Method and apparatus to restore grey water

• US 5,409,616 A
• Filed: 03/04/1994
• Issued: 04/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ozact Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ozact Incorporated
• Inventors: Moxley, Douglas A., Garbutt, Cornelius D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nessler, Cynthia L.
• Application Number:
  US08/205,999
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 210/760, 210/192, 210/195.1, 210/199, 210/257.1, 210/266, 210/805, 210/806, 210/765, 210/752, 68/13 R, 68/18 F, 68/207
• US Class Current: 210/760
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/002 Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers
• 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 method and apparatus to restore grey water resulting from a cleaning activity such as laundry using ozone as a cleaning agent in a closed loop system for recycling to preserve water, to reduce system size, and to enhance the efficiency of the cleaning system.

Claims

1. A closed loop water and cleaning agent supply system to supply water and a cleaning agent to a cleaning device, said system providing restoration and regeneration to grey water output from the cleaning device for recycle and reuse of the grey water, comprising:

a grey water supply conduit in fluid communication with a grey water source, said grey water supply conduit having an inlet and an outlet;

a grey water sump in fluid communication with the outlet of the grey water supply conduit for receiving and storing grey water;

first means for introducing gas into the grey water, said first means for introducing gas having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;

first pump means for transferring grey water from said sump to the first inlet of said first means for introducing gas;

an ozone source;

means connecting said ozone source to said second inlet of said first means for introducing gas, whereby ozone is introduced into grey water passing through said first means for introducing gas;

a contact section defining means for raising the volume of ozone that can be introduced into a given volume of water, said contact section connected to and downstream of said first means for introducing gas;

a first particulate filter means for filtration of particulate matter, said first particulate filter means having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, at least one first particulate filter means inlet connected to and downstream of the contact section, said first particulate filter means thereby receiving ozonated grey water;

a second particulate filter means for filtration of particulate matter, said second particulate filter means having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, at least one second particulate filter means inlet connected to and downstream of the contact section, said second particulate filter means thereby receiving ozonated grey water;

a liquid receiving tank having an inlet connected to at least one outlet of and downstream of each of said first and second particulate filter means, said liquid receiving tank for holding a predetermined supply of ozonated filtered water for use in cleaning, said liquid receiving tank having at least one outlet, at least one liquid receiving tank outlet connected to a cleaning device that utilizes water and ozone as a cleaning agent for cleaning; and

means for reintroducing the water held in said liquid receiving tank upstream of said first particulate filter means;

whereby water being discharged from a cleaning device is connected to the inlet of the grey water supply conduit, forming a closed loop system, allowing the water and cleaning agent to be recycled continuously.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said ozone source comprises a high purity oxygen source connected to an ozone generator.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said ozone source produces a product gas that is a mixture of approximately seven percent (7%) ozone and eighty-five percent (85%) oxygen.

4. The system as described in claim 2, wherein said high purity oxygen source produces oxygen that is at least eighty-five percent (85%) pure.

5. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising a second means for introducing gas into the grey water, said second means for introducing gas having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, said second means for introducing gas connected between said liquid receiving tank and said cleaning device.

6. The system as described in claim 5, further comprising second pump means for transferring water from said liquid receiving tank to the first inlet of said second means for introducing gas.

7. The system as described in claim 6, wherein said ozone source is connected to the second inlet of said second means for introducing gas, whereby ozone is introduced into the water passing through said second means for introducing gas, the outlet of said second means for introducing gas being connected to said cleaning device.

8. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said first means for introducing gas and said second means for introducing gas is a venturi injector.

9. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said first means for introducing gas and said second means for introducing gas is a sparging device.

10. The system as described in claim 1, further including means for replenishing the water lost from the system due to operation of said cleaning device.

11. A closed loop water and cleaning agent supply system to supply water and a cleaning agent to a cleaning device, said system providing restoration and regeneration to grey water output from the cleaning device for recycle and reuse of the grey water, comprising:

a grey water supply conduit in fluid communication with a grey water source, said grey water supply conduit having an inlet and an outlet;

a grey water sump in fluid communication with the outlet of the grey water supply conduit for receiving and storing grey water;

first means for introducing gas into the grey water, said first means for introducing gas having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;

first pump means for transferring grey water from said sump to the first inlet of said first means for introducing gas;

an ozone source;

means connecting said ozone source to said second inlet of said first means for introducing gas, whereby ozone is introduced into grey water passing through said first means for introducing gas;

a contact section defining means for raising the volume of ozone that can be introduced into a given volume of water, said contact section connected to and downstream of said first means for introducing gas;

a first particulate filter means for filtration of particulate matter, said first particulate filter means having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, at least one first particulate filter means inlet connected to and downstream of the contact section, said first particulate filter means thereby receiving ozonated grey water;

a second particulate filter means for filtration of particulate matter, said second particulate filter means having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, at least one second particulate filter means inlet connected to and downstream of the contact section, said second particulate filter means thereby receiving ozonated grey water;

a liquid receiving tank having an inlet connected to at least one outlet of and downstream of each of said first and second particulate filter means, said liquid receiving tank for holding a predetermined supply of ozonated filtered water for use in cleaning, said liquid receiving tank having at least one outlet, at least one liquid receiving tank outlet connected to a cleaning device that utilizes water and ozone as a cleaning agent for cleaning;

a second means for introducing gas into the grey water, said second means for introducing gas having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, said second means for introducing gas connected between said liquid receiving tank and said cleaning device;

second pump means for transferring water from said liquid receiving tank to the first inlet of said second means for introducing gas, said second pump means further reintroducing the water held in said liquid receiving tank upstream of said first particulate filter means;

said ozone source being connected to the second inlet of said second means for introducing gas, whereby ozone is introduced into the water passing through said second means for introducing gas, the outlet of said second means for introducing gas being connected to said cleaning device; and

means for replenishing the water lost from the system due to operation of said cleaning device;

whereby water being discharged from a cleaning device is connected to the inlet of the grey water supply conduit, forming a closed loop system, allowing the water and cleaning agent to be recycled continuously.

12. A method of restoring grey water resulting from a cleaning activity using a closed loop system comprising the steps of:

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

transferring said grey water from said first storage means to a contact section for raising the volume of ozone that can be introduced into a given volume of water, wherein said transferring step includes the step of introducing gas into the grey water via a first means for introducing gas;

ozonating said grey water as it passes through said first means for introducing gas;

filtering said ozonated grey water;

delivering said filtered ozonated grey water to a liquid receiving tank;

conveying said ozonated grey water from said liquid receiving tank to a cleaning device, said cleaning device being a source of grey water, wherein said step of conveying includes the steps of again introducing gas into the ozonated grey water via a second means for introducing gas and again ozonating the already ozonated grey water; and

recirculating the water from said cleaning device into the first storage means after said cleaning device has ended a cleaning cycle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said ozonating step is further defined by providing a high purity oxygen source connected to an ozone generator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said ozonating step produces a product gas that is a mixture of approximately seven percent (7%) ozone and eighty-five percent (85%) oxygen.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the high purity oxygen source produces oxygen that is at least eighty-five (85%) percent pure.

16. The method of claim 12, further including the step of replenishing the water lost from the system due to operation of said cleaning device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said grey water is maintained at ambient temperature.