Laundry waste water treatment and wash process

• US 5,241,720 A
• Filed: 09/04/1992
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tri-O-Clean Laundry Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tri-O-Clean Laundry Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Schneider, Keith R., Engel, Richard B. Jr., Gallo, John B., Bladen, Donald H., Engel, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US07/941,267
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 8/158, 68/13 R, 68/18 R, 68/18 F, 68/183, 68/207, 422/186.11, 422/186.12
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/20 Arrangements for water recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A method and apparatus of 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 the washing machine. The ambient air used in the ozone generator to generate the ozone is undried and temperature controlled. The system includes a novel injector including a vacuum pump for entraining ozone into the water in the storage tank. The spent wash water is collected, filtered and reused, thereby eliminating waste water disposal problems, resulting in considerable water and energy savings.

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 storage tank;

supplying undried ambient air to an ozone generator, treating the undried air with a source of electric discharge and generating ozone thereby;

mixing the ozone into 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 including the step of controlling the moisture content of the ambient air by controlling the temperature thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 being further defined by air conditioning the ambient air.

4. The method of claim 1 further including generating a hydroxyl radical when the undried ambient air is treated by the ozone generator, and combining said hydroxyl radical with said ozone and mixing the combination in said wash water supply.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of creating a vacuum in a supply line between said ozone generator and said storage means to accelerate entrainment of the ozone in the wash water supply.

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

maintaining a supply of wash water in a storage tank;

supplying undried ambient air to an ozone generator, treating the undried air with a source of electric discharge and generating ozone thereby;

mixing the ozone into said wash water supply;

creating a vacuum in a supply line between said ozone generator and said storage means to accelerate entrainment of the ozone into the 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.

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

maintaining a supply of wash water in a storage tank;

supplying undried ambient air to an ozone generator, treating the undried air with a source of electric discharge and generating ozone and a hydroxyl radical during the air treating step;

mixing the ozone into 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.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the step of creating a vacuum in a supply line between said ozone generator and said storage means to accelerate entrainment of the ozone in the wash water supply.

9. The method of claim 7 further including the step of controlling the moisture content of the ambient air by controlling the temperature thereof.

10. The method of claim 7 being further defined by air conditioning the ambient air.