GB2058738A

GB2058738A - Water purification apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2058738A
Application number: GB8029750A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Buckau R Wolf AG
Current assignee: BWS Technologie GmbH
Priority date: 1979-09-15
Filing date: 1980-09-15
Publication date: 1981-04-15
Also published as: FR2464923B1; CH648005A5; NL8004202A; FR2464923A1; GB2058738B; DE2937368C2; DE2937368A1; AT380465B; ATA294480A

Abstract

An apparatus for the purification of water, comprises a tower (1) housing at least one pack of contact bodies (6), a water distributing chamber provided upstream of the pack to supply water to be purified to the pack, an air inlet (5) provided between the water distributing chamber and the pack and an air outlet downstream of the pack; the water distributing chamber comprising a base plate (11) closing the bottom of the water distributing chamber and tubes (12) extending in an upright manner through the base plate (11), the upper end (14) of each tube being open and the lower end of each tube being closed save for bores (16, 17), each of smaller diameter than that of the main bore of the tube, in and around the lower end of the tube. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for the purification of water This invention relates to an apparatus for the purification of water.

More particularly, the apparatus has a towerlike housing with at least one pack of contact bodies arranged therein. A water-distributing chamber is provided upstream of the pack and has a perforated base arranged beneath a water inlet.

An air inlet chamber is arranged upstream of the pack of contact bodies and an air outlet chamber is arranged downstream of the pack.

Using such apparatus, more especially in communal supply undertakings, tap waters are deacidified. In order to adjust the lime/carbon dioxide equilibrium, the excess aggressive carbon dioxide is driven off. It is attempted to achieve this equilibrium by a uniform distribution of the water, with supply of air to aerate the water.

In order also to drive off the residual gases, it is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 26 17 945 to arrange two columns of contact bodies one above the other with screening plates to facilitate water distribution. In addition to the use of screening plates, it is known from German Patent Specification No. 13 02 032 to employ nozzle tubes to facilitate water distribution.

It is an object of the present apparatus to provide means by which the surface of the packs of contact bodies have uniformly admitted thereto water which is to be treated so as to supply all passages or ducts of the packs of contact bodies with equal quantities of water.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for the purification of water, comprising a tower housing at least one pack of contact bodies, there being a water distributing chamber upstream of the pack to supply water to be purified to the pack, an air inlet between said water distributing chamber and said pack, and an air outlet downstream of said pack, said water distributing chamber comprising a base plate closing the bottom of said water distributing chamber, and there being tubes which extend in an upright manner through said base plate, the upper end of each tube being open and the lower end of each tube being closed save for bores, each of smaller diameter than that of the main bore of the tube, in and around said lower end.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which the single Figure is a diagrammatic sectional side view of part of an apparatus for the purification of water.

Only the upper part of a tower-like housing 1 with its housing wall 2, forming part of a contact body aeration apparatus, is illustrated. A detachable cover 3 forms a top closure of the housing 1. Water to be treated is supplied through a laterally arranged pipe 4 and air for treating the water is supplied through a pipe 5 with an annular chamber 5a, the air entering through openings Sb in the wall of the housing 1 into a chamber 21.

The pipe 4 is widened in a direction parallel to the axis of the housing 1 and is narrower transversely of this axis.

Arranged underneath the pipe 5 are contact body packs 6, which fill the entire cross-section of the housing 1. Passages 7, and passages 8, shown in broken lines and extending transversely of the passages 7, provide for a uniform mixing of water and air.

It is important that the water to be treated is distributed uniformly over the surface 9 of the packs 6 of contact bodies. Provided for this purpose is a perforated base 10 beneath the water supply inlet pipe 4, which base consists of a plate 11 with inserted upright tubes 12. The tubes 12 are each open at their upper ends 14 and are closed at their bottom ends 13 each with a closure part 15. Each closure part 15 has a bore 16 and, in addition, bores 17 are provided around the circumference of the tubes 12 in the region of their lower ends 13, each bore being of smaller diameter than that of the main bore of its associated tube. The upper end 14 of each tube 12 is provided on the tube circumference with axially extending slots 14.

The plate 11, which is connected below the water inlet pipe 4 with the casing 2 of the housing 1, forms a water distributing chamber 19 in conjunction with the tubes 12, which chamber maintains in use a water level 20 above the upper ends 14 of the tubes 12.

The air inlet chamber 21 is located between the plate 11 and the surface 9 of the packs 6. Located above the uppermost edge of the water inlet pipe 4 and inside the water distributing chamber 19 is an additional plate 22, which is connected by stay bolts 26 to the plate 11. At their upper ends, the tubes 12 are guided through the plate 22, so that the slots 18 are located above the plate 22. The tubes 12 are advantageously connected by means of flanges 24 and 25 to the plates 11 and 22 respectively, the flanges 24 advantageously being laid loosely on the plate 11 (in this case, the tubes 12 pass freely through the plate 11) and the flanges 25 are connected fast to the plate 22 so that they act as spacers for the plate 22, the flanges 24 being positioned by means of a packing (not shown) on the plate 11.This construction has the advantage that the complete distribution arrangement is capable of being removed from the housing 1, with the cover 3 open, and can be cleaned or repaired.

The plate 22 has a smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the housing wall 2, so that a free annular gap 23 is formed. The water flowing in through the pipe 4 penetrates at high velocity into the water distribution chamber 19. Because of the pressure relief, the water is steadied and is able to become steady inside the chamber 30 which is formed by the plates 11 and 22. The steadied water then passes through the annular gap 23 upwards into the upper part of the water distribution chamber 19.

A pressure compensating tube 27 is also provided, ends 28 and 29 of the tube 27 being open. In this arrangement, the lower end of the tube 27 extends beyond the plate 11, against which it sealed and has an overall length which extends upwardly to above the intended water level 20. By means of the compensating tube 27, it is intended to avoid a vacuum between the water surface 20 and the housing lid or cover 3.

The manner in which the apparatus operates is as follows.

The water to be treated flows at high velocity through the pipe 4 into the water chamber 30 which is formed above the plate 11, which velocity is reduced by the following enlargement provided by the housing 1. As a result, the water is initially conducted upwardly past the annular gap 23 in a steadied fashion until the water level 20 above the tubes 12 is attained. The slots 18 in the tubes 12 already allow in the starting condition or when operating under a small load, for the tubes 12 to be sufficiently filled with water, even with a low water level 20, and the steadied water level 20 is established. The bores 16 and 17 are adapted in their overall cross-section to the inlet cross-section of the pipe 4, so that always a constant quantity of water is distributed over the total cross-section of the housing 1.

The water which constantly and uniformly trickles downwardly from the lower ends of the tubes 12 takes up the air which is supplied through the pipes 5 and is uniformly distributed or sprayed onto the contact bodies beneath, so that water and air jointly enter the passages 7 and 8, where the excess, aggressive carbon dioxide is driven off. An air outlet (not shown) is located beneath the packs of contact bodies 6.

If the total opening cross-section of the bores 16/17 at the lower ends of she tubes 12 is so adapted to the cross-section of the water inlet pipe 4 that back pressure is set up inside the tubes 12 and above the latter, then the level of the water above the tubes 12 remains constant, and this simultaneously also keeps the discharge quantity from the tubes constant.

It is possible for the number of the distributor tubes 12 to be determined in accordance with the quantity of water, so that the water quantity per surface area can be distributed per requirement. In this way, the falling speed of the water and the spraying density over the entire surface of the contact bodies can be kept equal. This is important in order to achieve a reduced pressure and thus to reduce the intake of air from outside.

All of the plates 11, 22 and the tubes 12 and the flanges 24,25, or some of them, can consist of synthetic plastics material.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the purification of water, comprising a tower housing at least one pack of contact bodies, there being a water distributing chamber upstream of the pack to supply water to be purified to the pack, an air inlet between said water distributing chamber and said pack, and an air outlet downstream of said pack, said water distributing chamber comprising a base plate closing the bottom of said water distributing chamber, and there being tubes which extend in an upright manner through said base plate, the upper end of each tube being open and the lower end of each tube being closed save for bores, each of smaller diameter than that of the main bore of the tube, in and around said lower end.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a water inlet pipe is provided to supply water to said water distributing chamber and wherein the total opening cross-section of said bores at said lower ends of said tubes is so adapted to the cross-section of said water inlet pipe that, in use, a back pressure of water is established inside the tubes so that the water level in said water distributing chamber is above the upper ends of said tubes.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said upper end of each tube is provided with slots around its circumference, these slots extending parallel to the axis of said tube.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claims 2 and 3, wherein a second plate is provided in said water distributing chamber, this second plate being above said base plate and said water supply pipe, the upper ends of said tubes extending though and above said second plate and there being an annular gap between said second plate and a peripheral wall of said tower.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cross-section of said annular gap corresponds to the cross-section of said water inlet pipe.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein each tube has two external spaced flanges, one of the flanges resting on said base plate and the other flange serving as a spacer for said second plate, the two plates being connected together by means of stay bolts.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tubes are guided freely through said base plate and are positioned by means of a packing on said base plate.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a pressure compensating tube is provided which is open at each end, said pressure compensating tube extending below said base plate and upwardly sufficiently far for its upper end to lie above the water level to be achieved in said water distributing chamber.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 8 as appendant to claim 2, wherein said water inlet pipe is widened in a direction parallel to the axis of said tower and is narrower transversely of this axis.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or any one of claims 7 to 9 as appendant to claim 6, wherein said base plate and said second plate, said tubes and their flanges, or some of these parts, consist of synthetic plastics material.

11. An apparatus for the purification of water, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.