Fluid purification methods, devices, and systems
First Claim
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1. A water purification system, comprising:
- a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells including a water purification element;
a valving network including valves and fluid conduits fluidly interconnecting said plurality of cells; and
a controller connected to the valving network to permit the controller to operate said valves,wherein the valving network further includesa source water inlet,a drain outlet, anda product water outlet,wherein the valving network is configurable by the controller, by operation of the valves, to form selected interconnections between and among selected ones of the cells to define a flow channel from a selected one ofthe source water inlet,the drain outlet, andthe product water outlet,through said selected ones of said cells, to a selected other of said selected one ofthe source water inlet,the drain outlet, andthe product water outlet,wherein the controller is configured to, during a first time period, open and close valves of the valving networkto define a first continuous flow channel from the source water inlet, through a first filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, andto define a second continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a first regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the first filtering group filters water to produce product water while the first regenerating group is regenerated by a portion of the product water flowing through the one or more of the cells of the first regenerating group in a reversed flow direction,wherein the controller is further configured to, during a second time period, open and close the valves of the valving networkto define a third continuous flow channel from the source water inlet through a second filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, andto define a fourth continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a second regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the second filtering group filters water to produce the product water while the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is regenerated by a portion of the product water flowing through the one or more of the cells of the second regenerating group in the reversed flow direction,wherein the first and second time periods are at different times, the second filtering group of two or more of the cells is different from the first filtering group of two or more of the cells, and the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is different from the first regenerating group of one or more of the cells,wherein a first cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the source water inlet and a second cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the first cell,wherein the first cell of the first filtering group is included in the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells and the second cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the source water inlet during the second time period, andthe cells are electronic deionization cells.
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Abstract
A fluid purification system has cells whose purifying capability can be regenerated. Some of the cells are arranged in series to reach a high level of purification. An automatic valve network is controlled to cycle the cells in a way that levels the loads on each, thereby maximizing the service interval for replacing expired cells, enabling all of the cells to be replaced at the same time after having each contributing approximately equally to the purification load, and operated such that at any one time, at least one cell is regenerated so as to enable continuous up-time.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A water purification system, comprising:
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a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells including a water purification element; a valving network including valves and fluid conduits fluidly interconnecting said plurality of cells; and a controller connected to the valving network to permit the controller to operate said valves, wherein the valving network further includes a source water inlet, a drain outlet, and a product water outlet, wherein the valving network is configurable by the controller, by operation of the valves, to form selected interconnections between and among selected ones of the cells to define a flow channel from a selected one of the source water inlet, the drain outlet, and the product water outlet, through said selected ones of said cells, to a selected other of said selected one of the source water inlet, the drain outlet, and the product water outlet, wherein the controller is configured to, during a first time period, open and close valves of the valving network to define a first continuous flow channel from the source water inlet, through a first filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, and to define a second continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a first regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the first filtering group filters water to produce product water while the first regenerating group is regenerated by a portion of the product water flowing through the one or more of the cells of the first regenerating group in a reversed flow direction, wherein the controller is further configured to, during a second time period, open and close the valves of the valving network to define a third continuous flow channel from the source water inlet through a second filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, and to define a fourth continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a second regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the second filtering group filters water to produce the product water while the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is regenerated by a portion of the product water flowing through the one or more of the cells of the second regenerating group in the reversed flow direction, wherein the first and second time periods are at different times, the second filtering group of two or more of the cells is different from the first filtering group of two or more of the cells, and the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is different from the first regenerating group of one or more of the cells, wherein a first cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the source water inlet and a second cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the first cell, wherein the first cell of the first filtering group is included in the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells and the second cell of the first filtering group receives water directly from the source water inlet during the second time period, and the cells are electronic deionization cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A water purification system, comprising:
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a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells including a water purification element; a valving network including valves and fluid conduits fluidly interconnecting said plurality of cells; and a controller connected to the valving network to permit the controller to operate said valves, wherein the valving network further includes a source water inlet, a drain outlet, and a product water outlet, wherein the valving network is configurable by the controller, by operation of the valves, to form selected interconnections between and among selected ones of the cells to define a flow channel from a selected one of the source water inlet, the drain outlet, and the product water outlet, through said selected ones of said cells, to a selected other of said selected one of the source water inlet, the drain outlet, and the product water outlet, wherein the controller is configured to, during a first time period, open and close valves of the valving network to define a first continuous flow channel from the source water inlet, through a first filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, and to define a second continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a first regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the first filtering group filters water to produce product water while the first regenerating group is regenerated by at least a portion of said product water, wherein the controller is further configured to, during a second time period, open and close the valves of the valving network to define a third continuous flow channel from the source water inlet through a second filtering group of two or more of the cells in series to the product water outlet, and to define a fourth continuous flow channel from the product water outlet through a second regenerating group of one or more of the cells to the drain outlet, whereby the second filtering group filters water to produce the product water while the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is regenerated by at least a portion of said product water, wherein the first and second time periods are at different times, the second filtering group of two or more of the cells is different from the first filtering group of two or more of the cells, and the second regenerating group of one or more of the cells is different from the first regenerating group of one or more of the cells, and wherein the cells are electronic deionization cells. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification