Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/68—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water
  • C02F1/685—Devices for dosing the additives
  • C02F1/687—Devices for dosing solid compounds

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing liquids, in particular flowing liquids with low mineral salt content, to obtain potable water enriched with a certain desired quantity of mineral salts.
• the invention relates to the sector of equipment for treating potable water such as purifiers, remineralizers and the like.
• reverse osmosis is currently the most widely used system for purifying water for consumption.
• said process allows elimination of polluting particles even of infinitesimal dimensions (up to one ten- thousandth of a micron, including viruses, bacteria and impurities in general).
• the object of the present invention is to propose an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing flowing liquids, in particular flowing liquids with a low mineral salt content, which overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of prior art.
• an object of the invention is to propose an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing flowing liquids, in particular flowing liquids with a low mineral salt content, which allows potable water enriched with a certain desired quantity of mineral salts, which is always perfectly dosed and mixed, to be obtained.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing flowing liquids which is simple to produce and also with small overall dimensions, in such a manner as to allow domestic use thereof, as well as use in public concerns, health structures and in industry, using a liquid coming from the normal water mains.
• the invention provides an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing flowing liquids comprising a container of concentrated mineral salts, dosing means adapted to feed a desired quantity of said concentrated mineral salts toward a mixing and homogenization unit adapted to produce a liquid enriched with mineral salts, characterized in that said mixing and homogenization unit comprises a container, inserted inside which is at least one bulkhead adapted to define at least a preceding chamber and a subsequent chamber, a passage for the liquid enriched with salts being provided between one chamber and the other, the ratio between the volume of said preceding chamber and the area of said passage being between 60 and 800 with the area of the passage measured in cm 2 and the volume of the chamber measured in cm 3
• a liquid passage thus configured generates a predetermined path that causes a fast flowing and turbulent trend of the liquid and of the minerals to be dissolved, mixed and homogenized correctly.
• the liquid in the step in which the liquid flows from the preceding chamber into the subsequent chamber through said passage, the liquid is first subjected to a decrease in pressure (with increase in speed) and subsequently to an increase in pressure (with a decrease in speed).
• said passage between a preceding chamber and a subsequent chamber is defined between at least a wall of the container and at least one of said bulkheads inserted inside said container.
• Said container preferably of regular shape, also allows the overall dimensions of the mixing unit to be limited at the same time maximizing the volume of each inner chamber.
• Fig. 1 is a simplified side view of an apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing flowing liquids according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is a view of a detail of Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a mixing and homogenization unit of the apparatus according to the invention.
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mixing and homogenization unit of the apparatus according to the invention.
• Fig. 5 is a top view of the mixing and homogenization unit according to the invention.
• Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing liquids according to the invention.
• Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the system of a variant of the apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing liquids according to the invention.
• the apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing liquids comprises a container 2 of concentrated mineral salts connected to dosing means, indicated as a whole with 3, which allow a desired quantity of said mineral salts 5 to be fed toward a mixing and homogenization unit, indicated as a whole with 4.
• said container 2 comprises one or more tanks 6 provided with an upper cover 7 on which a mixing device 8 is mounted.
• the tanks 6 are parallelepiped in shape which on the one hand allows optimization of the overall dimensions of the apparatus and simultaneously improves the efficiency of the mixer 8, creating a turbulent movement of the mineral salts 5 during the mixing step.
• Said mixing device 8 comprises an electric drive 9, for example an electric motor or the like, connected to a mixer 10 immersed in the mineral salts 5 adapted to guarantee a homogeneous concentration of said concentrated salts inside the container 2.
• said container 2 is provided with a level measuring device 1 1 , preferably positioned in proximity of the bottom of the container, which detects when the quantity of salts drops below a certain minimum level and through a control system warns the user, for example with an acoustic signal, of the need to restore the correct quantity.
• a level measuring device 1 1 preferably positioned in proximity of the bottom of the container, which detects when the quantity of salts drops below a certain minimum level and through a control system warns the user, for example with an acoustic signal, of the need to restore the correct quantity.
• the dosing means 3 comprise a pumping element 12, preferably a peristaltic pump, which has the task of picking up from the container 2 the exact quantity of concentrated mineral salts required to obtain an outflowing liquid with the desired quantity of mineral salts.
• this type of pump allows practically perfect control of the quantity of concentrated mineral salts dispensed by controlling the run time thereof (square wave function).
• a peristaltic pump with a high discharge pressure in any case greater than the pressure of the liquid coming from the water mains (e.g. 3-5 bar), prevents the liquid with low mineral salt content from flowing back into the container 2 of the concentrated mineral salts and allows precise and continuous feed of the concentrated salts without the risk of clogging.
• the pumping element 12 is fed by a suction duct 13 connected in the lower part of the tank 6 while it discharges into a duct 14 in turn connected to a duct 15 that feeds the flowing liquid with low mineral salt content 16 toward the mixing and homogenization unit 4.
• said delivery duct 14 of the concentrated salts flows into the feed duct 15 from the bottom upwards (Fig. 2); otherwise, for example if it were to flow from the top downwards, due to the greater specific weight of the mineral salts present in the delivery duct 14 with respect to the weight of the water, descent and dilution of part of said salts would occur in the duct 15 even when the pumping element 12 is idle.
• the mixing and homogenization unit 4 comprises a container provided with at least two chambers, a preceding chamber and a subsequent chamber, in fluid connection with each other, between which a passage is provided for the liquid enriched with mineral salts.
• a plurality of chambers are provided, connected to one another by a plurality of passages.
• the mixing and homogenization unit 4 comprises a container 17 connected at the inlet with a feed duct 18, into which the delivery duct 14 of the pumping element 12 and the feed duct 15 of the liquid with low mineral salt content 16 flow, and at the outlet with an outflow duct 19.
• said container 17, of regular shape and in particular substantially parallelepiped in shape contains on the inside thereof one or more bulkheads 20 defining a plurality of chambers 21 in fluid connection with one another.
• these chambers are from 4 to 8 in number, more preferably 6 chambers.
• FIG. 3 a preferred embodiment of the mixing and homogenization unit 4 according to the invention is illustrated.
• Said mixing and homogenization unit 4 comprises a container 17 substantially parallelepiped in shape with a lower wall 171 , an upper wall
• the wall 173 is provided with two openings 22 and 23, respectively for inflow of the liquid enriched with mineral salts to be mixed coming from the duct 18 and for outflow of the liquid enriched with mineral salts perfectly mixed and homogenized toward the duct 19.
• said openings 22 and 23 have a smaller diameter with respect to that of the relative inflow 18 and outflow 19 pipes, in such a manner as to create a variation of pressure of the liquid passing through said openings.
• the inside of the container 17 is preferably provided with a horizontal bulkhead 201 , which defines an upper area and a lower area, and preferably with four vertical bulkheads 202, 203, 204 and 205 which define six chambers 21 1 , 212, 213, 214, 215 and 216.
• the chambers 21 1 , 212 and 213 are located in the upper area while the chambers 214, 215 and 216 are located in the lower area of the container.
• the bulkhead 201 extends in contact with all four lateral walls
• the vertical bulkheads 202, 203, 204 and 205 instead extend in contact with the horizontal bulkhead 201 and with the walls of the container only on three edges in such a manner that between a preceding chamber and a subsequent chamber a passage is defined between at least one wall of the container or said horizontal bulkhead and an edge of said vertical bulkheads.
• said vertical bulkheads extend in height in contact with the bulkhead 201 and one of the upper 172 or lower 171 walls of the container 17, while laterally they extend in contact with only one lateral wall 174 or 176 of the container 17.
• a passage 25 is created between a lateral edge of each vertical bulkhead 202 , 203, 204 and 205 and a lateral wall 174 or 176 of the container, to allow the liquid to flow from a preceding chamber to the subsequent chamber.
• An opening 26 is instead produced in the horizontal bulkhead 201 which places the upper area in connection with the lower area of the container 17.
• said opening 26 places the chamber 213 and the chamber 214 in fluid connection.
• Said passages 25 and said opening 26 are dimensioned in such a manner that when the liquid passes therethrough it is firstly subjected to a decrease in pressure (with an increase in speed) and subsequently to an increase in pressure (with a decrease in speed).
• the alternate positioning of the passages 25 with respect to the walls of the container 17 allows the creation of a winding path of the liquid in the passage from a preceding to a subsequent chamber (Fig. 4).
• the walls of the container 17 are made of a material with high mechanical strength, preferably metal, and dimensioned in such a manner as to be able to withstand the pressure forces that are created inside the mixing unit 5.
• the vertical bulkheads 202, 203, 204 and 205, and the horizontal bulkhead 201 are preferably made of silver which, as it is known, performs an important antibacterial action for the liquid travelling through or stagnant in the mixing unit.
• the dimension of the container 17, and that of the chambers 21 1 , 212, 213, 214, 215 and 216 is determined in such a manner as to reduce the overall dimensions of the apparatus to a minimum, but at the same time to contain a sufficient quantity of liquid to allow completion of mixing and homogenization of the concentrated mineral salts in the liquid.
• the dimensions of the container 17, and of the concentrated salt container 2 must be proportioned according to the flow rate of liquid enriched with mineral salts to be dispensed by the apparatus.
• these dimensions can be, for example, around 500 cm 3 for a flow rate of liquid enriched with mineral salts of 0.5 - 5 litres per minute.
• the desired quantity of concentrated mineral salts 5 is determined by means of a control device comprising at least one sensor 27 positioned on the delivery duct 19 (or optionally inside the mixing unit 4), a flow meter 28 positioned on the feed duct 15, which measures the flow rate of liquid with low mineral salt content 16, and a programmable control unit 29 connected to said sensors and to the dosing means 3.
• a first solenoid valve 30 is positioned on the feed duct 15 of the liquid with low mineral salt content 16, while a second solenoid valve 31 is positioned on the dispensing duct 38 (Fig. 6).
• said selection means allow said apparatus to be used to dispense a flowing liquid remineralized with a desired quantity of mineral salts (valve 30 open and valve 31 closed) or to by-pass the apparatus and dispense the liquid as it is supplied, for example, from the water mains to which said apparatus is connected (valve 30 closed and valve 31 open). Operation of the apparatus takes place as described below:
• the mineral salts 5 to be added to the flowing liquid 16 are placed inside the tank 6 through the filling cap.
• the desired parameters of the liquid enriched with mineral salts are set in the control unit 29, which by interpreting the value of fixed residue or conductivity detected by the sensor 27 and according to the flow rate of liquid with low mineral salt content 16 measured by the flow meter 28 establishes the necessary quantity of concentrated mineral salts 5 to be added to the liquid with low mineral salt content 16.
• the senor 27 is positioned downstream of the mixing chamber, in such a manner as to measure the conductivity of the liquid already enriched with salts 35 so as to allow a feedback operation that allows correction of any dosing errors by the dosing means 3
• control unit 29 operates the mixing device 8 for a few seconds to eliminate any non-homogeneous concentrations of the mineral salts 5 which are inside the tank (for example, caused by a situation of lengthy stagnation) before drawing by the pumping unit 12.
• the control unit 29 opens the solenoid valve 30 that feeds the liquid with low mineral salt content 16 toward the mixing unit.
• the necessary quantity of concentrated mineral salts 5 is quantified by the pumping unit 12, controlled by the control unit 29, which delivers it to the inflow duct 18 where it is incorporated in the liquid with low mineral salt content 16 coming from the water mains, from a reverse osmosis or deionization system through the duct 15.
• control system controls the pumping element so that it dispenses a constant flow rate of product (rotating at a constant number of revolutions) and dosing the exact quantity of mineral salts 5 through the run time of said pumping element (square wave function).
• This method allows very precise dosing of the quantity of concentrated salts 5 even with relatively simple pumping systems, such as peristaltic pumps.
• a check valve 32 positioned on the delivery duct 19 prevents the liquid with low mineral salt content coming from the water mains or from other devices from reaching the mixing unit 4 when the apparatus is used to dispense the liquid as it is supplied, for example from the water mains or from other devices, without the addition of concentrated mineral salts.
• the liquid enriched with mineral salts 35 therefore enters the mixing and homogenization unit 4 where the step of mixing and homogenization of the concentrated mineral salts 5 in the liquid with low mineral salt content 16 is completed.
• the liquid entering through the opening 22 follows the winding path defined by the passages 25 and by the openings 26 and 23 being subjected to continuous variations in pressure which, as already explained, ensure perfect mixing of the concentrated mineral salts 5.
• the liquid enriched with mineral salts 35 perfectly mixed and homogenized is then sent to the dispensing duct 38 which distributes it through external means, such as taps or the like, not indicated in the figures.
• two or more apparatus for mineralizing or remineralizing liquids can be combined and made to operate in series or in parallel.
• An example of a diagram of the system with two apparatus combined is shown in Fig. 7.
• each container 2 can contain a given mixture of concentrated mineral salts which can be chosen by the user according to preferences.
• Each supply duct 15 of the liquid with low mineral salt content will be provided with a further solenoid valve 40 to exclude the relative apparatus according to the user's choice.
• the control system will open the solenoid valve to supply the apparatus provided with the mixture to be used, while it will close the other.
• control system will then open both solenoid valves 40 and will manage the activation times of the dosing means 3 to supply the desired quantity of concentrated mineral salts.
• the enriched liquids coming from the two delivery ducts 19 will then flow into the dispensing duct 38 where they will mix together practically instantaneously.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
• Accessories For Mixers (AREA)

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Citations (2)

• 2009
  • 2009-11-24 IT ITMI2009A002066A patent/IT1396616B1/it active
• 2010
  • 2010-11-23 WO PCT/IB2010/055376 patent/WO2011064721A1/en active Application Filing

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