Abstract:
A point of use water purification unit for continuously and completely purifying water at all point of use for removing all chemicals, killing all microorganisms; the device having a computer monitored and controlled system for degassing, super heating and exploding water into a vacuum chamber, condensing the steam in a counter current cold brine apparatus and stored in a holding tank.

Description:
This application is a 371 PCT/US97/11261 filed Jun. 27, 1997, which claims benefit of Ser. No. 60/022,015 filed Jun. 27, 1996. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This present invention relates to a point of use water purification unit designed to continuously and completely purify water at all points of use such as homes, restaurants, hotels, military, sea and field units as well as desalination of sea water at the point of use. The device will remove all chemicals, all microorganisms and replete the water with essential ground minerals. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Pure water for consumption, use in cooking and to maintain hygiene is a universal need. The purity and safety of water is deteriorating world wide. Tap water is no longer safe in major U.S. and foreign cities. It is contaminated by microbes, chemicals, heavy metals and in many instances ground water and sewage which gets into the distribution systems which are old and dilapidated. Improvement of municipal water treatment systems will be of little benefit. In line filtration and treatment along the distribution system will also be of little benefit because the distribution systems are old, leaky and in some instances are contaminated by lead joints. Pure water for our cities is a big challenge which will not be soon solved. It is therefore imperative that point of use water purification for all of the water used in the home be the immediate solution. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device that will accomplish the function of providing at the point of use a water treatment system that can convert any water into microbe free, chemical free, chlorine free, pleasant tasting, soft, mineral repleted water for the whole house, apartment, restaurant or other establishment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a system for water purification in which the feed water is preheated through a heat exchanger which takes energy from the systems refrigeration unit (condenser side) in order to conserve maximum energy. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a thin water layer, centrifugal, vacuum chamber for degassing the feed water. 
     An additional object of this invention is to take advantage of the peculiar and little known physical character of degassed water. Pure water, when free of dissolved gases, may be heated above 100 degrees C. (up to 180 degrees C.) without boiling, but upon further heating, boiling may occur with explosive violence. This steam at (100 degrees C.) occupies a volume 1700 times greater than water at 100 degrees C. 
     It is a further object of the invention to isolate the degassing chamber by a series of three (3) in line valves. These valves are electronic and controlled by the on board computer controller. 
     Another object of the invention is to heat the degassed feed water to 260 degrees F. under pressure and then spray it into a heated 350 degrees F. vacuum chamber, where it flash vaporizes in an explosive manner, thereby providing the pressure and vaporization to evacuate the chamber into the condenser. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a brine chilled counter current heat exchanger at 20 degrees F. to condense the vaporized pressured steam to chemically and microbiologically pure water at ambient temperature. 
     An additional object of this invention is to provide a holding tank containing a UV light source to maintain a microbial free condition of the water and providing high water level and lower water level sensors to regulate system operation through the on board microprocessor. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a booster pump which through in line pressure sensors will provide the desired pressure and flow throughout the system. This pressure and flow will be augmented by smaller in line pumps, if necessary. 
     A further object of the invention is to pass the water of this invention, as it flows from the holding tank, through a colloidal mineral column (to replace trace minerals) and lastly through a carbon column to assure good taste and freshness of the water. 
     An additional object of the invention is to provide an electronically heated (or other energy source) vegetable oil circulated through a jacket in the preheat heat exchanger and heated vacuum chamber. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical refrigeration unit to chill the brine of the counter current condensing chamber and to provide heat for the preheater. 
     An additional object of the invention is to provide a back wash capability for each part of the system which will contain a scale dissolving potable water for keeping the system clean. This back wash will be timed and sequenced by the computer processor. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide four degassing centrifugal vacuum chambers and four heated vacuum vaporization chambers, each of which operates as a batch process and is sequenced by the computer controller as sensors indicate the unit is operational from the stand point of temperature, pressure and vacuum. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will either be set forth in the description that follows, will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The object and advantages of the invention may be obtained by the apparatus and method particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention as embodied and as broadly described herein, a point of use water purification unit is revealed which continuously and completely purifies water at all points of use such as homes, restaurants, hotels and military field units, as well as desalinates sea water at the point of use. The device will remove all chemicals, kill all microorganisms and replete the water with essential ground minerals. The device is comprised of a computer monitored and controlled system for degassing, super heating and exploding water into a vacuum chamber, in which instant steam results. The steam is condensed in a counter current cold brine apparatus and stored in a holding tank containing ultraviolet light and is evacuated to the point of use by a booster pump flowing through a mineral repleting column and a carbon filter for freshness and the assurance of the absence of off taste. 
     Containment means are provided for holding these various components together in a compact package. The entire unit is monitored and controlled by a series of sensors, drivers and a computer processor. 
     Preferably, the containment means and all components should be covered compact and packaged for ease of installation and simplicity of operation. The unit may be housed either indoors or outdoors. 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a comprehensive schematic drawing of the entire unit with its various components as well as indications as to the working mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed schematic of the intake water preheater unit which preheats the water from the cooling refrigeration unit condenser, showing the flow of hot gas and cool intake water in a counter current direction with the gas pipe being housed inside the water pipe. 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed schematic of the degassing centrifugal vacuum chamber; one of four such chambers working on a batch principle and sequenced by a computer. 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed schematic of the counter current heat exchanger which will bring the degassed water temperature to 260 degrees F. under pressure. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed schematic of the heated vacuum expansion chamber of the invention with its heat source and regulator valve mechanism. 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed schematic of the brine counter current heat exchanger for cooling the steam distillate. 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed schematic of the ambient temperature holding tank, with level sensors and ultraviolet treatment tanks. 
         FIG. 8  is a detailed schematic of the filter tank: 1) mineral repletion column 2) carbon filter column. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     References will not be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, like referenced characters are used to designate like elements. 
     The water purification and conditioning unit of the invention are schematically illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 .  FIG. 1  reveals a general schematic of the entire system of this invention. Raw water from the source comes into the system through conduit  1 . In  FIG. 2 , it then flows into counter current heat exchanger  2  where the water is preheated and the gas from the compressor is cooled. Water enters the heat exchanger  2  through conduit  1 . The heated refrigerant enters the heat exchanger through conduit  2   a  which traverses the system inside conduit  2   b . All of the conduits are held by attachment means  2   c . This system flows in a counter current fashion and allows the most rapid heat exchanger feasible. Feed water then enters manifold  15  and is distributed to degassing pots  11  of FIG.  3  through conduit  16  and controlled by valve  10  which is regulated by computer  38 . The four degassing pots have an inner centrifugally operated pot  11   i  which is about four liters in size. The centrifugal motion is driven by a small high speed motor  11   h  on the bottom of the pot  11   h . There is an outer housing an inflow valve  10 , an outflow valve  14  and a vacuum valve  12 . Water flows into the centrifugal chamber where it is spun at 3-5 thousand RPM contained in a vacuum of 18-20 inches by circular vacuum pump  9  for 10-20 seconds. The unit is then stopped and the vacuum valve closed, water drains in to manifold  40 . The four degassing chambers are being sequenced by the computer such that one is always filling, one is emptying and the other two are spinning or pumping vacuum. The detailed operation of the degassing is as follows. Preheated feed water enters the degassing chamber through conduit  16 , through valve  10  and enters the centrifugal chamber  11   i  through opening  11   k  of baffle  11   j . Water is sprayed onto the walls of chamber  11   i  by rotary water jets  11   d . Chamber  11   l  is rotated at 3-5000 RPM by motor  11   h  while a vacuum is maintained through conduit  17 . The vacuum is protected from water by baffle  11   j  and  11   b . Vacuum ports  11   c  are above baffle  11   b . In sequence, vacuum is applied, centrifugal speed is maximum and water is injected onto the walls of  11   i . Vacuum is released and the degassed water exits through conduit  13  and valve  14 . 
     Degassed water then enters counter current heat exchanger  25  where it is heated to 260 degrees F. In  FIG. 4 , heated vegetable oil at 260 degrees F. enters heat exchanger  25  through conduit  25   b . Degassed water enters through conduit  40 . Heated degassed water exits conduit  26  after picking up the heat in the counter current exchanger. The oil exits through conduit  25   a  to be reheated. Insulation  43  covers the heated oil conduits. The water then flows into conduit  26  where it is injected through valve  27  into the heated (360 degrees F.) vacuum expansion chamber.  FIG. 5  represents the heated vacuum expansion chamber  20 . Degassed water at 250 degrees F. and 10 PSI pressure is injected through valve  27  and conduit  28  (which goes through baffle  20   c ) onto the wall of the chamber through ejection ports  20   b . The inner surface of the chamber is 350 degrees F. Prior to the injection, a vacuum is pulled through conduit  23 , which is shielded by baffle  20   d . The vacuum is locked in by valves  24 ,  21  and  27 . Valve  27  opens to inject the water. It then closes and  21  opens to allow exit for the steam through opening  22 . The chamber then recycles. The water instantly vaporizes, leaving all residue behind as the steam ejects itself through vale  21  and conduit  22  into the counter current brine chiller  30 .  FIG. 6  represents the brine counter current heat exchange for cooling the distillate. Steam enters the counter current heat exchanger through conduit  22 . The chilled brine (20 degrees F.) enters in the opposite direction through conduit  30   b . The condensed, cool, pure water exits through conduit  30   a  and the heat laden brine exits through conduit  30   c  to return to the chiller. The chilled brine conduits are insulate by covering  8 . Free, microbe free water then drains into holding tank  31 .  FIG. 7  represents the holding tank  31  for the purified water. Pure water enters that tank through conduit  31   b . Level sensors  39  and  39   a  control the operation of the system. UV tubes  31   a  maintain a microbe free tank of pure water. Water is then pumped by pump  32  into filter bank. Water level sensor  39  sends data to the computer which controls the various activation areas of the system. The tank contains UV sterilizer lamps to assure continued microbe free water. The water is then taken to the point of use through pump  32 .  FIG. 8  represents the filter bank of this invention which is made up of a mineral repletion column and an activate charcoal filter with conduit means, automated valve means and automatic back wash means. The pure water from the holding tank enters the mineral replacement unit  33  through conduit  33   a . The mineral replacement unit contains porous rock to which is bound a carefully calculated mineral composition held to the porous rock as pumice by a proprietary mineral colloid. The mineral colloid mixture is held in feeder tank  33   b  and is programmed to cycle the desired amount through column  33 , conduit  33   g  and conduit  33   d . After cycling, any excess is injected into  33   f . This solution then flows through conduit  33   g  on demand to back wash the entire system. Water flows from conduit  33   a  through the automated back wash system, through conduit  35  into auto backwash  34   a , then through conduit  34   d  to the bottom of the carbon filter bank and then out through conduits  37  to the point of consumption. 
     Preheater (heat exchanger)  25  is heated by vegetable oil from heat source and pump  29  (260 degrees F.). Heat jackets for vacuum expansion chamber  20  are kept at 350 degrees F. by circulating vegetable oil pumped into and returning through conduit  41  into manifold  42 . The conduits  43 ,  41  and  42  are double conduits (both inflow and outflow). 
     Since there are four (4) parallel batch steps in this device design, the flow of water has no detectable difference from a flow through system. 
     Automatic backwash is computer controlled and is done at times of no use demands on the water level in tank  31 . 
     The following table lists the part numbers and part descriptions as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto. 
     Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.