MODULAR WATER TREATMENT UNIT

• US 20060213825A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fleck Controls, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fleck Controls, LLC
• Inventors: Averbeck, Dave
• Application Number:
  US11/277,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/254
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/043 Treatment of partial or bypass streams
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems

Abstract

A modular water treatment unit for use with water softeners and media filtration systems to permit the connection of filtration, light irradiation and other components to the softener or filtration system without the need to assemble a custom plumbing system to connect the components. By simply rotating the modular treatment unit 180 degrees, the unit can be used to treat either the water on the inlet or the outlet side of the water softener or media filtration unit. The modular water treatment unit includes a modular treatment head that is removably connected to a treatment sump. The treatment sump houses filtration cartridges, UV irradiation or other components. The treatment head of the modular water treatment unit includes a bypass tube and a treatment tube that is parallel to the bypass tube. The bypass tube permits the passage of water without subjecting the water to filtration or irradiation. The treatment tube directs the flow of water through the sump of the modular water treatment unit, to either filter or irradiate the water. The parallel orientation of the pass through and treatment tubes allows for the use of quick connect clips and o-rings which eliminates the need to thread, solder, glue or weld the system components together. Treatment of the inlet or the outlet side of the water softener or media filtration unit can be accompanied by repositioning the bypass and treatment tubes through repositioning of the treatment head. This repositioning can be performed quickly without the need for costly and time consuming plumbing.

Claims

10. A modular fluid treatment unit for treating a fluid carried by conduits, the modular fluid treatment unit comprising:

a treatment head having a pair of inlets adapted to be coupled to a first pair of conduits and a pair of outlets adapted to be coupled to a second pair of conduits;

a treatment sump adapted to house a treatment component, the treatment sump adapted to be coupled to the treatment head,

wherein fluid entering the first of the inlets bypasses the treatment sump when traveling to the first of the outlets and fluid entering the second of the inlets enters the treatment sump before exiting the second of the outlets; and

wherein the inlets and outlets of the treatment head can be uncoupled from the conduits to permit rotation of the treatment head so that the inlets can be coupled to the second pair of conduits and the outlets can be coupled to the first pair of conduits.

11. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the inlets are positioned adjacent one another.

12. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the outlets are positioned adjacent one another.

13. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the inlets and outlets each include an annular groove adapted to accept an o-ring.

14. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the treatment head includes an annular recess having a plurality of threads adapted to receive corresponding threads on the treatment sump.

15. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the treatment component is in the form of a filter.

16. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the treatment component is in the form of an ultraviolet irradiation unit.

17. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 10, wherein the inlets and outlets of multiple modular treatment units can be interconnected to provide a series of fluid treatments.

18. A fluid treatment head to permit selective fluid treatment of fluid within first and second conduits, the fluid treatment head comprising:

a bypass line having first and second ends, the bypass line adapted to be connected into the first fluid conduit;

a treatment line having first end positioned adjacent the first end of the bypass line and a second end positioned adjacent the second end of the bypass line, the treatment line adapted to be connected into the second fluid conduit, wherein fluid entering the treatment line from the second fluid conduit is diverted to a fluid treatment component before exiting the treatment line; and

wherein the ends of the bypass line can be uncoupled from the first fluid conduit and the ends of the treatment line can be uncoupled from the second fluid conduit to permit rotation of the treatment head so that the ends of the bypass line can be coupled to the second fluid conduit and the ends of the treatment tine can be coupled to the first fluid conduit.

1. A modular fluid treatment unit adapted to permit selective fluid treatment of first and second fluid lines, the modular fluid treatment unit comprising:

a treatment head having a top portion and a base portion;

a treatment sump coupled to the base portion of the treatment head, the treatment sump adapted to contain a fluid treatment component;

a bypass line having a first end and a second end interconnected by a passageway, the bypass line adapted to be connectable to either the first or the second fluid lines;

a treatment line having first and second ends adapted to be connectable to either the first or the second fluid lines, the treatment line including a first passageway in fluid communication with the treatment sump and the first end of the treatment line, and a second passageway extending from the treatment sump to the second end of the treatment line such that fluid entering the first end of the treatment line flows through the treatment sump before exiting the second end of the treatment line.

2. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the ends of the bypass tube are adjacent to the ends of the treatment tube.

3. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the ends of the bypass tube and the treatment tube each include an annular groove adapted to accept an o-ring.

4. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the base portion of the treatment head includes an annular recess having a plurality of threads adapted to receive corresponding threads on the treatment sump.

5. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the fluid treatment component is in the form of a filter.

6. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the fluid treatment component is in the form of an ultraviolet irradiation unit.

7. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the treatment head can be uncoupled from the first and second fluid lines, rotated and re-coupled to the first and second fluid lines to alternate the lines being treated.

8. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein the bypass line is substantially parallel to the treatment line.

9. The modular fluid treatment unit of claim 1, wherein multiple modular fluid treatment units can be interconnected to provide for a series of fluid treatments.

19. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, wherein the ends of the bypass line each include an annular groove adapted to accept an o-ring.

20. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, wherein the ends of the treatment line each include an annular groove adapted to accept an o-ring.

21. The fluid treatment head of claim 20, wherein the treatment head includes an annular recess having a plurality of threads adapted to receive corresponding threads on the treatment sump.

22. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, wherein the fluid treatment component is in the form of a filter.

23. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, wherein the fluid treatment component is in the form of an ultraviolet irradiation unit.

24. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, wherein the fluid treatment component is remotely located from the fluid treatment head.

20-1. The fluid treatment head of claim 18, further including a treatment sump coupled to the treatment head.