ITPD20100021U1 - TOGETHER FOR THE DESALINATION OF WATER FROM A WATER NETWORK - Google Patents

Description

TOGETHER FOR THE DESALINATION OF WATER FROM A WATER NETWORK Field of application

The present invention relates to an assembly for the desalination of water from a water network, according to the preamble of the main independent claim.

The assembly in question is mainly intended to be used in the home to soften the water from the aqueduct distributed through the water network.

In this domestic environment there is usually the need to use water with low mineral content, i.e. water with a low salt content, for food and especially for drinking, and softened water for specific applications such as washing machines and in particular for dishwashers and washing machines. . Drinking water is therefore usually purchased in bottles while the water for specific applications is often softened by means of specific internal or external devices such as household appliances. Furthermore, very hard waters produce limescale deposits on taps, sanitary ware, showers, etc. consequently requiring periodic cleaning and maintenance operations.

Given its distinct characteristics of compactness, practicality and given the substantial lack of maintenance required, the assembly object of the present invention can be usefully used for all domestic applications (both for drinking and for the operation of household appliances) being suitable to supply softened water for any type of user such as for kitchens in the home or for kitchens in the professional field, such as for example kitchens in bars, restaurants, canteens, or even to serve artisan workshops such as bakeries, pastry shops, etc. ..

The aforementioned equipment, therefore, is advantageously inserted in the industry sector for the production of domestic and professional equipment for water treatment.

State of the art

As is known, there are numerous equipment on the market called "softeners" or "softeners" or, more generally, "purifiers" which have the main purpose of reducing the degree of water hardness or substantially reducing the calcium content and of magnesium dissolved in water.

These appliances are often associated with washing machines such as washing machines and dishwashers and are generally equipped with a hermetically closed container intercepted by the water circuit and containing cation resins which are able to retain the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions to thereby reduce the degree of water hardness.

More in detail, the calcium and magnesium ions, present dissolved in the water in an undesirable quantity in the form of cations Ca <~> and Mg <~>, are exchanged with the sodium ions Na <+> present in the cation resins contained in the softener.

The aforementioned cation resins which after a predetermined quantity of treated water lose their desalination capacity and need to be subjected to regeneration.

Currently, the regeneration of the cationic resins of softeners is carried out automatically or by an operator to start the regeneration cycle, by passing a concentrated solution of water and sodium chloride (NaCl) commonly called brine through the resins. The ions deposited on the resins, as mentioned above mainly of calcium and magnesium, are replaced by sodium ions regenerating the resins so that they resume their desalination function.

The aforementioned water desalination equipment therefore also requires a salt containment tank that must be periodically topped up by the user due to consumption due to the cyclical regeneration processes of the resins.

In addition, the resins themselves require to be periodically replaced with new ones for optimal functionality of the equipment.

The equipment for water desalination that uses cationic resins have proved to be not free from drawbacks in practice.

The main drawback of these known apparatuses lies in the considerable and periodic maintenance which they require in order to remain perfectly functional. Precisely the need to carry out frequent maintenance operations makes such equipment little appreciated by the market.

Furthermore, the presence of a tank of salts to be refilled frequently and the presence of a container of resins also to be subjected to periodic replacement, make the equipment hygienically unsafe, so much so as to preferably require the use of means for the abatement of the bacteria to ensure the healthiness of the water, usually obtained with UV lamps placed on the delivery of the equipment.

There are also known equipments for the desalination of water which use the technical principle of reverse osmosis and, for this purpose, force the water to cross a semi-permeable membrane, composed of micro-holes of a value of very few microns (typically of the order of 0.0001 micron). The membrane separates a solute with concentrated calcium and magnesium ions from a substantially pure solvent on the other side of the membrane. These equipments employ a considerable amount of energy and require the predisposition of filters, usually in carbon, upstream of the osmotic membranes, which must be periodically replaced with new ones.

A further drawback of these apparatuses resides in the modest capacity for producing softened water unless the use of very bulky and expensive systems is used.

Presentation of the invention

In this situation, the problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of overcoming the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art, providing an assembly for the desalination of water from a water network, which requires extremely limited maintenance.

Another purpose of the present invention is to make available an assembly for the desalination of water from a water network that is operationally completely safe and reliable.

Another purpose of the present invention is to make available an assembly for the desalination of water from a water network that is economical to make.

Another object of the present invention is to make available an assembly for the desalination of water from a water network that is not bulky and can be easily built into a piece of furniture.

Brief description of the drawings

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforementioned purposes, are clearly verifiable from the content of the claims reported below and the advantages thereof will be more evident in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the attached drawing, which represents a purely exemplary embodiment and non-limiting, in which:

- Figure 1 shows an operating diagram of the assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a schematic view in perspective of an embodiment of the assembly for the desalination of water object of the present invention with some parts removed to better highlight others;

- Figure 3 shows a further perspective view of the assembly according to the invention with the upper wall of the support structure partially in transparency and with some parts removed to better highlight others.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment example

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates as a whole an example of an assembly for the desalination of water, object of the present invention.

The assembly 1, according to the invention, is suitable for use in the domestic environment inside homes as well as in premises or craft workshops to make the water in the mains water less hard, allowing it to be used optimally in all its possible applications. .

The term "degree of hardness" is basically intended to indicate a value that expresses the content of ions, mainly calcium and magnesium, due to the presence of their soluble salts dissolved in water.

The assembly 1 object of the present invention is intended to reduce the degree of water hardness as well as to eliminate or strongly reduce many other substances such as nitrates, chlorides, sulphates and ammonia.

The apparatus 1, according to the invention, lends itself to be used for the purification of water from ionized particles present inside it which are susceptible to the presence of an electric field, such as for example ions in solution and in particular calcium and magnesium which are the ions most responsible for the hardness of the water and the formation of limescale.

In the following, explicit reference will be made to the most common case of ion removal, meaning by this expression generically to indicate any ionized particle or a contaminant dissolved in water capable of being attracted to an electrostatic field, such as in particular dissolved calcium and magnesium ions. .

The assembly 1 object of the present invention comprises a support structure 100 advantageously of the box-like type, substantially parallelepipeidal in shape obtained with opposite walls of which at least one lower 101, one upper 102, two side 103, one front 104 and one bottom 105 .

A storage tank 3 is mechanically fixed on the support structure 100 for containing a reserve of softened water.

The assembly 1 can form a stand-alone piece of furniture with the typical finishes of an appliance or can be embedded in a piece of furniture, such as a kitchen cabinet.

In accordance with a preferential but non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the support structure 100 comprises a substantially horizontal support platform 150, which defines below a containment compartment 106, intended to house various parts of the assembly 1 as will be specified. in the following, and above the accumulation tank 3 or a chamber in which the accumulation tank 3 is located.

In order to prevent the softened water from exchanging heat with the external environment, taking for example to excessively high temperatures, the external walls of the support structure 100 are insulated with an insulating layer 160, for at least the part involving the storage tank. accumulation 3.

Obviously, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present patent, the support structure 100, even if it maintains the peculiarity of assembling all the parts of the invention in a single box-like body, may also assume configurations different from the one represented and, for example, it may envisage arranging the storage tank 3 not below but alongside the containment compartment 6 to limit the height of the support structure 100.

The assembly 1 according to the present invention also comprises at least one flow-through condenser 2 (two in number according to the example of the attached figures), which is fixed to the support structure 100 and is preferably housed in the containment compartment 6 above the support surface 150. The flow-through condenser 2 is capable, in a known way, of capturing the ions, in particular of calcium and magnesium Ca <~> and Mg <~> present in the water and generate a flow of softened water intended to feed the storage tank 3.

An example of flow-through condenser 2 is described in detail in the Italian patent application PD 2010A000xxx, in particular from page XX to page YY attached hereto for reference.

The aforementioned flow-through capacitor 2 comprises a plurality of electrodes electrically connected, by means of suitable collectors, to a direct current DC power supply 20. The latter charges the contiguous electrodes at different polarities in order to define a plurality of counterfaced electrode pairs that form the armours of as many series capacitors between which electric fields are established.

The electrodes are obtained with superimposed and counter-facing layers of conductive material, separated from each other by separator layers within which the flow of water to be treated flows, containing the ions that it is desired at least in part to remove.

The conductive layers that form the electrodes are made of a conductive material with a porous structure or with a formation of surface pores which offer a considerable exchange surface with the liquid such as spongy activated carbon. In accordance with a preferential embodiment of the present invention, the electrodes comprise a layer of semipermeable material, which can be associated in various ways with the layer of conductive material.

The separator layers may in turn be made up, for example, of highly porous non-conductive materials, capable of isolating the electrodes allowing the passage of fluid flow, such as for example a porous synthetic material or other materials of non-conductive spacer materials such as fiber glass or nylon fabric.

The flow condenser 2 is connected upstream to the water network by means of a supply duct 5 intercepted by a first solenoid valve 6, to receive a flow of water to be treated.

Preferably, the supply pipe 5 is intercepted by a self-cleaning filter 170, in particular of the mechanical micro-mesh type, placed to intercept the supply pipe 5 to remove any particles and contaminants present in the water. This optional pre-filter 170 does not require any maintenance and has mesh preferably in the 25-50 micron range.

The flow of water that passes through the condenser 2 is conveyed into an extraction duct 7, which is divided into a service branch 8, capable of transporting a first flow of softened water (with a reduced concentration of ions) to the storage tank 3 , in particular of calcium and magnesium) treated by the condenser 2, and in an evacuation branch 9, capable of carrying a washing flow having a high concentration of ions, in particular of calcium and magnesium, up to the discharge duct 17 of the network water.

The two branches 8 and 9 of the extraction duct 7 are affected by the flow passage in accordance with the operating modes of the condenser 2 well known to those skilled in the art and better specified below.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated by way of example in Figure 1, the service branch 8 is intercepted by a second solenoid valve 10 while the evacuation branch 9 is intercepted by a third solenoid valve 11.

The flow-through capacitor 2 is powered by a direct current power supply 20 equipped with an integrated circuit control board 12, which controls, in the various operating phases of the operating cycle of the capacitor 2, typically by means of semiconductor switches, the voltage applied to the electrodes by means of special connection manifolds.

For example, this cycle may provide, in a completely traditional way and well known to those skilled in the art: a charging phase, in which the power supply unit 20 charges the contiguous electrodes with different polarity to bring them to a constant operating voltage and, for example, example, equal to 1.6 V; and a service phase, in which with the electrodes charged, the flow of fluid to be treated is forced to pass through the condenser 2, by means of the supply line 5 and the extraction line 7.

During the service phase, the purification of the water from ions takes place, in particular of calcium and magnesium, due to the fact that the latter are attracted by the electrode with opposite polarity and on which they gradually accumulate. In this phase the service branch 8 of the extraction duct 7 feeds the storage tank 3.

Once the programmed saturation of the electrodes with the ions present in the water has been reached, a regeneration phase is envisaged, in which with the electrodes deactivated, a flow of washing fluid is forced to pass into the condenser 2 with consequent removal of the ions accumulated on the electrodes in the previous service phase and therefore in the evacuation branch 9 of the extraction duct 7.

During this phase, the solenoid valve 10 of the service branch 8 closes and the third solenoid valve 11 of the evacuation branch 9 opens. The flow that passes into the evacuation branch 9 is to be considered a waste and is therefore sent to the normal drain 17 provided for the hydraulic system.

The term "deactivated", used above referring to the electrodes, means all those possible voltage conditions present at the electrodes in the regeneration phase such as: the condition of electrodes short-circuited, the condition of electrodes loaded with reversed polarity, the condition of electrodes not connected to the power supply. All the aforementioned charging and discharging phases are managed by the card 12 of the power supply 20 in a per se known manner.

A logic control unit cpu master 13 activates the different operating phases of the equipment 1. Advantageously, the cpu 13 is connected to a conductivity sensor 15 placed to intercept the extraction duct 7, to verify the conductivity of the water treated by the condenser. flow 2, and to a flow meter 16, placed to intercept the supply pipe 5, to check the flow of water entering the flow condenser 2.

Thanks to the assumed values of flow rate and conductivity, the CPU 13 can vary its operation in a programmable way, for example providing service phases that are more or less long with respect to the regeneration phases.

The assembly 1 also comprises a membrane tank 107, which is mounted on the support structure 100 advantageously above the support surface 150.

The aforementioned membrane tank 107 is connected to the storage tank 3 through a connection pipe 108 intercepted by a booster pump 109, advantageously of the immersion type inserted into the storage tank 3 and equipped with an inverter to adjust the speed according to the load required.

When a special pressure switch (not shown) associated with the membrane tank 107 detects that the water pressure in the membrane tank 107 has dropped below a predetermined value, it commands the activation of the pump 109 so that the latter sends to the tank to membrane 107 a second flow of softened water restoring a predetermined pressure corresponding to a determined water reserve inside the latter tank. Basically, the membrane tank 107 prevents the pump 109 from activating at every single user request.

The membrane tank 107 is connected to a user through a delivery duct 110 to supply it with a third flow of softened water required.

More in detail, the membrane tank 107 comprises in a per se known manner an air lung, which, due to the effect of the water pressure, compresses so that when the pump 109 is switched off, the water is kept under pressure. The pressure switch starts the pump when the pressure is below a minimum limit and switches it off when the maximum preset value is reached. The lung therefore acts as a pressure accumulator and allows the pump 109 to expand the period of operation over a longer period of time, avoiding a continuous succession of on and off for small withdrawals of water by the user.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a solubilizing product tank 18 and injection means 19, hydraulically connected to the tank 18, capable of introducing, with the flow of the supply pipe 5 interrupted by the first solenoid valve 6, a dose of solubilizing product received from the tank. 18, in a section 21 of the supply conduit 5 located upstream of the condenser 2.

Once the aforementioned dose of solubilizing product has been introduced into section 21 of the supply line 5, the logic control unit 13 commands the reopening of the first solenoid valve 6 and the advancement of a fluid transport flow through section 21, which flow rate is determined in its quantity by means of a timer and / or by means of the flow meter 16, to transport the dose of solubilizing product into the condenser 2 and make it reach and in contact with the electrodes. The substantially laminar advancement of the fluid flow in the supply duct 5 determines a modest dilution of the dose of solubilizing product up to the inlet of the condenser 2, allowing to economize the quantity of solubilizing product to be used and therefore allows solubilizing product 18 even of very modest dimensions to have an automatic operation of the apparatus 1 for very prolonged times.

Once the aforementioned flow rate of fluid transport has passed, the unit 13 again stops the flow of fluid from the supply pipe 5, again commanding the closure of the valve 6.

At this point, the apparatus 1 remains off, i.e. in stand-by, for a waiting interval of at least 5 minutes and preferably 10-30 minutes, in which the ions diffuse at least partially in the dose of solubilizing product that has stopped in the capacitor 2, starting from the interstitial pores present in the layers of conductive material of the electrodes.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the diagram of figure 1, the injection means 19 are obtained with a volumetric syringe 22, which sucks a concentrated solubilizing product from the tank 18 and sends it through a delivery pipe 23, intercepted by a first non-return valve 30, at section 21 of the supply pipe 5.

Advantageously, the aforementioned volumetric syringe 22 has a product loading chamber divided by a plunger from a pressure chamber, which is connected by means of a branch pipe 40 intercepted by a fourth valve 24 to the supply pipe 5 located upstream of the first valve. 6 and connected, by means of an outlet pipe 25, intercepted by a fifth valve 26, to the outlet 17 at ambient pressure.

Functionally, with the first valve 6 closed, the cpu 13 commands the opening of the fourth 24 which brings pressure to the chamber of the syringe 22 by moving the plunger overcoming the reaction force of elastically yielding means (such as a simple spring 27), so as to emit the dose of solubilizing product out of the product loading chamber making it go through the delivery duct 23 until it enters the section 21 of the supply duct 5.

At this point, the cpu 13 closes the fourth valve 24 and opens the fifth valve 26 allowing the plunger of the syringe 22 to retract under the spring causing a depression which draws a new dose of product from the tank 18 through a provided connection pipe 28 intercepted by a second non-return valve 29.

The term "solubilizing product" must be understood as any product, advantageously in particular available in a solution for ease of introduction into the condenser 2, capable of increasing the solubility of the ions, in particular of calcium and magnesium, with which it is intended for interact, increasing the precipitation threshold. For example, it will consist of a solution containing a counter ion capable of inhibiting, within certain limits, the precipitation of ions, in particular of calcium and magnesium, contained in the fluid to be treated and so, for example, it can be constituted by an acid solution. which advantageously is a solution of citric acid.

Given the low consumption of the solubilizing product contained in the tank 18, the topping up operations may be deferred for even very prolonged times and advantageously longer than one year. To access the aforementioned tank 18, a cap 180 may be provided, in particular arranged on a wall accessible from the outside of the support structure 100. Advantageously, access to the tank 18 or to the cap 180 can be achieved with a door 181 hinged in position easy to reach on the support structure 100.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached figures 2 and 3, the flow-through condenser 2, the membrane tank 107, the solubilizing product tank 28 and the logic control unit 13 are housed in the containment compartment 106 on the platform support 150. Preferably, the direct current power supply 20 is also mounted on the same support surface 150.

Advantageously, the assembly also comprises a head sensor 111 connected to the logic control unit 13 and able to detect the liquid level within the storage tank 3.

The sensor may for example be of the ultrasonic electronic type with 4-20 mA output, proportional to the head of liquid detected.

Operationally, the logic control unit 13 acquires by means of the head sensor III three levels of liquid in the storage tank 3 of which: - a maximum level, at which the logic control unit 13 determines the shutdown of the condenser a flow 2; - a minimum level, at which the logic control unit 13 determines the ignition of the flux condenser 2; - an alarm level, at which the logic control unit 13 determines the bypassing of the flow condenser 2 with the mains water which is directly sent to the storage tank 3.

For this purpose, immediately upstream of the self-cleaning filter 170, a branch of by-pass 5 'intercepted by a sixth valve 112 departs from the supply pipe 5. By closing the first valve 6 and opening the sixth valve 112, it is possible to by-pass pass the condenser and power the storage tank directly 3.

During normal operation of the assembly 1, when the water level in the storage tank 3 falls below the minimum preset level, the flow condenser 2 begins to operate and feed its first flow of softened water to the tank 3 until upon reaching the maximum level that determines the shutdown of the capacitor 2.

If for any reason, even despite the condenser 2 being switched on, the water level should drop in tank 3 below the expected minimum level reaching the alarm level, then in order not to leave the user without water supply, the logic control unit 13 bypasses the condenser 2 and, as mentioned, feeds the mains water directly into the storage tank 3. This circumstance can occur, for example, due to the breakage of a pipe or because more water is taken from the user for a very long period (for example an open tap is forgotten) of how much the condenser 2 is able to introduce it into the tank 3, so that, once all the water reserve inside it has been consumed, it is necessary to bypass the condenser 2 to quickly restore the minimum level in the storage tank 3.

Finally, an overflow duct 113 will be preferably provided, connected on one side to the drain 17 and on the other to the storage tank 3, preferably at its top, to ensure that in any event of failure the water from the tank does not overflow beyond. out of assembly 1.

The valves mentioned above for the operating cycle of the flow condenser 2 (or more than one condenser 2 as in the example illustrated) as well as for the actuation of the means for introducing the solubilizing product are advantageously organized in a panel 190 mounted on the structure support 100 or preferably on the panel 150.

The invention thus conceived therefore achieves the intended aim and objects.

Obviously, in its practical embodiment, it can also assume forms and configurations different from those illustrated above without thereby departing from the present scope of protection.

Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements and the dimensions, shapes and materials used can be any according to the needs.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS 1. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network, which includes: - a support structure; - an accumulation tank, mechanically connected to said support structure, able to store a reserve of softened water; - at least one flow-through condenser having a plurality of superimposed electrodes, fixed to said support structure for the production of softened water, connected upstream to a supply pipe, which is intercepted by a first solenoid valve and is connected to the water mains to receive from the latter a flow of water to be treated, and downstream to an extraction duct, which carries the flow of water that has passed through said condenser and is divided into at least one service branch, intercepted by a second solenoid valve, connected to said storage tank and capable of bringing in the latter a first flow of softened water treated by said condenser, and in at least one evacuation branch, intercepted by at least a third solenoid valve, connected to the drain of said water network and capable of conveying to said discharge a washing flow of said condenser; - a membrane tank, which is mounted on said support structure and is connected: - to said storage tank through a connection pipe to receive from said storage tank a second flow of softened water by means of a pump also mounted on said support structure, - to a user through a delivery pipe to supply the user a third flow of softened water; - a tank of solubilizing product; - injection means hydraulically connected to said tank, capable of introducing, when the flow of said supply pipe is interrupted, in particular by means of said first solenoid valve, a dose of solubilizing product received from said tank of solubilizing product, in correspondence with a section of said supply conduit placed upstream of said condenser; - a programmable logic control unit, which is electrically connected to said solenoid valves and controls the advancement through said section of a flow rate of fluid measured to transport said dose of solubilizing product within said condenser in correspondence of said electrodes. 2. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said pump is inserted within said storage tank and is of the immersion type. 3. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support structure is box-shaped, in particular it can be built into a piece of furniture, and defines a containment compartment in which they are housed said flow-through condenser, said membrane tank, said solubilizing product tank, said logic control unit. 4. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said support structure includes a support platform, which defines below said containment compartment and above said storage tank. 5. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact of comprising a self-cleaning filter, in particular of the mechanical micro-network type, placed to intercept the supply pipe. 6. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a head sensor connected to said logic control unit, capable of detecting the level of liquid within said storage tank. 7. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to claim 6, characterized in that said logic control unit acquires by means of said head sensor at least three levels of liquid in said storage tank; of which: - a maximum level, at which the logic control unit determines the shutdown of the flux condenser; - a minimum level, at which the logic control unit determines the ignition of the flux condenser; - an alarm level, at which the logic control unit determines the by-passage of the flow condenser with the mains water which is sent directly to the storage tank. 8. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a door or a plug for accessing said solubilizing product tank, in particular associated with a wall accessible from the exterior of said support structure. 9. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support structure has a substantially box-like shape with at least partially insulated external walls. 10. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said support structure comprises a support platform which defines below said containment compartment and above said accumulation tank. 11. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a direct current power supply mounted on said support structure, electrically connected to the electrodes of said flow condenser and capable of charging them counterfaced with different polarity to create an electric field between them. 12. Assembly for the desalination of water from a water network according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an overflow pipe connected to the drain of said water network and to said accumulation tank at its top. 13. Apparatus for the purification of a fluid according to claim 1, characterized in that said injection means comprise a syringe connected to said section of said supply line. 14. Apparatus for the purification of a fluid according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said said control unit stops in programmed times the supply to said condenser for an interval of at least 5 minutes in which said ions diffuse at least partially in said dose of solubilizing product from the interstitial pores of said layers of conductive material of said electrodes. 15. Apparatus for the purification of a fluid according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrodes comprise a layer of semipermeable material associated with the layer of conductive material adapted to selectively trap the ions that migrate towards the opposite polarity electrode under the action of the field, and characterized in that said control unit stops feeding to said capacitor in programmed times for an interval of at least 5 minutes in which said ions diffuse at least partially in said dose of solubilizing product from the interstitial pores of said layers of material semipermeable and of said layers of conductive material of said electrodes.