RU2797132C1 - Method of vending drinking water obtained from water of common water supply network using reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a boost pump, and water vending machine module for this method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: vending machines.

SUBSTANCE: vending machines for drinking water obtained from water of the public water supply network by its multi-stage purification using a reverse osmosis membrane. The module of the water vending machine designed to implement the method of drinking water vending comprises reverse osmosis membrane 1 with outlets for permeate 2 and concentrate 3, booster pump 4, control valve 5, shut-off valve 6, flow resistor 7, drain pipe 8, modifier 9, hydraulic accumulator 10, supply pump 11, primary thermoelectric converter 12, temperature controller 13, electric key 14 included in the break in the power circuit 15 of pump 4. In the process of water vending, the resulting drinking water is accumulated in hydraulic accumulator 10, from which drinking water is dispensed to the water buyer. As a booster pump, diaphragm pump 4 with a low-voltage electric drive is used, which is not designed for continuous operation. Each dispensing of drinking water from accumulator 10 is compensated by the process of replenishing accumulator 10 with new drinking water, triggered by said dispensing. Replenishment is carried out either by creating pressure at the inlet of membrane 1 by diaphragm pump 4, if the temperature of its body is less than the specified maximum allowable value, or by using water pressure in the public water supply network if the temperature of its body is equal to or exceeds the specified maximum allowable value. If in the process of dispensing drinking water to the buyer of water, the temperature of the housing of diaphragm pump 4 rises and reaches the specified maximum allowable value, its operation is forcibly stopped and at the same time it is prohibited to turn it on until the temperature of its housing decreases reaching the specified minimum allowable value, upon which the diaphragm pump can be turned on.

EFFECT: automatic formation of additional breaks in the operation of the diaphragm pump, the frequency and duration of which is a function of both the frequency of dispensing drinking water from the accumulator and the temperature changes of this diaphragm pump, which is not intended for continuous operation.

2 cl

Description

The field of technology to which the inventions belong

The inventions relate to aqua vending machines, i. e. to vending machines for drinking water obtained from the water of the public water supply network by its multi-stage purification using a reverse osmosis membrane, the productivity of which is increased by creating additional water pressure at its inlet using a diaphragm pump.

State of the art

A known method and a reverse osmosis module for the preparation of drinking water, including a reverse osmosis membrane, a diaphragm pump for a DC voltage of 36 V, a hydraulic accumulator and high and low pressure sensors. At the same time, the low pressure sensor is connected to the pump via a tee and is designed to turn off the pump when the inlet pressure drops below the set value, and the high pressure sensor is designed to control the fullness of the accumulator (see: http://aqua-service62.rf/d/instruktsiya_nasos_povysheniya_ davleniya_up7000_36v.pdf).

The features of the known method, which are common with the features of the patented drinking water aqua vending method, are the use of a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a boosting diaphragm pump, so that the resulting drinking water is accumulated in a hydraulic accumulator.

The features of the known module, which are common with the features of the aqua vending machine module claimed for patenting, are that the known module contains a reverse osmosis membrane, a boosting diaphragm pump and a hydraulic accumulator.

The reason that prevents the known method and module from obtaining a technical result, which is provided by the patented method and the module implementing it, is that the known method and module do not contain means for controlling the temperature of the booster diaphragm pump during its operation and blocking its operation in case of overheating. during aqua vending.

The closest method (prototype) is known, namely the method of aquavending drinking water obtained from the water of the public water supply network using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump, which consists in the fact that pre-purified tap water is separated into permeate and concentrate using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with booster pump, the permeate obtained in this way is modified by adjusting its at least organoleptic properties, thereby obtaining drinking water, which is fed into the hydroaccumulator, in which this water is disinfected with ultraviolet radiation and, at the request of the buyer of water, is fed into its container, the interior of which is preliminarily ozonated (see description of the invention according to the patent RU No. 2767311 C1, IPC C02F 9/00, C07F 13/00, published: 17.03.2022 Bull. No. 8).

The features of the known method (prototype), which are common with the features of the aqua vending method claimed for patenting, are that it (prototype) uses a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump, and the resulting drinking water is accumulated in a hydraulic accumulator, where the water is disinfected with ultraviolet light, and the issuance drinking water to the buyer of water is carried out from a hydraulic accumulator.

A known system (prototype) that implements the specified well-known method, which contains a hydraulically interconnected tap water filtration module, a membrane module for separating filtered water into permeate and concentrate, a permeate modification module for producing drinking water and a module for disinfecting and issuing drinking water. At the same time, said membrane module contains a booster pump, a control valve, a reverse osmosis membrane with a permeate outlet and a concentrate outlet, a hydraulic resistance, a shut-off valve, and a drain pipe for draining the concentrate into the sewer. The specified pump is designed to create additional pressure at the inlet of the membrane to increase its performance. The control valve is designed to be controlled by the controller for switching on and off the process of supplying water to the disinfection module and dispensing drinking water. The specified hydraulic resistance is designed for a given distribution of permeate and concentrate flows. The specified shut-off valve is designed for periodic flushing of the membrane in order to increase the time of its effective operation (see the description of the invention according to patent RU No. 2767311 C1, IPC C02F 9/00, C07F 13/00, published: 17.03.2022 Bull. No. 8).

The features of the known system (prototype), which are common with the features of the aqua vending apparatus module claimed for patenting, are that the known system contains a reverse osmosis membrane with permeate and concentrate outlets, a boost pump to increase the water pressure at the inlet of this membrane, a control valve designed for controlled controller for switching on and off the process of issuing permeate, a shut-off valve designed to organize periodic flushing of the membrane, hydraulic resistance designed for a given distribution of permeate and concentrate flows, a drain pipe for draining the concentrate into the sewer, a modifier for converting permeate into drinking water, a hydraulic accumulator for dynamic accumulation drinking water and a supply pump for supplying drinking water to the buyer of water from the accumulator.

The reason that prevents obtaining in the known method and system (prototypes) the technical result, which is provided by the aquavending method claimed for patenting and the module that implements it, is that the known method and module do not contain means for ensuring reliable long-term operation of the booster diaphragm pump, which is not intended for continuous operation during aqua vending.

The technical problem that the patented method of aquavending and the corresponding module of the aquavending apparatus are aimed at solving is that the economic feasibility of aquavending dictates the use of a reverse osmosis membrane with relatively low productivity (due to its moderate price) in aquavending. However, this productivity is not enough to ensure the necessary consumption of drinking water in the process of its issuance to the container of the water buyer. This contradiction in aqua vending is removed in two ways. Firstly, a hydraulic accumulator is used, in which a reserve of drinking water is kept and from which drinking water is dispensed into the container of the water buyer. Secondly, they increase the performance of the reverse osmosis membrane by increasing the pressure of the water at its inlet using a pump in excess of the pressure that occurs in the public water supply network. At the same time, according to the key economic and technological parameters set by the specifics of aqua vending, a relatively low-power diaphragm (membrane) pump with a low-voltage DC electric drive (12, 24, 34 or 48 V) is best for this purpose, not intended for continuous operation, since it has a low price, low power consumption and high efficiency, its diaphragm (membrane) absolutely separates the drive space and the pumped water space, which is of great hygienic importance for aqua vending, it does not require special maintenance, its use does not create an electrical hazard for the buyer water and maintenance personnel.

However, the use of such a pump with such an electric drive creates problems in the field of aqua vending due to the lack of such a pump for the necessary "stamina", since it, by definition of its manufacturer, is not designed for continuous operation. Partially, this drawback of such a pump eliminates the very nature of aqua vending, since aqua vending is characterized by intermittency in the sale of drinking water, which also determines the intermittency of the operation of a diaphragm pump. However, the specified discontinuity in the sale of water is relative: breaks may be small, so that their (breaks) duration may not be sufficient for the normal operation of such a pump (since, according to the definition of the pump manufacturer, it is necessary that the duration of the break be equal to or exceed the duration of operation); there may be no breaks during a certain period if there is a queue of water buyers at the aqua vending machine for this period. And then there is the problem of protecting such a diaphragm pump (more precisely, its electric drive) from overheating, due to its objectively forced continuous operation due to the specified queue of buyers. The patented inventions are aimed at solving this problem. Disclosure of the essence of inventions

The technical result, mediating the solution of this technical problem, is the automatic formation of additional interruptions in the operation of a diaphragm pump that is not intended for continuous operation, the frequency and duration of which is a function of both the frequency of dispensing drinking water from the accumulator and the temperature changes of this diaphragm pump, not designed for continuous operation.

A technical result is achieved in the claimed method of aquavending drinking water obtained from the water of a public water supply network using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump, in that the resulting drinking water is accumulated in a hydraulic accumulator, where water is disinfected with ultraviolet light, drinking water is dispensed to the buyer of water from a hydraulic accumulator, as a booster pump, a diaphragm (diaphragm) pump with a low-voltage DC electric drive is used, which is not intended for continuous operation, and each delivery of drinking water from the accumulator to the water buyer is compensated by the process of replenishing the accumulator with new drinking water, triggered by the indicated delivery, and either by creating pressure on membrane inlet by the specified diaphragm pump, if the temperature of its casing is less than the specified maximum allowable value, or by using the water pressure in the public water supply network, if the temperature of its casing is equal to or exceeds the specified maximum allowable value, and if in the process of issuing drinking water to the buyer of water, the temperature of the casing of the specified diaphragm pump, increasing, reaches the specified maximum allowable value, then its operation is forcibly stopped and, at the same time, its activation is prohibited until the temperature of its casing, decreasing, reaches the specified minimum allowable value, upon reaching which the inclusion of the diaphragm pump is allowed.

The technical result is achieved in the module of the aqua vending apparatus in that it contains a reverse osmosis membrane with permeate and concentrate outlets, a booster pump designed to increase the water pressure at the inlet of this membrane, a control valve designed to turn on and off the permeate dispensing process controlled by the controller, a shut-off valve, designed to organize periodic washing of the reverse osmosis membrane, hydraulic resistance designed for a given distribution of flows from the permeate and concentrate outlets, a drain pipe designed to drain the concentrate into the sewer, a modifier designed to convert permeate into drinking water, a hydraulic accumulator designed to dynamically accumulate drinking water , a supply pump designed to supply drinking water to the container of the water buyer from a hydraulic accumulator, a primary thermoelectric converter and a temperature controller made with the possibility of on-off temperature control with hysteresis, the input of which is electrically connected to the primary thermoelectric converter, and the output - to the control input of the electric switch, included in the break in the power supply circuit of the booster pump electric drive, which is a diaphragm pump with a low-voltage electric drive, not intended for continuous operation, while the specified primary thermoelectric converter is installed on the booster pump housing with thermal contact with this housing.

Brief description of the drawings

The attached figure (without number) shows a functional diagram of a patented aqua vending unit module that implements a patented method of aqua vending drinking water obtained from public water supply network water using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump.

Implementation of inventions

The aqua vending apparatus module contains a reverse osmosis membrane 1 with outlets for permeate 2 and concentrate 3, a booster pump 4, a control valve 5, a shut-off valve 6, a hydraulic resistance 7, a drain pipe 8, a modifier 9, a hydraulic accumulator 10, a feed pump 11, a primary thermoelectric converter 12, temperature controller 13, electric key 14 included in the break in the power circuit 15 of pump 4.

The reverse osmosis membrane 1 used for aqua vending is characterized by a relatively low productivity for economic reasons, and such that, when used at its inlet, a pump 4 that increases the water pressure, does not directly provide the necessary productivity for the process of dispensing drinking water into the container of the water buyer, which necessitates the use of a hydraulic accumulator 10.

The booster pump 4 is designed to increase the water pressure at the inlet of the membrane 1 in order to increase its performance. This is a relatively small capacity diaphragm pump with a low voltage DC electric drive (12, 24, 36, or 48 V), not intended for continuous operation, since, according to the definition of the manufacturer of such a pump, it (the pump) is designed only for intermittent operation. At the same time, the duration of these breaks should be equal to or exceed the duration of the periods of operation, and the temperature of the pump electric drive housing should not exceed 60 ° C. It should also be noted here that the term "diaphragm pump" in this application is used in the meaning adopted in GOST 17398-72 "PUMPS Terms and Definitions", date of introduction 01/01/1973: this is "a reciprocating pump, in which the working bodies are made in the form of elastic diaphragms "(paragraph 64 of this GOST). However, the term "diaphragm pump" is often used in the technical literature, which is considered as a synonym for the term "diaphragm pump" within the scope of this application.

The current control of the pump 4 operation (switching on and off) during the aqua vending process is carried out by the central controller of the aqua vending machine by supplying voltage to the electric drive of the pump 4 (the controller is not shown), and the emergency shutdown of the pump 4 for a certain time when it overheats is carried out by the temperature controller 13, the latter takes precedence over the specified controller.

The control valve 5 is intended for the aqua-vending apparatus controlled by the central controller to turn on and off the process of issuing permeate from the outlet 2 of the membrane 1.

Shut-off valve 6 is designed to organize periodic flushing of membrane 1 in order to increase the time of its effective operation (washing occurs when the central controller opens valve 6 for a specified time in accordance with the membrane 1 maintenance program).

Hydraulic resistance 7 is designed for a given distribution of permeate and concentrate flows from the corresponding outlets 2 and 3 of the membrane 1.

The drain pipe 8 is designed to drain the concentrate from the outlet 3 of the membrane 1 into the sewer (the sewer is not shown).

The modifier 9 is designed to convert the permeate taken from the output 2 of the membrane 1 into drinking water by modifying the mineral composition of the permeate, its organoleptic properties, its pH.

Hydraulic accumulator 10 is designed for dynamic accumulation of potable water taken from modifier 9 outlet. At the same time, an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) is located inside hydraulic accumulator 10.

The supply pump 11 is designed to supply drinking water to the container of the water buyer from the accumulator 10 and is, for example, a centrifugal pump that provides the necessary performance for the process of issuing drinking water from the accumulator 10 to the container of the water buyer.

The primary thermoelectric converter 12 (temperature sensor) is designed to convert the temperature of the casing of the boost pump 4 into an electrical signal and is a resistance thermometer. This transducer 12 is fixed (installed) on the pump housing 4 with the necessary thermal contact 16 (for example, by using aluminum tape, with which the transducer 12 is tightly wound to the housing of the electric drive of the pump 4).

The temperature controller 13 is made with the possibility of two-position temperature control with hysteresis and is connected by its input to the output of the converter 12. In this case, the controller 13 is either a separate device, or the function of this controller is performed by a central controller that controls the entire aquavending process. As for the specified hysteresis, it is usually determined by the manufacturer of the aqua vending machine based on the maximum allowable temperature of the pump housing 4 (its electric drive). So, if this temperature is 60°C (which is typical for such pumps), then in the settings of the controller 13 the specified hysteresis is set in the form of two temperatures: 40°C (set minimum allowable value) and 50°C (set maximum allowable value). However, another hysteresis is also possible.

The electric key 14 is usually an electromagnetic relay, the solenoid of which is connected to the output of the regulator 13, and the contacts are included in the power supply circuit 15 of the pump 4. But it (the key 14) can also be made in the form of a sufficiently powerful bipolar transistor connected according to a circuit with a common emitter, in the collector circuit of which the winding of the DC drive of the pump 4 is included, and its (transistor) base is connected to the output of the regulator 13.

The operation of the aqua vending apparatus module and an exemplary implementation of the method for aqua vending of drinking water obtained from the water of a public water supply network using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump is as follows.

When the aqua vending machine is put into operation, its central controller opens the control valve 5 and turns on the boost pump 4 by supplying a supply voltage to its electric drive. At the same time, at the signal of the regulator 13, the electric key 14 is open, since the temperature of the pump housing 4 is less than the specified maximum allowable value (50°C). Thus, the public key 14 gives permission to the central controller to carry out the current control of the operation of the pump 4 in order to fill the accumulator 10 with drinking water, while the supply pump 11 is in the off state. As a result, drinking water accumulates in the accumulator 10 to the maximum level, upon reaching which the central controller closes the control valve 5 and stops the operation of the booster pump 4, turning off the power supply to its electric drive. Thus, a natural break occurs in the operation of the pump 4, which is necessary for its normal functioning, and drinking water is stored for some time in the accumulator 10, while being exposed to the disinfecting effect of ultraviolet radiation from the corresponding lamp located in the accumulator.

Further, when a water buyer appears, the central controller turns on the supply pump 11, as a result of which drinking water from the accumulator 10 enters the container of the water buyer, and the level of drinking water in the accumulator 10 decreases accordingly.

In turn, this decrease in level due to the corresponding level sensor (sensor not shown) is fixed by the central controller, which for this reason opens the control valve 5 and turns on the booster pump 4, provided that the key 14 is open. And it is open provided that the temperature of the body of the booster pump 4 is less than the specified maximum allowable value (less than 50 ° C). If, for some reason (not currently considered), the temperature of the body of the booster pump 4 turns out to be equal to or exceeds the specified maximum allowable value (50 ° C), then, thanks to information from the converter 12, the temperature controller 13 generates a corresponding signal to the key 14, which, as a result, turns out to be is closed, and the boost pump 4 is therefore turned off and this off state of the pump 4 is a priority in relation to the control signals of the central controller. Under such circumstances, the valve 5 remains open and only the relatively low water pressure of the public water supply operates at the inlet of the membrane 1, which ensures the operation of the membrane 1 in a reduced capacity mode.

In any case, when the water level in the accumulator 10 drops due to the release of water from it, this issue starts the process of compensating replenishment of the accumulator 10 with new drinking water, and either by creating pressure at the inlet of the membrane 1 by the diaphragm pump 4, if its temperature (pump 4, more precisely, it electric drive) housing is less than the specified maximum allowable value (50°C), or by using water pressure in the public water supply network, if the temperature of its (pump 4, more precisely its electric drive) housing is equal to or exceeds the specified maximum allowable value (50°С). At the same time, the period of this compensatory replenishment in any case exceeds the period of dispensing water into the container of the water buyer.

However, during peak hours, a situation arises when the time intervals between the arrivals of customers are minimal, or even completely absent, so that the pump 4 becomes forced to work continuously for quite a long time, which creates a threat of overheating of its electric drive, which inevitably leads to its failure. In this case, when the temperature of the pump housing 4, fixed by the converter 12, rises to a predetermined maximum allowable value (50 ° C), the regulator 13 closes the key 14, thereby breaking the power supply circuit of the pump 4 and thereby introducing a prohibition for the central controller to control the operation of the pump 4. Under such circumstances, the valve 5 remains open and the water pressure of the public water supply network acts at the inlet of the membrane 1. Thus, a forced additional break occurs in the operation of the pump 4, which continues until the temperature of its housing, decreasing, reaches the specified minimum allowable value (40 ° C), upon reaching which the regulator 13 opens the key 14, thereby allowing the central controller to carry out the current control of the pump 4.

Claims (2)

1. A method for aqua-vending drinking water obtained from water from a public water supply network using a reverse osmosis membrane equipped with a booster pump, so that the resulting drinking water is accumulated in a hydroaccumulator, where water is disinfected with ultraviolet light, and drinking water is dispensed to the buyer of water from a hydroaccumulator, characterized in that that a diaphragm pump with a low-voltage electric drive, not intended for continuous operation, is used as a booster pump, and each delivery of drinking water from the accumulator to the buyer of water is compensated by the process of replenishing the accumulator with new drinking water, triggered by the indicated delivery, moreover, either by creating pressure at the membrane inlet by the indicated diaphragm pump, if the temperature of its casing is less than the specified maximum allowable value, or by using the water pressure in the public water supply network, if the temperature of its casing is equal to or exceeds the specified maximum allowable value, and if, in the process of issuing drinking water to the buyer of water, the temperature of the casing of the specified diaphragm pump, increasing, reaches the specified maximum allowable value, then its operation is forcibly stopped and, at the same time, its inclusion is prohibited until the temperature of its body, decreasing, reaches the specified minimum allowable value, upon reaching which the inclusion of the diaphragm pump is allowed. 2. The module of the aqua vending machine, containing a reverse osmosis membrane (1) with outlets for permeate (2) and concentrate (3), a booster pump (4) designed to increase the water pressure at the inlet of this membrane (1), a control valve (5) designed for controller-controlled switching on and off of the process of issuing permeate from the outlet (2), a shut-off valve (6) designed to organize periodic flushing of the membrane (1), hydraulic resistance (7) designed for a given distribution of flows from the outputs of permeate (2) and concentrate (3), a drain pipe (8) for draining the concentrate into the sewer, a modifier (9) for converting permeate into drinking water, a hydraulic accumulator (10) for dynamic accumulation of drinking water, and a feed pump (11) for for supplying drinking water to the container of the water buyer from the hydroaccumulator (10), characterized in that it contains a primary thermoelectric converter (12) and a temperature controller (13), made with the possibility of on-off temperature control with hysteresis, the input of which is electrically connected to the primary thermoelectric converter (12), and the output - with the control input of the electric key (14), included in the power circuit (15) of the electric drive of the boost pump (4), which is a diaphragm pump with a low-voltage electric drive, not intended for continuous operation, while on the casing of the boost pump pump (4), a primary thermoelectric converter (12) is installed with thermal contact (16) with this housing.

Images