GB2341560A

GB2341560A - Zeolite water pumping purifier

Info

Publication number: GB2341560A
Application number: GB9819515A
Authority: GB
Inventors: K R Bower
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-09-09
Filing date: 1998-09-09
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2018-09-09
Also published as: GB2341560B; GB9819515D0

Abstract

A water pumping purifier, has a sealable container 7 filled with zeolite. An inlet pipe 3 which has a vertical rise of 11.0 m is connected to the container through a valve 4, as is a vacuum pump 10 through another valve 5. A liquid water collection tank 14 is connected to the container 7 through a third gastight valve 6. The zeolite may be controllably heated 8 sufficiently to cause water to desorb. Correct sequencing of the application of partial vacuum, and heating to the system will cause water to evaporate from the surface within the inlet pipe 3, water molecules to be sorbed by the zeolite, and then desorbed by the zeolite into a condensing tank 14. An electrical power supply 9 derived from conventional or renewable energy sources may be used to power and control the system.

Description

1 2341560 ZEOLITE WATER PUNPING PURIFIER This invention relates to a

zeolite water pumping purifier.

water is often plentiful, even in arid regions, and is extracted for use by humans or in agriculture by the use of a variety of mechanical pumps. The water recovered may require processing to produce a quality suitable for drinking or agricultural use. A further need of clean drinking water is onboard ocean going vessels. Typical methods which are currently used to purify water are the filter bed, and reverse osmosis.

The use of filter beds or reverse osmosis methods for cleaning, desalinating or purifying water requires the use of materials which require periodic replacement, refurbishment or cleaning of the materials. The water which is available may also need to moved by a separate pump, or the water may be located at a depth which is beyond the pumping capability of surface mounted pumps.

According to the present invention there is provided a zeolite water pumping purifier comprising a sealable container of zeolite which incorporates a controllable heater and has three gas tight pipe connection points, three gas tight valves, a water vapour inlet and downhole pipe, a vacuum pump and connecting pipe, a water vapour outlet pipe connecting to a liquid water collection tank which has an outlet valve, an optional automatic sequence controller for valves, heater and vacuum pump.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:- Figure 1 shows in schematic form the system components, structure, and functionality. An optional automatic sequence controller and connections are also shown.

Figure 2 shows ideal wave-forms illustrating component operation timing relationships along the horizontal axis, plus magnitude levels, or status as appropriate on the vertical axis.

Referring to the drawing the water pumping purifier comprises a gas tight zeolite container 7 filled with natural or synthetic zeolite which has a bead or particle size of typically 2mm, and acts as a water vapour sorbant having the property of being able to sorb water vapour even at low partial pressures of vapour. A 2 eater 8, which may conveniently be electrically powered 9, and for high efficiency enclosed in the zeolite container, has a thermostatic control 16 to allow regulation at typically 200 C' to 300 Co. The times at which the heater is turned on and off may be controlled.

The water vapour inlet pipe 3 is capable of maintaining a partial vacuum and connects the system via a gas tight valve 4 which may be optionally remotely controlled.

A vacuum pump 10 which is capable of establishing a partial vacuum in a short time with respect to the system sequence times causes the partial vacuum to be established within the zeolite container 7 and water vapour inlet pipe 3. The gas tight valve 5 controls the timing of the vacuum application to the system, and may be optionally remotely controlled.

The water vapour outlet pipe 13 allows water vapour which has been desorbed from the zeolite container 7 when the zeolite is heated to be routed into the liquid water collection tank 14. After sufficient liquid water 15 has accumulated in the collection tank 14 and at a convenient time, the valve 18 may be operated to allow liquid water to be drawn off through pipe 17 for usage.

The system valves 4, 5, 6, and 18, plus the heater control 16, and additionally the vacuum pump 10 may be operated manually according to the timing sequence shown in Figure 2, or may be connected by suitable electrical wires 20 to an automatic sequencing remote controller 19, supplied with power from an appropriate electricity source 9. The electrical power supplies 9 to the heater thermostat control 16 and the vacuum pump 10 may be left unconnected if the automatic controller 19 is used to sequence the system.

The water vapour inlet pipe 3 penetrates into the water source which is to be accessed, and in the example shown in Figure 1 is inserted into a borehole 1. The vapour inlet pipe 3 may alternatively be inserted into other water sources including but not exclusively a river, sewage plant liquids, industrial effluent, reservoir, lake, or salt sea. It is a critical system design requirement that the vertical distance between the surface of the water supply outside of the inlet pipe 3 and the top of the vapour inlet pipe 3 is greater than the maximum possible rise of liquid water 2 in the inlet pipe 3 under maximum attainable system partial vacuum. The vertical distance is therefore recommended to be 11.0 metres. It is acceptable in the circumstance of a surface water supply to provide an 11.0 metre rise, and then typically a 10.0 metre fall to the inlet 1 valve 4. In the conditions described concerning the vapour inlet pipe 3, liquid water will never enter the system, and at all times of sorbtion by the zeolite, distiled water by way of vapour will enter the system. In the manner presented, the system is able to obtain pure water from a dirty water source which may include but is not exclusively limited to high suspended solids, chemically contaminated, or saline.

3 he electrical supply 9 to the system may be obtained from a standard mains supply, batteries, or reneviable energy sources including but not exclusively solar or wind generated.

The liquid water 15 collection tank 14 is vented to atmosphere 12 and allowed cooling so that it may act as a condenser of the water vapour desorbed from the zeolite during heating. It is not a requirement that the liquid water collection tank 14 is below the supply water level. System performance will however be increased if the outlet valve 6 from the zeolite container 7 is connected to the lowest point of the container 7, and a continuous fall is caused from the container 7 to the liquid water collection tank 14. The reason for the increase in performance is that early desorbed liquid water may exit the zeolite container 7 under gravity instead of being forced to absorb enough heat energy from the heater 8 to become vapour which then exits the zeolite container 7.

The system timing sequence, whether operated manually or automatically, is important and must be as shown in Figure 2. In the initial start-up state, with the vapour inlet pipe 3 inserted in the water supply, all valves open, the heater 8 off, and the vacuum pump 10 off then to operate the system; a). Cause sorbtion of water vapour from the supply 2 into the zeolite by closing the outlet valves 6 and 18. Leave the heater 8 switched off. Ensure valves 4 and 5 are open, and then start the vacuum pump 10. The vacuum pump must be allowed to run until the partial vacuum in the zeolite container 7 and vapour inlet pipe 3 is sufficient to cause the surface of the supply water 2 to boil at the temperature of the supply water 2. b). When the partial vacuum described in paragraph a) has been achieved, close the valve 5 then switch the vacuum pump 10 off. The system must now be left, maintaining the partial vacuum achieved, while the zeolite sorbs the water vapour produced by the supply water surface boiling at the low pressure achieved in the system. The zeolite sorbing the water vapour produced will cause the pressure in the zeolite container 7 and vapour inlet pipe 3 to fall, thereby maintaining the partial vacuum sufficient to keep the supply water surface boiling. The system partial vacuum will thereby be maintained until the zeolite has sorbed water vapour to its maximum capacity at the ambient air temperature. Cooling of the zeolite container 7 must be allowed while sorbtion is occurring. c). After the period required for the zeolite to sorb water vapour to its capacity, which may typically be 6 hours at an ambient air temperature of 20C, the inlet valve 4 is closed, the outlet valve 6 is opened, and the heater 8 is switched on. The heater thermostat 16 must then control the heater temperature such that the zeolite container 7 internal temperature attains and maintains sufficient temperature to cause desorbtion of the water vapour by the zeolite. The temperature attained may be chosen to be 250 Co. The system thermal state described must be maintained until the required amount of water has been desorbed, which may typically be a weight of desorbed liquid water of 8% of the weight of the zeolite. A typical time period may be 5 hours.

4 The sequence must be continued as repetitive cycles of sorbtion and desorbtion by; Sorbtion Switching off the heater 8, Close the outlet valve 6, Start the vacuum pump 10, Open the vacuum pump valve 5, Open the inlet valve 4, Allow sufficient partial vacuum to boil the supply water 2 to develop, Close the vacuum pump valve 5, Stop the vacuum pump 10, Allow sufficient water vapour to be sorbed by the zeolite. Desorbtion Close the inlet valve 4, Open the outlet valve 6, Heat the zeolite container to between 200 C' and 300 C' using heater 8, Allow sufficient water vapour to desorb from the zeolite and collect in tank 14.

Liquid water 15 may be drawn off through the outlet pipe 17 by manual or automatic operation of the valve 18.

Claims

1 A zeolite water pumping purifier comprising a sealable container of zeolite which incorporates a controllable heater and has three gas tight pipe connection points, three gas tight valves, a water vapour inlet and downhole pipe, a vacuum pump and connecting pipe, a water vapour outlet pipe connecting to a liquid water collection tank which has an outlet valve, an optional automatic sequence controller for valves, heater and vacuum pump.

2 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the physical vertical dimension of an inlet pipe are such that liquid water may not enter the zeolite container.

3 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the physical dimensions of an inlet pipe are such that water vapour may enter the zeolite container.

4 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the physical dimensions and construction materials are such that a partial vacuum may be maintained within the system.

A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein synthetic or natural zeolite causes a partial vacuum to be maintained within the system by sorbing water vapour molecules.

6 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein heated synthetic or natural zeolite causes water vapour to be desorbed.

7 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein a condensing collector tank is connected to an outlet point of the zeolite coptainer.

8 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein gas tight valves are provided at each inlet or outlet connection of the zeolite container.

9 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein a means of establishing a partial vacuum within the system is provided.

A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein a controllable means of heating the zeolite container is provided.

11 A zeolite water pumping purifier as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein an optional automatic remote controller 6 1 ' 5 electrically connected to the system valves, heater, and vacuum pump.

12 A zeolite water pumping purifier as substantially described herein with reference to Figures 1-2 of the accompanying drawing.