Abstract:
An apparatus and method for purifying a liquid comprising a photolytic light chamber producing ultraviolet light in the 100 to 300 nanometer range, said light passing through a quartz tube or lens to irradiate the liquid passing through a chamber containing the liquid.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a division of application Ser. No. 10/9805039, filed on Dec. 13, 2004 in the name of the same inventor. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND ON THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Presently, the quality of the global pure drinking water supply is decreasing at a faster rate than the population is expanding. The United Nations International children&#39;s Educational Foundation (UNICEF) estimates that 20,000 to 30,000 children die every day from waterborne diseases such as typhoid, malaria,  e - coli,  cholera and many other contaminants. These contaminants can also include such things as salts, halogens, organic solvents, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial chemicals, bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other foreign matters.  
         [0003]     The extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides by farmers, runoffs from major animal husbandry sites, contamination spills by industries, the dumping of raw sewage into our lakes and streams and the significant number of landfill sites have caused many contaminants to percolate down through the soil and into the underlying water tables throughout the world. The result is that today many more wells and springs are now testing positive for a wide array of toxins and contaminants harmful to human, animal and plant health.  
         [0004]     In many areas of the world, and in the United States of America, public water supply systems are monitored for diseases and toxins on a regular basis to assure the public that the water is safe to drink. However, cases are still reported in the U.S. of contaminated water supply systems. Furthermore the majority of the water piping and distribution systems in the U.S., and internationally, are many decades old and as the water passes from a main purification site to an end user, the water can pickup additional contaminants and toxins from the aging water distribution systems.  
         [0005]     There have been a variety of attempts to provide purified water at a user or business&#39; point of entry and/or point of use site. One such device is known as the Britta. It is a single stage filter utilizing the laws of gravity and a carbon block held in a container. Water is poured into a top holding container and gravity slowly draws the water through the carbon block to a lower container for consumption. Carbon does reduce some toxic chemicals and gases from water however it does not purify the water. This device is also greatly limited by the capacity of water that it can produce in a 24-hour period. It most certainly would not produce enough filtered water to supply a family of four with enough drinking and cooking water for an entire day.  
         [0006]     There are other products available that provide two stage filtering devices consisting of a carbon block filtration and a paper filter surrounding or in line with the carbon block. However, these systems do not address the issue of microorganisms in the water, which can bypass the filtration systems.  
         [0007]     Yet another product available to consumers is a device called the Pur water filter. This system utilizes a small and low wattage ultraviolet (UV) lamp and a carbon block filter. The UV light is known to kill microorganisms in the air and in water. Unfortunately, the UV lamp deteriorates over time to the point that it cannot produce the necessary wavelength to kill microorganisms in the water. Furthermore, the system does not provide a means to know when the UV lamp has deteriorated. As such, the end user may think that the device is adequately killing microorganisms when in fact the UV lamp has become useless as a biocide. The use of a laser for producing UV light for treating water has also been described by Goudy in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,264  
         [0008]     Another additional means of purifying water has been the use of what is known as KDF 85 and/or KDF 55 as a biocide and is described by Heskett in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,869. This process utilizes a compound that is basically copper and zinc that creates and ion exchange and chelating (clumping together) producing properties in the water. This material is primarily used in large municipal water treating systems however there have been some attempts to have the KDF 85 or KDF 55 material impregnated onto a paper filter for point of use water treatment systems with limited success.  
         [0009]     While all of the above presented means provide some degree for improving the water supply, none of them fully purify the water in an economical and efficient manner. As such, a technical need still exists to purify water, air or other fluids quickly, efficiently, over a long-term use and do so economically. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will be better understood by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention along with a review of the drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an overall view of the various components of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the first collective filtration unit used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the molecular reaction chamber used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a planer view of the first and second photolytic light chambers used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the second collective filtration unit used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the carbon filter used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a view of the cover that covers and protects the entire unit show in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a planer view of the pressure gauge.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional planar view of the molecular reaction chamber depicting a plurality of internal mesh screens.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the invention to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
         [0021]     Furthermore, the order of the itemized steps in  FIG. 1  are not meant to limit the scope of the invention to the specific itemized order of those steps, but rather to include those steps in any relevant order including any alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
         [0022]     To aid in the understanding of the invention, examples of some of the specific itemized steps are provided for clarification purposes only. In particular, some of the examples use water for the liquid being purified, however, these examples are not meant to limit the invention to only water, but rather to include any alternative, modification and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
         [0023]     The present invention provides a method and apparatus for treating water or other liquid to assure that the water or liquid is of a high degree of purity. The origin of the water or liquid can be from any source such as municipal water supply systems, independent well systems, tanker truck or rail car, a lake, a river, desalinized sea water, collected rail water or other like source.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  depicts an overall view of the liquid treating apparatus  1  without the cover for the apparatus. The cover is shown later in  FIG. 7 . The liquid treating apparatus  1  contains a base  2  to which elements of the liquid treating apparatus are connected. The base  2  is constructed with a plurality of mounting holes  3  such that the liquid treating apparatus can be mounted to a wall (not shown) or a frame (not shown). Other equally effective mounting systems are well known in the art.  
         [0025]     The water or other liquid (not shown) flows from a pressurized source (not shown) through the inlet pipe  4  through a pressure regulator  5  through a first transfer pipe  6  and then through a flow indicator  7 . The pressure regulator  5  assures that the liquid is maintained at or below a predetermined pressure setting for optimal operating efficiency of the liquid treating apparatus  1 . The flow meter  7  is connected  8  to the laser light source generator  9  such that the laser light source generator  9  only generates a laser light (not shown) in the ultraviolet range when the flow indicator  7  indicates that liquid is flowing through the liquid treating apparatus  1 . As the liquid exits the flow indicator the liquid travels through a second transfer pipe  10  to the first stage of the liquid treatment apparatus  1 .  
         [0026]     The first stage of the liquid treatment apparatus  1  is the primary collective filtration unit  11 . The primary collective filtration unit  11  (shown in detail in  FIG. 2 ) contains a 5.0 micron filter whose primary purpose is to prevent any chemical, particulate matter or other media 5.0 microns or larger from traveling any further than this stage in the liquid treating apparatus  1 .  
         [0027]     The liquid then exits the primary collective filtration unit  11  and travels through a third transfer pipe  12  to the second stage of the liquid treatment apparatus  1 . The second stage of the liquid treatment apparatus  1  is a molecular reaction unit  13 , called the Hydro-Media Reaction Chamber, that functions as an effective biocide. The details and design of the molecular reaction unit  13  is discussed in greater detail in relation to  FIG. 3  later in this description of the invention.  
         [0028]     The liquid then exits the molecular reaction unit  13  and flows through a fourth transfer pipe  14  to the third stage of the liquid treatment apparatus  1 . The third stage of liquid treatment apparatus is a first photolytic laser chamber  15  in which the liquid is subjected to ultraviolet light in the 100 to 300 nanometer range produced by a laser light source generator  9  and received by a laser light receiver  16 . This process acts as a biocide by altering the contaminants so that they can be filtered out later and removes volatile organic compounds. The ultraviolet light destroys organic compounds by breaking the covalent bonds in the chemical thereby forming free radicals which react with water and break down into harmless substances. Details of the first and second photolytic light chambers  15  and  22  are shown later in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0029]     The liquid then exits the first photolytic laser chamber  15  through a fifth transfer pipe  17  and enters a secondary collective filtration unit  18 . The secondary collective filtration unit  18  utilizes a 0.5 micron filter which traps or collects all of the destroyed microorganisms that were affected by the first photolytic laser chamber  15  and any particulate matter or other media that is 0.5 microns in size or larger. Details of the secondary collective filtration unit  18  are shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0030]     The liquid then exits the secondary collective filtration unit  18  and travels through a sixth transfer pipe  19  to a carbon filtration unit  20 . The carbon filtration unit  20  utilizes a pharmaceutical grade granular activated carbon filter. This unit removes odors, chlorine, benzenes and other aromatic ring structures, pesticides and many other volatile organic hydrocarbons that may be found in various combinations in water and/or other liquids. The granular configuration of the activated carbon provides an effective method for maintaining a desired liquid flow rate with maximum beneficial results in eliminating the aforementioned odors and compounds. Details of the carbon filtration unit  20  are shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0031]     The liquid then exits the carbon filtration unit  20  through a seventh transfer pipe  21  and enters a second photolytic laser chamber  22 . The second photolytic laser chamber  22  also operates in the 100 to 300 nanometer range. This second photolytic laser chamber  22  is the final stage in the liquid treatment apparatus  1  and assures that the liquid and/or water leaving the unit is free from microorganisms by subjecting the liquid or water to a second ultraviolet light process identical to the first photolytic laser chamber  15 . This provides additional protection to overcome any effects of colonization or of filtration failure. The water or other liquid then exits the unit through an eighth transfer pipe  23 .  
         [0032]     The eighth transfer pipe  23  is then connected to a pressure gage  24  which is in turn connected to the out going liquid supply line  25 . The pressure gage  24  is color coded in red, yellow and green zones. When the pressure gage  24  indicates that the liquid pressure in the liquid treatment apparatus  1  is in the green zone, the filters do not have to be replaced. When the pressure gage  24  indicates that the liquid pressure is in the yellow zone, it is time to prepare for changing the filters or to change the filters. When the pressure gage  24  indicates that the liquid pressure is in the red zone, the filters should be replaced. Details of the pressure gage  24  are shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 2  depicts a cross-sectional view of the primary collection filtration unit  11 . This unit consists of a cap  26  with a liquid inlet chamber  27  and a liquid outlet chamber  28 . The cap  26  is attached to the removable primary collection filtration body  29  with an o-ring  30  between the cap  26  and the removable filtration body  29  to prevent liquid leakage. Inside the primary collection filtration unit  11  is a 5.0 micron filter  31  for the collection of contaminants 5.0 microns in size or larger. In operation, the liquid flows through the second transfer pipe  10  into the liquid inlet chamber  27  and into the center of the filter  32 . The liquid then passes through the filter  31  trapping any objects 5.0 microns in size or larger and exits the collection filtration body  29  through the outlet chamber  28  and the third transfer pipe  12  attached to the cap  26 . The cap  26  also has a bleeder valve  33  for bleeding off excess air when the unit is initialized or after replacing the filter  31 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of the molecular reaction unit  13 . The molecular reaction unit  13  has an upper cap  34  with a liquid inlet chamber  35  and a liquid outlet chamber  36 . The third transfer pipe  12  is connected to the liquid inlet chamber  35  and the fourth transfer pipe  14  is connected to the liquid outlet chamber  36 . The cap  34  is secured to a removable reaction chamber body  37  with an o-ring  38  between the cap  34  and the reaction chamber body  37 . A filter pad  39 , preferably polypropylene or nylon, separates the interior of the upper reaction chamber  40  and the outlet chamber  36  located in the cap  34 . Attached to the cap  34  is an internal supply tube  41  that extends down to almost the base of the reaction chamber body  37  and within but not touching the conical screen  46  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Attached near the center of the internal supply tube  41  is a middle mesh screen  42 , preferably made of stainless steel that separates the upper reaction chamber  40  from the lower reaction chamber  43 . Placed inside of both the upper and lower reaction chambers  40  and  43  is a reaction material  44 , preferably a material called KDF 85 and/or KDF 55 as identified and described by Heskett in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,869. However, other reaction materials  44  are available that could be utilized in place of the KDF 85 and/or KDF 55 and/or in conjunction with the KDF reaction materials  44 . Fixedly attached to the internal supply tube  41  near its base within but not in contact with the conical screen  46  as shown in  FIG. 3  is a solid dual funnel shaped object  45  called the dual funnel. At the base of the internal supply tube  41  is a conically shaped mesh screen  46  as shown in  FIG. 3 , preferably made of stainless steel that covers the internal supply tube opening and wraps up and around the cylindrically shaped deflector cup  47  shown in  FIG. 3  and is fixedly attached to the top of the deflector cup  47 . The mesh screen  46  assures that the reaction material  44  stays above the deflector cup  47  in the lower reaction chamber  43  in order to assure that the reaction material  44  operates in a turbulent manner with the liquid in the lower reaction chamber  43  when the liquid is flowing through the liquid treatment apparatus  1 . Also attached to the deflector cup  47  is the lower chamber funnel  48 . Surrounding the deflector cup  47  is a media bed  49  used to fill in the space between the deflector cup  47 , the lower chamber funnel  48  and the reaction chamber body  37 . The media bed  49  is a man made gravel of consistent size and shape. The cap  34  also has a bleeder valve  50  to release excess air when the unit is initialized or the ionization material  44  is replaced.  
         [0035]     The operation of the molecular reaction unit  13  will now be described in detail. Water or other liquid under pressure enters the molecular reaction unit  13  through the liquid inlet chamber  35  and travels down the internal supply tube  41  where the liquid exits the internal supply tube after passing through a mesh screen  46 . The liquid is then directed upward by the shape of the deflector cup  47 . As the liquid travels upward it again must pass through the mesh screen  46  going between the base of the internal supply tube  41  and the top of the deflector cup  47 . The mesh screen  46  prevents any reactive material from going into the deflector cup  47 . As the liquid passes between the lower chamber funnel  48  and the dual funnel  45 , the liquid gains speed and force due to the restriction of the opening between the lower chamber funnel  48  and the dual funnel  45 . The force of the liquid exiting the dual funnel  45  and the lower chamber funnel  48  causes the reaction material  44  to go into turbulent suspension with the liquid. As the liquid rises in the molecular reaction unit  13 , the turbulence slows due to the greater opening in the upper and lower reaction chambers  40  and  43 . The middle mesh screen  42  traps the reaction material  44  into the lower reaction chamber  43 . The reaction material  44  in the upper reaction chambers  40  stays in non-turbulent suspension near the middle mesh screen  42 . In use, the reaction material  44  exchanges electrons with contaminants within the liquid thereby causing either an oxidation effect or a reduction effect on the contaminants which causes the contaminants to change into a harmless form that can be filtered out later. The liquid then rises to the top of the reaction unit  13 , passes through the filter pad  39  which keeps all of the reaction material  44  in the upper reaction chamber  40  and the liquid then exits through the outlet chamber  36  into the fourth transfer pipe  14 .  
         [0036]     In an alternate embodiment of the molecular reaction unit  13 , there can be a plurality of additional mesh screens  42  between the original mesh screen  42  and the cap  34 . This would create additional reaction chambers shown in  FIG. 9  in which additional reactive materials  44  could be placed. The additional reactive chambers and reactive materials can be additional or alternative reaction materials  44  other than KDF 85 and/or KDF 55 that would operate in addition to or as a substitute for the first reaction materials  44 . Some of the additional reactive materials  44  may require that the molecular reaction unit  13  be periodically back flushed in order to cleanse the molecular reaction unit  13 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  depicts the preferred embodiment of the design of the first and second photolytic light chambers  15  and  22 . On one end of the second photolytic light chamber  22  is the laser light source generator  9  and on one end of the first photolytic light chamber  15  is the laser light receiver  16 . In between the generator  9  and the receiver  16  is a continuous hollow quartz tube  51  through which the laser light (not shown) travels in operation. A first tube  52  surrounds a first portion of the quartz tube  51  and is sealed around the quartz tube at both ends of the tube  53  and  54 . There is a space  55  through which the liquid will pass around the quartz tube  51  when the unit is in operation. This creates the first photolytic light chamber  15 . A second tube  56  surrounds a second portion of the quartz tube  51  and is sealed  57  and  58  at both ends of the tube  56  around the quartz tube  51 . There is a space  59  between the quartz tube  51  and the tube  56  through which the liquid will pass around the quartz tube  51 . The spaces  55  and  59  are the chambers through which the liquid passes and becomes exposed to the ultraviolet laser light (not shown) which is generated by the laser light generator  9  and received by the laser light receiver  16 .  
         [0038]     In the first and second photolytic light chambers  15  and  22 , as the liquid flows under pressure as indicated by the flow meter  7  attached to the first transfer pipe  6 , the flow meter  6  sends a signal through the connection  8  to the laser light generator  9  which activates the laser light. A laser light, in the 100 to 300 nanometer range, travels through the inside of the quartz tube  51  to the laser light receiver  16 . As the liquid flows through the spaces  55  and  59  in the photolytic light chambers  15  and  22 , the liquid is exposed to the laser light in the 100 to 300 nanometer range. This range of light is known to act as an effective biocide and to reduce metallic salts by altering contaminants into harmless components which can be filtered out later. The light also destroys organic compounds by forming free radicals from the compounds which then react with water to break down into harmless substances.  
         [0039]     When the liquid or water stops flowing as indicated by the flow meter  7 , the laser light generator  9  shuts off the laser light source so that the laser light source  9  and the power consumption is only used when there is liquid flowing through the system. In addition, the laser light generator  9  can be set to operate in a specific range such as 185 or 254 nanometers, or is can be set to oscillate or switch between two or more nanometer ranges for optimum performance. Some of the more obvious advantages to this design is the use of a single source of light for a creating a multitude of exposures and the ability to target a range of ultraviolet light on the liquid to be treated as opposed to a single wavelength. In addition, an ultraviolet light produced by a laser light source will not degenerate over time as does an ultraviolet lamp thus providing a long and economical useful life of the unit.  
         [0040]     In an alternative embodiment to the photolytic light chambers  15  and  22 , there is only a short piece of quartz rod  51  or other lens like material that connects the end of the first photolytic light chamber  15  to the end of the second photolytic light chamber  22  and allows for the passing of the laser light in the 100 to 300 nanometer range, without inhibiting the laser light spectrum, from the first photolytic light chamber  15  to the second photolytic light chamber  22 . Usage of a lens or other device attached between the two photolytic chambers allows transfer of the laser beam through both chambers simultaneously and also denies crossover contamination of the liquid. Thus, instead of the liquid being exposed to the ultraviolet light radiating outward from the quartz tube  51 , the liquid is exposed directly to the ultraviolet laser light inside of the photolytic light chambers  15  and  22 . In addition, the lens or a thin piece of the rod  51  could be placed in front of the laser light generator  9  and in front of the laser light receiver  16  which would prevent any direct conductive connection between the liquid and the laser light generator  9  and/or the laser light receiver  16 . In another alternate embodiment, the inside of the first and second tubes  52  and  56  can be modified for the desired reflective capabilities allowing for greater exposure of the liquid to the desired ultraviolet light range thereby achieving a more through biocide coverage of the liquid. In a further embodiment, the first photolytic light chamber  15  can be placed in a horizontal position and the second photolytic light chamber  22  placed in a vertical position with a reflective material used to bend the laser light from a horizontal position to a vertical position.  
         [0041]     As the liquid exits the first photolytic light chamber  15 , the liquid travels through a fifth transfer pipe  17  to the secondary collective filtration unit  18  shown in the cross-section view in  FIG. 5 . The secondary collective filtration unit  18  has a cap  60  with a liquid inlet chamber  61  and a liquid outlet chamber  62 . The cap  60  also has a bleeder valve  66  to release excess air when the liquid treatment apparatus  1  is initialized or the filter  65  is replaced. Between the cap  60  and the removable filter body  63 , there is an o-ring  64  for sealing the cap  60  to the body  63 . Inside of the filter body  63 , there is a 0.5 micron filter  65 . As a liquid enters the filter body  63  through the water inlet chamber  61 , the liquid is forced to pass through the 0.5 micron filter  65  before passing out through the water outlet chamber  62  and through the sixth transfer pipe  19 . This filtration process deals with the smallest particulates and microorganisms. Due to the aggressiveness of the combination of the ionization unit  13  and the first photolytic light chamber  15 , the possibility of colonization of any microorganisms is significantly reduced.  
         [0042]     Upon exiting the secondary collective filtration unit  18 , the liquid travels to the carbon filtration unit  20  shown in a cross-sectional view in  FIG. 6 . The carbon filtration unit  20  has a cap  68  with a liquid inlet chamber  69  and a liquid outlet chamber  70 . The cap  68  also has a bleeder valve  74  to release excess air when the liquid treatment apparatus  1  is initialized and/or the activated carbon filter  73  is replaced. Between the cap  68  and the removable carbon filter body  71  there is an o-ring  72  for sealing the filter assembly  20  from any leakage. Inside of the carbon filter body  71  there is a pharmaceutical grade granular activated carbon filter  73 . As the liquid enters the carbon filter body  71  the liquid is forced to pass through the activated carbon filter  73  and exits out of the liquid outlet chamber  70  and through the seventh transfer pipe  21 . The activated carbon granular filter  73  removes odors, chlorine, herbicides, benzenes and other aromatic ring structures, pesticides and many other volatile organic hydrocarbons that may be present in various water sources, including municipal water supplies, as the water moves through the carbon filtration unit  20 .  
         [0043]     Upon exiting the carbon filtration unit  20 , the liquid travels to the second photolytic light chamber  22  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . This final stage in the liquid purification process is a final ultraviolet light laser chamber  22  that operates in the same manner as described in the first photolytic light chamber  15  above. This second photolytic light chamber  22  assures that the liquid is free of any microorganisms by providing a secondary ultraviolet light treatment to overcome any effects of colonization and/or filtration failure that may have occurred in the prior treatment stages.  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  depicts the cover  75  for the liquid treating apparatus  1 . The cover is secured to the base  2  with screws or other attachment means (not shown) to keep dust and dirt out and to prevent people or animals from coming in unnecessary contact with the components of the liquid treatment apparatus  1 . This cover may be partially or fully clear or transparent and/or have a sight window present in the cover  75  allowing visual opportunity available for people to monitor the liquid treatment apparatus  1  in operation.  
         [0045]      FIG. 8  depicts the pressure gage  24  where in the gage  24  is colored coded into three zones, zone A  77  in which the filters  31  and  65  are functioning properly, zone B  78  in which it is time to prepare to change the filters  31  and  65  or to change the filters  31  and  65  and zone C  79  wherein the filters  31  and  65  should be changed.