APPARATUS FOR IRRADIATING A LIQUID

• US 3,659,096 A
• Filed: 06/16/1970
• Issued: 04/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew Joseph Kompanek
• Original Assignee: Andrew Joseph Kompanek
• Inventors: Kompanek, Andrew Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, James W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Church, C. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/046,644
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 250/43,44,45,49
• US Class Current: 422/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/08 Radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/122 Incoherent waves gamma-radiation B01J19/082
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3221 Lamps suspended above a water surface or pipe

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided wherein a liquid to be irradiated is formed into the shape of an unsupported thin stream; the stream is irradiated from a source of radiation which is disposed in spaced relationship to the liquid stream. The apparatus has numerous utilities such as, for example, disinfecting contaminated liquids by subjecting them to ultraviolet or infra-red radiation. Oxygen can be supplied to the radiation zone of the apparatus in the case of ultra-violet radiation to produce an oxidizing atmosphere of ozone in contact with the liquid. The apparatus possesses numerous advantages over previously described apparatus as discussed in greater detail in the attached specification.

Claims

2. maintaining a gaseous atmosphere between said film and an ionizing radiation source to separate said film from said radiation source;

and

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a receptacle means for collecting said unsupported liquid film, said receptacle means communicating with a liquid discharge conduit means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including radiation shielding means enclosing said radiation source and said unsupported liquid film.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for forming said unsupported liquid film comprises an annular nozzle assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for forming an unsupported film of said liquid comprises:

a. a block containing therein (i) an axial conduit communicating with said liquid feed conduit means, (ii) a plurality of radially extending conduits providing communication between said axial conduit and the outer surface of said block, and (iii) a plurality of vertical conduits, said vertical conduits having disposed therein electrical sockets means adapted to receive said radiation source means; and

b. an inverted frustroconical cup, the bottom of said cup resting upon the top surface of said block and affixed thereto, the frustroconical wall of said cup circumscribing the outer surface of said block and tapering inwardly towards said outer surface, said outer surface of said block and said frustroconical wall of said cup defining a chamber which communicates with said radially extending conduits, said chamber narrowing at its bottom to define a thin nozzle from whence said liquid fed to said chamber emanates as a thin film, said cup further containing (i) a plurality of non-axial conduits each of which communicates with one of said socket means of said block and (ii) an axial conduit, and wherein said means for energizing said radiation source means comprises (iii) an electrical feed conduit enclosed within said liquid feed conduit means, said electrical feed conduit passing through said axial conduit of said cup, and (iv) an electric cable, which is connectable to a power source, disposed within said electrical feed conduit, said cable electrically communicating with said socket means of said block by passage through said non-axial conduits of said cup.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said block further includes below said thin nozzle, a peripheral lip adapted to direct the liquid discharged from said annular nozzle radially outward.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radiation source means comprises an ultra-violet radiation source means.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the thickness of said unsupported liquid film ranges from about 1 millimeter to about 2 millimeters.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the wavelength of the ultra-viOlet radiation emitted from said radiation source converts oxygen to ozone and further including means for supplying oxygen to contact (1) both sides of said unsupported film, and (2) the ultra-violet radiation impinging upon said film.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further including ultra-violet radiation shielding means enclosing said radiation source and said unsupported liquid film.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further including means for effecting contact between said liquid fed to said apparatus and the gaseous atmosphere in said apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the distance between said ultra-violet radiation source and said unsupported liquid film ranges from about 1 to about 6 inches.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said distance is from about 2 1/2 to about 3 1/2 inches.

15. Apparatus for irradiating a liquid comprising:

a. nozzle means for forming an unsupported film of said liquid;

b. liquid feed conduit means communicating with said nozzle means;

c. source means for ultra-violet radiation, said source means disposed adjacent to, but in spaced relationship to, said formed unsupported liquid film so as to impinge ultra-violet radiation upon said liquid film, said film separated from said radiation source means by a gaseous atmosphere;

d. means for energizing said ultra-violet radiation source means;

e. receptacle means for collecting said unsupported liquid film; and

g. ultra-violet radiation shielding means enclosing said ultra-violet source means and said unsupported liquid film.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said source means for ultra-violet radiation comprises a plurality of quartz lamps.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle means comprises means for forming a thin annular liquid film, and wherein said source means for said ultra-violet radiation is disposed within said thin annular liquid film.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further including means for supplying oxygen to contact (1) both sides of said unsupported film, and (2) the ultra-violet radiation impinging upon said film.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the wave-length of the ultra-violet radiation emitted from said ultra-violet source means converts oxygen to ozone.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle means comprises:

a. a block containing therein (i) an axial conduit communicating with said liquid feed conduits means, (ii) a plurality of radially extending conduits providing communication between said axial conduit and the outer surface of said block, and (iii) a plurality of vertical conduits, said vertical conduits having disposed therein electrical socket means adapted to receive said ultra-violet radiation source means; and

b. an inverted frusto-conical cup, the bottom of said cup resting upon the top surface of said block and affixed thereto, the frustoconical wall of said cup circumscribing the outer surface of said block and tapering inwardly towards said outer surface, as they recede, said outer surface of said block and said frustoconical wall of said cup defining a chamber which communicates with said radially extending conduits, said chamber narrowing at its bottom to define a thin nozzle whence said liquid fed to said chamber emanates as a thin film, said cup further containing (i) a plurality of non-axial conduits each of which communicates with one of said socket means of said block and (ii) an axial conduit, and wherein said means for energizing said ultra-violet source means comprises (ii) an electrical feed conduit enclosed within said liquid feed conduit means, said electrical feed conduit passing through said axial conduit of said cup, and (iv) an electric cable, which is connectable to a power source, disposed within said electrical feed conduit, said cable electrically communicating with said socket means of said block by passage through said non-axial conduits of said cup.

21. The appaRatus of claim 20 wherein said block further includes below said thin nozzle, a peripheral lip adapted to direct the liquid discharged from said annular nozzle radially outward.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 further including means for effecting contact between said liquid fed to said apparatus and the gaseous atmosphere in said apparatus.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 further including means for effecting contact between said liquid fed to said apparatus and the gaseous atmosphere in said apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for effecting contact between said liquid fed to said apparatus and the gaseous atmosphere in said apparatus is an open mesh screen.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said open mesh screen is horizontally disposed above the liquid level in said receptacle means.

26. The apparatus of claim 15 further including means for effecting contact between said liquid fed to said apparatus and the gaseous atmosphere in said apparatus.

27. A method for irradiating a liquid which comprises:

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said radiation is ultra-violet radiation.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said ultra-violet radiation has a wave-length which converts oxygen to ozone, and further including the step of supplying oxygen to contact the ultra-violet radiation impinging upon said film.