KR20110136816A - Water purification and enhancement systems - Google Patents

Abstract

A water purification system comprising at least two filter medias dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source of saturation.

Description

Water Purification and Enhancement System {WATER PURIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT SYSTEMS}

The present invention relates to a low cost portable water purification system and a sensor that alerts the user when the water is no longer safe to drink. Low cost water purification systems include the additional function of allowing useful mixtures and molecules to be added to water.

Water purification systems can be included in many other components that use various mechanisms to remove impurities from water. One type of conventional water purification system is generally referred to as a 'point-of-use' water purification system. Such POU systems remove water impurities from a table-top or dwelling-oriented system as opposed to a large central plant, such as a relatively small size, for example a municipal water treatment plant. Consists of components.

POU systems are generally made for high-end markets, ie markets where higher prices of POU systems are handled. POU systems have not effectively penetrated the large but lower-end market due to the lack of invention design in low cost environments.

A typical POU system may have a pre-filter for deposit removal, followed by mechanisms to ensure pathogen and sometimes inorganic material removal. One of the most important aspects of a POU system that includes consumables such as filters is an 'end-point' detection system that alerts the user or service personnel that the time to replace the filter has arrived. Most POU systems use a time-based system that emits light (or other indicators) after some time, indicating that it is time to replace the filter. Such relatively inexpensive sensors are not suitable. If the water purification system is used in different environments, the time interval required between filter changes to avoid contamination can be very large, exposing people to contaminated water.

The main method of determining water quality (and safety) is to take water samples periodically and transport these samples to laboratories where relatively large facilities are used to analyze the water content. This information provides the user or service personnel with feedback about what is in the water. In addition, there are field-kits that can be tested for specific contaminants such as chlorine, for example. In general, none of these standardized test methods are compatible or universally sufficient for POU systems. Likewise, these test methods are not consumer friendly.

Modern POU water purification systems do not provide water with useful ingredients. Typical systems for delivering molecules or mixtures to water are found in the confectionery or restaurant industries. For example, soda water stores add molecules and mixtures that add fragrance to soda water by simply mixing it in the liquid stream, but do not add ingredients useful to consumer health.

There is a need for an improved system for purifying water quality and / or adding useful ingredients to water. The present invention seeks to satisfy this need.

According to one aspect there is provided a water purification system comprising at least two filter medias sized relative to each other to allow the first source to be saturated with a delay before the second source is saturated. In another aspect, water quality comprising passing water through a system comprising at least two filter medias sized relative to each other such that the first pollutant in the water is first saturated with a delay before the second pollutant is saturated. Purification methods are provided.

An important aspect of the system is to use the user of the system as the final detector of pathogens or other dangerous factors. The system of the present invention uses the user as a detector through the user's sight or taste. Mechanisms in the water purification system emit color elements as the water filter reaches or begins to reach its end of life. In addition, the system can also release other flavors in water that can alert the user that the filter has reached its end of life. In addition, since detection mechanisms have been introduced in a low cost manner, the same mechanisms can be used to deliver the desired molecules or components into purified water, making healthy and / or therapeutic beverages.

Included in this specification.

1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention showing a low cost arsenic purification system;
2 shows whether the water has an unwanted mold or earthy taste during the time of delay before the removal media breaks through the first and the water is contaminated with arsenic;
3 shows whether the release capsules release the taste substance in a proportion that is absorbed by the downstream medium and at the same time saturated by the medium;
4 shows whether the release capsule is treated with a sudden-release located in this case at the end of the purification system;
Figure 5 shows time-release capsules designed to inject a batch of fragrance over time;
FIG. 6 shows time-release capsules designed to dissolve the outer cell at a rate where fragrance is released as suddenly as possible when the arsenic medium dies out;
7 and 8 show the arsenic removal results of the combination AC / GFO on Chapala water for the life of the filter.

1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention of a low cost arsenic purification system. The system 2 comprises a reservoir 4 for storing purified water connected via a valve 8 to a filter region 10 having a series of remediation media 12, 14, 16. Water passing through the filter region 10 exits through the nozzle 18 through the valve 20 and into the receiving vessel 22.

Prefilter 12 is designed to remove large particles and deposits from the water. The pre-filter 12 is designed to remove target atoms, molecules or mixtures from water and / or when the mediator is saturated with contaminants and the mediator no longer purifies the water (which, Followed by a series of filter media that can be used to apply a color change or taste change to the water). In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the prefilter media 12 is followed by the taste mediation media 4, and the arsenic removal media 16.

Similar mechanisms can be used to inject other useful mixtures with water. For example useful mixtures can be vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and / or herbal extracts. Some embodiments include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, calcium Iron, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, potassium, boron, nickel, silicon, tin, vanadium, lutein, and lycopene Include.

The system of the present invention is mainly designed for the treatment of water which is disinfected with chlorine. As mentioned above, one of the improvement mediators 14 may be planned to remove unwanted tastes and the other 16 may be selected to remove arsenic.

Different geographic ranges may have different water problems, and thus may require adjustment of the media types, the number of media, or the media proportions to properly remove contaminants. The filter system is designed with sufficient empty bed contact time (EBCT) for each medium to allow sufficient removal of the target contaminants. Typical EBCTs are in the order of 1 to 10 minutes and these guidelines determine the water flow rate through the median filter volume.

The purification system may include additional filter stages after the improvement mediations described above (not shown). For example, a filter that removes mediator particles (such as a fiber winding filter) and / or a filter that removes microbial contaminants can be performed after the mediator stages. Common causes of water taste are algal metabolites such as geosmin or 2 methylisoborneol (MIB), which adds a fungal or earthy taste to water. (E.g., chapter 26 of Adsorption by Carbon, edited by Bottani and Tascon). Although the order of the mediators in the present system is not critical, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the deodorizing filter mediator 14 is located immediately after the prefilter mediar 12, following the arsenic removal mediator 16. do.

In other embodiments, the mediators may be mixed, crossed or stacked. In addition, activated carbon (also referred to as activated carbon) is typically selected as the deodorizing filter media 14, although there are other potential mediators capable of performing all of the above, one or more grain ferric hydroxides, Activated alumina, grain ferric oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, or other metal oxides or mixtures of metal oxides may be selected as the arsenic removal medium 16.

The design of the system of the present invention is very inexpensive for two principle reasons. First, the system is targeted to two major problems that arise in water: toxic arsenic enrichment and undesired taste. Second, the point-detection method is time or more important taste. The system can utilize the user's taste as an endpoint detection mechanism by sizing the taste-free media and the arsenic-free media so that the taste-free media is saturated before the arsenic-free media is saturated. When these media volumes are sized as described, the taste eliminating media will break first and during the delay time interval the water will have an undesirable mold or earthy taste before the water is contaminated with arsenic.

This effect is shown schematically in the graph shown in FIG. Sizing the volume carrier to achieve this functional effect, which is a sensor, is achieved in a series of steps as described below, because the user is signaled to change the media when the soil or mold taste is detected in water. .

First, the local water is measured to determine the level of the taste delivery mixture, such as the arsenic level of geosmin or MIB and water. Next, the taste and arsenic removal media are tested to determine the time it takes for the volume of media to saturate with geosmin and / or MIB or arsenic. Once this second step is complete, the volumes of mediators in the system can be selected to achieve the effect shown in FIG.

For example, a two component POU filter can be made of granular ferric oxide (GFO) for activated carbon for taste enhancement and arsenic removal. By sizing the media properly, the taste enhancement acts as an early warning system that it is time for the user to replace the filter. Relevant parameters are mediator uptake capacities for target pollutants, typically listed as mg pollutants absorbed per gram of mediator. The MIB absorption capacity of activated carbon is in the range of 1 to 3 mg / g and depends on the activated carbon structure (carbon containing source material, pore size distribution, and surface area), and water chemistry. (See, eg, chapter 26, p. 683, (2008) of Adsorption by Carbon, edited by Bottani and Tascon). Similarly, the absorption ability of arsenic (V) of GFO is 0.5 to 1 mg / g depending on the water chemistry. (See absorption treatment techniques for arsenic removal, published by AWWA, chapter 6, (2005)).

Suitable activated carbon can be obtained from Calgon Carbon Caorporation (http://www.calgoncarbon.com/solutions/?view=ChallengeProducts&Industry=10&Application=7&Challenge=7). Similarly, a GFO can be obtained from Severnt Trent Corporation (http://severntrentservices.com/Water___Wastewater_Treatment/Arsenic_Removal_prod_52.aspx).

For example, in the incoming water, both MIB and arsenic (V) contaminants are assumed to be 0.05 mg / L, and in addition the absorption capacity of quantum contaminants on individual removal mediators is assumed to be 1 mg / g. In addition to GFOs, AC has a perceptible absorption capacity for other pollutants. Thus, designing a filter in which the MIB breaks activated carbon before arsenic breakage in the GFO requires a GFO to carbon ratio of at least one. A suitable ratio may be 2: 1 = mass GFO: mass activated carbon. Such a ratio results in an undesired taste informing the user that it is time to change the filter before the user is exposed to elevated levels of arsenic. Of course, the total vehicle masses (and filter volumes) must be appropriately selected for the intended water flow rate and filter life. If the concentration of geosmin or MIB is not large enough, the saturation is suddenly not sufficient, or no other suitable flavor added to the mixture is present in the water, the above described method cannot be used as an end-detection sensor.

If a certain proportion of the taste mixture is applied outside the POU system, the present invention will have a similar design as shown in Figure 1, since the geosmin or MIB taste removal media is replaced with a mediator that deliberately removes the inserted taste mixture. Because it becomes. Alternatively, the taste substance or mixture can be added into the POU system by using time-release capsules.

FIG. 3 shows a system similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that a region 24 is provided downstream of the taste remover 14 comprising capsules that add a constant release of taste substances. Such time release capsules may release or simultaneously saturate the media at a certain rate absorbed by the downstream mediator (as shown in FIG. 3), or the capsule may be the last stage (as shown in FIG. 4). It may be designed into an absorption-release form 26 located in this case at the end of the purification system. In the first case (continuous), the time-release capsules (see FIG. 5) are designed to inject the same batch of flavor over time. In the capsule shown in FIG. 6, the outer cell dissolves in a proportion and releases flavor as rapidly as possible when the arsenic media is finished.

The time-release capsules used in the water purification system of the present invention can also be used to release color in lieu of or in addition to taste. For example, the two methods described above for flavor emission can be used for color emission. In the first case, the constant-ratio-release time capsule can be used to release the color absorbed by one of the mediators in the filter system, and the saturation is planned so that the color mixture can contain unwanted atoms, molecules or mixture (s) The saturation in the medium is achieved just before the purification medium is saturated. Therefore, the water will change color when it is time to change the purification medium. Time delays can also be designed in such a system so that even if the water changes color, the water is still safe for a certain delay time. The delay is designed by understanding the saturation of the unwanted mixture of atoms, molecules, or mixtures as well as the saturation rate of the color mixture concentration released by the time-release capsule.

It can also be used to color the water to prevent a sudden-time-release time capsule to replace the purge media. In this embodiment, the outer cell of the time release capsule dissolves at a rate at which the color is rapidly released just before the purifying medium is saturated with atoms, molecules, or mixtures removed from the water.

The time-release capsules described herein are also useful for adding desired atoms, molecules, or mixtures to water. The constant-rate time capsules described above are preferred for this useful release. Capsules are filled in a medium, or separately, placed at the last stage of the water purification system (so no other medium removes the desired useful atoms, molecules, or mixtures). In addition to flavors, therapeutic substances such as vitamins may be released by these capsules.

A key aspect of the present invention is the recognition that local water conditions must be carefully assessed to select the most appropriate, low cost mediator for optimal arsenic POU removal with a sufficient lifespan to produce a beverage in a family-friendly amount. For example, at one particular location, tests to determine chlorine content, arsenic valences, and pH will need to be primarily considered when selecting the most appropriate arsenic removal media. Likewise, the proportions of the mediator in the filter system will have to be adjusted based on the water properties and the desired lifetime and water post-filtration quality. Chlorine neutralization requires circular charcoal (AC), and arsenic removal requires a metal oxide medium such as GFO. In the above example, the GFO mediator will be selected because it exhibits high As (V) removal at elevated pH present in the local water supply compared to other metal oxide mediators such as activated alumina. (See absorption treatment techniques for arsenic removal, published by AWWA, chapter 6, (2005)).

To minimize pipe connections and reduce unit assembly costs, the mediators are combined in a single standard filter housing. Under local water conditions, 550 g of GFO (1.1 dry liters) are estimated to provide sufficient arsenic removal capability to achieve a designed filter life of 7,000 liters. The total filter volume was fixed to the volume of a standard 130cc filter element in the POU unit. At a 1: 1 vehicle ratio, it was determined that elements comprising GFO 1.1L and AC 1.1L work optimally for the conditions shown in the examples.

Following the procedures described above, the mediator ratios can be adjusted without undue experimentation once the local water properties are evaluated. The mediators formed two distinct layers, and water flowed through AC before the GFO. 7 and 8 show the results of arsenic removal of AC / GFO filter combinations in chapalla water during filter life. Arsenic is kept below 0.01 mg / L during the test. In addition, chlorine was not detected in the treated water and provided a good taste for the space residents. Depending on local water quality factors, POU filter size, and designed operating life, the ratios of GFO to AC can be adjusted as needed. Because of the small filter size present in the POU devices, it is expected that an appropriate ratio of GFO arsenic removal media to activated carbon can be greater, such as approximately 1: 1 = volume of GFO: AC volume or 2: 1. These volumes should be adjusted for arsenic removal capabilities and densities of other media suitable for local water conditions. Additional mediators may be added to the filter elements to remove other water contaminants as needed, resulting in elements with 3, 4, or more mediator components. Individual mediators may be separated (ie, layered) as in the above examples, or they may be mixed.

Although the invention has been described in connection with what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but on the contrary is the arrangement of various modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It is to be understood that the present invention is intended to cover such limitations.

2: purification system
4: saver
10: filter area
12: prefilter media
14: taste remover
16: Arsenic Removal Medium

Claims (20)

A water purification system comprising at least two filter medias dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source of saturation.
The method of claim 1,
Water purification system that is the point of use system.
The method of claim 1,
Wherein said at least two filter mediators are located downstream of the water reservoir.
The method of claim 1,
A water purification system wherein a prefilter is provided immediately upstream of the at least two filter medias to remove large particles and deposits from the water.
The method of claim 1,
Water purification system with chlorine and arsenic as contaminants.
The method of claim 1,
Wherein the first filter mediator is activated carbon when the first source is chlorine and the second filter mediator is activated alumina, grain iron oxide and / or grain iron hydroxide when the second source is arsenic.
At least two filter medians dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source of saturation; And
And time release capsules that deliver flavor to indicate end-detection of the filter media.
The method of claim 7, wherein
The time release capsules are continuous water purification system.
The method of claim 7, wherein
The time release capsules are abrupt water purification system.
10. The method of claim 9,
Sudden capsules are water purification systems located at the last stage of the system.
The method of claim 8,
Successive capsules are water purification systems that are positioned upstream of other media to be saturated at some point and allow the taste to enter the water.
At least two filter medians dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source of saturation;
And water color release capsules that deliver color to indicate end-detection of the filter media.
The method of claim 12,
The color time release capsules are continuous water purification system.
The method of claim 12,
The time release capsules are abrupt water purification system.
The method of claim 14,
Said steep capsules are positioned as the last stage of the system.
The method of claim 13,
Wherein said continuous capsules are located upstream of the other media to be saturated at some point and allow the taste to enter the water.
At least two filter medians dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source of saturation; And
A water purification system comprising time release capsules for continuous infusion of flavor or therapeutic material into water.
The method of claim 17,
The time release capsules are positioned such that the flavor is injected into the water at the last stage of the system.
Water purification comprising passing water through a system comprising at least two filter medias dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first pollutant in the water to first saturate with a delay before the second pollutant is saturated. Way.
20. The method of claim 19,
Water is measured to determine the level of taste delivered to the mixtures and the level of arsenic in the water, and the filter media is tested to determine how long the medium takes to saturate with the taste and arsenic delivered to the mixtures. Volumes are selected such that the taste delivered to the mixtures in water with a delay before the arsenic is saturated is first saturated.

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