WO1994009891A1

WO1994009891A1 - Apparatus and method for enriching liquid with gas

Info

Publication number: WO1994009891A1
Application number: PCT/CA1993/000437
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Joachim Weickert; Abolghassem Pakdaman
Original assignee: Oxymax Industries Corporation
Priority date: 1992-11-04
Filing date: 1993-10-15
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Also published as: CN1090787A; AU5282793A; ZA937734B; IL107245A0; DE4237227A1

Abstract

Apparatus in which a gas and a liquid are rotated and swirled in a conical vessel (3) to absorb the gas into the liquid such that the gas:liquid saturation ratio exceeds the normal gas:liquid saturation ratio. The vessel (3) is pressurized, and the liquid is stored in a low pressure reservoir (18) before being transferred to the vessel (3). After passing through the vessel (3) the liquid is stored in a reservoir (6). The vessel (3) and the reservoir (6) are pressurized to approximately equal pressures. The liquid can be pre or further oxygenated at various points by coupling tunnel oxygenator devices into the apparatus at such points and coupling the gas supply to the tunnel oxygenator devices. The treated liquid is transferred from the storage reservoir (6) into bottles or similar containers which are then sealed in a gas-tight manner to preserve the increased gas:liquid saturation ratio during subsequent commercial transportation of the containers to consumers.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENRICHING LIQUID WITH GAS

Field of the Invention

This application pertains to an apparatus and method for enriching liquid with gas. The liquid and gas are swirled in a waterspout-like rotational movement within a funnel-shaped conical vessel such that the liquid absorbs the gas in an amount exceeding the normal gas:liquid saturation ratio.

Background of the Invention

With such apparatus it is possible to oxygenate water, particularly tap or other public water supplies. It has been found that therapeutic benefits may be attained by drinking water which contains oxygen in amounts which exceed the normal oxygen:water saturation ratio.

Prior art apparatus of this type, such as that disclosed in DE-39 23 480 Al, is capable of oxygenating water to only a limited amount in excess of the normal oxygen.water saturation ratio. However, to attain maximum therapeutic benefit, the oxygen content of the water should be increased as much as possible in excess of the normal oxygen:water saturation ratio.

Accordingly, the object of the invention is to enrich liquids with gas such that the proportion of gas in the liquid permanently exceeds the normal gas:liquid saturation ratio to the maximum extent possible, thus facilitating production of liquids or beverages having improved therapeutic properties.

Summary of the Invention

The liquid to be treated (typically water) is stored, before treatment, in a low pressure reservoir at about minus 0.5 bar and is then transferred to a vessel which is pressurized to about plus 1.5 bar. This change of pressure before and during treatment apparently improves the absorption of gas into the liquid. During treatment the liquid and gas (typically oxygen or air) are swirled together in a waterspout-like rotational movement within a funnel-shaped conical vessel. After treatment, the treated liquid is transferred to a storage reservoir which is. maintained at the same pressure as the treatment vessel to prevent escape of the gas absorbed by the liquid. The treated liquid is transferred from the storage reservoir into bottles or similar containers which are then sealed in a gas-tight manner to preserve the increased gas:liquid saturation ratio during subsequent commercial transportation of the containers to consumers. Preferably, in the case of oxygenated water, 30 mg or more of oxygen is added, per litre of water, in such a manner that the oxygen will not readily escape from the water. This facilitates distribution to consumers through normal commercial channels of bottled oxygenated water having adequate shelf life.

An optional return osmotic means can be provided to clean the liquid before it is transferred to the low pressure reservoir. Suitable means are provided for selectably causing the liquid to pass through or bypass the return osmotic means.

The liquid is preferably pre-oxygenated as it is transferred from the low pressure reservoir to the treat¬ ment vessel. This can be achieved by coupling a "tunnel oxygenator" device between the low pressure reservoir and said treatment vessel, and coupling a pressurized gas supply line to the tunnel oxygenator device.

Advantageously, the liquid is further oxygenated as it is transferred from the treatment vessel to the storage reservoir. This can be achieved by coupling another tunnel oxygenator device between the treatment vessel and the storage reservoir, and coupling a pres¬ surized gas supply line to the tunnel oxygenator device.

The liquid may be further oxygenated as it is drawn out of the storage reservoir for use. This can be achieved by coupling another tunnel oxygenator device into the reservoir's outlet, and coupling a pressurized gas supply line or an independent source of pressurized oxygen to the tunnel oxygenator device.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an apparatus for enriching liquid with gas, in particu¬ lar for enriching water with oxygen, in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of one of the tunnel-oxygenator components of the Figure 1 appar¬ atus.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The Figure 1 apparatus has an oxygenating section 1 and a pre-treatment section 2.

The principal component of oxygenating section 1 is a funnel-shaped conical treatment vessel 3 in which the liquid (typically water) and gas (typically oxygen 0₂ or air) are rotated and swirled together to form a waterspout whereby the liquid absorbs the gas. Vessel 3 opens at its lower end into elbow tube 4 which forms the inlet end of pipe 5. Pipe 5 opens into storage reservoir 6 in which the oxygenated liquid is kept under the same pressure as that in vessel 3 until the liquid is drawn from reservoir 6 for further use through pipe 7 by opening valve 8. For exam¬ ple, the treated liquid can be transferred from reservoir 6 into bottles or similar containers which can then be sealed in a gas-tight manner to preserve the increased gas:liquid saturation ratio during subsequent transporta- tion of the containers through normal commercial channels and ultimate delivery to consumers for consumption of the treated liquid.

Oxygenated liquid is controllably transferred through pipe 5 from vessel 3 to reservoir 6 by actuating valve 9 and operating motor 11 to drive feed pump 10. These components also prevent back flow of liquid from reservoir 6 to vessel 3. Vessel 3 and reservoir 6 are equipped with liquid level sensors 12, 13 respectively, located in by-pass tubes. 24, 25 respectively. Sensors 12, 13 facilitate detection of the liquid level in vessel 3 and reservoir 6, such that the apparatus can be controlled to prevent either level dropping below a desired threshold. Such control arrange¬ ments ^' (not shown) are well known to those skilled in the art.

Reservoir 6 is filled to a desired level by adjusting valves 8, 9 and operating feed pump 10. The liquid level in vessel 3 can be controlled by actuating valve 15 and operating motor 17 to drive feed pump 16, thus diverting some of the liquid from pipe 5 through pipe 14 for return to vessel 3. Liquid is supplied to vessel 3 from reservoir 18, which is maintained at a reduced pressure of about minus 0.5 bar. The liquid is controllably transferred through pipe 19 from reservoir 18 to vessel 3 by operating motor 22 to drive feed pump 21. Check valve 20 prevents back flow through pipe 19, which might otherwise be caused by the pressure differential between reservoir 18 and vessel 3.

Reservoir 18 is also equipped with a liquid level sensor 23 in by-pass tube 26 to facilitate detection of the liquid level in reservoir 18 such that the apparatus can be controlled to prevent that level dropping below a desired threshold.

The liquid to be treated, in general water and in particular tap or other public water supply, is supplied to the apparatus through pipe 27 which includes two shut off valves 28, 29. Filter 30 is mounted in pipe 27 between valves 28, 29 for microfine removal of contaminants from the supplied water. Pipe 27 opens downstream of valve 29 into reservoir 18.

The desired reduced pressure of about minus 0.5 bar is maintained within reservoir 18 by suction pump 32 which is driven by motor 33 and coupled to reservoir 18 by pipe 31. Shut off valve 34 is provided in pipe 31 so that pump 32 can be operated only on demand.

The pressurized air or oxygen used to treat the liquid is supplied into vessel 3 and reservoir 6 through a common pipe 35. Separate feed pipes 36, 37 equipped with valves 38, 39 respectively can be provided for controllably introducing any desired mixture of air or pure oxygen (0₂) into pipe 35. Pipe 35 branches into two separate pipes 40, 41 equipped with valves 42, 43. Valves 42, 43 can be operated to introduce the air/oxygen mixture either direct¬ ly into vessel 3 and reservoir 6 (i.e. valve 42 opened and valve 43 closed) , or by first allowing the mixture to pass through ionisator 44 (i.e. valve 42 closed and valve 43 opened). An increased pressure of about plus 1.5 bar is preferably maintained in vessel 3 and reservoir 6. Relief valve 45 coupled to reservoir 6 prevents the pressure in reservoir 6 from exceeding a desired maximum threshold.

It can thus been seen that, whereas reservoir 18 containing the untreated liquid is maintained at a reduced pressure of about minus 0.5 bar, treatment vessel 3 and storage reservoir 6 are maintained at an elevated pressure of about plus 1.5 bar. This promotes oxygenation of the liquid in vessel 3 and prevents significant escape of oxygen from the oxygenated liquid stored in reservoir 6. An indicator or display board 46 (shown schemati¬ cally only) is provided. Optical or other suitable indica¬ tors 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 on board 46 coupled to appropriate sensors (not shown) facilitate monitoring of factors such as the oxygen content of the liquid before and after treatment with oxygen or air. In particular, indicators 47 and 51 respectively show the oxygen content of the liquid before and after treatment; indicator 48 shows the reduced pressure within reservoir 18; indicator 50 shows the elevated pressure within vessel 3 and reservoir 6; and, indicator 49 shows whether minerals or other desired ingredients of the liquid should be added to vessel 3 in accordance with the Keymer inoculation process. That can be necessary if the liquid is supplied and fed in pure state.

Pretreatment section 2 is provided upstream of oxygenating section 1 for optional initial cleaning of the liquid by return osmotic means 54. For this purpose, a branch pipe 52 is coupled between inlet pipe 27 and return osmotic means 54. Valve 53 in pipe 52 is opened and valve 28 closed to divert the liquid through return osmotic means 54, which comprises cleaning means 55, membrane 56 and filter 57. The thus cleaned liquid flows from filter 57 through pipe 58 into reservoir 59 which is equipped with a liquid level sensor 60 in by-pass tube 61 to facilitate detection of the liquid level in reservoir 59 such that the apparatus can be controlled to prevent the level dropping below a desired threshold. The liquid is controllably transferred through pipe 62 from reservoir 59 to reservoir 18 by opening valve 65 and operating motor 64 to drive feed pump 63.

To flush all liquid from the apparatus so that it may be cleaned, return osmotic means 54, reservoir 18, vessel 3, and reservoir 6 are coupled through pipes 66, 67, 68 and 69 respectively to a common collecting pipe 74 which opens into a common discharge or drainage pipe 75. Pipes 66, 67, 68 and 69 are respectively equipped with valves 70, 71, 72 and 73 which may by operated independently of one another for selective draining of return osmotic means 54, reservoir 18, vessel 3, or reservoir 6.

To further improve the liquid oxygenating capa¬ bility of the apparatus, one or more "tunnel-oxygenator" devices 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 may be provided. As shown, device 80 is coupled in pipe 19 between reservoir 18 and vessel 3; device 81 is coupled in return pipe 14; device 82 is coupled in pipe 5 between vessel 3 and reservoir 6; and devices 83, 84 are respectively coupled in separate branches of output pipe 7. Each of devices 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 are coupled to the piping through which the air/oxygen mixture is introduced via valves 42, 43. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of one such tunnel-oxygenator device. As may be seen, the device has a hollow, generally tubular configuration defining a pair of coaxial channels 87, 89. Inner channel 87 communi- cates between converging inlet 86 and diverging outlet 88. Outer channel 89 also communicates with converging inlet

86, and may in some cases additionally communicate with diverging outlet 88 (which is otherwise sealed to prevent communication between outer channel 89 and outlet 88) . Outer channel 89 may conveniently comprise a plurality of individual bores forming a ring around inner channel 87.

Outer channel 89 is coupled to the piping through which the pressurized air/oxygen gas mixture is introduced, as aforesaid. The gas is thus blown through channel 89 into the liquid, upstream of the point at which the liquid is forced through converging inlet 86 into inner channel

87, and in a direction opposite to the direction of liquid flow. Because the gas is blown tangentially into outer channel 89, rotational momentum is imparted to the moving gas stream. Accordingly, a rotating gas stream is injected into the liquid, in the counterflow direction, upstream of the point at which the liquid is forced through converging inlet 86. This imparts rotational or swirling motion to the liquid as it enters inner channel 87, which in turn improves absorption of gas into the liquid. If outlet 88 is not sealed, then the gas is also blown into the liquid downstream of the point at which it emerges from channel 87 into diverging outlet 88.

It can thus be seen that device 80 pre-oxygenates the liquid before it enters vessel 3; device 81 further oxygenates liquid returned through pipe 14 to vessel 3; device 82 further oxygenates liquid as it passes from vessel 3 to reservoir 6; and devices 83, 84 further oxygen¬ ate liquid delivered through outlet pipe 7 for bottling or other usage. Devices 81, 82 also counteract the inherent tendency of pump's 16, 10 to remove some oxygen from the liquid during the pumping process. Devices 80, 81, 82, 83 and 84 are compact and inexpensive, so they can easily be used at any convenient, point in the apparatus to accelerate the liquid oxygenation process and raise the oxygen:liquid saturation ratio. By providing separate branches in output pipe 7 as shown, one may supply air/oxygen mixtures to devices 83, 84 at differ¬ ent pressures. For example, whereas device 83 is shown coupled to the piping through which the air/oxygen mixture is introduced to the overall apparatus as aforesaid, device 84 is shown coupled to an independent source of pressurized oxygen. Thus, device 83 may for example be supplied with an air/oxygen mixture at 1 bar pressure while device 84 is supplied with pure oxygen at 2 bar pressure or greater.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example, a plurality of tunnel-oxygenator devices may be connected in series to enhance the oxygen- ation process at any desired point in the apparatus. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Apparatus for enriching liquid with gas, comprising a conical vessel (3) in which said liquid is rotated and swirled to absorb said gas, characterized in that: (a) said vessel (3) is pressurized; and,

(b) said liquid is stored in a low pressure reservoir (18) before being transferred to said vessel (3) .

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said liquid is stored in a reservoir (6) after passing through said vessel (3) , said vessel (3) and reservoir (6) being pressurized to approximately equal pres¬ sures .

3. Apparatus as defined in either one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that:

(a) said low pressure reservoir (18) is coupled to a liquid supply pipe (27) ; and,

(b) said pressurized vessel (3) and reservoir (6) are coupled to a pressurized gas supply pipe (35) .

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said liquid is cleaned by a return osmotic means (54) before being transferred to said low pressure reservoir (18) , means being provided for selectably causing said liquid to pass through or bypass said return osmotic means (54) .

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said pressurized gas supply pipe contains an ionisator (44) , means being provided for selectably causing said gas to pass through or bypass said return ionisator (44) .

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said liquid is pre-oxygenated during transfer of said liquid from said low pressure reservoir (18) to said vessel (3) .

7. Apparatus as claimed in either one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said liquid is further oxygen¬ ated during transfer of- said liquid from said vessel (3) to said reservoir (6) .

8. Apparatus as claimed in either one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said liquid is further oxygen¬ ated during transfer of said liquid from said reser¬ voir (6) .

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said pre-oxygenation is provided by a device (80) coupled between said low pressure reservoir (18) and said vessel (3) and coupled to a pressurized gas supply pipe (35) .

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said further oxygenation is provided by a device (82) coupled between said vessel (3) and said reservoir (6) and coupled to a pressurized gas supply pipe (35) .

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said further oxygenation is provided by a device (83) coupled to an outlet (7) of said reservoir (6) and coupled to a pressurized gas supply pipe (35) .

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said further oxygenation is provided by a device (84) coupled to an outlet (7) of said reservoir (6) and coupled to a pressurized gas supply source.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9, 10, 11 or 12 wherein each of said devices (80, 82, 83, 84) are characterized by a hollow, generally tubular configur- ation defining a pair of coaxial, annular inner and outer channels (87, 89) , said inner channel 87 extend¬ ing between a converging inlet (86) and a diverging outlet (88) , said outer channel (89) communicating between at least said inlet (86) and a pressurized gas supply line.

14. A method of increasing the oxygen content of water above the normal oxygen:water saturation ratio, in which water and oxygen or air are swirled together in a waterspout-like rotational movement within a funnel- shaped conical vessel (3) to produce oxygenated water, the method characterized by the steps of:

(a) depressurizing said water before introducing said water into said vessel (3) ; and,

(b) pressurizing said vessel (3) during said swirl¬ ing step.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further characterized by, after said pressurizing and swirling steps, the further step of maintaining said oxygenated water in a reservoir (6) at a pressure approximately equal to the pressure utilized during said pressurizing step.

16. A method as defined in either one of claims 14 or 15, further characterized by, between said depressurizing and pressurizing steps, the further step of pre- oxygenating said water during transfer of said water into said vessel (3) .

17. A method as defined in either one of claims 14, 15 or 16, further characterized by, after said pressurizing and swirling steps, the further step of further oxygenating said water during transfer of said water out of said vessel (3) .

18. A method as defined in claim 15, further charac¬ terized by, after said maintaining step, the further step of further oxygenating said water during transfer of said water out of said reservoir (6) .