IL95658A - Method, solid alloy material and apparatus for the purification of fluids - Google Patents

Description

95658/2 METHOD, SOLID ALLOY MATERIAL AND APPARATUS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF FLUIDS G>i?n:i ΊΊΓ ΟΪ» ,ιρηηι ηΑϊΰλθ pnn mih ,ηυ'ϋ The present invention refers to a method and a solid material body for the purification of fluids such as water, aqueous fluids and liquid fuels, and to an alloy for carrying out the same and, more particularly, it is. related to a method and an alloy for the treatment of fluids such as water, gasoline and diesel fuel, in order to accomplish the purposes of removing impurities dissolved or suspended in aqueous fluids and of improving the combustion characteristics of liquid fuels used for internal combustion engines.

Several attemps have been made in the past in order to remove impurities from water or aqueous fluids, as well as in order to improve the combustion characteristics of fuels, but said attempts have been effected through two completely isolated paths of reseach, whereby, as far as applicant knows, these two separate problems have not been jointly attacked up to the present date with the aim of finding one single solution to both of them.

Therefore, in the case of water and aqueous fluids, many processes and devices for removing undesirable salts therefrom have been deviced such as filters, ultrafiltration devices, reverse osmosis installations and the like, which are either inefficient or extremely costly, whereby the method that has gained more acceptance is the treatment of the water by means Of certain chemical compounds which convert the undesirable metal salts into other less deleterious salts which do not produce hardness, as well as the treatment of the water by ion-exchange compounds such as zeolites, which produce a similar result.

In the case of fuels, also many efforts have been made in the past for improving the combustion characteristics of fuels. Said efforts include processes which involve the aplication of electrostatic or magnetic fields across the fuel as it flows to the combustion chamber. Also, processes which involve the use of ah alloy for contacting a liquid fuel therewith to improve the combustion characteristics thereof are known. The alloys used in these processes, however, need the inclusion of highly priced metals, such as silver, whereby the devices manufactured from said alloy may have a relatively high cost which does not . compensate for the rather low improvement accomplished thereby.

Applicant is also aware of the existence of numerous different types of water treatment devices to reduce the hardness and the corrosive characteristics thereof, which are based on the use of a contact member made of lead containing alloys. The fact that all of these alloys contain lead as a component, however, represents a serious drawback considering the well known polluting an poisoning characteristics of said metal.

It is ah object of the present invention to provide a method for the purification of fluids through the use of a solid alloy material, which reduces the problems associated with said fluids, in an optimum degree.

It is still one other object of the present invention to provide a method for fche purification of water ^a d aqueous fluids, and an alloy for carrying out the same, which eliminates the hardness of water and aqueous fluids, and which also eliminates the problems of scale, rust and corrosion in the tubing used to transport same.

One other object of the present invention is to provide a method for the purification of liquid fuels, which provides for an improvement in the purity and combustion characteristics thereof, thus reducing the emission of polluting gases such as hydrocarbons and CO.

The present invention comprises a method for the purification of fluids such as water, aqueous fluids and liquid fuels, which comprises the steps of providing a hollow chamber having inlet and outlet ports, providing a solid material body within said chamber, said solid material body being constituted by a metal alloy, passing said fluid through said chamber for contacting said fluid with said solid material body, and recovering purified fluid from said chamber, characterized by providing said solid material body as a body of a metallic alloy constituted by 50 to 60% copper, 20 to 28% zinc, 0.5 to 8% nickel, 0.005 to 2.5% aluminum, 7 to 15% manganese, an 1.3 to 4.5%' tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

When water or an aqueous fluid is passed through a hollow, elongated chamber, in contact with an elongate body of the alloy of the invention , arranged within the chamber, there is obtained a purification of the water or aqueous fluid, such that it comes out from the chamber with its hardness reduced to such an extent, that the harmful scale, rust and corrosion are avoided in the tubing through which the water or aqueous fluids are conducted, or in the containers containing them, by suspending the salts, rust and materials forming the scale, thus avoiding the reaction of such materials with the system containing them.

In swimming pools, water pools, water tanks, etc., the purification treatment by contact with an alloy of the present invention, reduces the use of chlorine by 70 to 80%, consequently reducing chlorine odor, eye irritation, water hardness and formation of rust and scale in the conduits, pumps and filters through which the water passes.

On the other hand, the above mentioned treatment increases the pH of the aqueous fluid or water, thus permitting an increased effectivity of chlorine treatments and avoiding water turbidity.

When, on the other hand, a liquid fuel for an internal combustion engine is passed through a hollow elongated chamber in contact with the solid enlongate body of the alloy of the present invention, purification of the same is accomplished, such that the combustion characteristics of the fuel are improved and consequently the polluting emissions are reduced by about 65 to 75%, resulting in lower maintenance costs of the engine, cleaner spark plugs, less tuning up problems, improved injector performance and life, elimination of the knocking action produced by the lower octane gasolines, and consequently resulting in fuel savings, pollution reduction by reducing the hydrocarbon and CO emissions, and increase in engine life.

The method ,for the purification of fluids such as water, aqueous fluids, and fuel fluids of the present invention, comprises the steps of introducing said fluid through a hollow elongated chamber, contacting said fluid with a solid elongate material body placed within said chamber and constituted by an alloy made of, by weight, about 50 to 60% copper, about 20 to 28% zinc, about 0.5 to 8% nickel; about 0.005 to 2.5% aluminum; about 7 to 15% manganese, and about 1.3 to 4.5% tin, and removing the purified fluid from the chamber.

The treatment chamber Of the invention is provided with an inlet port for receiving the fluid under treatment and out outlet port for discharging the same in the purified condition. Said purification chamber may be conveniently inserted in a water, aqueous fluid or liquid fuel line, preferably as close as possible to the source providing said water, aqueous fluid or liquid fuel.

For instance, for steam generators, the feed water is treated for purifying the same at the intake line; for boilers, treatment of the water is preferably carried out at the feed line; for cooling towers, the treatment of the present invention must be made the same as for boilers, and for automobiles, for instance, the fuel purifying treatment of the present invention is preferably effected between the fuel tank and the carburetor, preferably near the fuel tank.

The solid material body which is located within the chamber, is preferably an elongate bar-shaped body, provided with surfaces which are contacted with the fluid passing through the chamber from the inlet port of the chamber to the outlet port thereof.

The invention also comprises an alloy from which the solid body is manufactured, said alloy comprising, by weight, from about 50 to 60% copper; about 20 to 28% zinc; about 0.5 to 8% nickel; about 0.005 to 2.5% aluminum; about 7 to 15% manganese; and about 1.3 to 4.5% tin.

Preferably, the alloy Of the present invention comprises, by weight, from about 52 to 56% copper; about 23 to 27% zinc-about 3 to 7% nickel; about 0.25 to 1.5% aluminum; about 9 to 13% manganese; and about 2 to 5% tin, all the above percentages being based on the total weight of the alloy.

The present invention will be more clearly understood in the following examples that are given merely for illustrative and non limitative purposes.

EXAMPLE 1 5.5 Kg. of copper, 300 grams of tin, 1.1 Kg. of manganese and 100 grams of aluminum were heated together in a suitable container to form a molten mass, at a temperature of from about 1900 to 2200°F. The container was then heated to a temperature within the range Of 2700-2800°F and 500 grams of nickel were added to the molten mass. The container was then heated in the range of 3200-3400°F and 2.5 Kg. of zinc were added to the molten mass. After a sufficient time of at least 5 minutes, the molten mass was poured into a mold and allowed to solidify into the shape of an elongated bar.

The elongated bar was cooled and thereafter introduced into a cylindrical housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet at opposite ends thereof, and the fluid treatment device thus Obtained was electrically insulated by means of ah electrical insulating sleeve covering the same, and was installed in the fluid conduit between the fluid pump and the carburetor of an internal combustion engine of a 1987 Mazda 626 vehicle without catalytic converter but with exhaust emissions. recycling device, and the treating device was tested in accordance with the following examples: EXAMPLE 2 The vehicle described in example 1 was subjected to average road tests at speeds from 10 to 55 MPH firstly without the fluid treating device of the invention and thereafter with the fluid treatment device installed as described in example 1.

The vehicle exhaust emissions were analyzed and the results of the two above described tests were as fOllOWS: ' . WITHOUT FLUID WITH TREATMENT PERCENTAGE TREATMENT DEVICE DEVICE_ CHANGE CO TEST 8.08 6.78 -16.10% C02 TEST 232.33 205.83 -11.41% TOTAL HYDROCARBONS 0.77 0.62 -19.28% NOX 4.18 3.92 -6.34% FUEL CONSUMPTION 10.50 9.27 -11.74% EXAMPLE 3 The vehicle was subjected to tests similar to those described in example 2, but at urban highway speed of an average of 20.3 KPH.

The results of the exhaust emmision tests were as follows: WITHOUT FLUID WITH TREATMENT PERCENTAGE TREATMENT DEVICE DEVICE CHANGE CO TEST 21.66 17.13 -20.91% C02 TEST 333.20 264.90 -20.50% TOTAL HYDROCARBONS 1.52 1.09 -28.29% NOX 5.78 4.49 -22.32% FUEL CONSUMPTION 15.78 12.52 -20.66% EXAMPLE 4 The treatment device described in example 1 was also tested in the described vehicle at suburban highway speed of an average of 40.2 KPH, with the following results having been obtained in the exhaust emissions of said vehicle : WITHOUT FLUID WITH TREATMENT PERCENTAGE TREATMENT DEVICE DEVICE CHANGE_ _ CO TEST 5.76 5.20 -9.72% C02 TEST 212.10 207.20 -2.31% TOTAL HYDROCARBONS 0.72 0.68 r5.56% NOX 4.17 4.23 -1.44% FUEL CONSUMPTION 9.48 9.23 -2.64% EXAMPLE 5 The device Of the present invention as described in example 1 was also tested by running the vehicle at rural highway speed at art average of 59.7 KPH, with the following results: WITHOUT FLUID WITH TREATMENT PERCENTAGE TREATMENT DIVICE DEVICE CHANGE CO TEST 3.89 3.69 -5.14% C02 TEST 188.20 181.40 -3.61% TOTAL HYDROCARBONS 0.57 0.48 -15.79% NOX 3.48 3.94 13.22% FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.32 8.01 -3.73% EXAMPLE 6 The device described in example 1 was also tested by racing the vehicle at motor way speed at an average of 90.3 KPH, with the following results: WITHOUT FLUID WITH TREATMENT PERCENTAGE TREATMENT DEVICE DEVICE . CHANGE CO TEST 0.99 1.08 0.09% C02 TEST 195.80 169.80 -13.28% TOTAL HYDROCARBONS 0.25 0.22 -12.00% NOX 3.29 3.00 -8.81% FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.41 7.30 -13.20% At it may be seen from the above, the fluid treatment device in accordance with the present invention produces a significant decrease in the contaminant gases in the exhaust emissions of the vehicle tested, and also accomplishes a remarkable decrease in the fuel consumption of the vehicle, particularly at high an low speeds, said saving in fuel consumption being somewhat lower at motoring speeds.

EXAMPLE 7 A water treatment device similar to the fuel treatment device described in example 1 was prepared from an alloy containing the following proportions of ingredients: 23% zinc, 4% nickel, 1% aluminum, 10% manganese, 3% thin and 59% copper.

The thus obtained water treatment device was installed in the feed water line of various devices as will be described in the following examples, and the results of its effects on the water were analyzed.

EXAMPLE 8 The device described in example 7 was inserted in the feed water line of a boiler system that confronted very serious problems for trying to keep the system in optimum operating conditions, inasmuch as the hardness, alkalinity and total solids Of the water were targeted at very high or very low values and water treatment product consumption was somewhat high. After the water treatment unit described in example 7 was installed, the results of the above parameters were corrected in such a manner that after such installation, it has now been easy to control the waters for the boiler.

A sample feed water was analyzed before and after the installation of the water treatment unit in the boiler system described above, and the results obtained for the various parameters of the water were as follows: PARAMETERS BEFORE AFTER TREATMENT TREATMENT Hardness 4.0 0.0 PH . 11. o 10.5 Solids 3360.0 3000.0.

Alkalinity F 245.0 357.0 Alkalinity M 382.0 330.0 Chlorides 78.0 23.0 Carbonates 252.0 412.0 Bicarbonates 0.0 0.0 Sulphates 321.0 156.7 Hydroxides 65.3 57.0 Sulphides 20.0 10.0 Phosphates 30.0 20.0 The above indicates clear evidence of how some of the parameters that are considered harmful for the equipment were decreased, and it must be pointed out that the intake of water treatment reactants was lower than the previous dosification customarily used in this boiler.

EXAMPLE 9 The water treatment unit described in example 7 was installed i one of the pools of a pair of identical swimming pools Of a hotel, in order to compare the effects of the unit in the waters of the pools.

The pool wherein the unit was installed, was subjected to a continued conventional chlorine treatment and the witness pool received exactly the same treatment, with the following results having been obtained: Residual Chlorine in pool without unit: 3.0 ppm initially Residual chlorine in pool with unit: ' 3.0 ppm initially After five hours of the chlorine application Residual chlorine in pool without unit: 0.0 ppm Residual chlorine in pool with unit: 2.0 ppm At this moment the witness pool was chlorinated, leaving the other as is, and the following was noticed: Residual chlorine in pool without unit: 3.0 ppm Residual chlorine in pool with unit: 2.0 ppm After five hours: Residual chlorine in pool without unit: 0.3 ppm Residual chlorine in pool with unit: 0.6 ppm As it may be seen from the above results, the water treatment unit of the present invention causes the residual chlorine to remain for a longer time (almost twice as much) in contact with the water and, furthermore, during the same time and with half the dose, an even higher chlorine concentration is Obtained.

A bacteriological analysis was also made to the water from both pools while keeping the same chlorine residue (3.0ppm) with the following results having been obtained.

Number of co.loni.es/100 ml, pool without unit 54 Number of colonics/100 ml, pool with unit 4 Aerobac ter/100 ml, pool without unit 17 Aerobacter/lOO ml, pool with unit s 0 Colibncillus/IOQ nil, negative in both tests ; Col iaerogenous Bacteria .100 ml, Pool without uni 5 Pool with unit 0 At the end of the day, when both pools contained a very low chlorine residue, the results were the following: Colonies/lOOml , pool without unit 76 Coloniers/lOO ml, pool with unit 2 AerObacter/lOO ml , pool without unit 33 Aerobacter/lOO ml , pool with unit 7 Pool with and without unit negative in colibacillus Coliaerogenous/lOO ml, Pool with unit 9 Pool without unit 38 As it may be noted from the above, either with chlorine or without chlorine the bactericide effect of the water treatmen uni of the present invention is evident , since its affects are even higher than those of chlorine alone, for fulfilling the purpose of purifying the water, and . the residual effects arc kept for longer periods even when clorine is no longer present in the water.

EXAMPLE 10 The water treatment device described in example 7 was installed in the water line of a home in order to treat the tap water, and the water was analyzed before the treatment and after the treatment, with the following results having been obtained: Sample Description mg/1 (ppm) Tap Water Calcium 48.8 Magnesium 28.1 Bicarbonate 30.6 pH 8.85 units Water after treatment Calcium 45.1 Magnesium 21.3 Bicarbonate 18.0 pH i 8.56 units EXAMPLE 11 The water treatment device as described in example 7 was used for passing therethrough a blackish water received and returned to the U.S. from the Grand Cayman Islands, and the results of the analysis of said blackish water before and after treatment (3 passes were used for the treatment) were as follows: AFTER BEFORE TREATMENT TREATMENT J3_Passe )_ Specific Gravity 1.0027 .1.0029 pH 8.3 8.7 Conductivity, microhom's/cm 7200 7300 Silica, Si02, mg/1 0.69 0.20 Aluminum, Al , mg/1 less than 0.05 less than 0.05 Calcium, Ca, mg/1 148 180 Magnesium, MG , mg/1 195 212 Sodium, Na, mg/1 1280 1280 Potassium, K, mg/1 49.8 49.9 Carbonate, CO-j, mg/1 28.8 57.6 Bicarbonate, HCO.J, mg/1 464 474 Sulfate, S04, mg/1 57 67 Chloride, CI, mg/1 2500 2500 Fluoride, F, mg/1 0.42 0.53 Nitrate, N03 , mg/1 20.2 23.8 P-Alkalinity as CaCO^, mg/1 48 96 T-Alkalinity as CaCO-j, mg/1 380 388 Total Hardness as CaCO^, mg/1 1170 1320 Total Dissolved SOlids, mg/1 4515 4665 Total Suspended Solids, mg/1 40 1000

Claims (7)

What is claimed is:

1. - In a method for the purification of fluids such : as water, aqueous fluids and liquid fuels, which comprises the steps of providing a hollow chamber having inlet and outlet ports, providing a solid material body within said chamber, said solid material, body being constituted by a metal alloy, passing said fluid through said chamber for contacting said fluid with said solid material body, and recovering purified fluid from said chamber, the improvement which comprises providing said solid material body as a body of a metallic alloy constituted by50 to 60% copper, 20 to 28% zinc, 0.5 to 8% nickel, 0.005 .to 2.5% aluminum, 7 to 15% manganese, and 1.3 to 4.5% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

2. - A method according to claim 1 wherein said chamber is a hollow, elongated chamber and said solid material body within said chamber is an elongated bar-shaped body.

3. - A method according to claim 2 wherein the alloy comprises 52 to 57% copper, 23 to 27% zinc, 3 to 7% nickel, 0.25 to 1.5% ■ aluminum, 9 to 13% manganese, and 2 to 5% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

4. - A solid material body for use in the purification of fluids such as water, aqueous fluids and liquid fuels by direct contact therewith, comprising a body of a metal alloy of 50 to 60% copper, 20 to 28% zinc, 0.5 to 8% nickel, 0.005 to 2.5% aluminum, 7 to 15% manganese, and 1.3 to 4.5% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

5. - A solid material body according to claim 4 wherein said alloy comprises 52 to 57% copper, 23 ;to 27% zinc, 3 to 7% nickel, 0.25 to 1.5% aluminum, 9 to 15% manganese, and 2. to 4% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

6. - An apparatus for the purification Of fluids such as water, aqueous fluids and liquid fuels comprising a hollow elongate chamber, a fluid inlet at one end Of said chamber, a fluid outlet at the opposite end of said chamber, means for connecting said fluid, inlet and outlet to a line carrying said fluid, and an elongate bar of a metal alloy within said elongate chamber, the dimensions of said bar being such as compared to the dimensions Of said chamber that an annular fluid passage is left therebetween for permitting direct contact of said fluid with, the surface of said bar, the metal alloy of said bar comprising 50 to 60% copper, 20 to 28% zinc, 0.5 to 8% nickel, 0.005 to 2.5% aluminum, 7 to 15% manganese an 1.3 to 4.5% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy.

7. - An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said alloy comprises 52 to 57% copper, 23 to 27% zinc, 3 to 7% nickel, 0.25 to 1.5% aluminum, 9 to 15% manganese, and 2 to 4% tin, based on the total weight of the alloy. FOR THE APPLICANT: WOLFF, BREGMAN AND G0LLER