WO2008058206A2

WO2008058206A2 - System and method for treating a fluid

Info

Publication number: WO2008058206A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/083967
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harsha S. Gulian Krishnaswamy; Karen M. Mancl; Margaret E. Williams; Blaine W. Lilly; James Liang-Hiong Chia
Original assignee: The Ohio State University Research Foundation; Avantec Technologies, Inc.
Priority date: 2006-11-07
Filing date: 2007-11-07
Publication date: 2008-05-15
Also published as: WO2008058206B1; WO2008058206A3

Abstract

A system and method comprising a dispensing system used to store and subsequently dispense products in a fluid requiring treatment. The system and methods taught herein may be used but not limited to, for example, dispensing disinfectants in wastewater recovery applications. The invention may also be considered for use in sites where the soil is not suitable for installing leach fields or mound systems. The dispensing apparatus and methods taught herein may be used also, for example, to dispense other products in a manner superior to traditional stream discharging systems.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING A FLUID

Inventors: Harsha S. Gulian Krishnaswamy Karen M. Mancl Margaret E. Williams Blaine W. Lilly James Liang-Hiong Chia

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a nonprovisional application of, and claims priority to, United States Provisional Application No. 60/864,706, filed November 07, 2006, which is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate generally to systems and methods for treating a fluid, and particularly to such systems and methods that dispense products into a fluid for treatment.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0003] Small and rural communities are constantly seeking ways to reduce the amount of pollutant discharge to ground and surface water. On-site wastewater treatment systems that reuse treated wastewater through irrigation or other applications are successful alternatives to traditional stream discharging systems. Reuse systems help the nation move closer toward the national goal of eliminating discharge of pollutants in navigable water (Clean Water Act) and also reduce the demand for potable water. Nearly half of Ohio's land area, for example, is suited for an onsite wastewater management system with irrigation, which may, for example, be considered in sites where the soil is not suitable for installing leach fields or mound systems. In irrigation systems the effluent must be treated and disinfected before it is applied to plants and soil. The threat to public health is immense when wastewater is not adequately disinfected before being used in irrigation, exposing people to infectious diseases. For example, about 225 million gallons of wastewater are collected, treated and released per day in Ohio from 1 million homes that use on-site wastewater treatment systems (U.S. Census Bureau, 1990). If not properly treated, wastewater may contribute to the spread of infectious waterborne diseases such as gastroenteritis, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis. Historically, several water borne disease outbreaks in the US have affected thousands of people due to exposure to disease causing microorganisms in drinking and recreational waters. Consequently, as reclamation of wastewater in the U.S. is becoming a more common practice, more importance will be placed on the proper treatment of wastewater before it is released back to the soil. Disinfection is a crucial step in the reduction of pathogens in a typical wastewater treatment process. [0004] Wastewater disinfection is primarily carried out to kill the three main infectious agents: bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Common methods of disinfection are broadly classified as:

a. Chemical agents b. Physical agents c. Mechanical means d. Radiation

Chlorine, bromine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and alcohols are a few examples of the chemical agents used for microbial disinfection. Physical agents may involve the use of heat (e.g. boiling) and ultraviolet light (UV). Disinfection with radiation may involve the use of electromagnetic, acoustic, or particle radiation. Each of these methods of microbial disinfection has inherent advantages and disadvantages, but the use of chemical and physical agents provide perhaps the widest methods in use today. In particular, chlorine and UV light treatment are common methods of on-site wastewater disinfection presently employed in on-site wastewater systems. [0005] Although UV technology is a highly effective way to disinfect wastewater and does not produce residual toxicity, it does pose problems that invite consideration of other technologies. For example, disinfection with UV does not provide residual disinfection in wastewater, thereby making it difficult to gauge the success of the reaction and allowing the possibility of further downstream contamination. Also, UV technology is not effective against some types of viruses and bacterial spores. The water must be clear and free of significant suspended particles in order for UV to affect pathogens, which is often not the case for wastewater. Some other disadvantages with UV technology are that it requires a large number of UV lamps to be employed within a disinfection scheme, and it can also be expensive. [0006] Chlorine is the most common disinfectant used today. Chlorinators are one of the many devices used for this purpose. However, there are many disadvantages in using chlorine. For example, chlorine reacts with organic constituents and ammonia present in the effluent to form chloramines, which are 80 times less effective than free chlorine (Narkis et al., 1992). Research has shown that the reaction between chlorine and organics and ammonia takes place prior to the disinfection. This reduces chlorine's disinfection capability and requires higher doses of chlorine for disinfection. Other chloroorganic compounds formed due to this reaction are known to be hazardous to public health. For example, two classes of undesirable carcinogenic by-products known as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) are formed during the interaction of a halogen such as chlorine with organic matter. Sometimes these reactions deteriorate the quality of effluents treated with chlorine as they result in higher concentrations of ammonia and residual organic compounds. Ineffective primary sewage treatment is a major factor in these reactions. Finally, chlorine has also been found to be almost ineffective in killing viruses (Narkis et al., 1992), and is not effective at practical dosages at killing Cryptosporidium.

[0007] With increased awareness of the hazards due to chlorine use and the limited abilities of both chlorine and UV in treating viruses and parasites, other means of disinfecting wastewater are being developed. For example, chlorine dioxide has been found to be an effective disinfectant useful in the disinfection of wastewater. Chlorine dioxide is an excellent disinfectant and oxidizer with bleaching, deodorizing, bactericidal, sporicidal, viricidal, algicidal and fungicidal properties. It is frequently used to control microorganisms on or around foods because it destroys the microorganisms without forming byproducts that pose a significant adverse risk to human health, e.g., chloramines and chlorinated organic compounds. Chlorine dioxide is an effective antimicrobial agent at a concentration as low as 0.1 ppm and over a wide pH range. It is thought to penetrate cell walls and cell membranes and react with vital amino acids in the cytoplasm of the cell to kill the organism.

[0008] Unfortunately, chlorine dioxide is not stable during storage and can be explosive at high concentrations. As a result, chlorine dioxide gas is not produced and shipped under pressure. It must generally be generated on site using conventional chlorine dioxide generators or other means of generation. Conventional chlorine dioxide generation can be carried out in an efficient manner in connection with large-scale operations such as those in pulp and paper or water treatment facilities. In other applications, however, conventional generation of chlorine dioxide on site has not yet been proven to be a good option for logistical and financial reasons. Conventional on-site chlorine dioxide generation can be costly, cumbersome, and difficult because of the need for a generator and the need to operate and maintain the generator and particularly to handle the chemicals associated with the generation process.

[0009] In order to avoid the difficulty of using conventional chlorine dioxide generators, the expense associated with handling and shipping stabilized chlorine dioxide solutions and related precursor solutions, and the dangers associated with activating chlorine dioxide solutions, dry compositions containing chemicals (e.g., sodium chlorite and acid) that react to form chlorine dioxide when placed in water have been developed. The aqueous chlorine dioxide solution is produced (i.e., chlorite anion is converted to chlorine dioxide) according to the following equation:

5CI0₂-+5H+ → 4CI0₂+HCI+2H₂O

[0010] Dry compositions for generating chlorine dioxide solutions are known in the art. In general, the known art devices and methods using membranes are susceptible to premature activation by water or water vapor and therefore have a reduced shelf life unless sufficient steps are taken to protect the devices from exposure to ambient moisture or water. The close contact of the dry precursor chemicals allow them to interact over time, producing chlorine dioxide gas. Due to the necessary dilution allowing the precursor chemicals to be in contact before activation, such devices and methods typically do not efficiently generate the desired chlorine dioxide when placed in water. Newer approaches to this problem have been developed. For example, an effective disinfection device that generates chlorine dioxide from a dry composition was patented by Girard (U.S. Patent 6,764,661 ) and assigned to Avantec Technologies, Inc., Columbus, OH, and is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. In this approach, prepackaged envelope type packages, for example, are pre-filled with dry chlorite and acid compounds, which are effectively activated upon exposure to water. [0011] Notwithstanding the methods by which a disinfectant is packaged, effective disinfection of wastewater and more generally, treatment of a fluid, cannot be achieved without a means of properly dispensing the treatment product within the fluid. Consequently, there is a need for systems and methods to store and dispense treatment products in a fluid to effect a desired treatment of the fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention, systems and methods are provided for storing and subsequently dispensing products to treat a fluid, such as for example, treatment of wastewater with a treatment product (e.g., disinfectant). One example of an embodiment of such a system comprises a reaction chamber which may include one or more of the following: a carousel that may have at least one storage compartment for at least one treatment product (e.g., a disinfectant); at least one treatment product; a collection basket; and an indexing means to periodically dispense the treatment product; wherein the uppermost portion of one exemplary embodiment may be occupied by the disinfectant storage compartment and the lower portion may be occupied by the collection basket. In one example, the reaction chamber may be situated within a disinfection tank wherein untreated wastewater is collected. In this example and in one envisioned operation, the disinfection tank is filled with fluid (e.g., wastewater), which may be maintained at a predetermined level with the reaction chamber positioned substantially above the surface of the wastewater. At a predetermined time, for example, a disinfectant storage compartment(s), which contains a prepackaged treatment product (e.g., disinfectant), releases a predetermined amount of disinfectant into the collection basket via the indexing means. Means (e.g., a pump) for transporting water from the disinfection tank into the reaction chamber is activated to continuously fill a lower portion of the reaction chamber to a predetermined level, which may, for example, be maintained by means of an overflow outlet that directs excess wastewater back to the disinfection tank. Alternatively, the treatment packet may be dispensed directly into a source of fluid (e.g., wastewater) using a dispensing system with or without a reaction chamber. The fluid activates the dispensed treatment packet. A predetermined period may be allowed to pass to enable the disinfectant to generate an effective solution of chlorine dioxide or other treatment product within the reaction chamber which, in one example, may be released into the disinfection tank to disinfect the wastewater stored in that tank. The treated water may be transported into the disinfection tank via an overflow outlet and/or a weep hole(s) and conduit(s) exiting the bottom portion of the reaction chamber. By this means, a concentrated chlorine dioxide solution or other treatment can be generated in the reaction chamber and then dispensed into the disinfection tank in order to reach a diluted target concentration throughout the water system. The expended disinfectant packaging may, for example, be collected in the collection basket for later removal. Means for preserving the treatment product (e.g., a disinfectant generating packet) from premature exposure to and possible activation or degradation from moisture may be realized through, for example, desiccants, various barriers, or the use of barrier types of packaging known in the art, such as blister packaging, sealed canisters, polyvinyl alcohol wrapping, or other barriers. As will be evident from the following drawings and description, other example embodiments of this invention are possible. [0013] These and other advantages of the invention taught herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] A better understanding of the invention taught herein will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which: [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a system for treating a fluid.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the system for treating a fluid shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a reaction chamber.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a top projected view of an exemplary embodiment of the reaction chamber shown in FIG. 3.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the reaction chamber shown in FIG. 4. [0020] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the reaction chamber shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the reaction chamber shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 further illustrating dispensation of a product from the carousel.

[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a carousel and prepackaged product further illustrating one means of integrating the prepackaged product into the carousel.

[0023] FIG. 9 illustrates one example of method steps used to treat a fluid.

[0024] FIGS. 10A and 10B are side elevation and perspective views, respectively, of one exemplary embodiment of a linear screw conveyor system.

[0025] FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of one exemplary embodiment of a vertical indexing conveyor system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Some example embodiments of the invention taught herein will now be described in greater detail. Nevertheless, it should be recognized that the invention can be practiced in a wide range of other embodiments besides those explicitly described, and the scope of the invention is expressly not limited except as specified in the accompanying claims.

[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a system 10 used, for example, in a wastewater disinfection treatment application to ensure that the wastewater is substantially free of bacteria, viruses and germs which can affect the health of humans, animal life, or crops that may come in contact with the wastewater. Such disinfected water may, for example, be released over or into land or into streams, ponds, lakes, other bodies of water, or small flows. [0028] In this example, system 10 comprises a disinfection tank 70, reaction chamber 100, and means for transporting wastewater 40 between the disinfection tank 70 and reaction chamber 100. Figures 3 through 7 refer to one exemplary embodiment of a reaction chamber 100. In this example, reaction chamber 100 comprises a dispenser that may be used to dispense at least one treatment product 170, wherein the dispenser may include: an indexing actuator 110; carousel 120; carousel shroud 130; indexing shaft 140; and indexing plate 150. The reaction chamber 100 may further comprise a reaction chamber housing 160, which may house the dispenser and a treatment product collection basket 180. Unless expressly claimed otherwise, other variations of a reaction chamber are possible. A reaction chamber may be any apparatus or system in which a desired reaction between a treatment product and a fluid may occur. For example, some embodiments of a reaction chamber may not include a collection basket. Furthermore, it should be recognized that in some exemplary embodiments a dispensing system may be used independently of a reaction chamber to introduce a treatment product directly into a source of a fluid. However, the disinfection tank 70 may be used as either an initial or secondary repository for untreated wastewater wherein the wastewater, or a fluid in general, may have been treated by other means comprising settling, coagulation, or filtration prior to introduction into disinfection tank 70.

[0029] Treatment products 170, for example, include but are not limited to, disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, combinations thereof, devices to produce these chemicals, or any other suitable treatment product. For example, an effective disinfection device that generates chlorine dioxide from a dry composition was patented by Girard (U.S. Patent 6,764,661 ) and assigned to Avantec Technologies, Inc., Columbus, OH and is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. In this approach, prepackaged envelope type packages, for example, are pre-filled with dry chlorite and acid compounds which are effectively activated upon exposure to water. Such packets may be represented as envelopes depicted by item 170 in the figures. Other treatment products are not limited to disinfectants. For example, other treatment products may include softeners, hardeners, colorants, solvents, or any other product that may cause a desired reaction or characteristic in a fluid.

[0030] During one example of a treatment process, disinfection tank 70 is filled with wastewater or other fluid to a predetermined water level 80 through intake ports (not shown). Once filled to a desired water level 80, the import of water into disinfection tank 70 is terminated and water level 80 may be maintained until the treatment process has been completed. The reaction chamber 100 may reside in a location within disinfection tank 70 such that it is above wastewater level 80. In other embodiments, a reaction chamber may be partially or totally submerged in a fluid. The reaction chamber 100 is subsequently filled with wastewater from the disinfection tank 70 to a predetermined water level 190 by a fluid transporting means such as a pump 40, wherein the predetermined water level 190 may, for example, be maintained by means of an overflow outlet 50 that allows excess wastewater to return to the disinfection tank 70. Once the wastewater level 190 or another desired level is reached, at least one treatment product 170 may be dispensed, for example, into the treatment product collection basket 180, which may be immersed in the wastewater below water level 190 allowing exposure of the dispensed treatment product 170 to the wastewater and effectively initiating treatment. Alternatively, a treatment product may be dispensed prior to the introduction of any wastewater or other fluid into the reaction chamber. In one example, the wastewater may continue to be circulated between the reaction chamber and disinfection tank for a predetermined period of time to facilitate treatment as the treatment product (e.g., chlorine dioxide) exits the reaction chamber through outlet orifices. In this manner, the chlorine dioxide solution generated in the reaction chamber at a high concentration may be mixed with the larger volume of water in the disinfection tank in order to achieve the desired concentration of chlorine dioxide in the wastewater. Optionally, a "weep-hole" orifice outlet 60 may be provided to allow complete drainage of wastewater from the reaction chamber 100 after treatment is completed. In one exemplary embodiment, the treated water may remain in the disinfection tank for a predetermined period of time to ensure desired treatment. Thereafter, the treated water may be transferred out of the disinfectant tank and used in a desired manner (e.g., for irrigation).

[0031] Referring to the example in FIG. 7, each treatment product 170 in this embodiment may be stored separately within its own compartment within carousel 120, which may comprise a plurality of radially disposed compartments. Alternatively, multiple treatment products may be stored together. An indexing plate 150 having port 155 may form a movable barrier and lower floor of one side of each of the aforementioned carousel compartments, each of which may contain treatment product(s) 170. During dispensation of a selected treatment product 170, indexing plate 150 may be rotatably actuated by means of an indexing actuator 110 and indexing shaft 140, enabling alignment of port 155 beneath the desired carousel compartment, and thus allowing treatment product 170 to drop by means of gravity into collection basket 180. It should be noted that the indexing actuator may be automatically controlled by means of an automated control method such as a microprocessor-based controller. It should also be recognized that the carousel may be adapted to be rotated, while the plate and associated port remain stationary. During the treatment process, wastewater may be allowed to continually circulate between the disinfection tank 70 and reaction chamber 100 by means of, for example, pump 40 until the treatment process has been completed. Once the treatment process has been completed, the treated wastewater may be evacuated from the disinfection tank 70 via a fluid transporting means, such as a pump 30, and distributed for use by, for example, an irrigation head 20. A new charge of untreated wastewater may then be introduced into disinfection tank 70 permitting the treatment cycle to continue in a "batch" type process, wherein treatment product(s) 170 may be introduced into subject fluid as required during each treatment cycle. In one exemplary embodiment, water may be allowed to enter into disinfection tank 70 until a sensor or other suitable means indicates that the water has reached a certain level ready for the disinfection process. At this point in this example, water may temporarily be unable to enter disinfection tank 70 while the disinfection process takes place.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 8, an exemplary embodiment of one means of charging carousel 120 with treatment product(s) 170 is disclosed. In many cases, it may be important to provide protection of treatment product(s) 170 from environmental exposure, such as humidity, which may degrade the efficacy of or prematurely activate the treatment product 170. In such cases, one or more treatment products 170 may be pre-packaged in a product assembly 200, such as illustrated, which may include a support platform 230. Treatment products 170 may be retained on assembly 200 by means of, for example, a heat shrinkable plastic film or "blister pack" 210. A foil or other type of vapor barrier 220 may be additionally applied to support platform 230 to provide necessary protection as required. Similar protection may also be provided for carousel 120. Compartment 240 may be optionally used to contain, for example, a desiccant to further provide protection of the treatment product 170 against exposure to moisture. Treatment product assembly 200 may be concentrically conjoined as shown by the dashed line in the figure allowing quick and easy recharging of carousel 120 with treatment product(s) 170. Note that any number and combination of treatment product(s) 170 may be pre-packaged within product assembly 200, provided alignment of each treatment product is in harmony with its respective carousel compartment. For clarity, FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a number of treatment products 170 that is less than the number of carousel compartments. To allow free movement of treatment product(s) 170 for dispensation, the blister pack 210 barrier may be ruptured immediately upon installation within the carousel 120 by, for example, manually or by means of a rupturing device embodied within the carousel. Alternatively, rupturing the blister pack upon actuation may be employed for example, by means of a rupturing device, such as a sharp blade, comprised upon indexing plate 150, whereby the blade would rupture the blister pack 210 as it is indexed with the selected carousel compartment containing the selected treatment product(s) 170. Other means for minimizing exposure of the treatment product(s) to the fluid may be accomplished by means of minimizing the exposed surface area of the fluid to the treatment product(s) 170 by cover plates, baffles, and venting schemes, each of which may be manually or automatically controlled.

[0033] Referring now to FIG. 9, an exemplary embodiment of a method to treat a fluid, and in this particular example, the disinfection of wastewater, is herein disclosed, illustrating method steps that may be used.

[0034] Although a batch type process is illustrated in this example, it should be noted that in yet another embodiment of the invention, continuous processing of a fluid may also be achieved through scheduled dispensation of treatment product(s) 170 continuously into the fluid whereby sufficient residence time of the treatment product(s) 170 in the fluid is provided to allow proper treatment of the fluid. Furthermore, the fluid may be introduced into the reaction chamber directly from a fluid source without prior treatment. Fluid as defined herein may comprise water or other fluid from sources including, but not limited to, commercial sewage, industrial wastewater, HVAC recirculating water, recirculating water in industrial systems, potable water, process water used in industrial and manufacturing processes, natural water sources, and other suitable sources. Additionally, other dispensing methods may be used, such as conventional linear screw or vertical indexing type conveyers. FIGS. 1OA and 10B show an example of a linear screw conveyor system 270, and FIG. 11 shows an example of a vertical indexing conveyor system 250. Although shown external to the reaction chambers 100 in these examples, it should be recognized that these dispensing systems may be situated inside a reaction chamber in some exemplary embodiments. It should also be recognized that such dispensing systems may be used without a reaction chamber (e.g., to dispense a treatment packet directly into a source of fluid) in some exemplary embodiments. Additionally, in an example of the treatment of commercial fluid flow systems, the fluid may be cycled through a container having means for fluid treatment for a period of time to ensure that the fluid is substantially free of bacteria, viruses, and germs that otherwise may adversely affect the functionality of a water system by reducing heat exchange process efficiencies, component corrosion and pitting due to mineral deposit build-up, or materials degradation.

[0035] Having shown and described exemplary embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described invention and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Thus, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A treatment dispensing system comprising: at least one treatment packet; and means for storing and subsequently dispensing said treatment packet into a fluid; wherein said treatment packet is adapted to generate and infuse a treatment product into said fluid for treatment of said fluid.

2. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said treatment packet is adapted to be activated upon exposure to said fluid wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of liquid or liquid vapor.

3. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said fluid is water.

4. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said treatment packet is adapted to generate a disinfectant selected from the group consisting of chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, or a combination thereof.

5. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said means for dispensing said treatment packet is a rotary carousel.

6. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said means for dispensing said treatment packet is selected from the group consisting of linear screw conveyors and vertical indexing conveyors.

7. The treatment dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein: the treatment dispensing system is adapted to dispense said treatment packet directly into a fluid source selected from the group consisting of commercial sewage, industrial wastewater, HVAC recirculating water, recirculating water in industrial systems, potable water, process water used in industrial and manufacturing processes, and natural sources of water; and said fluid source is treated such that said fluid is substantially free of bacteria, viruses, and germs which can affect the health of humans, animal life, or crops that may come in contact with said fluid

8. A disinfection system comprising: a disinfection tank; a reaction chamber in association with said disinfection tank; at least one disinfection packet in association with said reaction chamber; means for transporting water between said disinfection tank and said reaction chamber; and means for storing and subsequently dispensing said disinfection packet into said water; wherein said disinfection packet is adapted to generate and infuse a disinfectant into said water for disinfection of said water.

9. The disinfection system according to claim 8 wherein said disinfection packet is adapted to be activated upon exposure to said water.

10. The disinfection system according to claim 8 wherein said disinfection packet is adapted to generate a disinfectant wherein said disinfectant is chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, or a combination thereof.

1 1. The disinfection system according to claim 8 wherein said disinfection system further comprises an automated means to control said disinfection system.

12. The disinfection system according to claim 8 wherein said means for dispensing said disinfection packet is a rotary carousel.

13. The disinfection system according to claim 8 wherein said means for dispensing said disinfection packet is selected from the group consisting of linear screw conveyors and vertical indexing conveyors.

14. A reaction chamber comprising: a rotary carousel; at least one disinfection packet in association with said rotary carousel; means for transporting water into and out of said reaction chamber; a collection basket adapted to receive said disinfection packet after being released from said rotary carousel; and a container containing said rotary carousel, said collection basket, and said packet; wherein said disinfection packet is adapted to generate and infuse a disinfectant into said water for disinfection of said water.

15. The reaction chamber according to claim 14 wherein said disinfection packet is adapted to generate a disinfectant wherein said disinfectant is chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, or a combination thereof.

16. The reaction chamber according to claim 14 wherein said rotary carousel is adapted to minimize exposure of said disinfection packet to moisture until desired dispensation of said disinfection packet into said water.

17. The reaction chamber according to claim 14 wherein said reaction chamber is adapted to minimize the surface area of said water exposed to said disinfection packet until desired dispensation of said disinfection packet into said water.

18. The reaction chamber according to claim 14 wherein said rotary carousel is adapted to automatically dispense said disinfection packet into said water.

19. A treatment method comprising the following steps: dispensing at least one treatment packet into a container; transferring water into said container; activating said packet with said water to generate a treatment product; treating said water; and discharging said water.

20. The treatment method according to claim 19 wherein: said water may be collected from sources comprising commercial sewage, industrial wastewater, HVAC recirculating water, recirculating water in industrial systems, potable water, process water used in industrial and manufacturing processes, and natural sources; and said water is treated such that said water is substantially free of bacteria, viruses, and germs which can affect the health of humans, animal life, or crops that may come in contact with said fluid.

21. The treatment method according to claim 19 wherein said treated water is released over or into land or into streams, ponds, lakes, other bodies of water, or small flows.

22. The treatment method according to claim 19 wherein said water is cycled through said container for a period of time to ensure that said water is free of bacteria, viruses, and germs that otherwise may adversely affect the functionality of a water system by reducing heat exchange process efficiencies, component corrosion and pitting due to mineral deposit build-up, or materials degradation.

23. The treatment method according to claim 19 wherein said water is treated by settling, coagulation, or filtration prior to being transferred into said container.

24. The treatment method according to claim 19 wherein said water is introduced into said container directly from a fluid source without prior treatment.

25. A disinfection method comprising the following steps: filling a disinfection tank with water; dispensing at least one disinfection packet into a reaction chamber; controlling a level of said water within said disinfection tank; circulating said water from said disinfection tank to said reaction chamber to activate said disinfection packet; terminating water circulation between said disinfection tank and said reaction chamber; waiting for a time period to elapse to allow disinfection treatment of said water to occur; and discharging said water from said disinfection tank.