Patent ID: 6413423
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: B01D,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
In liquid treatment apparatus comprising a plurality of separate discrete liquid treating units, each of said units containing liquid treating media which must be backwashed periodically, and each of said units having an untreated liquid inlet and a treated liquid outlet, with untreated liquid receiving treatment in each of said units by flowing from its untreated liquid inlet through said media in one direction, and treated liquid exiting from each of said units by flowing through its treated liquid outleta single flow control valve comprising: an untreated liquid distribution chamber having an inlet opening for connection to a source of pressurized untreated liquid, said liquid distribution chamber having a plurality of untreated liquid distribution ports, each liquid distribution port being connected to the untreated liquid inlet port of one of said units; a treated liquid collection chamber having a plurality of treated liquid ports, each treated liquid port being connected to the treated liquid outlet of one Of said units, said liquid collection chamber having a service outlet opening for treated liquid flowing to service from said apparatus; a drain chamber having a drain port connected to a drain at essentially atmospheric pressure, said untreated liquid distribution chamber and said treated liquid collection chamber and said drain chamber being sealed from each other; and a flow diverter member having one end in said drain chamber in continuous communication with said drain port, an other end of said flow diverter member being located in said liquid distribution chamber, said other end being pivotable selectively into connection with each of said liquid distribution ports so as to connect to said drain port a selected liquid distribution port and the liquid inlet port of a selected unit associated with said selected liquid distribution port while simultaneously sealing said selected liquid distribution port and the liquid inlet port of said selected unit from incoming untreated liquid in said liquid distribution chamber, and thereby reducing the pressure at the untreated liquid inlet of said selected unit to essentially atmospheric pressure so as cause treated liquid from said liquid collection chamber to flow through said selected unit to said drain port in a direction reverse to said one direction and thereby to backwash said media in said selected unit.