows through the device in a loop. This reversal of the flow direction is made possible by at least one electrical conductor being tubular, so that the water can flow past one of its outer surfaces in one direction and the water can flow past the opposite outer surface in the opposite direction. This makes it possible to design the device in a very space-saving manner and to integrate such a device into a pipe network; the branch point in an existing water-carrying pipe, at which the supply line to the device is provided, and the branch point at which the line returning from the device reconnects to the pipe network, are practically located.

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at the same place. Complex piping to and from the device is therefore largely unnecessary. This design can also be used advantageously when using electrical conductors that are electrically insulated from the liquid.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the device has a first electrical conductor which is rod-shaped and is attached in a cantilevered manner in the head area of the device. A second electrical conductor is tubular and is also attached in a cantilevered manner in the head area. The first electrical conductor is seated concentrically in the second conductor, leaving a first annular space free. The second, outer conductor can also be seated concentrically in a tubular body, leaving a second annular space free. This body is closed on its end face opposite the head area. The water to be treated can then, for example, flow through the inner annular space from the inlet opening in a first flow direction through the device, while the water can flow through the outer, second annular space in the opposite flow direction back into the head area and out of the device again from the outlet opening. The water therefore flows through the roughly cylindrical device in two directions. The compact device can therefore be easily installed in pipe networks.

The outer tubular body can also be an electrical conductor. There are then two annular spaces along which the water can be physically treated. The flow direction along which the water can be physically treated can therefore correspond to approximately twice the length of the device.

The outer tubular body can also be made of electrically non-conductive material, such as

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made of plastic and then form a protective shield for the electrical conductors. In principle, the electrical conductors, regardless of whether there are two, three or more of them, can be surrounded by a plastic housing on the outside. This plastic housing can be screwed into the head piece, for example, and then enclose the electrical conductors like a pot. The head area then preferably contains the inlet and outlet openings, which are in a corresponding line-related connection with the annular spaces in the device.

According to an embodiment shown in more detail in the example, the device has a housing in the head area of which there is a central inlet and outlet opening for the water to be treated. Three electrical conductors through which alternating current can flow are concentrically inserted into one another. This creates two annular spaces through which the water flows in one direction and the other. This means that the inlet and outlet area of the water is in the upper area of the housing - for example, according to the example - and therefore in the same area.

In addition, in the lower area of the housing - in this example - which is opposite the head area, a pot-like filter insert is arranged in the common end area of the second and third electrical conductors. This pot-like filter insert represents the backwashable filter insert. This pot-like filter insert has an outlet area in its base area through which the water leaves the housing again after flowing through one or both annular spaces during the backwash process. During the backwash process, the flow of water flowing through the filter medium is thus reversed. Dirt particles can thus be detached from the surface of the filter medium during the backwash process and

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the backwashed water is released from the device through a separate outlet opening. The backwashing process always takes place when the outlet opening, i.e. the outlet valve in this example, is opened.

The outer casing of the device can be formed directly by the outermost tubular electrical conductor. However, it is also possible to enclose this tubular outermost conductor from the outside with an additional plastic cover.

It has proven particularly advantageous to design the pot-like insert so that it can rotate around its central axis. The pot-like insert is then advantageously designed so that it has a first sleeve which is designed with a jacket containing the filter medium. In this sleeve there is a second sleeve which has channels spaced apart from one another, which are connected to the filter medium from the inside in a liquid-tight manner with one of their channel openings. The other channel opening ends in the outlet valve. During the backwash process, this second sleeve is rotated in the first sleeve around the common central axis. The channels thus brush one after the other over the surface of the filter medium with their one opening and can thereby pick up the dirt particles released from the surface during the backwash process one after the other and feed them through their channels to the outlet valve.

These channels are advantageously housed in spaced apart webs. The channels are formed by a longitudinal groove in the respective web, the two longitudinal groove walls of which are in fluid-tight contact with the filter medium from the inside. The open longitudinal groove area that is present between the groove walls thus represents the channel opening. When these webs and thus the inner sleeve are rotated, each longitudinal groove touches the inner surface of the

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filter medium. During the backwash process, in which the outlet valve is open, the dirt on the inside of the filter medium can be sucked off the filter medium through the longitudinal groove and discharged to the outside through the outlet valve together with the backwash water. In parallel, the above-mentioned treatment of the water with alternating current takes place, preferably with the outlet valve closed. For this purpose, for example, the middle tubular electrical conductor is connected to one voltage pole and the inner and outer electrical conductors to the other voltage pole.

Further embodiments and advantages of the invention can be found in the other features of the claims and the following exemplary embodiment.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is described and explained in more detail below using the embodiment shown in the drawing. They show:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the filter device according to the invention in normal operation,

Fig. 2 a partial longitudinal section of the device according to Fig. 1 in backwash operation and

Fig. 3 is an exploded partial view of the inner area of the device according to Fig. 1 and 2 with the backwashable filter insert.

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WAYS TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

A water treatment device 10 has a T-shaped distributor piece 12. The lower end 14 of the distributor piece 12 in Fig. 1 contains the inlet opening 16 and the upper end 18 the outlet opening 20 for the water to be treated from, for example, a connected domestic water pipe.

There is a line connection from the inlet opening 16 into the nozzle part 22 of the distributor piece 12. This nozzle part 22 is present in the head area 24 of the device 10. This head area 24 represents the upper part of the device 10, which is closed by a plastic hood 28 in the lower area.

A circular cylindrical rod 30 is fastened centrally in the head region 24 and projects downwards from the head region 24. The rod 30 is electrically conductive and penetrates upwards through the head region 24. At the top it has an external thread 32 with which it can be screwed onto the head region 24 and thus held in place. The upper end of the rod 30 is connected to an electrical line 34 which ends in an electrical switch box 36. This electrical switch box has - although not shown - an electrical on-off switch and regulating or control devices for setting a desired alternating voltage and current for the electrical conductors present in the housing, which will be described in more detail below.

The rod 30 is surrounded by an electrically conductive tube 40 in the area of the housing 26, whereby an annular space 42 is formed between the rod 30 and the tube 40. This annular space 42 has a conductive connection to the nozzle part

22. The water 43 flowing in through the inlet opening 16 therefore flows through the annular space 42 - in the drawing below.

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The pipe 40 is surrounded by another electrically conductive pipe 50, whereby an annular space 52 is also present between the pipe 40 and the pipe 50. The water flowing through the annular space 42 from top to bottom flows from below into the annular space 52 and from there back to the head area 24. This water then reaches the area of the outlet opening 20 through an annular space 54 formed in the head area 24. Finally, the water flowing in through the inlet opening 16 flows out of the device 10 again from the outlet opening 20 at the top (arrow 45) after flowing through the two annular spaces 42, 52.

In a similar manner to the rod 30, the tubes 40 and 50 are also led upwards through the head region 24 with an electrical, rod-shaped contact 56 or 58, respectively, and are provided with an external thread 60, 62 at the top in order to hold the two tubes 40, 50 firmly to the head region 24. While the electrical, rod-shaped contact 56 of the middle tube 40 is connected via a line 67 to one pole 64 of the alternating voltage source 65, the other pole 66 is connected both to the line 34 leading to the rod 30 and to a line 69 leading to the electrical, rod-shaped contact 58.

By applying an alternating voltage to the alternating voltage source 65 formed by the poles 64, 66, when water flows through the annular spaces 42 and 52, an electric current flows both between the middle tube 40 and the rod 30 and between the middle tube 40 and the outer tube 50.

In the present case, an operating voltage between approximately 8 and 15 volts and an operating current between approximately zero and 600 mA have proven to be particularly suitable for effectively counteracting limescale deposits.

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In the lower area of the two tubes 40, 50 there is a filter insert 70. This filter insert has an outer sleeve 72, on the inside of which the filter medium 74, in this case consisting of a fine mesh wire, is attached. The outer sleeve 72 has longitudinal webs 76 that are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis 78 of the device 10 and thus of the tubes 40, 50. In this case there are six of these webs 76 evenly distributed around the circumference. The webs 76 lie liquid-tight against the inside 80 of the outer tube 50. In addition, the webs are connected by an inwardly directed annular shoulder 82, with which they also lie against the outside 84 of the middle tube 40. In the intermediate area between the webs there is a free space 86 between the area of the shoulder 82 and the outer tube 50. In the area between the webs 76, the water can flow upwards through the free space 86 into the intermediate space 52 after flowing through the filter medium 74. This is shown in Fig. 1, in the left half of the drawing. In the right part of this Fig. 1, the area of the sleeve 72 with its webs 76 is shown.

There is another sleeve 92 in the sleeve 72. This inner sleeve 92 also has webs 94, which are distributed around the circumference and are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis 78. In the present case, there are four webs 94. The number of webs 94 is different from the number of webs 76 of the outer sleeve 72. This ensures that all webs 94 can never be placed "in front of" the webs 76 from the inside at the same time.

The webs 94 have a U-shaped cross-section 100 that is open to the outside. With this open cross-sectional area, the webs 94 lie directly against the inside of the filter medium 74. At the top, the U-shaped cross-sections and thus the webs 94 are closed by a front-like cap 102. The lower area of the U-shaped cross-section

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has an access opening to a channel 104. This channel 104 runs within the bottom area of the inner sleeve 92. The channel 104 ends in a central outlet channel 108, which - in the present example - leads out of the bottom of the device. For this purpose, the bottom area 106 of the housing 26 has a central, pin-like pipe part 110. This pipe part 110 is mounted in the bottom 112 of the housing 26 so that it can rotate about the common longitudinal axis 78. A sealing ring 114 seals the interior of the housing 26 from the outside so that water cannot escape from the device 10 at this point. A lockable outlet valve is also connected to the outlet channel 108, which is not shown in the drawing. This allows the outlet channel 108 to be closed or opened. In the open state, which is shown in Fig. 2, the interior of the device 10 and thus the water flowing through the gaps 42, 52 is connected to the outlet channel 108. The water flowing in through the inner gap 42 thus flows out through the outlet channel 108. This flow direction is the backwash direction.

During this backwash direction, the water flows downwards through the gap 42 and from the inside against the filter medium 74. However, this is only possible in the area between the webs 94. After passing through the filter medium (Fig. 2), the water does not flow upwards out of the outlet opening 20 of the device 10 but, due to the open outlet channel 108, flows again from the outside to the inside through the filter medium 74 and only in the area of the U-shaped cross-sections 100 of the webs 94 of the inner sleeve. The suction effect due to the open outlet channel 108 is only effective in the area of these U-shaped cross-sections 100. The flow state shown in the left half of Fig. 2 only occurs in the area of these U-shaped cross-sections 100. The state shown in the right half of Fig. 2 occurs circumferentially to the right and left of the webs 94. During the backwash process, the inner

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In the area of the filter medium 74 provided with webs 94, the water flows through it from the inside to the outside (Fig. 2, right half of the drawing), and in the area of the U-shaped cross sections 100, the water flows through the filter medium 74 from the outside to the inside (Fig. 2, left half of the drawing). In the area of the U-shaped cross sections, the dirt particles adhering to the inside of the filter medium 74 can be detached from the filter medium with the returned water and discharged to the outside through the outlet channel 108.

By rotating the inner sleeve 92, which can be done, for example, by acting on the pipe part 110 accordingly, the webs 94 of the inner sleeve 92 with their U-shaped cross sections 100 can be guided one after the other along the inside of the filter medium 74. In this way, the entire inner surface of the filter medium 74 can be cleaned of dirt particles one after the other. The inner sleeve 92 can be rotated by hand, for example. During the backwashing process, the alternating voltage source is advantageously switched off so that no current flows through the three electrical conductors in the device.

Claims (1)

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EXPECTATIONS 01) Water treatment device (10) for domestic water pipes in particular, with - several coaxially arranged electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) connected to an electrical voltage source (65), the annular space (42, 52) of which, formed by mutual spacing, can be flowed through by water, characterized by - a backwashable filter insert (70), the filter medium (74) of which can also be flowed through by the water to be treated (43) in either flow direction. 02) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that - in the head region (24) of its housing there is an inlet opening (16) for the water flowing into the device (10) and an outlet opening (20) for the water flowing past the electrical conductors (3 0, 40, 50) and leaving the device (10), in that - at least one tubular electrical conductor (40) is present, along one surface of which the water flows in one direction and along the opposite, other surface of which the water flows in the opposite direction. 03) Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that - a first electrical conductor (3 0) is rod-shaped and is attached in a cantilevered manner in the head region (24), - a second electrical conductor (40) is tubular and is fixed in a projecting manner in the head region (24) 35 is, EKGE-O6gDE 05 July 1996 -2- - the first conductor (30) is seated concentrically in the second conductor (40), leaving a first annular space (42) free, - the second conductor (40) is seated concentrically in a tubular body, leaving free a second annular space (52), - this body is closed on its front side opposite the head area (24) and - the inlet opening (16) is connected to the first annular space (42) and the outlet opening (20) is connected to the second annular space (52). 15 04) Device according to claim 3, characterized in that - the tubular body is a tube (50) designed as a third electrical conductor. 05) Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) are surrounded on the outside by a pot-like plastic housing (28). 06) Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) have electrical connection connections (32, 34; 56, 67; 58, 69) for a control and regulating device (36) located on the outside of the device (10), with which the electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) can be supplied with a predeterminable source voltage. 3 0 genes are. 35 07) Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) are not electrically insulated from the water flowing through the device (10). EKGE-O6gDE 05 July 1996 05 -3- 08) Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the electrical conductors (30, 40, 50) can be supplied with an alternating electrical voltage between approximately 8 and 15 volts and an electrical current between approximately zero and 600 mA. 09) Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that IQ - the backwashable filter insert (70) is pot-shaped and is located in the common end area of the second and third conductors (40, 50), - an outlet channel (108) for the pot-shaped filter insert (70) is provided, which is located in the bottom area (112) of the filter 3_5 insert and through which the water flowing through the one or more annular spaces leaves the housing (26) during the backwashing process. 10) Device according to claim 9, characterized in that - the pot-shaped insert (70) is rotatable about its central axis (78), - the pot-like insert (70) contains - a first sleeve (72) with a jacket containing the filter medium (74), -- a second sleeve (92) having spaced-apart channels, which have a first channel opening, which is in tight contact with the filter medium (74) from the inside, and which have a second channel opening, which is connected to the outlet valve, - the bottom region (112) of the second sleeve (92) tightly seals one end face of the first sleeve (72) when the outlet valve is closed. 35 SKGE-06gDE _{># ###} , &ldquor; 05. July 1996 .". ." !**! * .* * * -4- 11) Device according to claim 10, characterized in that - the wall of the second sleeve (92) consists of spaced apart webs (94), - there is a longitudinal groove in each web, the two groove walls of which lie tightly against the filter medium (74) from the inside, - the front end of the longitudinal groove facing the head region (24) of the housing (26) is closed and the other front end of the longitudinal groove opposite thereto ends in a pipe section which is present in the bottom (112) of the pot-like insert and through which the water flowing through the device leaves the housing (26) during the backwash process in which the outlet valve is open.