Laundry waste water treatment and wash process

• US 5,097,556 A
• Filed: 02/26/1991
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tri-O-Clean Laundry Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: O3 Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Gallo, John B., Bladen, Donald H., Engel, Richard B., Engel, Virginia F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US07/660,935
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 8/158, 68/13 R, 68/18 R, 68/18 F, 68/183, 68/207
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/78 Details relating to ozone treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone

Abstract

A method and apparatus for washing laundry without hot water and detergent using a closed loop ozonated wash water system wherein wash water maintained in a storage tank is ozonated by an ozone generator prior to use in a washing machine. The spent wash water is collected, filtered and reused thereby eliminating waste water disposal problems and resulting in considerable water and energy savings. The ozone generator includes a unique air flow configuration to maximize ozone generation resulting in a high efficiency washing system.

Claims

1. A method of washing laundry using a closed loop wash water system comprising the steps of:

maintaining a supply of wash water in a first storage means;

ozonating said wash water supply;

delivering said ozonated wash water supply to a washing means upon commencement of a wash cycle;

washing said laundry in said washing means;

collecting said wash water supply in a collecting means at the end of the wash cycle; and

recirculating said wash water supply from said collecting means to said storage means.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing said wash water in a second storage means prior to delivery to said first storage means.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of transferring the wash water from said second storage means to said first storage means prior to the initiation of a wash cycle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said transferring step includes pumping the wash water from said second storage means to said first storage means and further including the step of filtering the wash water between the second and first storage means.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of removing waste wash materials from said wash water supply at the end of the wash cycle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said removing step is further defined as filtering said wash water supply.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of recirculating and mixing said supply of wash water in said first storage means.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of recirculating and mixing includes pumping said wash water out of said storage tank through a recirculating line and back into said first storage means.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of recirculating and mixing removes the wash water from the bottom and returns the wash water to the top of said first storage means.

10. The method of claim 7 further including the step of filtering said supply of wash water to remove contaminants therefrom as it is being recirculated.

11. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of rinsing said laundry with a fresh supply of wash water at the end of the wash cycle and collecting the rinse water at the end of the rinse cycle in said collecting means.

12. The method of claim 1 further including the step of replenishing the wash water lost during the washing process.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the ozonating step is further defined by generating a source of ozone and entraining the ozone into the wash water within said first storage means.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of mixing said entrained ozone at the point it enters into said wash water within said first storage means.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of generating the ozone further includes the steps passing air over a high voltage corona created by said generator in a non-linear path.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the non-linear path is defined as helical.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said air is passed over said high voltage corona by drawing the air with a pump in said helical, non-linear path whereby the increased air path permits a larger amount of oxygen to break down and recombine into ozone

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said wash water is maintained at ambient temperature.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said wash water is free from additives defined by the group of soaps, detergents and bleaches.