KR20210058349A - Water purification and enhancement systems - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a water purification system including at least two filter media sized relative to each other to allow a first source of pollution in the water to first saturate with a delay before a second source of pollution becomes saturated.

Description

Water purification and improvement system {WATER PURIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT SYSTEMS}

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

Water purification systems can be included in many different components using various mechanisms to remove impurities from the water. One type of conventional water purification system is generally referred to as being related to a'point-of-use (POU)' water purification system. Such POU systems are of relatively small size, for example, as opposed to large central facilities such as municipal water treatment plants, which remove water impurities from table-top or dwelling-oriented systems. It consists of components.

POU systems are generally designed for a high-end market, ie a market where the higher prices of POU systems are addressed. POU systems have not effectively penetrated into the large but lower-end market due to the lack of inventive design in low-cost environments.

A typical POU system may have a pre-filter for sediment removal, followed by mechanisms that ensure the removal of pathogens and sometimes inorganic substances. One of the most important features of the POU system, which includes consumables such as filters, is the'end-point' detection system that alerts the user or service personnel that the time to replace the filter has reached. Most POU systems use a time-based system, which, after a period of time, emit a light (or other indicator) that signals the time to change the filter. These relatively inexpensive sensors are not suitable. If the water purification system is used in different environments, the required time interval between filter changes to avoid contamination can be very large, exposing people to contaminated water.

The main way to determine the water component (and safety) is to take water samples periodically and transport these samples to a laboratory where relatively large facilities are used to analyze the water component. This information provides feedback to users or service personnel about what is in the water. In addition, there are field-kits that can be tested for specific pollutants such as chlorine, for example. In general, none of these standardized test methods are compatible or universal enough with the POU system. Likewise, these test methods are not consumer friendly.

Recent POU water purification systems do not provide useful components to the water. Typical systems for transferring molecules or mixtures to water are found in the confectionery or restaurant industries. For example, a soda water store adds molecules and mixtures that add flavor to soda water by simply mixing it into a liquid stream, but not ingredients useful for consumer health.

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

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

An important feature of this system is to use the user of the system as an end-detector of pathogens or other dangerous elements. 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 release a color component when the water filter reaches or begins to reach its end of life.

Additionally, the system can also emit a different flavor in the water that can warn the user that the filter has reached its end of life. In addition, since detection mechanisms have been introduced in an inexpensive manner, the same mechanisms can be used to deliver the desired molecules or ingredients into purified water, making health and/or therapeutic beverages.

1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention showing an inexpensive arsenic purification system.
Figure 2 shows whether the water has an undesirable moldy or earthy taste for a time of delay before the removal medium is broken through the first and the water is contaminated with arsenic.
Figure 3 shows whether the release capsules release the taste substance at a constant rate that is absorbed by the downstream medium and at the same time saturated by the medium.
Figure 4 shows whether the release capsule is treated with a sudden-release located in this case at the end of the purification system.
5 shows time-release capsules designed to inject a single dose of fragrance over time.
6 shows a time-release capsule designed to dissolve the outer cells at a rate at which the scent is released as abruptly as possible when the arsenic medium disappears.
7 and 8 show the arsenic removal results of the combination AC/GFO on Chapala water over the life of the filter.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention of an inexpensive arsenic purification system. The system 2 comprises a reservoir 4 for storing purified water connected via a valve 8 to a filter area 10 comprising a series of remedial 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.

The pre-filter 12 is designed to remove large particles and sediment from the water. The pre-filter 12 is designed to remove targeted atoms, molecules or mixtures from water and/or when the vehicle is saturated with contaminants and the vehicle is no longer purifying water (enemy, the present invention When the water is soon indicated to be unsafe) followed by a series of filter media that can be used to impart a color change or taste change to the water. In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the prefilter medium 12 follows a taste removal medium 4 and an arsenic removal medium 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 examples include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, and calcium. , Iron, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, potassium, boron, nickel, silicon, tin, vanadium, lutein, and lycopene. Includes.

The system of the present invention is primarily designed for the treatment of chlorinated water. As mentioned above, one of the improvement media 14 can be designed to remove unwanted flavors, and the other 16 can be selected to remove arsenic.

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

The purification system may include additional filter stages (not shown) after the improvement media described above. For example, a filter that removes media particles (such as a fiber wound filter) and or a filter that removes microbial contaminants may be performed after the remedial media stages. Common causes of water taste are geosmin, or algal metabolites, such as 2 methylisoborneol (MIB), which add a fungus or earthy taste to the water.

Although the order of the media in the system is not critical, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the taste removal filter media 14 is located immediately after the prefilter media 12, followed by the arsenic removal media 16. do.

In other embodiments, the media may be mixed, crossed, or stacked. In addition, although there are other potential mediators that can do all of the above, activated carbon (also referred to as activated carbon) is typically chosen as the taste removal filter media 14, and one or more ferric hydroxides, active Alumina, 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 principal reasons. First, the system is aimed at two major problems arising in water: toxic arsenic concentration and unwanted taste. Second, the end-point-detection method is time or, more important, taste. The system can use the user taste as an endpoint detection mechanism by sizing the taste-removing media and the arsenic-removing media so that the taste-removing media is saturated before the arsenic-removing media is saturated. When these medium volumes are sized as described, the taste removal medium is first broken and the water will have an undesirable moldy or earthy taste during the delay time interval before the water is contaminated with arsenic.

This effect is shown schematically in the graph shown in FIG. 2. Sizing the volumetric medium to reach this functional effect, the user being a sensor, is achieved in a series of steps, as described below, since the user is signaled to replace the medium when the soil or mold taste is detected in the water. .

First, the local water is measured to determine the level of the taste transfer mixture, such as geosmin or MIB and the level of arsenic in the water. Next, the taste and arsenic removal media are tested to determine the time it takes for the volume of the media to be saturated with geosmin and/or MIB or arsenic. Upon completion of this second step, the volumes of media in the system can be selected to achieve the effect shown in FIG. 2.

For example, a two component POU filter could be made of activated carbon for taste enhancement and granularferric oxide (GFO) for arsenic removal. By properly sizing the media, the taste enhancement functions as an initial warning system to the user that it is time to change the filter. Relevant parameters are the vehicle absorption capabilities for target contaminants, typically listed as mg contaminants absorbed per gram of vehicle. 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. Similarly, the absorption capacity of arsenic (V) of GFO is 0.5 to 1 mg/g, depending on the water chemistry.

For example, in the incoming water, both the MIB and arsenic (V) contaminants are assumed to be 0.05 mg/L, and in addition, the absorption capacity of the proton contaminants on the individual removal media is assumed to be 1 mg/g. AC as well as GFO has a perceptible absorption capacity for other pollutants. Therefore, designing a filter in which the MIB breaks activated carbon before arsenic breakage in the GFO requires a GFO to carbon ratio of 1 or more. A suitable ratio could be 2:1 = mass GFO: mass activated carbon. Such a rate results in an undesirable taste that informs the user that it is time to change the filter before the user is exposed to elevated levels of arsenic. Of course, the total media masses (and filter volume) must be properly selected for the intended water flow rate and filter life. If the concentration of geosmin or MIB is not high enough, saturation is suddenly not sufficient, or other suitable taste to add to the mixture is not present in the water, the above-described method cannot be used as an endpoint-detecting 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 Fig. 1, because a geosmin or MIB taste removal medium is replaced by a medium that removes the intentionally 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 removal medium 14 comprising capsules that add a constant rate release of taste substances. These time-release capsules can release taste substances at a certain rate absorbed by the downstream medium (as shown in Fig. 3) or saturate the medium at the same time, or (as shown in Fig. 4) the capsule is purified as the last stage. It can be designed into an absorption-release form 26 located in this case at the end of the system. In the first case (continuous), the time-release capsules (see Fig. 5) are designed to inject the same serving of flavor over time. In the capsule shown in FIG. 6, when the outer cells are dissolved in a certain ratio and the arsenic medium ends, the flavor is released as rapidly as possible.

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

The sudden-time-release time capsule can also be used to impart color to the water to prevent it's time to replace the purification medium. In this example, the outer cell of the time release capsule dissolves at a rate at which the color is rapidly released just before the purification medium is saturated with the 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. The capsules are either filled into the vehicle or, separately, placed at the last stage of the water purification system (so the other vehicle does not remove the desired useful atoms, molecules, or mixtures). Flavors as well as therapeutic substances such as vitamins can be released by these capsules.

A key feature of the present invention is the recognition that local water conditions must be carefully evaluated in order to select the most appropriate, inexpensive medium for optimal arsenic POU removal with a sufficient shelf life to produce a beverage in an amount suitable for the family.

For example, in one particular location, tests to determine chlorine content, arsenic valence, and pH will need to be primarily considered when selecting the most appropriate arsenic removal medium. Likewise, the proportions of media in the filter system will have to be adjusted based on the water properties and the desired lifetime and quality of the water post-filtration. Neutralization of chlorine requires carbon dioxide (AC), and removal of arsenic requires a metal oxide medium such as GFO. In the example above, the GFO mediator will be chosen 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 Technologies for Arsenic Removal, AWWA Publication, Chapter 6, (2005)).

To minimize pipe connections and reduce unit assembly costs, the media are combined in a single standard filter housing.

To achieve a designed filter life of 7,000 liters, 550 grams of GFO (1.1 dryliters) under localized water conditions is estimated to provide sufficient arsenic removal capability. The total filter volume was fixed to the volume of a standard 130 cc filter element in the POU unit. At a 1:1 mediator ratio, it was determined that a factor comprising 1.1L of GFO and 1.1L of AC works optimally for the conditions shown in the example.

Following the procedures described above, the medium ratios can be adjusted without undue experimentation once local water properties have been 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 the AC/GFO filter combination in Chapala water during the filter life. Arsenic remains below 0.01 mg/L during the test.

In addition, chlorine was not detected in the treated water and provided good taste to the space occupants. Depending on local water quality factors, POU filter size, and designed operating life, the ratios of GFO to AC can be adjusted as needed. Due to the small filter size present in POU devices, it is expected that an appropriate ratio of GFO arsenic removal medium to activated carbon can be approximately 1:1 = volume of GFO: volume of AC or 2:1. These volumes must be adjusted for densities of arsenic removal capabilities and other media suitable for local water conditions. Additional media can be added to the filter elements to remove other water contaminants as needed, resulting in elements with 3, 4, or more media components. The individual mediators can be separated (ie, layered) as in the example above, or they can be mixed.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but on the contrary, various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It should be understood that they are intended to cover them.

2: purification system
4: saver
10: filter area
12: prefilter medium
14: taste removal medium
16: Arsenic removal medium

Claims (20)

A water purification system comprising at least two filter media dimensioned relative to each other to allow a first source of contamination in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source is saturated. The method of claim 1,
Water purification system, which is the point of the system used. The method of claim 1,
The at least two filter media are located downstream of the water reservoir. The water purification system according to claim 1, wherein a pre-filter is provided immediately upstream of the at least two filter media to remove large particles and sediment from the water. The method of claim 1,
Water purification systems where chlorine and arsenic are pollutants. The method of claim 1,
When the first pollutant source is chlorine, the first filter medium is activated carbon and when the second pollutant source is arsenic, the second filter medium is activated alumina, grain iron oxide and/or grain iron hydroxide. At least two filter media 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 is saturated;
And time release capsules that deliver flavor to indicate end-point detection of the filter medium. The method of claim 7,
The time release capsules are a continuous water purification system. The method of claim 7,
The time release capsules are a sudden water purification system. The method of claim 9,
Sudden capsules are placed in the final stage of the system for water purification systems. The method of claim 8,
A water purification system in which successive capsules are placed upstream of another medium to be saturated at a certain point and allow taste to enter the water. At least two filter media 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 is saturated;
A water purification system comprising color time release capsules that deliver color to indicate end-point detection of the filter medium. The method of claim 12,
The color time release capsules are a continuous water purification system. 13. The water purification system of claim 12, wherein the time release capsules are abrupt. 15. The water purification system of claim 14, wherein the abrupt capsules are positioned as the last stage of the system. 14. The water purification system of claim 13, wherein the successive capsules are placed upstream of another medium to be saturated at a certain point and allow the taste to enter the water. At least two filter media dimensioned relative to each other to allow the first source of contamination in the water to be saturated first with a delay before the second source is saturated; And time release capsules for continuously injecting a flavor or therapeutic substance into water. 18. The water purification system of claim 17, wherein the time release capsules are positioned such that flavor is injected into the water at the last stage of the system. Water purification comprising the step of passing water through a system comprising at least two filter media dimensioned relative to each other to allow a first source in the water to be first saturated with a delay before the second source is saturated. Way. The method of claim 19, wherein the water is measured to determine the taste level conveyed to the mixtures and the level of arsenic in the water, and the filter medium is tested to determine the taste conveyed to the mixtures and the time it takes the volume of the medium to be saturated with arsenic. And the volume of the medium in the system is selected so that the taste conveyed to the mixtures in the water is first saturated with a delay before the arsenic is saturated.

Images