WO2011042885A1

WO2011042885A1 - Water filtration and purification method and device for implementing same

Info

Publication number: WO2011042885A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/054550
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrick Muroni; Stéphane TABAREAU
Original assignee: Befreetec Ltd
Priority date: 2009-10-09
Filing date: 2010-10-08
Publication date: 2011-04-14
Also published as: FR2951155A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for filtering and purifying water taken directly from any available source (1), characterized by the following steps: the water is drawn by means of a pipe (2) having a strainer (3) at the free end thereof and is passed through a first particle filter (4); the water is passed under pressure through a second particle filter (7) having a greater degree of filtration than the first; the water is passed under pressure through an activated carbon filter (8); the water is passed under pressure through a reverse osmosis filter (9) with two outlets (9a, 9b), the water that has undergone osmosis being discharged through one outlet (9a) to the next step and the remainder being discharged through the second outlet (9b); the water that has undergone osmosis is passed through a UVC sterilization device (12) designed to flash the water as it passes through a cartridge with UVC having a wavelength of approximately 253 nm and at an intensity of 160 to 260 mJ/cm²,and the filtered and purified water is collected at the outlet through a capsule with a bacterial non-return membrane (13).

Description

Method of filtering and purifying water and setting device

The present invention relates to a method for filtering and purifying water taken directly from any available source such as river, river, aquifer, well, water reservoir, recovery of rainwater, dew, to make it pure and suitable for human consumption as well as a device for implementing the process.

In populated areas with a drinking water distribution system, water withdrawn from one or more sources is treated in adequate facilities. The treatment applied depends on the quality of the water taken in order to obtain a correspondence with pre-established standards. However, we can have water that is not suitable for everyone because it contains too much calcium or some minerals or bacteria etc. Users have the choice to carry out a filtration or purification finer by installing a device that is found in shops or with sanitary installers to eliminate these elements. In laboratories and hospitals such facilities are also used arranged according to the purpose sought to improve the quality of the water supplied. In regions without a drinking water system, water is taken directly from the available source, which can be a river, a river, a water table, a well, a reservoir, or a simple water recovery. rain or dew. Not necessarily having the appropriate devices to perform water analyzes, they manage empirically to make it drinkable. Likewise, when one has to cross or live in arid or drought-stricken areas any water whatever its quality must be able to be used.

Water to be treated may contain several undesirable agents namely sediment such as sand and other solid debris, pollutants namely minerals, chemicals, micro ^¬ pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, etc. When analyzing the water to be treated it is possible to choose the processes, products and devices that make it possible to eliminate these pollutants, but it is almost impossible to carry out such an analysis in the situations mentioned above.

Inventors know the different treatments, products and devices currently used to filter and purify water unfit for consumption, they sought a process and apparatus for filtering and purifying any water of any quality and without first analyzing for pollutants to be eliminated.

The method according to the invention is characterized by the following steps: a) the water is taken by means of a hose provided at its free end with a strainer and passed through a first particulate filter;

b) the pressurized water is passed through a second particulate filter of greater fineness of filtration than the first;

c) the water is pressurized through an activated carbon filter;

d) the pressurized water is passed through a two-outlet reverse osmosis filter, leaving the osmosis water leaving the outlet for the next step and rejecting the remainder through the second outlet;

e) the osmosis water is passed through a UVC sterilization device arranged to produce a UVC flash of about 253 nm wavelength of the passing water in a cartridge at an intensity of 160 to 260 mJ / cm ² and the filtered and purified water is recovered at its outlet through a membrane capsule with a bacterial anti-return effect. The advantage of this process is that it allows without preliminary analysis to eliminate all sediments and pollutants and to obtain drinking water quality meeting strict standards.

According to a preferred variant the water is taken and sent under pressure by means of a suction-discharge pump.

The pressure is an important feature to be able to pass the water to be treated through the filters.

According to another variant, the filtration fineness of the first particle filter is of the order of 75 μm, the second particle filter is of the order of 5 μm, the 10 μm activated carbon filter, the osmosis filter is the order of 0.0001 pra and the bacterial membrane capsule with a bacterial anti-return effect of 0.02 μm fineness.

By means of the filters having such a fineness, all the sediments and almost all the pollutants are removed. The order chosen for the installation of different filters in series makes it possible to ensure a protection of the following filter. The invention also relates to a device for activating the process according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises an e-repressing spraying pump connected to a pipe provided at its free end with a strainer and a first filter. particles disposed upstream of said pump, which downstream of the pump are arranged in the flow directions of the water discharged by the pump: a second particulate filter followed by an activated carbon filter followed by a filter osmosis provided with two outputs one of which is arranged a flow limiter passing reject water while the other output supplies water osmosis UVC sterilization apparatus downstream of which a capsule membrane to effect anti ^¬ return bacterial leaves the filtered and purified water out.

According to a variant, the device is characterized by the fact that downstream of said pump and before the second particle filter is arranged a hour meter.

It is important after the treatment of a volume of water to replace some filters in order to continue the treatment of the water taken without affecting the quality of the water recovered. The hour meter is used to measure the quantity processed and perform this maintenance. According to a preferred embodiment the device is a portable device and the pump is an electric pump powered by a DC voltage of 12 V.

Indeed, it is important that one can easily use such a device when traveling in areas without a drinking water system. Power can be supplied to the pump by 12 V DC using, for example, the battery of a vehicle or other accumulator charged by photovoltaic or wind cells or a DC generator which may be part of the equipment when an expedition, etc.

According to a variant the pump is suction-diaphragm membrane providing a maximum discharge pressure of 4.8 bars.

Finally the flow limiter is set to allow the volume of water osmosed on the volume of the reject water is in a ratio between 1: 3 to 1: 5.

Indeed, to prevent all the treated water passing through the reverse osmosis filter passes into the discharge water must be provided a flow limiter. The inventors chose this ratio between 1: 3 and 1: 5, that is to say one liter of purified water for four to six liters of treated water in order to obtain good quality water. The invention will be described in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the device according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a reverse osmosis filter to see different elements of this filter.

In Figure 1 we have schematically represented: a water source 1, a water sampling tube 2 whose free end is provided with a strainer 3, a first particle filter 4 located upstream of a pump 5, followed by a hour meter 6, followed by a second particle filter 7 of greater fineness than the first particle filter 4, followed by an activated carbon filter followed by a reverse osmosis filter 9 provided with a first outlet 9a to a UVC sterilization device 12 and a second outlet 9b to a flow restrictor 10 allowing the discharge water to flow outwardly 11. The sterilization device 12 is provided at its outlet a 0.02pm membrane capsule with a non-return effect bacterial 13 to avoid a back-contamination of the device 12. The filtered and purified water flows freely through an outlet pipe.

In principle, the pump 5 is of the suction-discharge type, but if the water source is at a certain height with respect to the pump 5, the pump can only be repressing. The water is pumped by the pump 5 under a maximum pressure of 4.8 bar.

We will now describe in more detail the various elements of a portable device made by the inventors containing all the elements with the exception of the pipe 2 with the strainer, the first particulate filter 4. The pure water outlet pipe 14 and the electricity supply. Everything is housed in a box of approximately (H) 40 x (L) 30 x (P) 21 cm to produce about 15 to 18 liters of drinking water per hour.

The strainer 3 is a wire mesh preferably in stainless steel having a filtration fineness of about 1 to 2 mm for already filtering solid detritus in suspension. The strainer 3 is installed at the free end of a hose 2 immersed in the water source 1. The first particulate filter 4 having a fineness of The order of 75 μm is located at the second end of the hose upstream of the pump 5 so just before the connector of the hose 2 to the housing. Its purpose is to protect the pump 5 by preventing too large particles from fouling the diaphragm pump. The life of the filter 4 is several years as long as this filter is washed regularly.

The electric pump 5 is a 12V DC pump and is a suction-discharge membrane. It allows to provide a maximum delivery pressure of 4.8 Bars. It is small in size, being about 16 cm long, 6 cm high and 10 cm wide. Its total weight is about 650 grams

Inside the housing the second particulate filter 7 having a fineness of the order of 5 pm can filter particles in suspension greater than 5pm. The life of the filter 7 is between 6 and 8 m3 depending on the type of filtered water.

Between the pump 5 and the filter 7 is arranged a hour meter for measuring the volume of treated water, the flow rate being almost constant.

The activated carbon filter 8 having a filtration fineness of the order of 10 .mu.m. Placed at the second carbon filter 7, the activated carbon filter eliminates pesticides, chlorine, odors and bad taste of water. The life of the filter 8 is between 6 and 8 m3 depending on the type of filtered water.

The reverse osmosis filter 9 is placed at the outlet of the active carbon filter 8. It makes it possible to obtain a filtration of very great fineness of the order of 0.0001 μm and it eliminates 95 to 99.9% of the chemical pollutants, chlorine. , heavy metals, bacteria, turbidity, nitrates, pesticides, radioactivity. It comprises a pure water outlet 9a and a discharge outlet 9b. Referring to Figure 2 the reverse osmosis filter 9 comprises a perforated central tube 91 closed at the upstream end 92 and open on the downstream side 9a to let the osmosis water. On the central tube 91 is wound in several layers a reverse osmosis membrane 94 the assembly being housed in a casing 95. The water leaving the activated carbon filter 8 enters under pressure into the filter 9 through the inlet 93.

Pure drinking water is an essential element for the good health of man. Water quality is degraded by pollution and chemical treatments and tap water is often filled with undesirable elements that are not neutral for good shape and good health. It is fundamental to drink quality water, the most slight possible. Reverse osmosis is the process by which water passes through an ultra thin, semi-permeable membrane. This membrane is permeable to the finest molecules, ie H20. This natural process does not store contaminants, unlike conventional filters. The process is called "reverse" because it requires a sufficient pressure to "force" the pure water to pass through the membrane 94. It achieves very good results, since it eliminates from 95% to 99.9% of the particles or elements present in water. The reverse osmosis membrane allows the finest filtration, no other filter reaches this level. This quality of filtration is possible to the extent that the membrane is in good working order. This can be checked regularly by the TDS tester which measures the residual total dissolved solids in the osmosis water compared to the non-osmosis water. The most efficient filters are limited to a micron filtration, only reverse osmosis can go down well below 0.0001 micron.

Reverse osmosis water is light and very weakly mineralized. Because of its purity, it helps our body for exchanges and for the evacuation of toxins. It is a completely bio-available water. Reverse osmosis is Moreover, the method used for many years in hemodialysis. It is also used in all environments requiring pure water (laboratory, agri-food industry) Its lifespan is several years if used correctly.

In order to be able to force the pure water to pass through the membrane 94 and to pass through the perforated tube 91, a pressure is required at the inlet 93 of the tube, but a flow limiter 10 is also required at the outlet 9b of the filter 9. This limiter allows to define the ratio of the amount of osmosis water flowing from the outlet 9a to that of the outgoing discharge water 11 flowing out of the outlet 9b.

The outlet 9a of the filter 9 is connected to the inlet of a UVC 12 sterilization device. In a stainless steel housing with a UV lamp of 4 or 6W, the bacterial decontamination of the water coming out of the filter 9 is obtained. The UVC lamp is fed 12 V continuous as the pump 5. The sterilization device is arranged to produce a UVC flash of about 253 nm wavelength of water passing in a stainless cartridge at an intensity of 160 to 260 mJ / cm ^2. "The WHO standards recommend for the sterilization of drinking water an intensity of only 40 mJ / cm ^2. The chosen intensity well above the WHO standard ensures excellent sterilization. The output of device 12 is provided with a fineness of membrane capsule from 0.02 pm to anti bacterial effect ^¬ return valve 13 to prevent retro-contamination of the water contained in the device 12.

In comparison with existing portable filtration and purification products, this six-stage water filtration and purification device (two particle filters, activated carbon filter, reverse osmosis filter, UVC sterilization device, capsule membrane with an anti-return effect makes it possible to obtain an unequaled quality of filtration, to produce a pure water, free from chemical pollutants, chlorine, heavy metals, bacteria, viruses and protozoa, turbidity, nitrates, pesticides, radioactivity.

The particular arrangement of the filtration chain and the UVC sterilization device with a non-return membrane capsule which avoids the retro-contamination of the water in this device makes it possible to obtain pure water free from bacteria. and other microorganisms.

This portable device connects to all 12V power supplies of vehicles, cars, motorhomes, caravans, boats, trucks (with adapter 24 / 12v). It can also be used with portable solar devices for power supply (eg product iLAND Everywhere and others). It is easily transported by means of a backpack.

Laboratory tests (chemical & bacterial analyzes) have been successfully carried out starting from extremely polluted water.

The example describes a portable device that can deliver 15 to 18 liters of water per hour pure and fit for human consumption, but the same method can be used with a larger device using for example a pump having a larger flow and feeding in parallel several sets containing the filters 7, 8, 9 and possibly 12 to obtain a larger flow of purified water.

Claims

claims

1. Method for filtering and purifying water taken directly from any available source (1) such as river, river, aquifer, well, water reservoir, rain water, dew, to make it pure and suitable for human consumption, characterized by the following steps: a) the water is taken by means of a hose (2) provided at its free end with a strainer (3) and is passed through a first particulate filter (4);

b) the water is passed under pressure through a second particulate filter (7) of greater fineness of filtration than the first; c) the water is passed under pressure through an activated carbon filter (8);

d) the pressurized water is passed through a two-outlet reverse osmosis filter (9) (9a, 9b), leaving the osmosis water through an outlet (9a) to the next stage and rejecting the rest by the second exit (9b); e) the osmosis water is passed through a UVC sterilization device (12) arranged to produce a UVC flash of about 253 nm wavelength of water, passing through a cartridge at an intensity of 160 to 260 mJ / cm ² and we recover at its output through a membrane capsule bacterial anti-return effect (13) filtered and purified water.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the water is taken and sent under pressure by means of a suction pump-discharge (5).

3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the filtration fineness of the first particle filter (4) is of the order of 75 μπι, the second particulate filter (7) is of the order of 5 μτη, the activated carbon filter (8) is of the order of 10 μπι and the osmosis filter (9) is of the order of 0.0001 μπι and the membrane capsule anti-return effect of 0, 02 μπι.

4. Device for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a suction-displacement pump (5) connected to a pipe (2) provided at its free end with a strainer ( 3) and a first particle filter (4) arranged upstream of said pump (5), which downstream of the pump (5) are arranged in the flow directions of the water discharged by the pump: a second particulate filter (7) followed by an activated carbon filter (8) followed by an osmosis filter (9) provided with two outlets (9a, 9b), one of which (9b) is arranged with a limiter of flow (10) passing the reject water while the other outlet (9a) feeds in osmosis water a UVC sterilization device (12) downstream of which a bacterial anti-backflow membrane capsule (13) leaves the filtered and purified water.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that downstream of said pump (5) and before the second particulate filter (7) is arranged a hour meter (6).

6. Device according to one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the device is a portable device and the pump (5) is an electric pump powered by a DC voltage of 12 V.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the pump (5) is suction-diaphragm membrane providing a maximum discharge pressure of 4.8 bar.

8. Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the flow limiter (10) is set to allow the volume of water osmosed on the volume of the reject water is in a ratio from 1: 3 to 1: 5.