DE8434594U1 - Device for the regeneration of liquids, with several filter chambers and constant filter performance and recirculation of partial flows, with at least one storage and reaction chamber - Google Patents

Description

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Description

Method and device for the regeneration and treatment of liquids* as a multi-chamber filter system with constant filter performance and recirculation of partial flows between the individual filter chambers, with at least one storage and reaction chamber.

Preferably for a bathing facility with a recirculation system. Suitable for filtering out solid particles and colloidally dissolved substances and for reducing organic substances and for other treatment and preparation of liquids.

The invention relates to a method, including the device required to carry out the method, for the regeneration and treatment of liquids, whereby the device used to carry out the method is a multi-chamber filter system with constant filter performance through partial filtrate recirculation between the individual filter chambers and the resulting multiple circulation and filtration within at least two reaction chambers and one filter chamber, at least one reaction chamber can be designed as a storage space, whereby at least one circulation pump is assigned to the device. The device and the method preferably serve for filtration and absorption purposes and other purposes in a bathing facility, but can also be used in other areas.

The task of the method and device according to the invention is to enable multiple circulation and filtration between selectable filter chambers and reaction or storage spaces within a watercourse, preferably within a water or liquid circuit, via a multi-chamber filter system which shows a constant performance up to a predeterminable operating point and to which a filtrate return flow device is assigned between at least two filter chambers, and to thereby filter out solid particles, to cause colloidally dissolved substances to coagulate in at least one reaction or storage space and to make them filterable.

to reduce or bind organic substances by coagulation and adsorption, if necessary to ensure the degassing of liquids (e.g.) after prior addition of (ozone or other) substances used for treatment, and in a chamber directly above the filter

medium or upstream storage space to absorb surge water, temporarily store it if necessary, completely or partially exchange it for fresh water if necessary and release it back into the buffer if necessary.
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In general filter construction, devices are known through which solid particles are filtered out using quartz sand and other granular filter media. To improve the effectiveness of these known devices, different or combined filter media are also used as so-called multi-layer filters. The use of filter media is also known whose adsorbing effect and electrode voltage is used to bind or reduce organic substances that cannot be retained in quartz sand, for example.

The known filter devices can have open or closed filter housings, the devices can be designed as room or surface filters, they can consist of individual containers or groups in individual, parallel or series connection.
Filters are also known in which the filter media are exposed to ultrasound or high frequency or are permeated by gases in order to obtain better filtration results and filter medium service life.

The cleaning or washing out of the filter medium is primarily done by backwashing, washing out and flushing dirt into the sewer. 25

Coagulants are used to flocculate colloidally dissolved substances. Oxidation agents and pH-regulating chemicals are used especially in bathing water treatment systems.

All of the devices described above have significant disadvantages due to their design and method.

The manufacturing costs of the units are disproportionately high. The operating costs are very high due to the considerable fresh water requirements and the associated considerable heating energy consumption.

The scope of work in the area of hygienic safety is limited and is quickly exhausted when bathers enter, whereby the entry and enrichment of the bathing water with organic substances (e.g. bound chlorine) plays an important role.

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DE 24ö5ö7.4 describes a bathing water filtration device of a known type.

Multi-layer filters contain various media, such as quartz sand of different grain sizes and thermally treated coal. Due to the density of the individual filter media, they are deposited in the filter in such a way that heavier media end up in the lower filter area, while media with a lower density end up in higher layers. If the media are deposited in the opposite order or randomly, the various media would mix during the first filter backwash, and ultimately the media with the lower density would float to the top and inevitably end up in the upper filter area.

Due to this mandatory position of the various media within a filter bed, due to volumetric weights, a filter medium cannot be placed exactly where it should be in multi-layer filters of conventional design.

Quartz sand is preferably used to filter out solid particles. In addition to filtration tasks, thermally treated coal is used for adsorption, whereby its capillary action and electro/physical properties are to be used.

However, due to the density, in known multi-layer filters the quartz sand intended for filtration, which is responsible for separating solid particles, is located under the carbon intended for adsorption. The adsorption filter material as the first filter layer thus takes over the actual function of the quartz sand.

The result of such an arrangement shows that the capillary effect and the electrode voltage of the adsorption filter material are not sufficiently effective because the large amount of solid particles that accumulate cover, stick, bake and insulate the adsorption filter material. Particles and substances that have been allowed to pass through also pass through the other filter medium without being held back. Colloidally dissolved substances and organic substances pollute the bathing water (or possibly another liquid), which quickly becomes a hygiene risk.

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In order to reduce such an intolerable risk, the known processes involve diluting the substances that could not be filtered using the previous process, whereby a certain rate of fresh water is added to the bathing system per bather. If necessary, the frequency of bathers must be limited and a minimum volume-related treatment capacity of the filter and treatment system must be ensured.

According to the existing test reports for a hot tub from the Gelsenkirchen Hygiene Institute (published in the "Archive for the Bathing Industry" issue 1/83 and 7/83), 2 cubic meters of bathing water must be treated per bather in conventional facilities, whereby 15 liters of fresh water must be supplied to the bathing facility per bather in order to ensure hygienically perfect bathing water quality.
Further provisions on the quality of bathing water include:

stipulated that the accumulation of organic substances, e.g. bound chlorine, must not exceed 0.5 mg/litre.

In practice, maintaining this value is particularly difficult and can only be achieved with a relatively high supply of fresh water.

DE 252o36o discloses a device which is also designed as a multi-layer filter, with the disadvantages described above, and furthermore has a compensation chamber and a reaction chamber.

However, the properties claimed as essential to the invention for this device are particularly disadvantageous.

First, the water enters the device in the inlet shaft (6), where solid particles are the first to settle and form a sediment that is almost an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Solid particles that have managed to overcome the inlet shaft while floating come to sedimentation in chamber (3) at the latest.

Furthermore, ozone is added to this device as an oxidizing agent before the filter chamber. Due to the design, this part of the device cannot be changed either, since the filtration and adsorption stage is located after the chambers (3 and 6) with the sedimentation options and the

Ozone injection point is arranged. The addition of oxidizing agents to unfiltered water is extremely disadvantageous and should be rejected. The retention of the residual ozone in the filter first layer (13) contaminated with solid particles, which is made of carbon, is not guaranteed for the reasons described above, and if the residual ozone or parts of it break through, it is deposited on the pool water because it is heavier than air and can cause health damage to bathers.

The device according to DE 252o36o is also very bulky, in particular very high. A multi-layer filter fill sufficient for bathing must be at least 0.8 - 1.2 m. An extremely powerful circulation pump is therefore required for filter backwashing. Even if each of the filter chambers (11 and 12) can be backwashed individually, the use of the existing pump is not sufficient. If the usual filter speed for open systems is assumed to be 10 - 12 m/h, then dividing or halving the filter area results in a backwash speed of 20 - 24 m/h.
However, with a filter medium bed height of 0.8 - 1.2 m, a rewind speed of 4o - 5o m/h is required to lift the filter bed and wash out the solid particles.

Ultimately, the so-called reaction chamber is not very suitable for outgassing purposes, because the water flows through the chamber even without turbulence and is insufficiently ventilated.

However, all of the filter devices described above have one common disadvantage: the filter performance is not constant because filtered-out solid particles impact the filter bed and thus the water flow is subject to continuous change due to the formation of resistance. Penetration may already be present in the area where the filter bed's absorption capacity is exhausted, and the water flow due to resistance is reduced even further, which is particularly detrimental, especially in the critical area of the filter performance!

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The purpose of the method according to the invention and its device described below is to create a simple possibility which ensures hygienic safety within the scope of the task, works cost-effectively and can also be manufactured cost-effectively, has filtering, adsorbing storage and regeneration space forming and constant treatment performance up to a definable operating point and can also be developed to have further properties and used in other areas of application.

To solve this problem, the following preferred embodiment is proposed, where:

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preferred embodiments.

To avoid mixing of the different filter media, it is first proposed that the individual filter media be separated and arranged in the order that corresponds to the filtration requirements, whereby the liquid to be filtered preferably flows through the various filter media according to their density in the direction from large to small, which results, for example, in a filter medium consisting of quartz sand with a relatively high density being deposited in front of a filter medium with cavities and capillary action and with a lower density. (In front of the liquid in the flow direction).

Fig. 1 shows a schematic of such an arrangement, whereby a different task can be fulfilled in the different filter chambers (I, II, and III etc.).

In chamber (l), which consists of an outer housing (1), the mechanical cleaning and filtration of solid particles preferably takes place via the filter medium (2).

Above the filter medium (2) there is a free space (3) which can serve as a storage space to absorb different amounts of accumulating surge water and serves as a reaction space (la).

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In the reaction chamber (Ia), for example, the liquid can be degassed. Coagulant can be added via the injection point (4), and coagulation can take place effectively in the open reaction chamber (Ia), whereby the liquid flowing in via an inlet (not shown in detail) creates a high level of turbulence in the reaction chamber, which in turn is crucial for good mixing.

Device (5) represents the internal filter drainage system.

The liquid pre-filtered in the filter chamber (I) is fed to the filter chamber (II) by a feed pump (6) and sprayed therein via a device (7).

The filter chamber (il) now consists of an outer housing, which carries the filter medium and a free space, which now serves to hold the liquid pre-filtered in the filter chamber (I).

The device (8) shows a further injection point, through which an additional coagulant can be added if necessary.

However, it is also possible to use the device (8) to introduce an oxidizing agent or another substance useful for the processing process.

Thanks to the spraying device (7), an effective degassing of the liquid is also possible in this chamber, which is particularly important if, for example, ozone is added as an oxidizing agent through the injection point (8).

The liquid to be further processed now enters the reaction chamber (Ila).

Solid particles which previously escaped coagulation or the retention properties of the filter medium (2) in the filter chamber (1) can float up or be made to float up by a suitable coagulating agent or by a mechanical auxiliary device. It is possible to trigger or support the buoyancy movement, for example by supplying gaseous substances, preferably blown in by the device (10), or by a liquid flow, which can be designed as a branch from the main line, for example via the pipeline (11).

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In the filter chambers (II and III) filtration or adsorption can take place in a similar way, whereby the system can be continued and expanded.

The backwashing and reflow of the respective filter medium takes place separately for each chamber by using and switching the existing feed pumps, whereby, as shown by way of example in chamber (III), the pump (15) fills backwash water via the line (16) which is fed to the filter medium in the opposite flow direction via the line (17) when the valves (18, 19, 20) are actuated, washes out the filter medium there and flows as waste water to the sewer connection piece (21).

The gaseous substances blown in can also have oxidizing properties and may even cause coagulation.

The filter chamber (i) and the filter chambers (II) are connected via a device (12) through which a partial flow of the filtrate together with the floating substances is returned to the filter chamber (I) in order to be subjected to further coagulation and filtration. This closed circuit provides multiple filtration in chamber (I), whereby the return or removal and discharge of a wide variety of substances is possible.

The return of a certain amount of liquid is preferably achieved by ensuring that the discharge capacity from chamber (il) is lower than the capacity of the feed pump (6). This system can be expanded as required | I

Of course, the amount of reflux water can be regulated in a number of ways. The reflux liquid can also be regulated by a separate B

i, feed pump, which can be controlled via various parameters.(14)

Such an exemplary arrangement makes it possible to carry out multiple filtration in the respective chambers, whereby substances which were previously separated or were not retained in a previous filtration or adsorption process can be continuously transported via the return liquid.

Mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or other forces can be used to achieve buoyancy or separation.

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However, it is also possible to use the device (12) to drain the backwash water, by means of which the individual chambers are connected to one another for the purpose of transferring return water. In this case, the waste water would collect in the storage or reaction space in chamber (δ) and could drain there through the sewer connection piece.

Of course, air can also be used to loosen the filter media.

In a further preferred embodiment, the individual filter chambers (i, II, III, etc.) are equipped in a closed design or alternately open and closed design.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic arrangement of open and closed filter chambers (I, II and III). In this exemplary design, which can of course also be constructed in different variants*, the water return is made possible via a bypass line (2ol). The individual chambers can also be equipped with their own pumps (2o3) via separate lines (2o2), whereby the pump(s) (2o3) can be controlled via various parameters.

Of course, even with such an arrangement it is possible to arrange injection points for the addition of further liquid processing substances at suitable locations. It is also possible to incorporate the previously described features and devices into the closed or partially closed design of the device according to the invention.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention occurs when the individual filter chambers (I, II, III, etc.) are combined to form a block.

Fig. 3 shows an example of such an arrangement in a schematic section, wherein the device according to the invention consists of cylindrical containers (3ol) of open or closed design.

Chamber (I) is preferably located in the center and is surrounded by chamber (II and III). An inverted arrangement is also conceivable.

The liquid to be filtered is introduced into chamber (i) via device (3o2) and processed in the manner described above.

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The pump (3o3) transports the liquid via pipe (3&sgr;4) into chamber (ll).

Floating substances return to chamber (I) via the direct overflow (3o5ä, 3o5b).

Pump (3o6) sucks out chamber (It) and supplies the liquid to chamber (&Idigr;&Idigr;&Idigr;), which also has an overflow (3o7a, 3o7b) etc.

The above description also applies to this preferred version with regard to equipment, mode of operation and options.

A significant advantage of the device according to the invention is that the processing capacity of the device remains constant up to a predetermined point. In a preferred embodiment, the constant is maintained as follows: the solid particles as filtration residue accumulate primarily in the filter bed of chamber (I). Chamber (i) is assigned a feed pump with a higher output than chamber (II), etc. The filter media in chambers (11, 12, 13, etc.) are only exposed to solid particles to a very small extent. The higher feed capacity of the feed pump preceding the subsequent chamber brings the reaction

reaction chamber of the subsequent chamber to the overflow, which results in the backflow of a partial liquid stream and multiple filtration. The quantity of the backflow water overflowing for multiple filtration depends on the degree of contamination and the associated flow resistance of the preceding filter bed. As soon as, for example, the filter bed of chamber (I) is loaded to such an _extent that the delivery capacity of the pump (6) which is connected upstream of chamber (II) is no longer sufficient to flood the reaction chamber (9) upstream of the filter medium in chamber (II), and the suction and delivery capacity of the pump which is connected downstream of chamber (II) sucks out the reaction chamber (9) despite the liquid flow from chamber (I) via pump (6), which of course leads to the subsequent reaction in the other filter chambers (III, etc.).

A simple float switch, which registers, for example, the departure of the return water, can (could) cause the entire system to be switched off at that moment.

After backwashing the individual filter chambers, the system can be put into operation again.

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A further advantageous mode of operation of the device according to the invention results from the series connection of the various filter media in chambers (I, II, III, etc.). Such a division naturally multiplies the effective surface of a filter, which leads to ^particularly favorable filtration results, which understandably cannot be achieved with a multi-layer filter of the known type.

When backwashing the filter, only a low pump output and rewinding speed are required due to the low filling height of the divided filter medium in order to effectively lift the filter bed and wash out the filtered-out particles.

By means of a further simple and advantageous design, which is shown as an example in Fig. 4, it is possible to allow a proportionate amount of water to drain per bather, preferably in the storage space of the chamber (l), via the device according to the invention, which can be particularly desirable in public bathing facilities, in particular in the hot whirlpools already mentioned.

When bathers enter a bathing room, bathing water is naturally displaced, which in the device according to the invention must be taken up in the storage and reaction chamber in chamber (t); when the bathers leave, this temporarily stored bathing water is returned to the bathing room. During the displacement time, the water level in the storage and reaction chamber therefore rises in a proportion corresponding to the bathers. The following solution is proposed to discharge a quantity of water related to the bathers:

In addition to the sewer drain connection (21), the storage space in chamber (I) (3) has a standpipe (22) which serves as a safety overflow and is also connected to the card. The standpipe (22) has vertically arranged holes which are arranged at height intervals such that the individual hole spacing corresponds to the water rise caused by an adult person displacing water in the storage space.

The diameter of such a bore (23) can correspond to the throughput that is desired as water discharge in liters per bather within a certain time unit.

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As soon as the displacement situation no longer exists, an insufficient amount of water occurs first in the bathing area and then in the storage area, which can be compensated for by a corresponding water level sensing device in the storage area, with a downstream fresh water supply. 5

It is of course possible to add water-treating substances to the system for disinfection or pH regulation, or to arrange heat exchangers, etc., between the individual filter stages or after the last filter stage.

It is also possible, for example, to form the storage space of chamber (I) using a separate container and to set this up separately, or to arrange the filter chambers in one or more groups of two, or to only use one filter chamber, which may be preceded by a storage and reaction space, but followed by another reaction space from which the return water can be fed back into the upstream filter chamber.

The device according to the invention also offers the advantage of filling one or more chambers following chamber (i) with a filter medium, which, instead of the disadvantageous multi-layer filling, consists of a mixture of different media, of which different electrode potentials (positive-negative) act on the liquid to be filtered, whereby the effect and mode of operation of electrophoretic coalescence can be used, which comes into effect when using various metal oxides, aluminum powder and, for example, carbon as a filter medium, whereby the chamber (I) connected upstream for cleaning purposes keeps solid matter contamination away from the chamber(s) connected downstream, which serve as an adsorption filter, and therefore a particularly favorable and effective mode of operation can be achieved.

The particular advantages of the method and device according to the invention lie not only in hygienic safety but also in particular economic efficiency.
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In a test facility with continuous bathing operation, with a hot whirlpool, with a two-stage filter operation (chamber I and II), with a bather load of 50 people per hour, an operating

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It was ensured within 10 hours that with a filter circulation rate of 0.7 cbm per bather (known methods require 2.0 cbra) and a fresh water rate of 6 litres per bather (known methods require 15 litres) the bathing water was bacteriologically and hygienically perfect at all times.

During the experiment, which was then continued in a long-term test, with the same positive result always being shown, the hot bubble system was continuously monitored and supplied with chemicals via an automatic amperimetric measuring and subsequent dosing station.

A coagulant was added to the storage and reaction space of chamber (I). Chlorine bleach was added as an oxidizing agent up to an excess of 0.8 mg/liter of free chlorine. The pH value was kept constant at 7.2 - 7.4 by adding an acid.

During the test phase and the subsequent continuous operation, the electronically recorded redox value was 74o - 76o mV.

The proportion of bound chlorine was a maximum of 0.03 mg/Ltr. (With known processes, the proportion of 0.5 mg/Ltr. is hardly sustainable).

The particular cost-effectiveness of the system according to the invention results in particular from the enormous filtration and adsorption capacity. While known whirlpool filtration and water treatment devices require that the bath water is drained and fresh water is filled daily in order to maintain the required hygienic conditions, which of course always involves the cost of heating up the bath water, the device according to the invention can operate for a longer period of time within the same area of application without changing the bath water.

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Claims (19)

Günter Schüssler Device for the regeneration of liquids with several filter cans and constant filter performance and recirculation of partial flows, with at least one storage and reaction space, f Claims: 1. Multi-chamber filter with at least one storage and reaction chamber, which is installed in a liquid circuit and to which at least one feed pump is assigned, characterized in that at least one filter stage (I, II, III) has an overflow (12, 201, 202, 305, 307) which is directly or in its extension a) at least one storage and/or reaction chamber, or b) at least one filter chamber, or c) at least one combination of (a+b) flows into. 2 Multi-chamber filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the first folder/folds have their own storage and/or reaction chamber and this forms a spatial unit and the filter medium chamber and the storage and reaction chamber merge into one another. 3. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the first filter stage is connected to a preceding storage and/or reaction chamber by a connecting line. 4. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the liquid circuit has connections for connecting additional devices (lo,11,21,22,23). 5. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that at least two filter chambers (I, II) are connected to one another by a connecting line (3o4). 6. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that at least one feed pump is installed between each individual filter chamber. - Ill - 7. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the supply line to the first filter stage has a feed pump. 8. Multi-can filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the return liquid line (12, 201, 202) has a feed pump (14, 203). 9. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that at least two filter chambers comprise one unit. 10. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that between the entrance of the storage and reaction chamber before the first filter stage and the extended outlet of the device at least one injection point is installed. 11. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that a water drainage device is installed in the storage and reaction chamber which is located upstream of the first filter stage. 12» Multi-chamber filter according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the filter stage(s) have open or closed or alternately open and closed housings. 13. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the surrounding walls of the device are made to a substantial extent from in-situ concrete. 14. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the filter and storage space device is composed of individual components to form a spatial shape (octagon, cylinder, cone, etc.). 15. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the filter and storage space device is formed by placing at least one container (I) in a container (II), 16. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the filter and storage space device is arranged in a ring around a .'♦I-· - iv - Container is attached and at least partially encloses it and the container has an overflow which opens at least at one point into at least one filter chamber and/or storage space. 17. Multi-cairn filter according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the container has at least one access step and/or at least one seat. 18. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the container (I) as a bathing guest room has an overflow edge which is arranged spatially higher than the walls enclosing the filter medium in a following filter chamber. 19. Multi-chamber filter according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the container (i) serving as a bather is assigned a subsequent filter chamber and this in turn is designed with an overflow which opens into a subsequent filter chamber.