Water purification system having plural pairs of filters and an ozone contact chamber

• US 5,741,416 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tempest Environmental Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tempest Environmental Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Tempest, Gerard F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US08/721,309
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/90, 210/96.1, 210/96.2, 210/97, 210/143, 210/192, 210/241, 210/257.1, 210/257.2, 210/259, 210/335, 210/340, 210/341, 210/760, 210/764, 210/806 , 210/195.1, 210/195.2, 210/103, 210/258
• US Class Current: 210/90
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/50 by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-contained, self-monitoring water purification system able to be transported to and used in remote areas. The system processes contaminated water through a preliminary filter, an oxidation contact chamber, a secondary filter and a chemical biocidal agent to obtain potable water. A number of sensor probes send information on critical operating parameters to a programmed logic control which, in turn, analyzes the information and generates an output signal to alter system operations when needed. In a second embodiment, the invention system is provided with a desalination unit in the form of a reverse osmosis filter to remove salt and extremely fine particles.

Claims

1. A system for purifying contaminated water characterized by being self-contained, portable and having means operative during operation of the system and dependent on factors measured within the system for taking clogged filters out of service, placing unclogged filters in service and for recirculating for repeated treatment of both ozone treated water and organic contaminated filtered water during operation of the system, comprising:

(a) a first pump having an intake port connected to a source of contaminated water to be treated by said system and a discharge port through which water pumped by said pump is discharged;

(b) a first pair of replaceable cartridge filters each having intake and exhaust ports;

(c) a first signal controlled valve having an intake port connected to receive water from said first pump discharge port and having a pair of discharge ports each being separately connected to an intake port of one of said first pair of filters enabling water received through the intake port of said first signal controlled valve to be directed to the intake port of a selected one of said first pair of cartridge filters according to a first pressure related control signal applied to said first signal controlled valve;

(d) a second pair of replaceable cartridge filters each having intake and exhaust ports.

(e) a second signal controlled valve having an intake port connected to the exhaust ports of said first pair of cartridge filters to receive water filtered therefrom and having a pair of discharge ports each of which is connected to the intake port of a selected one of said second pair of filters thereby enabling water received through the intake port of said second signal controlled valve to be directed to the intake port of a selected one of said second pair of cartridge filters according to a second pressure related control signal applied to said second signal controlled valve;

(f) a first pressure probe and a second pressure probe being operative to continuously monitor the water pressure on the respective intake sides of said first and second valves and develop said first and second pressure related control signals corresponding thereto;

(g) first control means responsive to said first and second pressure related signals for generating first and second pressure related valve control signals transmitted to said first and second signal controlled valves for switching said first and second signal controlled valves and enabling a filter in either said first or second pair of filters to be taken out of service and the other filter of said pair to be placed in service while the system continues to operate;

(h) a second pump having an intake port connected to the exhaust ports of said second pair of filters and a discharge port;

(i) an ozone generator providing pressurized substantially dry ozone and having an outlet for discharging said ozone from said ozone generator and connected to said second pump discharge port;

(j) an ozone contact chamber having an inlet connected to both said ozone generator outlet and said second pump discharge port thereby enabling water filtered by one of said first pair and one of said second pair of filters and discharged from said second pump discharge port to be mixed within said chamber with ozone from said ozone generator for discharge through an outlet formed on said chamber;

(k) a third signal controlled valve connected on an intake side to said chamber outlet for receiving ozone treated water discharged therefrom and having a first discharge port and a second discharge port, said first discharge port being connected through a first return line to said second pump intake port enabling ozone treated water discharged through said chamber outlet to be directed through either said first discharge port for repeated introduction of ozone and passage through said second pump and ozone contact chamber or to said second discharge port of said third signal controlled valve according to a first oxidation reduction potential (ORP) related valve control signal applied to said third signal controlled valve;

(l) a first ORP probe operative to continuously monitor the oxidation reduction potential of water discharged through said chamber outlet and develop said first ORP signal corresponding thereto;

(m) second control means responsive to said first ORP signal developed by said first ORP probe for generating a third valve control signal transmitted to said third signal controlled valve for switching said third signal controlled valve while the system continues to operate, enabling ozone treated water received by said third signal controlled valve to be directed to either said third signal controlled valve first discharge port for recirculation through said second pump and ozone contact chamber or to said third signal controlled valve second discharge port for further treatment;

(n) a third pair of granulated active carbon (GAG) filters, a first of said pair of GAC filters having an intake port connected to the third signal controlled valve second discharge port and a discharge port connected to an intake port of a second of said third pair of GAC filters and the second of said pair of GAC filters having a discharge port;

(o) a fourth signal controlled valve connected on an intake side to the discharge port of the second of said pair of GAC filters and having first and second discharge ports the first of which is connected to said second pump intake port through a second return line enabling water treated by said GAC filters to be directed through either said fourth signal controlled valve first discharge port for passage through said second pump and repeated introduction of ozone or to the second discharge port of said fourth signal controlled valve for further treatment according to a second ORP related valve control signal applied to said fourth signal controlled valve;

(p) a second ORP probe operative to continuously monitor the oxidation reduction potential of the water discharged from the second of said pair of GAC filters and generate a second ORP signal corresponding thereto;

(q) third control means responsive to said second ORP signal generated by said second ORP probe for generating a second ORP related valve control signal and applied to said fourth signal controlled valve for switching said fourth signal controlled valve according to the ORP level indicated by said second ORP signal enabling water discharged from the second of said GAC filters to be directed to either said fourth signal controlled valve first discharge port for recirculation through said second pump, said ozone contact chamber and both said GAC filters or to said fourth signal controlled valve second discharge port for further treatment;

(r) first and second banks of plural filters, each said bank having respective intake and exhaust ports;

(s) third and fourth banks of plural filters, each said bank having respective intake and exhaust ports;

(t) a fifth signal controlled valve connected on an intake side to receive water from said second discharge port of said fourth signal controlled valve and having a pair of discharge ports each being separately connected to the respective intake ports of said first and second banks of filters enabling water received from said fourth signal controlled valve second discharge port to be selectively directed by said fifth signal controlled valve to one or the other of the intake ports of said first or second banks of filters according to a third pressure related control signal applied to said fifth signal controlled valve;

(u) a sixth signal controlled valve connected on an intake side to the exhaust ports of said first and second banks of filters to receive water discharged therefrom and having a pair of discharge ports each being separately connected to the respective intake ports of said third and fourth banks of filters enabling water received from said first and second banks of filters to be selectively directed by said sixth control valve to one or the other of the intake ports of said third and fourth banks of filters according to a fourth pressure related control signal applied to said sixth signal controlled valve;

(v) a third and a fourth pressure probe operative to continuously monitor the water pressure on the respective intake sides of said fifth and sixth signal controlled valves and generate third and fourth pressure indicating signals corresponding thereto;

(w) fourth control means responsive to the pressure indicator signals generated by said third and fourth pressure probes for developing respective third and fourth pressure related valve control signals applied to said fifth and sixth signal controlled valves for switching said fifth and sixth signal controlled valves according to the respective pressures indicated by the respective third and fourth pressure indicating signals thereby enabling filters in either said first or second banks of filters or in said third or fourth banks of filters to be taken out of service and other filters of said first or second bank of filters or of said third or fourth bank of filters placed in service when the corresponding indicated pressures so require and while the system continues to operate;

(x) a biocidal mixing tank having an intake port connected to the discharge ports of said third and fourth banks of filters and a discharge port for discharging water after being treated within said biocidal mixing tank;

(y) a biocide storage tank containing a biocide;

(z) a third pump connected to pump biocide from said biocide storage tank to said biocide mixing tank thereby enabling water discharged from said third and fourth banks of filters to be treated with said biocide immediately prior to being discharged from said system; and

(aa) a microprocessor operatively associated with said first, second, third and fourth control means.

2. A system for purifying contaminated water as claimed in claim 1 including:

(a) a desalinator for desalinating water having an intake port and exhaust port; and

(b) pumping means for coupling said desalinator intake port to the exhaust ports of said third and fourth banks of filters and said desalinator exhaust port to said biocidal mixing tank intake port thereby enabling water discharged by said third and fourth banks of filters to be desalinated prior to passing through said biocidal mixing tank.