Water treatment method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A laundry washing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber constructed and arranged to receive laundry and wash water therein, means for agitating the laundry in the wash water, a generator having an electrically energized lamp producing ultraviolet radiation to which air is exposed to produce activated air, an injector constructed and arranged to disperse bubbles of the activated air from the generator in the wash water to produce activated wash water, a mixer having an inlet coupled to said injector and an outlet coupled to said chamber and adapted to subject the activated wash water flowing therethrough to turbulent flow conditions, and a pump constructed and arranged to recirculate the wash water through the chamber with activated air dispersed in the wash water in the chamber while agitating the laundry therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A water treatment method and apparatus is described for generating a supply of activated water containing oxidants, including hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroperoxy radicals, but excluding ozone. The apparatus includes a generator having ultraviolet lamps to which air is exposed to create activated air. To suppress the generation of ozone in the activated air, the air subjected to the ultraviolet lamps is maintained at a relative high humidity. Also, the activated air is generated in the presence of a catalyst and using 254 nm light, both of which are believed to aid in the destruction of any ozone generated by the exposure of the air to other wavelengths of the uv light. The catalyst also provides additional oxidants in the air. The activated air is entrained in the water using an injector to thereby produce the activated water. A mixer can be used to subject the activated water coming from the injector to turbulent flow conditions to thereby further break up the activated air within the water. In one specific application, the activated water is utilized as a part of a method and apparatus for washing laundry. The laundry is agitated in wash water made up from the activated water. The wash water can be continuously recirculated from the chamber containing the wash water and laundry, through the injector where additional activated air is added, then through the mixer, and thereafter back into the chamber.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A laundry washing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber constructed and arranged to receive laundry and wash water therein, means for agitating the laundry in the wash water, a generator having an electrically energized lamp producing ultraviolet radiation to which air is exposed to produce activated air, an injector constructed and arranged to disperse bubbles of the activated air from the generator in the wash water to produce activated wash water, a mixer having an inlet coupled to said injector and an outlet coupled to said chamber and adapted to subject the activated wash water flowing therethrough to turbulent flow conditions, and a pump constructed and arranged to recirculate the wash water through the chamber with activated air dispersed in the wash water in the chamber while agitating the laundry therein.
- View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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2. A laundry washing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber constructed and arranged to receive laundry and wash water therein, means for agitating the laundry in the wash water, a generator having an electrically energized lamp producing ultraviolet radiation to which air is exposed to produce activated air, an injector constructed and arranged to disperse bubbles of the activated air from the generator in the wash water, a pump constructed and arranged to recirculate the washer water through the chamber with activated air dispersed in the wash water in the chamber while agitating the laundry therein, and said generator has at least one cell having an axially elongate tube having a fluid inlet adjacent one end and a fluid outlet adjacent the other end, an electrically energized and axially elgonate ultraviolet lamp received in and extending generally axially of said tube, and a plurality of baffles received in said tube in axially spaced apart relation and extending generally transversely of the axis of said tube and constructed and arranged to provide a serpentine path for the flow of air through said tube between said inlet and outlet thereof.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A laundry washing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber constructed and arranged to receive laundry and wash water therein, means for agitating the laundry in the wash water, a generator having an electrically energized lamp producing ultraviolet radiation to which air is exposed to produce activated air, a mixer constructed and arranged to subject the wash water flowing therethrough to turbulent flow conditions, a pump constructed and arranged to recirculate the wash water through the chamber with activated air dispersed in the wash water in the chamber while agitating the laundry therein, and an injector disposed upstream of said mixer and having an axially elongate casing tube with an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet adjacent the other end through which the water is recirculated, and a discharge tube with a porous sidewall permeable to air disposed in said casing tube, having an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of said casing tube and being operably connected with said generator and constructed and arranged so that in operation the activated air produced by said generator passes through said porous sidewall and is discharged into the water flowing through said casing tube.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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14. A laundry washing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber constructed and arranged to receive laundry and wash water therein, means for agitating the laundry in the wash water, a generator having an electrically energized lamp producing ultraviolet radiation to which air is exposed to produce activated air, a mixer constructed and arranged to disperse bubbles of the activated air from the generator in the wash water, and a pump constructed and arranged to recirculate the wash water through the chamber with activated air dispersed in the wash water in the chamber while agitating the laundry therein, and said mixer has an axially elongate casing tube with an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet adjacent the other end through which water with activated air therein flows and a plurality of baffles received in said casing tube in axially spaced apart relation between said inlet and outlet, said baffles extending generally transversely of the axis of said casing tube and being constructed and arranged to provide a serpentine path for the flow of wash water with activated air therein through said casing tube between said inlet and outlet thereof.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
Specification