APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING BIOLOGICAL REGROWTH IN WATER
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for inactivating microorganisms in water from a source and for controlling biological regrowth in downstream water systems, said apparatus comprising in combination:
- a) a water tank;
b) a sleeve disposed with said tank for conveying a flow of oxygen containing gas therethrough;
c) a UV lamp disposed within said sleeve for converting oxygen molecules of the gas flowing through said sleeve into ozone molecules, for irradiating the water within said tank and for producing hydroxyl radicals;
d) silver for entrainment in the water;
e) a conduit for introducing the silver with the water from the source of water;
f) a further conduit connected with said sleeve to convey the gas and ozone molecules contained therein away from said sleeve;
g) a venturi for receiving the silver containing water and for creating a low pressure environment therein, said further conduit being connected to said venturi for conveying the gas and ozone molecules into said venturi for entrainment with the water flowing through said venturi in response to the low pressure environment;
h) a yet further conduit for conveying the water from said venturi into said tank to subject the water to radiation from said UV lamp and enable the production of hydroxyl radicals; and
i) an outlet for conveying the water containing ozone, silver and hydroxyl radicals from said tank to a point of use.
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Abstract
A flow of oxygen containing gas is irradiated with UV light to convert oxygen molecules to ozone molecules and produce an ozonated gas. Water to be treated is augmented with silver prior to entraining the ozonated gas in the water. The ozone enriched water containing silver is irradiated with UV light to produce hydroxyl radicals. Whereby, microorganisms are killed by the UV radiation, organic matter is oxidized by the ozone and the combination of silver and hydroxyl radicals prevent downstream growth of bio-film contamination.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for inactivating microorganisms in water from a source and for controlling biological regrowth in downstream water systems, said apparatus comprising in combination:
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a) a water tank; b) a sleeve disposed with said tank for conveying a flow of oxygen containing gas therethrough; c) a UV lamp disposed within said sleeve for converting oxygen molecules of the gas flowing through said sleeve into ozone molecules, for irradiating the water within said tank and for producing hydroxyl radicals; d) silver for entrainment in the water; e) a conduit for introducing the silver with the water from the source of water; f) a further conduit connected with said sleeve to convey the gas and ozone molecules contained therein away from said sleeve; g) a venturi for receiving the silver containing water and for creating a low pressure environment therein, said further conduit being connected to said venturi for conveying the gas and ozone molecules into said venturi for entrainment with the water flowing through said venturi in response to the low pressure environment; h) a yet further conduit for conveying the water from said venturi into said tank to subject the water to radiation from said UV lamp and enable the production of hydroxyl radicals; and i) an outlet for conveying the water containing ozone, silver and hydroxyl radicals from said tank to a point of use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for treating water to inactivate microorganisms in water from a source and to control biological regrowth in downstream water systems, said apparatus comprising in combination:
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a) a water tank; b) a sleeve disposed within said tank for conveying a flow of oxygen containing gas therethrough; c) a UV lamp disposed within said sleeve for converting oxygen molecules of the gas flowing through said sleeve into ozone molecules and for irradiating the water within said tank; d) a source of the gas under pressure and a conduit for conveying the gas from said source into said sleeve; e) a water chamber; f) silver for entrainment in the water; g) an inlet for conveying silver containing the water to be treated from the source of water; h) a conduit for conveying the water to be treated from said cartridge into said water chamber; i) a further conduit interconnecting said sleeve with a diffuser disposed in said water chamber for discharging through said diffuser the gas into the water to be treated; j) a yet further conduit for conveying the water from said water chamber to said water tank to irradiate the water with radiation from said UV lamp and to produce hydroxyl radicals; k) a pressure regulator for maintaining the pressure of the gas within said sleeve to enhance the production of ozone molecules within said sleeve and; l) an outlet for conveying the treated water to a point of use. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for treating water to inactivate microorganisms and to prevent growth of bio-film in a water system, said method comprising in combination:
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a) irradiating a gas containing oxygen molecules with ultraviolet light to convert oxygen molecules into ozone molecules and produce an ozonated gas; b) conveying silver into the water to be treated; c) entraining the ozonated gas in the water containing silver to produce ozonated water containing silver and to oxidize organic matter in the water; d) further irradiating the water subsequent to said entraining step with ultraviolet light from a UV lamp to inactivate microorganisms, to further convert oxygen molecules in the water to ozone molecules and produce hydroxyl radicals in the water; and e) discharge the treated water to a point of use. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. Apparatus for treating water and for preventing growth of bio-film in a water distribution system, said apparatus comprising in combination:
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a) a source of silver for introducing silver into the water; b) a source of ultraviolet light for irradiating an oxygen containing gas to convert oxygen molecules in oxygen containing gas to ozone molecules and produce an ozonated gas; c) means for entraining the ozonated gas in the water containing silver to oxidize organic matter in the water; d) means for irradiating with ultraviolet light the water containing silver and ozone molecules to inactivate microorganisms that may be present, to convert further oxygen molecules to ozone molecules and to produce hydroxyl radicals; and e) a conduit for conveying the treated water into the water distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification