Patent Abstract:
A unitary liquid flow separator-collector-distributor controls the flow of liquid streams in liquid treatment tanks and treatment methods that can utilize the entire cross section of the vessels in which the treatment takes place.

Full Description:
This application is a division Ser. No. 09/933,608, which was filed on Aug. 22, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,771. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the treatment of liquids, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for controlling the flow of water in liquid treatment apparatus. Numerous or complicated parts and fittings have been required to control flow paths where multiple flow streams occur in the same liquid treatment vessel. Also, the full cross sectional area of cylindrical tanks has not been available for both the processing as well as the contact or detention of the liquid being treated. 
     OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved liquid treatment methods and apparatus. 
     Another object is to provide a unitary fitting that can segregate and control multiple liquid flow paths. 
     An additional object is to provide a liquid treatment vessel with a single integral or unitary separator for an influent stream, an effluent stream, and a stream of waste precipitated in the vessel. 
     Another object is to provide methods and flow separators that enable an given cylindrical tank configuration to be used efficiently as both a reaction process vessel and a contact or detention vessel. 
     Another object is to provide a methods of treating liquids in a cylindrical tank, without the use of solid treatment media, that achieves effective treatment over the entire cross sectional area of the tank. 
     A further object is to provide a liquid controller that separates influent and effluent streams flowing in opposite directions and that also traps sediment resulting from treatment of the liquid. 
     An additional object is to provide a liquid flow controller that enables more than one standard sized tank to be serially connected to ensure complete treatment of the liquid. 
     Another object is to provide effective removal of sulfur from potable water in tanks that can be carried by one workman through standard doorways in a residential home. 
     Another object is to reduce the space required for multiple tank liquid treatment systems. 
     Another object is to provide water treatment equipment that can be assembled in a factory and shipped as one or more units of identical size to a home or business where the unit can be connected, or the units can be connected in series, to an existing water supply with standard plumbing tools. 
     A further object is to provide water treatment apparatus that is durable, economical, easy to use and repair and maintain, and which do not possess defects found in similar prior art apparatus. 
     Other objects and advantages of the flow separator, liquid treatment apparatus and methods incorporating this invention will be found in the specification and claims and the scope of the invention will be set forth in the claims. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic, partially cross sectional side view of an embodiment of liquid treatment apparatus in accord with this invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic, partially cross sectional side view of another embodiment of liquid treatment apparatus in accord with this invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged partially cross sectional, partially broken away, side view of the flow controls from the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken generally along the line  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view taken along the line  5 — 5  in FIG.  3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged top plan view of a separator in accord with this invention used in the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line  7 — 7  in  FIG. 6   
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged partially cross sectional, partially broken away, side view of the flow controls from the embodiment of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken generally along the line  9 — 9  in FIG.  8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  10 — 10  in FIG.  9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  11 — 11  in FIG.  9 . 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged top plan view of a separator in accord with this invention used in the embodiment of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line  13 — 13  in FIG.  12 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention may be used with the apparatus disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,074,562 and 6,080,306 to remove hydrogen sulfide from potable water by the methods disclosed in those patents. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the above identified methods may be carried out in a pressurized circular cylindrical fiberglass processing vessel or tank  1  that is devoid of solid liquid treatment media. Tank  1  has a domed top  3  a domed bottom  4 . The height of tank  1  may be several times longer than the tank diameter (e.g. height 72 inches-diameter 24 inches). The top  3  has an upper threaded center hole  5  and the bottom  4  has a lower threaded center hole  6  that is coaxial with the hole  5  on the central axis of the tank  1 . The level  7  of the liquid in tank  1 , which should be above the midpoint of the tank height, may be controlled by float valve and venting devices  8  as described in my above identified US patents. The tank  1  may be supported on a stand  9 . 
     The flow of liquid into and out of tank  1  and the flow of the liquid streams within tank  1  are controlled by an integral liquid flow separator  10  in accord with this invention. The separator  10  has a main body portion  11  that is located outside of and below the tank  1 . Three concentric circular cylinders  14 ,  15  and  16  protrude upwardly and perpendicularly from the center of body portion  11 . The cylinders have different diameters and different lengths. The cylinder  14  with the greatest diameter has the shortest length, and the cylinder  16  with the smallest diameter has the greatest length. The cylinders are spaced apart so that an annular first liquid flow channel  17  is defined between the cylinders  14  and  15  and a second annular flow channel  18  is defined between the cylinders  15  and  16 . The interior of cylinder  16  defines a third liquid flow channel  20 . 
     The cylinder  15  with the largest diameter has external threads  21  for mating with the threads in the center hole  6  for attaching the the separator  10  to the bottom of tank  1 . An O-ring gasket  22  in a groove around cylinder  14  provides a liquid tight seal between the separator and tank. The body portion  11  has four externally opening circular liquid flow ports  24 ,  48 ,  52  and  54  that can be connected to the inside of the cylinders  14 - 16  for flowing liquid into and out of the cylinders. The ports are located below the threads  21  for positioning the ports below and outside of the tank  1 . Ports  24  and  48  are coaxial and ports  52  and  54  are coaxial, and the axes of the ports are perpendicular. 
     To carry out the methods disclosed in the above patents with a separator  10  connected to the tank  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 , potable water may be oxygenated [e.g. 6 ppm dissolved oxygen] and pressurized [e.g. above 55 psi] by apparatus components of the type disclosed in my above identified patents; such components and conventional inlet, outlet and waste valves have not been shown in the drawing because their details are not a part of this invention. The potable water from an influent pipe  28  enters through inlet port  24 . The incoming untreated water flows through a circular duct  30  into the channel  20  inside of cylinder  16 . 
     An upwardly extending cylindrical liquid distribution pipe  35  is attached at its lower end  36  to the upper end  19  of cylinder  16 . The pipe  35  directs the incoming water stream upwardly through the center of tank  1  to near the upper liquid level  7 . The incoming water is dispersed radially outwardly toward the periphery of the tank by an inverted conical deflector  37 . The deflector  37  is attached to pipe  35  above the open terminal end of the pipe by an end cap  39  that has a center hole  40  that is coaxial with the interior of pipe  35 . Struts  41  hold the deflector  37  suspended above and centered on the hole  40 . 
     The water in tank  1  will be treated as it flows downwardly toward the bottom of the tank. When the methods disclosed in my above identified patents are carried out, sulfur particles will precipitate and fall downwardly with the downwardly flowing potable water. A cylindrical effluent collection pipe  43  has its lower end  44  connected to the upper end  45  of cylinder  15  and its open terminal end  46  extends upwardly from separator  10  so that end  46  is spaced above the bottom of tank  1 . The descending treated water will enter end  46  and flow downwardly through pipe  43  into the channel  18  inside of cylinder  15 . The channel  18  is connected by a circular duct  31  to an outlet port  48  where the treated water is available for its intended use through an effluent pipe  50 . 
     Precipitated sulfur particles fall below the pipe end  46  and settle to the bottom of tank  1  where they collect in a sump  51  defined by the channel  17  inside of cylinder  14 , which is below the bottom of the tank. Channel  17  is connected by a circular duct  32  to a drain port  52 . Periodically, the settled precipitate particles may be flushed out of the sump  51  through drain port  52  into a waste disposal pipe  53  by opening a waste flow valve. A peripheral flange  42  may be provided at the bottom of pipe  43  for deflecting precipitate particles. A deflector plate  63  above pipe end  46  deflects precipitate particles away from channel  18 . 
     The remanning port  54  and a circular duct  33  have been shown as closed by a wall  55  inside of the duct. Removal of the wall  55  would connect port  54  and duct  33  to the channel  17  inside of cylinder  14  and would provide to an additional or alternate port on the opposite side of the main body portion  11 . By locating the ports  52  and  54  opposite to each other on the main body portion  11 , either port can be selected as the waste disposal port. When the port  54  is used a wall, such as the wall  55 , may be provided to close the duct  33  and port  52 . It is also possible to have no walls closing ducts  32  and  33  so that both ports  52  and  54  will be open and available for use. Having a choice of the location of the waste outlet ports on opposite sides of tank  1  is necessary when the tank is to be installed in a confined space. 
     When the time required to treat a liquid is greater than the time the liquid being treated will be in a treatment vessel of a particular size, one or more additional vessels may be connected in series with the first treatment vessel. The additional vessel or vessels can increase the contact time that the liquid being treated is subject to the process parameters, such as pressure, temperature or chemicals, to ensure that complete treatment occurs. By the practice of this invention the use of serially connected treatment vessels permits a liquid treatment process or method to be carried out in tanks that are small enough for a single workman to install in homes with residential sized doors. 
     For example, if the minimum detention time required for the method disclosed in my above identified patents can not be achieved in a single residential sized tank, the effluent pipe  50  can be connected to the influent pipe  59  of a second liquid treatment vessel or tank  60  that is identical to the tank  1  in size, shape and location of top and bottom threaded center holes. The tank  60  has a separator  10  identical to that described above, so the same reference numbers are used to identify corresponding parts. Separator  10  is attached to the bottom of tank  60  by threads  21  that mate with the threads in the bottom center hole  61 . 
     The partially treated potable water from tank  1  would enter the center of tank  60  adjacent its bottom through its inlet port  48  in its separator  10 . The water would then flow upwardly through the channel  18  in cylinder  15  into a cylindrical distributor pipe  62  that may be identical to the pipe  43  in tank  1 . A horizontal circular deflector plate  63  is attached to pipe  62  above its open terminal end  65  by supports  66  that are attached to, and uniformly spaced around, the end  65 . The plate  63  disperses the water radially outwardly from adjacent the center of the tank to the inner peripheral surface  2  of the tank. 
     The deflected dispersed water then flows upwardly across essentially the entire cross sectional area of the tank to the top of the tank  60 . The time required for the partially treated water to flow up to the top of tank  60  is sufficient to completely carry out the hydrogen sulfide removal process by precipitating out additional sulfur particles, which fall to the bottom of the tank. The treated water at the top of the tank  60  collects at the center of tank where it enters the open terminal end  67  of a vertically extending cylindrical treated water collection pipe  68  that is centered on the central axis of the tank. The treated water is isolated inside of the pipe  68  from the rest of the water in the tank, and the isolated water flows downwardly through the center of the tank. The bottom end  70  of pipe  68  is connected to cylinder  16 . The treated water flows into the channel  20  inside of cylinder  16  and then through the duct  30  to the outlet port  24  of this separator  10 . The treated water is discharged for its intended use through an effluent pipe  71 . 
     Since the pipe  68  extends upwardly for most of the length of the tank  60 , the pipe is subject to deflection by the hydraulic forces from the water swirling around in the tank. The pipe  68  passes through a circular hole  64  in the center of the deflector plate  63  at a location above the bottom of tank  60 . The deflector plate surface at edge of the hole  64  and the supports  66  contact the outside of pipe  68  and help stabilize the pipe. The top of tank  60  is closed by a cap  73  having threads that mate with those in the upper center hole  5 . A circular gasket  76  is compressed between the cap and tank to seal the hole  5 . The cap is hollowed out to provide a downwardly facing recess or cylinder  77 . A deflector  37  that is identical to the deflector  37  described above is attached to the upper terminal end  67  of pipe  68 . The deflector  37  extends into the recess  77  so that the cap  73  limits the amount that the pipe  68  can be deflected. The deflector  37  also ensures that the end  67  of pipe  68  is spaced far enough below the surface of cap  73  to prevent obstruction of the entrance into pipe  68 . 
     Precipitated sulfur particles settle to the bottom of tank  60  where they collect in a sump  51  defined by the channel  17  inside of cylinder  14 . Periodically, the settled precipitate particles may be flushed out of the sump  51  through channel  33  and drain port  54  into a waste disposal pipe  72  by opening a waste disposal valve. The remanning port  52  and a duct  32  may be closed by a wall  55  as previously described. 
     It has thus been shown that by the practice of this invention, the separators  10  can be used in different liquid treatment vessels  1  and  60  to control and separate liquid streams flowing in opposite directions. Putting threads on the outside of the shortest cylinder  14  that has the largest diameter permits the separators  10  to be used as bungs for the center holes  6  of the tanks  1  and  60 . The use of cylinders  14 - 16  having different lengths on the separators  10  allows the full liquid flow capacity of the pipes  35 ,  36 ,  62  and  68  to be achieved because the wall thickness of the pipes does not obstruct the size of the liquid flow channels  17 ,  18  and  20 . 
     By locating the coaxial ports  24  and  48  opposite to each other, rotation of the separator  10  in tank  60  by 180 degrees enables the channel  18  that is used as the liquid outlet in tank  1  to be used as the the liquid inlet channel for tank  60 ; this rotation of separator  10  also enables the channel  20  to be used as the inlet for tank  1  and to be used as the outlet channel for tank  60 . Thus the inlet of tank  60  faces the outlet from tank  1 . By connecting the coaxial ports  52  and  54  at right angles to the ports  24  and  48 , this 180 degree rotation of separator  10  also provides a waste outlet port  54  on the same side of the tank  60  as the waste outlet port  52  on tank  1 . This ability to coordinate the location of the ports of different tanks ensures that the space required for a multiple tank liquid treatment system will be reduced or minimizd. 
     The separator  10  and the attached pipes and components may be made from any injection moldable plastic usable for potable water service, such as PVC or ABS. The various attached parts may be solvent welded together into an integral unit. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and methods, it is not intended to illustrate or describe all of the equivalent forms or ramifications thereof. Also, the words used are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1