Internal UV treatment of potable water systems

• US 20050000911A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George W. Thorpe
• Original Assignee: George W. Thorpe
• Inventors: Thorpe, George W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,396,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/748.120
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3227 Units with two or more lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/42 Liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/10 Photocatalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/208 Off-grid powered water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/211 Solar-powered water purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation

Abstract

A disinfectant treatment for self-contained potable water systems. A lamp or lamps within the interior of at least one component system in which water is resident. During operation of the system. As the water tank, water heater, water filter, or other component which holds a volume of water. By putting a radioactive and a microbial effect in response to exposure to UV radiation may be formed of the vessel or other component. The radioactive material may be tin dioxide, titanium dioxide, or other material that produces hydroxyl ions in response to UV exposure. The hydroxyl ions flow from the vessel or other component into the piping and other components so as to attack/inhibit microbial action throughout the system. The lamps are mounted within quartz sleeves for immersion in water or other components. The quartz sleeves to prevent vibration damage. May also be used to of the system so as to prevent friction freeze damage.

Claims

1. A potable water system, comprising:

at least one vessel in which a volume of water is resident for an extended period during operation of said system, and

at least one UV lamp mounted in said vessel so as to subject said volume of water to antimicrobial UV radiation during said period in which said water is resident in said vessel.

2. The potable water system of claim 1, wherein said at least one UV lamp is immersed in water during operation of said system.

3. The potable water system of claim 2, wherein said UV lamp is enclosed within a protective quartz sleeve in said interior of said vessel.

4. The potable water system of claim 3, wherein said quartz sleeve comprises:

an open end that is mounted at an exterior wall of said vessel for insertion of said UV lamp therein;

a closed end that extends into said interior of said vessel; and

means for resiliently supporting said closed end of said quartz sleeve in said vessel so as to prevent shock and vibration damage to said sleeve and said UV lamp therein.

5. The potable water system of claim 4, wherein said means for resiliently supporting said closed end of said quartz sleeve in said vessel comprises:

a spring member having a first end in engagement with said closed end of said quartz sleeve and a second end in engagement with a fixed portion of said vessel.

6. The potable water system of claim 5, wherein said spring member comprises:

a coil spring having a first end which surrounds said closed end of said quartz sleeve and a second end which bears against said fixed portion of said vessel.

7. The potable water system of claim 6, wherein said closed end of said quartz sleeve in is domed so as to interfit with said first end of said coil spring.

8. The potable water system of claim 7, wherein said fixed portion of said vessel is a wall of said vessel generally opposite said exterior wall in which said first end of said quartz sleeve is mounted.

9. The potable water system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for resiliently supporting said open end of said quartz sleeve in said exterior wall of said vessel.

10. The potable water system of claim 9, wherein said means for resiliently supporting said open end of said quartz sleeve comprises:

a resiliently compressible ring positioned around said open end of said quartz sleeve; and

a retainer mounted around said open end of said quartz sleeve over said resiliently compressible ring so as to compress said ring between said sleeve and said wall of said vessel.

11. The potable water system of claim 3, wherein said at least one vessel is a tank for holding water at varying levels therein.

12. The potable water system of claim 11, wherein said vessel is a water storage tank.

13. The potable water system of claim 12, wherein said at least one UV lamp comprises:

a plurality of UV lamps mounted generally horizontally at different levels in said tank.

14. The potable water system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for energizing each said UV lamp in response to water rising to a predetermined level in said vessel at which said lamp is covered by said water, and for deenergizing said lamp in response to said water falling below said predetermined level.

15. The potable water system of claim 14, wherein said means for energizing said UV lamp comprises at least one level sensor mounted in said vessel.

16. The potable water system of claim 1, further comprising:

layer of photoresponsive material in said vessel for producing an antibacterial effect in response to receiving UV radiation from said lamp.

17. The potable water system of claim 16, wherein said photoresponsive material is a photocatalytic material selected from the group consisting of:

titanium dioxide;

tin dioxide; and

combinations thereof.

18. The potable water system of claim 16, wherein said layer of photoresponsive material is formed over welds in said vessel.

19. The potable water system of claim 16, wherein said layer of photoresponsive material extends over an interior surface of said vessel.

20. The potable water system of claim 3, wherein said vessel is a faucet having said UV lamp and quartz sleeve mounted in a spigot portion thereof.

21. The potable water system of claim 20, wherein said quartz sleeve extends generally vertically within said spigot portion of said faucet and has an open end at a bottom of said UV lamp therein.

22. The potable water system of claim 3, wherein said vessel is a water filter having said UV lamp and quartz sleeve mounted therein downstream of a filter element so as to treat water following passage therethrough.

23. The potable water system of claim 1, wherein said vessel is a humidifier having said UV lamp mounted therein across an airflow though said humidifier at a location proximate to and upstream of introduction of water mist into said airflow.

24. The potable water system of claim 23, wherein said humidifier further comprises at least one additional UV lamp mounted on a drip pan of said humidifier.

25. A potable water system comprising:

at least one vessel for containing water in said system;

at least one UV lamp mounted in said vessel so as to subject water therein to antimicrobial UV radiation;

a layer of photocatalytic material in said vessel for producing antibacterial hydroxyl ions in response to receiving UV radiation from said lamp in said vessel; and

at least one conduit for receiving a flow of water from said vessel so that said antibacterial hydroxyl ions pass into said conduit and to components of said system that are supplied thereby.

26. The potable water system of claim 25, wherein said photocatalytic material is selected from the group consisting of:

titanium dioxide;

tin dioxide; and

combinations thereof.

27. A method of treating a potable water system, comprising:

energizing a UV lamp mounted in at least one vessel in said system so as to simultaneously;

subject water in said vessel to antimicrobial UV radiation; and

expose a layer of photocataclytic material in said vessel to UV radiation so that said material produces antibacterial hydroxyl ions; and

flowing water from said vessel into at least one conduit so that said antibacterial hydroxyl ions pass into said conduit and to components of said system that are supplied thereby.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said photocatalytic material is selected from the group consisting of:

titanium dioxide;

tin dioxide; and

combinations thereof.