Patent GB-649966-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to rotary multiport valves
IPC: C02F1/42
Filed: 1948-06-15
Abstract: 649,966. Purifying liquids. PERMUTIT CO., Ltd. June 15, 1948, No. 16111. Convention date, June 16, 1947. [Class 46] [Also in Group XXIX] A rotary multiport valve 30, Fig. 1, for use in controlling the liquid flow through an ion exchanger 20 and a container 26 for regenerant liquid during the steps of normal operation, regeneration and the refilling of the regenerant container, comprises a valve body 40, Fig. 2, with a flat face 53, a rotor 80, Fig. 7, and a bonnet 90, the valve body 40 having six chambers, viz., 41, Fig. 4, connected to a pipe 31 through which the liquid to be treated is supplied; 43, connected by a pipe 32 with the top of the exchanger 20; 45, connected by a pipe 36 with the bottom of the container 26; 47, connected by a pipe 34 with a point of use; 49, connected by a pipe 33 with the bottom of the exchanger 20; and 51, connected by a pipe 35 with a waste outlet. On the flat face 53 of the valve body are ten ports arranged in a circle: 55, 56 and 57 connected with chamber 43, 58 with chamber 45, 59 and 60 with chamber 47, 61 and 62 with chamber 49, and 63 and 64 with chamber 51. The bonnet 90 forms with the valve body a closed compartment 93 which is in permanent communication through an aperture 71 in a gasket 70, and an opening 54 in the valve body 40 with the chamber 41 receiving liquid to be treated. The gasket 70 is also provided with a series of eleven symmetrically-disposed apertures corresponding to the ten ports 55 to 64 and to the blank port station between 55 and 56. The rotor 80. Fig. 7, is formed with a cavity 83 closed at the top and extending freely over three port stations in the valve body, and a suction passage 84, Fig 10, extending over two port stations and communicating, firstly with the chamber 93 under the bonnet by an injector inlet nozzle 85, and secondly with its lower surface 82 by an outlet nozzle 86 and a port 87. Between the suction passage 84 and cavity 83 and separated from each by twice the distance between two port stations is an opening 88 extending right through the rotor 80. The rotor is turned though five successive positions corresponding to normal flow, backwashing, regenerating, rinsing, and refilling of the regenerant container by a handle lever 100 connected to the rotor spindle 94 through a latching device 98 which may be rocked about a ball bearing 102, rolling on a plate 104, to lift a projection 111 clear of a notch 106 in the bonnet 90 during rotation of the rotor from one position to the next. Five such notches 106 are provided. The rotor itself is lifted by its spindle 94 against the force of a spring 89 during rotation. In the backwashing position, Fig. 12, prior to regeneration. water flowing from the top of the exchanger passes through opening 44, chamber 43, and port 55 before going to waste To ensure that the rate of flow is great enough to lift the granules of exchange material but not so great as to carry them away, an adjusting screw 65, Fig. 2, is provided which partially obturates the port 55. During regeneration, Fig. 13, water passes from compartment 93 through the injector 85 into the suction passage, which is also in communication with the salt container by ports 58 and 87, chamber 45, opening 46 and pipe 36. Salt solution therefore mixes with the water and passes through the injector outlet 86 and port 57 into chamber 43 and thence to the top of the exchanger 20. This stage is stopped when the salt level falls to a marker 39, Fig. 1. During rinsing the rate of flow is important, as in backwashing, and since the rinsing water passes to waste through the port 63, that port also is provided with an adjusting screw similar to that for the port 55. The valve arrangement is such that during backwashing, regeneration, and rinsing, hard water flows to the service pipe 34, and during refilling of the salt container soft water flows to the service pipe at a reduced rate. In a modification of the valve the rotor is not lifted from its seat during turning, the rotor shaft being connected with a hub having five windows and moving over the upper surface of a (modified) bonnet, the hub being turned by a wheel rim to which it is attached so that a pointer fixed to the top of the bonnet appears through each of the windows in turn.