GB2027001A

GB2027001A - Scale Reduction Device for Water Treatment

Info

Publication number: GB2027001A
Application number: GB7831639A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-07-29
Filing date: 1978-07-29
Publication date: 1980-02-13

Abstract

A scale reduction unit for a water installation is constructed using a T- piece and either a second T-piece connected with the arms of the T's aligned to define a cavity for a water treatment cartridge and the other ends of the arms closed, with the legs of the two T-pieces forming inlet and outlet passages for the water, or the said T-piece connected to an elbow fitting so that the arms of the T-piece and one arm of the elbow defines the cavity for the cartridge and the other arm of the elbow and the leg of the T- piece form the water inlet and outlet connections, the free end of the other arm of the T-piece being closed. The closed end of the T-piece or one of the closed ends of the two T-pieces when two are used is closed by a removable cap to allow removal of a spent cartridge and insertion of a replacement cartridge. The said pipe fittings are preferably standard components of plastics material which are connected together by adhesive and connecting sleeves.

Description

SPECIFICATION A Scale Reduction Unit for a Water Installation This invention relates to water treatment units for incorporation in water supply systems in order to treat the water. The invention is particularly applicable to the chemical treatment of the water in order to reduce scaling in appliances in which water is used. Such appliances may be for example water boilers, water heaters, shower units, which may be used domestically or in industry, but the invention can be utilized in other water treatment applications.

The scaling of hot water consumption apparatus such as boilers and heaters is a significant problem and deduces to a reduction in efficiency of the apparatus, which in turn leads to inconvenience and an increase in fuel consumption costs. It is clearly desirable therefore to provide a means for reducing this scaling, and indeed there is already known a unit designed for this purpose. The known unit comprises essentially an apparatus in the form of a T and the water to be treated is passed into one arm of the T, passes up a first passage of small cross-section in the leg of the T, passes down a second passage of larger cross-section in the leg of the T, and finally passes out of the other arm of the T.In the said second passage is provided a water treatment cartridge holding a chemical re-agent which reacts chemically with the water in a manner causing neutralisation of the scale forming chemical therein, with the result that, at the consumption apparatus, i.e. water boiler or water heater, there is a reduction in scaling. The known apparatus is a specially constructed metal article (commonly brass) and is a relatively expensive unit. It requires furthermore the provision of expensive tooling for its manufacture and is somewhat heavy.

The presentinvention seeks to provide a much less expensive and more simply constructed unit and the present invention resides in the conception that an extremely convenient unit can be constructed by utilizing standard pipe fittings, namely T-pieces and pipe elbows.

According to the invention the unit is defined by a T-piece type fitting connected to a second fitting which is either an elbow or another Tpiece, and in the case of an elbow, one arm of the elbow is connected to one arm of the T-piece to define a cavity for the reception of the re-agent cartridge, and the other arm of the T-piece is closed by a removable closure member, the other arm of the elbow and the leg of the T-piece forming water inlet and outlet means so that water can pass through the unit and through the cartridge, and in the case of the utilization of two T-pieces, these are connected so that their arms are in alignment and define a cavity for the reception of the cartridge, the free ends of the Tpiece arms are closed, at least one of which being closed by a removable closure, and the legs of the T-piece form the inlet and outlet means for the passage of water through the unit, through said cavity and through any cartridge therein.

The said fittings which are used for the unit are preferably standard, off the shelf fittings and are preferably connected together by the utilization of suitable adhesive and connecting sleeves. In this connection the fittings will preferably be constructed of rigid plastics material, and P.V.C. is preferred.

It is also preferred that the unit will be constructed of an elbow and a single T-piece, and this will reduce the cost as compared to the utilization of two T-pieces, although the principles of operation of both embodiments will be the same. The advantage of the invention is of course the simplicity of construction, especially when standard pipe fittings are used.

The inlet and outlet means may be provided with adaptors and/or reducers in order to simplify their connections to water supply pipes.

The unit can be embodied in a water supply installation at any convenient location upstream of the apparatus which would normally become scaled in use.

The closure for the said end of one of the arms of the T-piece or one of the T-pieces, preferably is a screw-threaded cap. Removal of such cap will provide easy access to the cavity and therefore easy removal and replacement of the cartridge, which will in fact be a commercially available component.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows a unit in sectional elevation, and referring to the drawing the unit comprises a standard elbow fitting 10 and a standard T-piece fitting 1 2 of common diameter. That is to say the diameter of the arm 1 OA of the elbow 10 is the same diameter as the arm 1 2A of the T-piece 12 to which arm 1 OA is connected. The connection is by means of an inner sleeve 14 which is adhesively secured to the inner surface of each of said arms 1 OA and 12A.

The other arm 1 2B of the T-piece 12 is provided with inner sleeve 1 6 (also adhesively connected to the T-piece) and the sleeve 1 6 has a protruding threaded end 1 6A to which is screwed a removable cap 18. The arms 1 2A and 1 2B of the T-piece 12 and the arm 1 OA of the elbow 10 define a cavity 20 in which is contained an elongated cartridge 22 (shown in chain-dotted lines in the Fig.) containing re-agent granules 24 for the chemical treatment of the water which passes through the cavity 20 as shown by the arrows 26.In this connection, the leg 1 2C of the T-piece 12 and the other arm 1 OB of the elbow 10 form inlet and outlet means for the water flow, and each is provided internally with a reducer 28 to which is connected an adaptor elbow 30 by means of an internal sleeve 32. Each adaptor 28 is adhesively secured to leg 1 2C or arm 1 OB as the case may be, and each adaptor 30 is adhesively secured to the reducer 28 adhesively and by means of the sleeve 32. The free end of each adaptor elbow 30 is internally screw threaded for connection to an appropriate water pipe length.

The operation of the unit can readily be ascertained from the drawing, but it should be mentioned that the direction of water flow can be reversed as convenient.

Preferably all of the components of the unit are fabricated from rigid plastics material which is light yet strong, and P.V.C. is a particularly suitable example, because there are many commercially available P.V.C. pipe fittings which can be used in constructing the unit according to the invention.

As the water flows through the cartridge 20 it will of course be chemically treated with the objective of reducing the formation of scale in the downstream apparatus. The cartridge 22 can be of a nature selected to suit the treatment to be effected, and such treatment may in some instances be other than to reduce scaling.

The unit illustrated in the drawing is constructed entirely from standard commercially available components and its fabrication is extremely simple. As regards the operation to effect the adhesive securement between the respective components, there are commercially available adhesive materials specifically for the purpose of gluing together pipe fitting of P.V.C., and such adhesive materials can be used in the present invention.

Claims

1. A scale reduction unit for a water instaliation, wherein the unit is defined by a Tpiece type fitting connected to a second fitting which is either an elbow or another T-piece, and in the case of an elbow, one arm of the elbow is connected to one arm of the T-piece to define a cavity for the reception of the re-agent cartridge, and the other arm of the T-piece is closed by a removable closure member, the other arm of the elbow and the leg of the T-piece forming water inlet and outlet means so that water can pass through the unit and through the cartridge, and in the case of the utilisation of two T-pieces, these are connected so that their arms are in alignment and define a cavity for the reception of the cartridge, the free ends of the T-piece arms are closed, at least one of which being closed by a removable closure, and the legs of the T-piece form the inlet and outlet means for the passage of water through the unit, through said cavity and through any cartridge therein.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the said fittings are standard fittings and are connected together by the utilisation of suitable adhesive and connecting sleeves.

3. A unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fittings are of rigid plastics material, such as P.V.C.

4. A unit according to claim 1,2, or 3, wherein the unit comprises an elbow and a single T-piece.

5. A unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the inlet and outlet means are provided with adaptors and/or reducers in order to simplify their connections to water supply pipes.

6. A unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the said closure for the said end of one of the arms of the T-piece. or one of the T-pieces, is a screw headed cap.

7. A unit according to any preceding claim including in the cavity, a cartridge of re-agent.

8. A scale reduction unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.