Abstract:
A water treatment system for use in open loop and closed loop evaporative condenser cooling towers operable to reduce scale and biofilm deposits within the condenser.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/128,515 filed on May 22, 2009. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    With water treatment as it is today, both open loop cooling towers and closed loop cooling towers have water treatment that is injected into the cooling towers and dispersed by process pumps. These pumps do not operate on a continuous basis. When these pumps are not in operation, water treatment is not applied to the most critical components which typically includes the condenser. When the condenser does not have water treatment, it can accumulate with mineral deposits known as scaling or microbiological deposits known as biofouling. Scale and biofouling deposits severely reduces the thermal transfer characteristics of the condensers, thereby requiring them to operate at longer service intervals. This added run time is less efficient and requires additional electrical energy to run the condensers. It is known in the industry that pulse powered water treatment can clean existing scale and remediate biofilm. This invention provides an advantage over conventional cooling tower water treatment systems by keeping the condensers free from scale deposits and biofilm. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention provides a cleaning and purification method that is operable while the condenser pumps are not in operation. 
         [0004]    This invention also improves the function of Direct pulse powered water treatment with the addition of carbon dioxide. 
         [0005]    This invention provides a method to use discharge purified water for a secondary purpose such as drip irrigation. 
         [0006]    This invention improves the function of ultraviolet (UV) purification for cooling towers with discharge at the UV purifier unit, a linear actuator at the UV manual wiper, and filtering before the UV for keeping the quartz sleeve clean. 
         [0007]    The invention eliminates stagnant conditions in cooling tower systems allowing a continuous water treatment. 
         [0008]    The invention also improves non-chemical water treatment by enhancing pulse powered water treatment and UV water treatment for open and closed loop cooling towers. 
         [0009]    This invention provides a method for keeping condensers clean and provide purified water throughout an open or closed loop cooling tower. 
         [0010]    The invention eliminates stagnant conditions in cooling tower systems allowing a continuous water treatment. 
         [0011]    The invention also improves non-chemical water treatment by enhancing pulse powered water treatment and UV water treatment for open and closed loop cooling towers. 
         [0012]    This invention allows filtered and UV purified water to be used for secondary use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a water treatment system  10  in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an HVAC open loop condenser cleaning and purification recirculation loop; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a closed loop evaporative condenser cooling tower with spraying system and connections for water treatment system of  FIG. 2 , which is a view of the components necessary for condenser cleaning and purification; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a view of an open loop cooling tower with water basin and port for purifying water, with top deck water line for tower sweepers; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows the port configurations for discharging purified water for secondary use. 
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10 —Water treatment system 
               12 —Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator 
               13 —Automatic conductivity controller 
               14 —Ultraviolet water purifier (UV) 
               16 —Water filter 
               18 —Recirculation pump—suction against flow. 
               20 —Intake line from cooling tower basin 
               22 —Outlet to condenser recirculation 
               24 —Electrically operated discharge valve 
               26 —Open loop cooling tower water treatment system inlet 
               28 —Open loop cooling tower water treatment system outlet 
               30 —Contact switch on open loop condenser pump 
               32 —Flow Switch 
               34 —Check valve 
               36 —Filter for condenser cleaner 
               38 —Condenser cleaner recirculation pump 
               40 —Electrically operated valve for water treatment 
               42 —Inlet from water treatment rack 
               44 —Timer actuated drain valve 
               46 —Condenser recirculation dead leg drain line 
               48 —Cooling tower basin recirculation pump suction line 
               50 —Evaporative condenser water treatment inlet 
               52 —Evaporative condenser water treatment outlet 
               54 —Electrically actuated valve for evaporative condenser 
               56 —Electrically actuated valve for closed loop cooling tower basin 
               58 —Contact switch on closed loop evaporative condenser pump 
               60 —Flow switch on evaporative condenser spray line 
               62 —Spray manifold 
               64 —Evaporative condenser closed loop cooling tower 
               66 —Open loop cooling tower 
               68 —Condenser 
               70 —Condenser cleaner recirculation loop 
               72 —Condenser open loop process pump(s) 
               74 —Evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump 
               76 —Inlet in closed loop tower basin 
               78 —Outlet in closed loop tower basin 
               80 —Outlet from water treatment rack off condenser rack 
               82 —Inlet to water treatment rack off condenser pump 
               84 —Condenser cleaner system 
               86 —Closed loop cooling tower condenser tubes 
               88 —Closed loop cooling tower condenser tube sprayers 
               90 —Closed loop cooling tower water basin 
               92 —Open loop cooling tower water basin 
               94 —Water treatment system line 
               96 —Schedule  80  PVC tee for UV treated discharge 
               98 —UV inlet or outlet threaded nipple 
               100 —Ultraviolet purifier showing inlet or outlet 
               102 —Linear actuator for UV wiper 
               104 —Automatic timer unit 
               106 —Carbon dioxide feeder 
               108 —Recirculation pump for closed loop cooling tower water treatment 
               110 —Schedule  80  PVC tee for UV discharge 
               112 —Flow restrictor for UV treated water discharge 
               114 —Shut off valve 
               116 —Contact switch on recirculation pump 
               118 —Dead leg 
               120  Cooling tower basin sweeper system 
               122  Saturation line for use with tower sweeper 
               124  Closed loop cooling tower pump spray line 
               126  Closed loop cooling tower pump suction line 
           
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0078]    A water treatment system  10  is comprised of a water inlet  26  feeding a filter  16 , an ultraviolet water purifier (UV)  14 , and a direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12 . The water flows through piping  94  and components described above and is discharged to an outlet  28  located on a pump suction line  80 . A suction against flow recirculation pump  18 , pumping in the opposite flow as shown on  FIG. 1 , has a contact switch  116  and is controlled by a contact relay  30  on a condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  or controlled by a flow switch  32 . A tee  20  is connected to a tee  48  to be used with the recirculation pump  18 . The water discharge that is regulated by an automatic conductivity controller  13  is shown right after the UV purifier  14  operated by an electrically operated discharge valve  24 . To improve the water treatment, a linear actuator for UV wiper  102  is located to replace the manual wiper handle of the UV purifier  14  with an automatic timer  104  to operate the linear actuator as desired. This automatic timer unit  104  is set to actuate the linear actuator  102  to stroke the quartz sleeve of the UV purifier for different desired times and intervals. As seen, a carbon dioxide feeder  106  is located before the Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12 . This feeder  106  can also be located after the water filter  16  and before the UV purifier unit  14 . 
         [0079]    A condenser cleaner system  84  is incorporated around the condenser  68 , as a condenser cleaner recirculation loop  70 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . This condenser cleaner recirculation loop  70  has a filter  36  or a dead leg  118  with a timer actuated drain valve  44  to a drain  46 . A condenser cleaner recirculation pump  38  can have a contact relay directing it to the pump contact switch on open loop condenser pump  30  attached to the condenser open loop process pumps  72  or by a flow switch  32  to operate the condenser cleaner recirculation pump  38  while the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  are off. This feature deactivates the condenser cleaner recirculation pump  38  when the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  are on. This recirculation loop is not limited to turning on and off with contact switches or a flow switch as described above and has the option to run on a continuous basis. This invention as described above is not limited to be connected to a contact switch on open loop condenser pump  30  if a contact switch is closer to the condenser cleaner recirculation pump  38  and the electrically operated valve for water treatment  40  is located at a power panel that is closer the condenser cleaner system  84 . 
         [0080]    An electrically operated valve for water treatment  40  with a water line  42  is connected to outlet to condenser recirculation  22  to feed treated water to the condenser cleaning loop. The electrically actuated valve  40  is controlled by the contact switch on open loop condenser pump  30 , or flow switch  32 . The inlet to water treatment rack  26  supplying water from condenser pump  82  can also feed treated water to the condenser recirculation loop  70  as shown in  FIG. 2 , if the water treatment system  10  can be located near the condenser  68 . This invention is not limited to the use of electrically actuated valves and contact switches, whereas if the water treatment system  10  in  FIG. 1  is installed near the condenser recirculation loop  70 , the recirculation pump suction against flow  18  will circulate treated water into the condenser recirculation loop  70  via a close proximity inlet to water treatment rack off condenser pump  82 . A check valve  34  is incorporated so the flow of the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  cannot bypass or flow around the condenser  68 . 
         [0081]    This invention is also not limited to having a water treatment rack as a shown in  FIG. 1 , whereas the water treatment Pulse powered mineral precipitator  12 , and UV water purifier  14  can be incorporated together or individually without Ultraviolet water purifier  14  directly to the recirculation loop  70  with recirculation pump  38  and filter  36 . Since condensers operate in a lead and lag operation with flow eliminated on the lag condenser, this novel approach allows condenser cleaning for the lag condenser. Condenser cleaner filter  36  can be omitted whereas the recirculation with Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  can keep the condenser deposit free. The recirculation pump  38  and Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  are activated by a flow switch or the condenser operating sequence of the condenser equipment. This cleaning system is not limited to being permanently attached to a condenser as described above, and can also be incorporated manually without flow switches or communication to the condenser equipment, and moved or applied to each condenser that does not have flow. Since boilers have similar tubes for heating, and are lead and lag operation, this same technology can be used for cleaning boiler tubes and this technology is not just limited to condenser cleaning. 
         [0082]    The closed loop cooling tower  64  shown in  FIG. 3  is for evaporative condensers  86  that use an evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump  74  and closed loop cooling tower condenser tube sprayers  88  on the condensing tubes. The water treatment inlet  50  supplies water to the water treatment system  10  that is piped with an inlet for a closed loop tower basin  76  under the water as shown in the closed loop cooling tower water basin  90 . The flow direction of the water is shown with the arrows in  FIG. 1 . A separate pump  108  is used and the water flows into the outlet  52  through two electrically actuated valves  54  and  56  to the outlet in closed loop tower basin  78  and the spray manifold  62  above the closed loop cooling tower condensing tubes  86 . This spray manifold  62  will have the necessary spray nozzles to saturate the top of the closed loop cooling tower condensing tubes  86 . This invention is not limited to a separate spray manifold  62  and the water treatment as described above can be plumbed into the existing closed loop cooling tower condenser tube sprayers  88  to eliminate the separate spray manifold  62 . The electrically actuated valves  54  and  56  are activated by a contact switch on closed loop evaporative condenser pump  58 , or a flow switch  60 . When the evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump  74  is operating, the electrically actuated valve for evaporative condenser  54  is closed and the electrically actuated valve for closed loop cooling tower basin  56  is open. A non-electrically actuated shut off valve  114  can be installed in replacement of the electrically actuated valve for evaporative condenser  54  and the electrically actuated valve for closed loop cooling tower basin  56  can be eliminated. This allows a continuous saturation of the closed loop cooling tower condenser tubes  86 . 
         [0083]    The user can also install the water treatment system  10  on the closed loop cooling tower pump spray line  124  as an entire system as shown or just the Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  for scale control to be used with the existing evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump  74 . Alternatively, the existing evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump  74  can be replaced with a variable drive or variable speed pump so the electrically actuated valves  54  and  56  and contact switch  58  and flow switch  60  can be eliminated. The water treatment described above for installation in the cooling tower pump spray line  124  can also be incorporated on the closed loop cooling tower pump suction line  126 . The closed loop cooling tower pump suction line  126  and the cooling tower pump spray line  124  can be shared as a side stream if desired. The stagnant water in the cooling tower  66  is recirculated with the inlet  48  in the water basin  92  plumbed to an intake line from cooling tower basin  20 . When a cooling tower basin sweeper system  120  is used, a small port is incorporated after the tower basin sweeper pump. Attached to the port is a small line that runs to the top hot deck of the cooling tower. This small line is a saturation line for use with tower sweeper  122  and this supplies water to the top hot deck to keep the deck and fill saturated with a small stream of water for keeping the deck and fill clean. 
         [0084]    The UV has ports that are used as the inlet or outlet  100  and a bushing  98  is incorporated inside a threaded tee  96  that has another tee  110  below that with a flow restrictor  112  underneath that tee. The water is discharged via a normal automatic conductivity controller  13  to the electrically operated discharge valve  24 . 
         [0085]    The Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  operates at low amperage and watts. The ultraviolet water purifier  14  and the automatic conductivity controller  13  operate at low amperage and watts as well. This invention shall have the option to operate these components using a photovoltaic panel and battery with a power converter to operate these components. 
         [0086]    For use with either open loop cooling towers that have a separate condenser or a closed loop cooling tower that has the condenser in the cooling tower, the water treatment system  10  is used to clean condensers and purify water in the system on a continuous basis. This allows the condenser tubes  68  and  86  to be cleaned when the main pump(s)  72  and  108  are off. 
         [0087]    The main purpose is a condenser cleaning and purification system but the user has the option to draw stagnant water from the cooling tower basin recirculation pump suction line  48  to the intake line from cooling tower basin  20  to remedy stagnant conditions. The water treatment components in  FIG. 1  are used with a recirculation loop for condenser cleaning and water purification as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . This invention provides many options for the user with this cleaning and purification method. The condenser cleaner recirculation loop  70  has a separate condenser cleaner recirculation pump  38  that circulates water through a filter for condenser cleaner  36  for the condenser cleaner system  84  but can also incorporate a dead leg  118  with a timer actuated drain valve  44  that goes after the dead leg drain line. A dead leg  118  accumulates solids and can replace the condenser cleaner filter  36 . A check valve  34  is installed on the condenser cleaner recirculation loop  70  that prevents flow from the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72 . 
         [0088]    This invention is not limited to this design and the user has the option to not purchase a water treatment rack  10  in  FIG. 1  and install a Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  with or without an ultraviolet water purifier  14  to the condenser recirculation loop  70 . First the user can provide treated water if  FIG. 1  is not near the condenser by implementing a electrically operated valve for water treatment  40  with an inlet from the water treatment rack  42  to the outlet to condenser recirculation  22 . If  FIG. 1  can be place near the condenser  68 , the treated water is implemented next to the condenser as shown with inlet to water treatment rack off condenser pump  82 , while the recirculation pump suction against flow  18  drives the treated water to inlet to water treatment rack off condenser pump  82  so the electrically operated valve for water treatment  40  and outlet to condenser recirculation  22  and inlet from water treatment rack  42  system with a contact or flow switch can be eliminated. In an open loop cooling tower, the recirculation pump  18  is activated when the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  are deactivated. 
         [0089]    In a closed loop cooling tower, the recirculation pump for closed loop cooling tower water treatment  108  is always operating and the evaporative condenser closed loop condenser pump  74  will open a electrically actuated valve for the evaporative condenser  54  when the condenser pump  74  is off, and activate an electrically actuated valve for the closed loop cooling basin  56  to close, allowing the condenser cleaning to take place. The activation process for the electrically operated valve for water treatment  40 , the electrically actuated valve for evaporative condenser  54  and the electrically actuated valve for closed loop cooling tower basin  56  is activated by a contact switch on evaporative condenser pump  58  for closed loop cooling towers and a contact switch  30  located on the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  for open loop cooling towers. The user has the option to not use contact switches on the pumps, but use a flow switch on evaporative condenser spray line  60  for closed loop cooling towers, or a flow switch  32  for open loop cooling towers, that closes the contact and allows the electrically actuated valves  40 ,  54  and  56  to operate as described above. The user also has the option with closed loop evaporative condenser cooling towers to not use the electrically actuated valves  54  and  56  or the contact switch on closed loop evaporative condenser pump  58 , or flow switch on evaporative condenser spray line  60  and replace the electrically actuated valve for evaporative condenser  54  with a standard shut off valve  114 . This allows the user to restrict flow to the spray manifold  62 , which keeps the condensing tubes clean on a continuous basis. The spray manifold  62  consists of individual spray nozzles that provide a consistent spray pattern on the condenser tubes  86  when the cooling tower condenser tube sprayers  88  are not operating.  FIG. 3  shows the spray manifold  62  above the closed loop cooling tower condenser tube sprayers  88  but the design is not limited to being above the cooling tower condenser tube sprayers  88 . The height location of the spray manifold  62  is dictated by the desired flow pattern and the design of the Evaporative condenser closed loop cooling tower  64 . 
         [0090]    Improvements with non chemical water treatment are achieved by incorporating a carbon dioxide feeder  106  that can be located directly before the Direct pulse powered mineral precipitator  12  or after the filter  106 . Since many water municipalities lime soften their water and do minor recarbonation, a second recarbonation will enhance the mineral precipitation process.  FIG. 5  shows how the purified water can be used for a secondary use by immediately treating it with an ultraviolet purifier  14  and then discharging it. The discharge line consists of two tees that are each a schedule  80  PVC tee for UV treated discharge.  FIG. 1  shows that the ultraviolet purifier  14  has a tee  96  located on each inlet and outlet.  FIG. 5  shows only one of the ultraviolet purifiers  14  inlet or outlet. The tee  96  is located directly adjacent to each inlet and outlet of the ultraviolet water purifier  14  while the view is expanded as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  shows the tee  96  that is threaded and provides a threaded nipple  98  to attach the tee  96  directly adjacent to the ultraviolet purifier  14 . The Schedule  80  PVC tee for UV discharge  110  is designed to allow piping to the tee  96  on the other outlet and inlet as shown in  FIG. 1 . This allows purified water to be discharged either when the condenser open loop process pump(s)  72  is activated or the recirculation pump suction against flow  18  is activated; since the flow of each pump is opposite each other on open loop cooling tower systems. On closed loop evaporative cooling towers, only one tee  96  is needed. 
         [0091]    On open loop cooling towers, below the tee  110  for open loop cooling towers is an electrically operated discharge valve  24  for discharging purified water. Below that valve is a flow restrictor for UV treated water discharge  112  that is set to the flow parameters for UV drinking water standards. On closed loop evaporative cooling towers, schedule  80  PVC tee for UV discharge  110  is eliminated and just one schedule  80  PVC tee for UV treated discharge  96  is required to the outlet of the ultraviolet purifier  14  with the discharge valve and flow restrictor as described above. 
         [0092]    Purification is also accomplished by eliminating stagnant areas such as an open loop cooling tower water basin  92  by incorporating this water into the recirculation pump suction against flow  18  with a basin suction line  48 . 
         [0093]    Purification is enhanced by incorporating the linear actuator for UV wiper  102  onto the hand wiper of the ultraviolet water purifier (UV)  14  with an automatic timing unit  104  to power the actuator for the strokes needed on a daily basis. Having a water filter  16  before the UV also keeps the quartz sleeve that is surrounded by the ultraviolet lamp clean, improving the performance of UV sterilization with cooling towers. The ultraviolet water purifier  14  is modified with a sealant and or bell on both ends with sealant on the base that holds the ballast for weather proofing. Alternately, a pump can supply water from the water treatment system  10  to the top hot deck of the open loop cooling tower to provide a continuous water treatment for the cooling tower fill. 
         [0094]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.