WO2002100782A1

WO2002100782A1 - A water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone, purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house watertank or a common watertank

Info

Publication number: WO2002100782A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/001019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Geoung-Su Yoo
Original assignee: Geoung-Su Yoo
Priority date: 2001-05-31
Filing date: 2002-05-29
Publication date: 2002-12-19
Also published as: KR20010070717A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank, this invention comprising: a water-tank of which inner surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a rotation body arranged to be rotated in contact with water stored in said water-tank and of which wings provided on its outer surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a motor for rotating said rotation body; and a bracket for fixing said motor to said water-tank. According to the present invention, chlorine is oxidized and decreased, germs, viruses, algae and fungus and the like are sterilized, heavy metals are self-controlled and absorbed and water-soluble iron oxides and hard scales in water are prevented and controlled, so that purified water good for drinking can be supplied.

Description

A WATER PURIFYING SYSTEM CAPABLE OF PREVENTING ENVIRONMENT HORMONE, PURIFYING AND STERILIZING WATER IN AN APARTMENT HOUSE WATERTANK OR A COMMON WATERTANK

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a water purifying system and specifically, to a water purifying system capable of environment hormone prevention and water purification and sterilization in an apartment or common water-tank, which is suitable for prevention of water-soluble iron oxide, hard scale control and sterilization as well as removing chlorine, heavy metal, algae and funguses and preventing environment hormone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, water can be divided into a variety of kinds such as acid water, alkali water and purified water, and there can be water suitable for conditions of a body.

This water plays very important roles in all life phenomena, such as functions of making metabolism smooth by carrying oxygen and nutriments to cells in a human body and discharging effete matters thrown away from the cells as sweat and urine, protecting cells well from outer bad environment by constituting and surrounding cells, maintaining youth by affording softness to a body and flexibility to a skin, and maintaining a body temperature.

Like this, water is a very important material that makes a life come into being, grow and be realized. Thus, because our health and life depend upon what water we would drink, it is very important what water we usually drinks and uses. On the other hand, a house or multi household house generally has a water-tank on a roof or a rooftop thereof in order to store water for use.

The conventional water-tank was made up of FRP(fiber reinforcement plastics) or cements and bricks. However, much environment hormone is discharged from inner surfaces of bricks at an atmospheric temperature, specifically at high temperature in summer due to the coated paints used for waterproofing and preventing corrosion and thus, the water-tank built with the bricks was replaced with a water-tank made up of stainless steel.

However, although the water-tank made up of stainless steel consists of 100% stainless steel, germs in air are infiltrated into and propagated in water in the water-tank when water in the water-tank stagnates during a constant time, and thus, there is a problem that the water-tank became a hotbed of fungus, algae, bacteria and the like.

Also, although the stainless steel is used, algae attached to the inner surface of the water-tank and propagated could not be prevented and thus, the inner surface of the water- tank should be cleaned at a constant interval. In addition, there is a problem that heavy metals such as water-soluble iron oxide existing in water and hard scales due to inorganic materials in water could not be removed.

Such hard scales are attached onto inner wall of a pipe in which water flows and blocks flow of water, and rapid increase of iron oxide and hard scales cause regressive corrosion ofthe water-tank or the pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is proposed in order to solve the above-described problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank and also capable of removing chlorine, viruses, germs, iron oxides, hard scales, heavy metals existing in water in the water-tank and preventing and removing algae attached on the inner surface ofthe water-tank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank, so that more purified water can be obtained by making water flowed out from said water-tank pass through various purification filters.

In order to achieve the above objects, a water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank according to the technical spirit of the present invention is characterized by comprising a water-tank of which inner surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a rotation body arranged to be rotated in contact with water stored in said water-tank and of which wings provided on its outer surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a motor for rotating said rotation body; and a bracket for fixing said motor to said water-tank.

Here, it is preferable that said water purifying system further comprises an insulation material to surround the outer surface ofthe water-tank.

Also, it is preferable that said water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank further comprises: a transition metal filter consisting of transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; an ion-exchange resin filter consisting of ion-exchange resin; a silver-containing carbon filter consisting of activated carbon coated with silver; and a hollow fiber membrane filter for finally filtering impurities, and water flowed out from said water-tank passes through said filters. Preferably, said transition metal components are zinc and copper of a high degree of purity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.l is a cross-sectional view showing a water purifying system capable of environment hormone prevention, water purification and sterilization in an apartment or common water-tank according to the present invention; and

Fig.2 is a diagram showing a structure of a water purifying system capable of environment hormone prevention, water purification and sterilization in an apartment or common water-tank ofthe present invention further comprising a filter for purifying water.

BEST MODE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE Invention Now, an embodiment according to technical spirit of the present invention as described above will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig.l is a cross-sectional view of the water purifying system capable of environment hormone prevention and water purification and sterilization in an apartment house or common water-tank according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the water purifying system according to the present invention is constructed to include a water-tank 10, a rotation body 15 provided in the water-tank 10 for being rotated, a motor 16 for rotating the rotation body 15 and a bracket 18 for fixing the motor 16 to the water-tank 10.

Here, the inner surface 12 of the water-tank 10 and wings 17 provided on the outer surface of the rotation body 15 is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction. With such transition metal components, electrons are given and taken by means of ion-exchange of positive electrode and negative electrode in water, and thus, the oxidation-reduction reaction is progressed very rapidly and actively, so that it performs electro-chemical oxidation-reduction action. The transition metal components prevent generation of the water-soluble iron oxides or suppress corrosion, generate electric field and magnetic field where germs do not live through the process ofthe electro-chemical oxidation-reduction to eliminate germ, virus, algae and the like, adsorb heavy metals for itself and adsorb zinc safe to be suitable for N.S.F. standard. Like this, functions of removing^' the heavy metals in water and sterilizing germs are performed.

When making water pass through such transition metal member, oxidation- reduction potential (ORP) shows rapid transition from +200 mV to -500 mV, which influences fatally survival conditions of bacteria.

Also, the transition metal components of which potential is measured in standard electrode potential prevent ion-bond of organic material in water by means of oxidation- reduction reaction to control ions in form of sphere, so that organic materials should not be attached to the inner surface 12 ofthe water-tank 10 or the pipe.

Many metals and alloy thereof with the transition metal components provide oxidation-reduction potential and alloy of copper and zinc of a high degree of purity are most effective for water processing and purification.

Here, because zinc is -0.76V in standard electrode potential and copper is +0.34V in standard electrode potential, the potential difference of 1.1 V occurs between copper and zinc.

Also, because zinc reacts more actively than copper, zinc is positive electrode and copper is negative electrode in the alloy of copper and zinc of a high degree of purity, so that the oxidation-reduction reaction is progressed very actively. Thus, harmful materials become harmless or fixed to copper or zinc and fatal survival conditions are provided for germs such as bacteria.

Therefore, by providing the inner surface of the water-tank 10 and the wings 17 provided on the outer surface of the rotation body 15 with the transition metal components such as copper or zinc of a high degree of purity, oxidation-reduction reaction thereof is caused to remove hydrogen sulfide and produce sulfides or chlorides or to adsorb and remove heavy metals, and to produce electric and magnetic field where germs do not live to make germs die in standard electrode potential. Here, life of the above-mentioned transition metal components such as copper and zinc is semi-permanent.

On the other hand, by making the rotation body 15 be rotated in water stored in the water-tank 10, water stored in the water-tank 10 is made to flow by means of rotation of the rotation body 15, and thus, algae are not attached to the inner surface 12 of the water-tank 10 not to grow.

Here, the rotation body 15 is driven, as shown in the drawings, by means of the motor 16, and the motor 16 is fixed to the water-tank 10 by means ofthe bracket 18.

Also, it is preferable that the outer surface of the water-tank 10 is provided with an insulating material 14 to surround it. This is for preventing temperature within the water-tank 10 from being increased due to sunlight to decrease generation of the environment hormones or germs, because the environment hormones or germs are more generated with increase of temperature.

Fig.2 is a diagram showing a structure of a water purifying system capable of environment hormone prevention, water purification and sterilization in an apartment house or common water-tank further comprising a filter for purifying water according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, it is more preferable that the water purifying system according to the present invention makes water pass through a transition metal filter 20, an ion-exchange resin filter 30, a silver-containing carbon filter 40 and a hollow fiber membrane filter 50 in order to perform more completely purification of water discharged from the water-tank 10.

That is, by making water discharged from the water-tank 10 first pass through the transition metal filter 20 consisting of transition metal components causing oxidation- reduction reaction for performing sterilization and adsorbing and removing heavy metals, although sterilization and removal of heavy metals in the water-tank 10 is not complete, the transition metal filter 20 can perform more complete water purification.

Also, the transition metal filter 20 performs a function of controlling Ca ion to be attached to a wall. Thus, by make water discharged from the water-tank 10 first pass through the transition metal filter 20, protection of after-treatment filters can be performed. Along with this, because the transition metal has a long life and protects the after- treatment filters to cause extension of life, it is also preferable that the transition metal filter 20 is first used.

Also, because the transition metal filter 20 has a life cycle longer by 30 times than the conventional silver-containing carbon filter 40 for removing through absorbing germs and heavy metals, it is advantageous that the filter is not necessary to be often replaced.

On the other hand, it is preferable that water discharged from the water-tank 10 passes through the ion-exchange resin filter 30 consisting of ion-exchange resin.

This ion-exchange resin is manufactured by forming polystyrene resin in a sphere form and coating the surface thereof with a chemical material and is used for adsorbing ion materials by means of chemical reaction of the chemical material and the ion materials in water by coating the chemical material on the surface.

Here, depending upon kinds of the coated chemical materials, the ion-exchange resin is divided into a positive ion-exchange resin for removing positive ions such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and a negative ion-exchange resin for removing negative ions.

Here, the positive ion-exchange resin is used for decreasing hardness of water, that is, changing hard water to soft water, performs a function of converting water into the water which washing and bathing is suitable for.

Therefore, by using the ion-exchange resin filter 30, water consumption in washing and bathing at home can be decreased and use amount of cleanser can be decreased.

Here, in order to remove organic materials attached to the surface of the ion- exchange resin, it is desirable that an automated 3 cycle back wash brain tank 31 is provided to automatically clean the ion-exchange resin at periodic intervals and re-use it. On the other hand, the water purifying system according to the present invention, preferably, further comprises a silver-containing carbon filter 40 consisting of activated carbon coated with silver.

Here, the activated carbon is manufactured through heating and burning coconut fruits and then leaving charcoal component. The activated carbon can be divided into an activated carbon formed from coal, wood or coconut fruits, an activated carbon fiber formed from chemical fiber and the like. Adsorption ability is varied depending on size and distribution of pores on the surface of the activated carbon.

The activated carbon is effective mainly for removing chemical materials such as smell, disinfectants, agricultural chemicals, phenol and trihalomefhane. However, it cannot adsorb corpuscles such as germs or heavy metal.

Also, silver belongs to lb in the periodic table and is a kind of precious metals such as gold, iridium, palladium and platmum well known from of old times.

Effects of silver known in old times is as following. Silver spoon and chopsticks - react with poison to change their color and be good for health to be used by kings or the upper classes.

Ancient Rome and Greece - find that when foods are stored in a silver bowl, they can be stored freshly for a long time.

The United States - find that when a silver coin is contained in a milk vessel, milk can be kept for a long time without going bad, and that water within a silver bowl that is ensconced does not go bad for a long time.

Bonchogangmok - when silver is carried with a body, the five viscera is comfortable, mind and body is stabilized, poisonous air is driven out and a body is kept light to elongate life. Now silver is used for followings.

To exterminate almost all germs(more than 650 kinds) without any side effect within 6 minutes.

The U.S. FDA - to allow colloidal silver to be sold as an antibiotic.

Air pollutant removal - silver oxidation filter is used for removing smoke and smog.

Why silver usable in such various purposes is less used than gold until now is that amount of silver produced naturally is less than that of gold and refining method thereof is difficult.

Like this, silver is used as a disinfectant and as a result of experiments until now, it has been known that silver sterilizes almost all unicellular germs. This silver blocks metabolism of germs to sterilize them and electrical load of silver ion Ag+ generated from silver removes the reproductive function of germs.

Therefore, the silver-containing carbon filter 40 consisting of active carbon coated with silver not only can remove poisonous chemical material but also has an excellent effect for sterilization or has a much longer life than the conventional active carbon.

On the other hand, it is desirable that water discharged from the water-tank 10 pass through a hollow fiber membrane filter 50 as an extra filter membrane for filtering impurities.

Here, the hollow fiber membrane filter 50 is a type of filter which recently creates a sensation in Japan, in which the extra filter membrane is applied to a water purifier.

Their filter fineness is various from 0.001 to 0.3microns.

Also, because the hollow fiber membrane filter 50 filters filterable things and passes minerals, it is widely used for purifying tap water for drinking and cooking.

This hollow fiber membrane filter 50 is turned to practical use by concentrating the hollow fiber membrane of asymmetric structure in form of bundle type using high molecule plastic materials as raw materials to modulate them by Armicon Co. in U.S.A.

They are much applied to filters of household water purifier in order to remove bacteria, viruses and corpuscles.

Because pore size of the hollow fiber membrane filter 50 is about in a range of 0.001 to 0.03 microns (1/100,000 ~ 1/10,000 times of thickness of a human hair), the hollow fiber membrane filter has a selective filtering function of removing impurities such as bacteria, viruses and corpuscles and not filtering beneficial materials such as minerals, so that it is suitable for performing a function of finally filtering impurities in water discharged from the water-tank 10 in the present invention. Operations ofthe water purifying system according to the present invention constructed like this will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, water stored in the water-tank 10 through a water supply pipe PI causes oxidation-reduction reaction with transition metal components coated with the inner surface 12 of the water-tank 10, so that chloride or sulfide is produced from chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, heavy metals (iron, lead, mercury) and the like or adsorbed to remove and conditions where germs cannot exist is formed to kill them.

Also, because the rotation body 15 rotated by the motor 16 is rotated in contact with water stored in the water-tank 10, the transition metal components coated on the wings 17 provided in outer surface ofthe rotation body 15 cause more intensely oxidation- reduction reaction with water.

Also, rotation ofthe rotation body 15 circulates water stored in the water-tank 10, and thus, generation of germs such as fungus and bacteria propagated when water stagnates for a constant time interval is not only suppressed but also, algae attached to the inner surface of the water-tank 10 can be prevented by means of water circulation and oxidation decreasing operation.

Here, the motor 16 is provided in the water-tank 10 to be capable of fixing and separating by means of a bracket 18 such that the rotation body 15 can be provided in the existing water-tank 10. Also, when the outer surface of the water-tank 10 is surrounded with the insulating material 14, the insulating material 14 shuts off sunlight and thus, generation of germs and the like which are more generated with increase of temperature is suppressed.

On the other hand, water discharged from the water-tank 10 enters the transition metal filter 20 consisting of the transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction through a first water discharge pipe. Here, it is preferable that the first water discharge pipe P2 is connected to lower part of the transition metal filter 20, so that water passing through the first water discharge pipe P2 flows from the lower part to the upper part not to harden the transition metals constituting the transition metal filter 20 and to stir the transition metals. By using the transition metal filter 20 as a first step filter like this, even when sterilization and removal of heavy metals in the water-tank 10 is not complete, water purification can be performed more completely and after-treatment filters can be protected.

Then, water purified through the transition metal filter 20 enters the ion-exchange resin filter 30 consisting of ion-exchange resin through a second water discharge pipe P3. Here, the ion-exchange resin filter 30 removes positive ions such as calcium, kalium and magnesium to convert hard water into soft water, thereby to produce water that is suitable for washing and bathing.

Then, water purified through the ion-exchange resin filter 30 enters the silver- containing carbon filter 40 consisting of active carbon coated with silver through a third water discharge pipe P4.

Here, the silver-containing carbon filter 40 performs removal of poisonous chemicals and sterilization.

Finally, the purified water passes the hollow fiber membrane filter 50 for filtering impurities through a fourth water discharge pipe P5. Here, impurities or germs contained in water are finally filtered and then the purified water is supplied to each home through a fifth water discharge pipe P6.

Like this, the water purifying system according to the present invention removes or prevents heavy metals, germs, algae and the like, so that purified water good for drinking or using can be supplied. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described, various modifications, variations and equivalents may be used for the present invention. Manifestly, the above embodiments of the present invention may be properly modified and applied equivalently. Therefore, the above descriptions are not for limiting range of the present invention defined by means ofthe accompanying claims.

INDUSTRIAL AVAILABILITY As described above, the water purifying system according to the present invention can remove heavy metals and germs existing in water of the water-tank, prevent environment hormone and prevent and remove algae attached on the inner surface of the water-tank by transition metal components.

Also, the water purifying system according to the present invention can prevent hard scales, oxidation and corrosion of pipes, water-tank and the like constituting the system.

Also, according to the water purifying system of the present invention, by making water discharged from the water-tank pass through various filters for water purification, purified water suitable for drinking and using can be obtained.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone and purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house or common water-tank, comprising: a water-tank of which inner surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a rotation body arranged to be rotated in contact with water stored in said water- tank and of which wings provided on its outer surface is coated with transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; a motor for rotating said rotation body; and a bracket for fixing said motor to said water-tank.

2. A water purifying system according to claim 1, further comprising an insulation material to surround an outer surface of said water-tank.

3. A water purifying according to claim 1, wherein said water purifying system further comprises: a transition metal filter consisting of transition metal components causing oxidation-reduction reaction; an ion-exchange resin filter consisting of ion-exchange resin; a silver-containing carbon filter consisting of activated carbon coated with silver; and a hollow fiber membrane filter for finally filtering impurities, and wherein water flowed out from said water-tank passes through said filters.

4. A water purifying system according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said transition metal components are zinc and copper of a high degree of purity.

A water purifying system capable of preventing environment hormone, purifying and sterilizing water in an apartment house water-tank or a common water-tank