GB2385323A

GB2385323A - Mobile water potabilizing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2385323A
Application number: GB0131124A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Larriera Arturo Castagnino; Pignatta Danilo Andres Rios; Bertoglio Pablo Salamano; Jorge Alves
Original assignee: ADMINISTRACION DE LAS OBRAS SA
Current assignee: ADMINISTRACION DE LAS OBRAS SA
Priority date: 2001-04-05
Filing date: 2001-12-21
Publication date: 2003-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-21
Also published as: ZA200209127B; GB2385323B; CA2343507A1; SG101514A1; GB0131124D0

Abstract

Apparatus for purifying river/lake water for human consumption via a four stage process; coagulation, flocculation, settling and filtration. Raw water is mixed with coagulant and forced to flow upwards through parallel plates allowing the larger formed flocks to fall, settle and thus be removed. Subsequently the water is forced through several sand filters to remove the smaller formed flocks. The apparatus is compact and is portable on a road vehicle.

Description

WATER POTABILIZING EQUIPMENT The present invention refers to a utility model named'Water Potabilizing Equipment", more specifically, a functional constructive novelty, which offers a new shape and disposition of means, thus entailing a better use and performance of their function.

Availability of potable water suitable for human consumption, is an essential need in any living environment.

Nevertheless, there are some inhabited areas which even nowadays lack the vital element. And further, it may occur that circumstantial factors may cut off temporarily the traditional potabilizing plants operating in fixed locations, during long or short periods.

Our objective is not to describe known technical principles, based on which great potabilizing plants established on fixed locations operate, since the same are widely known and universally accepted.

On the basis of such general principles, we have created a water potabilizing equipment, meant even for human consumption, which, despite being highly efficient and functional is essentially compact, concentrated on a physical volume which is herein called frame, of only about 20 cubic meters, making the unit easy to transport on a road vehicle or the like, which is another advantageous result.

We have thus achieved a revolution in the art in this field, since potable water, preferably for human consumption, may reach any area by means of an easy means of transport and essentially, pursuant to technologies that have been chosen among widely proved multiple options, although adapted to the above established conditions.

The achievements of our research in this topic show outstanding technological progress which exceeds environmental and human general health and hygiene requirements, especially in rural areas or small villages.

The foregoing is available to everyone by using our portable and compact water potabilizing equipment.

In order to allow for a better understanding of the following description, we have added figures which are based on one of the preferred embodiments of our utility model. It is obvious that, since the mentioned figures are not meant to represent said model, they do not limit the actual scope of the protection applied for. Said scope must be set pursuant to law and current practices in this topic, based on the following set of claims attached hereto for such purpose. The added pictures show the following aspects of the actual embodiment chosen to that effect.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood, a description is now given, by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of an equipment embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the equipment of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a general plan view of the equipment of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the equipment of Figure 1.

The attached picture shows views and summarized functional sections of the water potabilizing equipment herein disclosed, which, as established heretobefore, is a new combination on known means which, when appropriately chosen and adapted, allow for a better performance and make the equipment compact and easy to carry from one place to the other.

In synthesis, our creation is a water potabilizing equipment, of compact design (its nominal capacity may be 10m/hour ; 50m/hour ; 100ml hour) and a preferably metallic structure which may be easily transported and functions as its frame.

The water potabilizing process carried out in said plants comprises four different stages: 1. Fast Mixture

Raw or untreated water is quickly mixed with the chemicals (coagulants) which enable the formation of coagulums with the suspended matter in the water, for the same to be later separated.

Said process is carried out by creating a turbulence by means of a plate with a hole in it which is placed in the raw water input pipe. Aluminum sulfate is used as coagulant.

2. Floculation By stirring the coagulated water, contact among coagulums is encouraged, which group together forming bigger and heavier flocks.

Stirring is carried out in two stages. During the first, energy is added to the water by means of engine operated vanes (mechanical flocculation).

During the second stage, the water's own hydraulic energy is used, making water flow through narrow channels, alternating upward flow with downward flow (hydraulic floculation).

3. Settling During this stage, the suspended flocks which are heavier than water are separated by means of gravity.

The process occurs when the water raises slowly inside the treatment unit, through flat sloping parallel plates.

The heavier flocks descend and are deposited on the plates, and due to gravity, they slide towards the bottom where they are gathered in hoppers for their later removal.

The slow raising encourages the contact of the flocks entering from the flocculator with those which are precipitating, which allows for an easier

contact among the particles and an improvement in their decantation size and weight.

4. Filtration It is the final stage inside the compact plant.

The settled water still comprises small flocks which have not been separated during the foregoing process. These will be held by a filter layer of sand and gravel when the water flows downwards.

As a summary, the modular plants created by OSE use gravity settling to remove flocculator caused flocks.

They are portable, mass produced potabilizing plants, adaptable to different raw water qualities from our superficial sources: rivers, brooks, lagoons, lakes, etc.

The whole process and treatment units are built in or mounted in one body, and thus, no independent units or chambers to be mounted or attached in situ are necessary, making installation easier and avoiding additional difficulties.

The object of this plant is the purification of water, by means of the following processes: coagulation, flocculation, settling and filtration.

The following are particular features of the equipment: FLOCULATION : Floculation consists of stirring coagulated water to cause the formation of flocks, so that the same may reach the appropriate size and consistency to settle.

The process may be carried out in two ways: (1) by mechanical stirring (mechanical floculation), (2) or making use of the fluid's energy (hydraulic floculation) (6).

Both ways are used: a first stage of mechanical floculation and a second stage of hydraulic floculation.

The combination of both processes allows for the operation parameters to vary, in order for the appropriate results to be obtained according to the quality of the water source.

SETTLING The settling system (7) is of laminar flow and high rates, with parallel flat stainless steel plates which allow mud to slide off more easily.

Input of flocculated water occurs at the bottom part, through longitudinal ducts of variable section, with side holes.

Settled water (8) is collected through longitudinal flumes with serrated tipped triangular outputs.

FILTRATION Preferably, the equipment has four fast sand filters, with rates which may be graded at variable stages. Said equipment possesses a particular feature by which, between each cycle, the filter rate is of"continuous decline"type. The filtration system is controlled by means of a control valve (10) located at the output collector, which keeps water level (common to all four filters) within a range of variable regulation of a few centimeters, according to the requirements of the system.

In the frame (1), which has limited proportions and volume as mentioned heretobefore, a fast mixture section (2) is placed, coagulation and mechanical floculation (3) of the colloidal particles contained in the water to be potabilized occur, due to the addition of coagulants (4), as well as stirring and

flow by means of vane rotors (5) operated by variable speed gear motor reducers.

The water, after being thus treated, undergoes a hydraulic flocculation process (6) which has already been described.

Next, the water passes to a second section of the frame body where settling takes place (7), separating the previously formed flocks which settle in the shape of sediment in the collector hoppers (8).

Finally, water enters the filtration section (9) in which the level is kept steady by means of a valve (10) placed in the purified water output collector.

The object of the present invention has been herein described and illustrated, proving that the same complies with the requirements of the applicable law in force, and is not comprised within the prohibitions said laws establish, so that the protection of said utility model may be granted, pursuant to the following claims :

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A water potabilzing equipment, the main feature of which, is that the water to be potabilized enters into a frame, and at the same time, coagulant means enter through a gapped plate located in the raw water (untreated water) input pipe. In said section there are engine operated vanes or rotors and narrow channels which alternately enable an upward and downward water flow, and then force the water to flow slowly upwards through flat parallel sloping plates, causing the flocks to fall and settle due to gravity until they are gathered in hoppers to be then removed.

The water when is separated from the bigger flocks is forced through several fast sand filters of variable grade, in which, between each cycle, each filter's rate is of"continuous decline"type, in such a way that the filtration system is controlled by means of a control valve located in the output collector, in compliance with requirements.
2. The water potabilizing equipment of the foregoing claim in which the frame is compact, of small proportions and portable in its functional unit in a road vehicle or the like.
3. The water potabilizing equipment of the foregoing claims which allows for the treatment of raw waters from superficial sources (rivers, brooks, lagoons, lakes etc).
4. The water potabilizing equipment of the foregoing claims which generally and without it entailing any limitation whatsoever, fits the specification and attached pictures.