WO2006126955A1

WO2006126955A1 - Liquid cleaning device with splash shield

Info

Publication number: WO2006126955A1
Application number: PCT/SE2006/050072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Holmberg; Aapo SÄÄSK
Original assignee: Purity Ab
Priority date: 2005-05-26
Filing date: 2006-04-12
Publication date: 2006-11-30
Also published as: SE528642C2; SE0501189L

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid cleaning device (1) intended for purifying liquid from pollutants, which liquid cleaning device (1 ) comprises a vessel (2), for the liquid, a heating member (3), as well as further comprising a riser (4) and a liquid-distributor member (5), which riser (4) is arranged to transport heated liquid from a lower part of the vessel (2) to an upper part of the vessel (2), where the liquid-distributor member (5) is arranged to impart the heated liquid an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, the liquid then, by means of the gravity, running back downwards outside the riser (4) back to the lower part of the vessel (2). According to the invention, a splash shield (14) is arranged in the upper part of the vessel (2) to force the heated liquid coming out of the riser (4) downwards to the liquid-distributor member (5), which splash shield (14) comprises a screen (19) that extends radially out from the riser (4), which screen (19) is provided with a wall (17) which extends from the screen (19) downwards to said liquid -distributor member (5).

Description

LIQUID CLEANING DEVICE WITH SPLASH SHIELD

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a liquid cleaning device intended for purifying liquid from pollutants, which liquid cleaning device comprises a vessel for the liquid, a heating member, as well as further comprising a riser and liquid- distributor member, which riser is arranged to transport heated liquid from a lower part of the vessel to an upper part of the vessel, where the liquid-distributor member is arranged to impart the heated liquid an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, the liquid then, by means of the gravity, running back downwards outside the riser back to the lower part of the vessel.

Background of the Invention

A problem that the present invention is related to is the following. In most larger cities, tap water is produced in big plants and is transported in piping systems to the consumers. In order to protect the water against risks of infection during the transportation, a certain quantity of chlorine is usually added before the clean water leaves the plant.

A certain quantity of this chlorine is consumed during the way and a cer- tain quantity of is left in the water when it reaches the consumers. The intention of the addition of chlorine is that the chlorine should decompose potentially dangerous organisms and organic impurities in the pipes. When this takes place, chlorinated hydrocarbons of the type chloroform and bromoform are formed. Hence, also these substances are present in a certain quantity in the water that reaches the consumers.

Even if the amount of chlorine and chlorinated hydrocarbons is low in the water, it is known that the two types of impurities are mutagenic also in small doses, and it is therefore an advantage if it is possible to avoid them to as great an extent as possible. Since long there are different types of filters on the market, by means of which it is possible to clean water from municipal piping or an own well. However, traditional filters that are in the form of fine-meshed nets do not stop volatile substances such as chlorine and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Neither filters that contain ion exchange mass (for instance softeners) manage this. For this reason, in many places filters containing activated carbon are now used. The disadvantage of activated carbon is that it is difficult to know when the filter is full, and in many examinations it has been found that the activated carbon quickly may lose effect upon an unexpected load increase and in that connection further turn into a refuge, nutrition place and breeding ground for bacteria and pyrogenes.

For this reason, the carbon filter is frequently combined with other methods to a more complicated apparatus where accordingly also pre-filters to stop coarser particles and organic material, ultraviolet-light lamps to kill bacteria, and ion exchangers for picking up ions are included. Such an equipment becomes relatively expensive and works satisfactory only if the exchange of roughing filter, ultraviolet lamps, ion exchange mass and activated carbon is handled accurately. As an alternative to these multi-stage filters, equipment has also been developed based on distillation and the reversed osmosis. None of these methods, advanced perse, is however entirely efficient in removing chlorine and chlorinated hydrocarbons but have to be supplemented with an activated-carbon final filter. Even if the load on this final filter is much smaller than on carbon filters in the previously mentioned multi-stage filters, also these have to be exchanged at regular intervals, and the problem with overload remains. A simpler way to kill bacteria as well as remove chlorine and chlorinated hydrocarbons and also other volatile substances from water is to boil water in a boiler or open vessel. The disadvantages of this simple method in comparison with what has been mentioned previously are foremost three. A large quantity of water has to be boiled away in order to be sure of getting rid of the volatile impurities, which in the first place entails that water is wasted and in the second place that the possible non-volatile impurities that are present in water are concentrated. The third disadvantage is that the user does not know when a satisfactory result has been attained.

Within the industry, many methods are developed for the separation of Nq- uid from gas, gas from liquid and gas from another gas. The most common principle is the cyclone principle, which is based on a steam/gas/water mixture being centrifuged and the liquid thereby being pressed out of the mixture. A rather similar principle is that the mixture is led through a conduit having many bends, the liquid being stopped by devices of different forms in the bends. Furthermore, area-enlarging devices are used in such a way that water/gas/steam mixture is sprayed or sprinkled on large plates or is left to run down large sheets or another type of device having a large area, for instance steel wool or plastic balls. It is also possible to force a gas, for instance air or nitrogen, through the mixture. This gas then drives off or drags along other gases in the mixture. Frequently, a combination of these techniques is used.

A previously known liquid cleaning device of the relevant type is seen in the Swedish patent 518 388, which liquid cleaning device comprises a vessel in which liquid is heated with a heating member, as well as further comprising an inner central tubular riser for heated liquid rising upward through the riser member, and a liquid-distributor member arranged at the upper open end of the riser. The heated liquid is sprayed out from the upper open end of the riser via said liquid- distributor member and is imparted an increased area of exposure to surrounding air by a plurality of discs of equal size, which discs having a plurality of holes provided with drip edges. The liquid is then by the gravity running back downwards outside the riser for renewed heating and vaporizing.

Per se, this liquid cleaning device works well. A disadvantage of the liquid cleaning device in the Swedish patent 518 388 is that the heated liquid is splashing in an uncontrolled manner at the upper part of the liquid cleaning device when it is leaving the liquid-distributor member arranged at the upper open end of the riser, the liquid splashing in the direction of the underside of the lid of the liquid cleaning device and outwards in the direction of the walls of the vessel. This means that a user is running a great risk of burning himself by the splashing heated liquid when the lid is removed from the vessel. Furthermore, the uncontrolled spreading of the heated liquid from the liquid-distributor member results in that a small quantity of the liquid hits the liquid-distributor member, which entails that less volatile substances are emitted.

Object of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved liquid cleaning device that solves the problems mentioned above. The construction of the present liquid cleaning device prevents heated liquid to be sprayed in an uncontrolled manner out of the upper end of the riser upwards in the direction of the bottom of the lid of the liquid cleaning device and outwards in the direction of the walls of the vessel, at which there is a small risk for a user to bum himself on the heated liquid when the lid is removed from the vessel. The construction of the liquid cleaning device also emit that liquid of a greater quantity is forced out on the liquid-distributor member, at which a final product that contains very little volatile substances is obtained.

Summary of the Invention

The above object is attained by the present invention such as it is defined in the independent claim 1. Suitable embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Thus, according to the present invention, a liquid cleaning device intended for purifying liquid from pollutants is defined, which liquid cleaning device comprises a vessel, for the liquid, a heating member, as well as further comprising a riser and liquid-distributor member, which riser is arranged to transport heated liquid from a lower part of the vessel to an upper part of the vessel, where the liquid-distributor member is arranged to impart the heated liquid an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, the liquid then, by means of the gravity, running back downwards outside the riser back to the lower part of the vessel, characterized in that a splash shield is arranged in the upper part of the vessel to force the heated liquid coming out of the riser downwards to the liquid-distributor member, which splash shield comprises a screen that extends radially out from the riser, which screen is provided with a wall which extends from the screen downwards to said liquid -distributor member. In accordance with the invention, the advantage is obtained that the liquid after having been sprayed out at the upper part of the raiser, is forced downwards along the wall arranged at the screen, downwards to the liquid-distributor member, the liquid is thus prevented to move upwards in the direction of the lid of the vessel. In this way, the risk is less that heated liquid will splash out of the vessel and burn a user when the lid of the vessel is removed. Because the liquid is forced downwards to the liquid-distributing member the liquid is also distributed in greater extent then before, the volatile substances will be led away in a higher extend than before. The wall of the splash shield according to the present invention can be formed in different ways. Thus, said wall can extend around the entire riser. In this way there is no possibility for the heated liquid to slip out in an opening in the wall of the splash shield and in this way splash up in the direction of the opening of the vessel. Instead, the screen and the wall forces the liquid downwards to the liquid- distributing member. Of course, the length of the wall from the screen downwards to the liquid-distributing member can vary depending on the requirements of every single user.

According to an alternative, said wall can have a rotary geometrical shape. According to yet another alternative, said wall can comprise a perpendicular portion. Of course, the same wall can be formed in different ways than the above mentioned ones.

According to additional features, the invention is characterized in that the splash shield covers 20 - 40% of the surface of the liquid-distributing member. Of course, the splash shield can cover both a smaller part and a greater part of the liquid-distributing member. How great part of the liquid-distributing member that should be covered by the splash shield depends on the shape of the liquid- distributing member, as well as the cost for the quantity of material that are needed to produce the splash shield. Advantageously, the splash shield is fastened to an upper part of the riser, but the splash shield may, of course, also be fastened in other ways, for example, to the inner wall of the vessel or to the liquid- distributing member.

According to another feature, the splash shield can be fastened realisably at the upper part of the riser. In this way, the splash shield can be released when cleaning it and if a user of any reason requests a splash shield with another embodiment.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described closer by means of non-limiting embodiment examples and reference being made to the accompanying schematic drawings, where

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the liquid cleaning device according to the present invention with the splash shield arranged in the upper part of the vessel, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the splash shield of the liquid cleaning device according to present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention In figures 1-2, an embodiment of the present invention is shown, applied to a liquid cleaning device intended for purifying liquid from pollutants. However, it should be directly emphasized that the invention is in no way limited to this type of liquid cleaning device, but may be applied to various liquid cleaning devices.

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a liquid cleaning device 1 according to the present invention. The liquid cleaning device 1 comprises a vessel 2, which in the figures looks like an ordinary cylindrical pot having handle 10, spout 11 and lid 12. Furthermore, the liquid cleaning device 1 comprises a heating member 3, a riser 4 with an lower end 8 and a upper end 9, a cap 7 and a liquid-distributor member 5. The cap 7 produced of a insulting material is arranged at the bottom of the vessel 2 and is intended to constrain a specific quantity of liquid which is heated by the heating member 3, which heating member 3 is supplied with electric energy from a bottom plate 13 arranged at the underside of the vessel 2. When the liquid is heated beneath the isolated cap 7 gas bubbles are formed which force the heated liquid up through the riser 4, which with its lower end 8 is fastened to the cap 7 and extends upward to a upper part of the vessel 2, up to the upper end 9 of the riser 4. The liquid is then sprayed out from the upper end 9 against a splash shield 14, which is intended to prevent the heated liquid from splashing in the direction of the lid 12 of the vessel 2. In this way, the heated liquid can not splash out of the vessel and burn a user when the lid 12 of the vessel 2 is removed. The heated liquid is instead forced downwards by the splash shield 14 and is distributed evenly on a liquid-distributing member 5 arranged at an upper part of the vessel 2. By means of the liquid-distributing member 5 the liquid is imparted an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, impurities in question being released in form of gas from the liquid and disappears through the spout 11 of the vessel 2 and via slits between the vessel 2 and the lid 12 of the vessel 2. Then the liquid runs by means of the gravity back downward outside the riser 4 back to the lower part of the vessel 2, the process is repeated until the liquid is purified from the impurities in question. When heated liquid beneath the cap 7 begins to rise through the riser 4, new liquid is being filled in the constrained space through two openings 15, 16 arranged in the cap 7. Each of the openings 15, 16 in the cap 7 can be provided with a valve which opens and closes the openings 15, 16, the liquid flow down in the space beneath the cap 7 can be controlled. However, It should be emphasized that the openings 15, 16 need not necessarily be provided with a valve to enable this technique, it is also possible to form the cap 7 with, for example, one or more than the two openings 15, 16 without a valve to get the same function.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the splash shield 14 according to the present invention. The splash shield 14, which can be can be fastened realisably at the upper end 9 of the riser 4, see figure 1 , comprises a screen 19 which extends radially out from the riser 4, see also figure 1. A wall 17 is arranged at the screen 19, which wall 17 extends downwards to the liquid - distributor member 5. To obtain the best possible protection against splashing heated liquid it is, of course, advantageously if the wall 17 of the splash shield 14 extends around the entire riser 4. To enable the heated liquid to be distributed on the liquid- distributing member 5 to the highest degree possible and not be distributed on the inner surfaces of the vessel 2, the wall 17 of the splash shield 14 in figure 2 comprises a perpendicular portion 18. The area of exposure to surrounding air of the liquid-distributing member is greater than the are of exposure to surrounding air of the inner surfaces of the vessel 2 and delays therefore in a higher degree the liquid when it runs downwards against the lower part of the vessel 2 than the inner surfaces of the vessel 2, a higher degree of volatile substances then being released when the liquid passes through the liquid- distributing member 5 than along the inner surfaces of the vessel 2.

Claims

1. A liquid cleaning device (1 ) intended for purifying liquid from pollutants, which liquid cleaning device (1) comprises a vessel (2), for the liquid, a heating member (3), as well as further comprising a riser (4) and a liquid-distributor member (5), which riser (4) is arranged to transport heated liquid from a lower part of the vessel (2) to an upper part of the vessel (2), where the liquid-distributor member (5) is arranged to impart the heated liquid an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, the liquid then, by means of the gravity, running back downwards outside the riser (4) back to the lower part of the vessel (2), characterized in that a splash shield (14) is arranged in the upper part of the vessel (2) to force the heated liquid coming out of the riser (4) downwards to the liquid-distributor member (5), which splash shield (14) comprises a screen (19) which extends radially out from the riser (4), which screen (19) is provided with a wall (17) which extends from the screen (19) downwards to said liquid -distributor member (5).

2. A liquid cleaning device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said wall (17) extends around the entire riser (4).

3. A liquid cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wall (17) has a rotary geometrical shape.

4. A liquid cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wall (17) can comprise a perpendicular portion (18).

5. A liquid cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in that said splash shield (14) covers 20 - 40% of the surface of the liquid-distributing member (5).

6. A liquid cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said splash shield (14) is fastened to an upper end (9) of the riser (4).

7. A liquid cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said splash shield (14) is fastened realisably at the upper end (9) of the riser (4).