Water treatment system having dosing control

• US 5,925,240 A
• Filed: 05/20/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vws UK Limited (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Original Assignee: United States Filter Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Nussbaum, Felix, Brust, Achim, Liang, Li-Shiang, Wilkins, Frederick C., Dupont, Stephane, Bendlin, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hruskoci, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US08/859,340
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/87, 210/88, 210/89, 210/97, 210/109, 210/110, 210/137, 210/138, 210/143, 210/195.1, 210/195.2, 210/196, 210/258, 210/266, 210/287, 210/202, 210/282, 210/290
• US Class Current: 210/88
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A water treatment system having dosing control for providing treated water having very low organic and ionic contamination, that can be accurately dispensed. The water treatment system having dosing control includes a water inlet hydraulically connected to a pump having a variable speed motor. At least one water treatment device is hydraulically connected downstream of the pump, at least one outlet valve is hydraulically connected downstream of the water treatment unit, and a recirculation line is hydraulically connected from the outlet valve to the pump. The output of the pump is controlled by a regulating device connected to the variable speed motor. The system provides for lower electrical current usage and reduced acoustical disturbances.

Claims

1. A water treatment system having dosing control, comprising:

a water inlet hydraulically connected to a pump having a variable speed motor and producing a pump output;

at least one water treatment device hydraulically connected downstream of said pump;

at least one outlet valve hydraulically connected downstream of said water treatment device; and

a recirculation line hydraulically connected from said outlet valve to said pump,

wherein said pump output is controlled by a regulating device connected to said variable speed motor;

said regulating device including a controller and an input device to provide an input signal, which represents a desired flow rate at said outlet valve, to said controller; and

said controller converting said input signal to a motor control signal that causes said variable speed motor to operate at a speed which causes the flow of water at said outlet valve to correspond to the desired flow rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one water treatment device is selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light lamp unit, a filter cartridge having at least one layer of an activated carbon and at least one layer of a mixture of ion exchange resins, an ultrafilter unit, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said water treatment device is an ultraviolet light lamp unit.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said water treatment device is a filter cartridge having at least one layer of an activated carbon and at least one layer of a mixture of ion exchange resins.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said water treatment device is an ultrafilter unit.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising a disinfection unit hydraulically connected between said pump and said outlet valve.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said outlet valve is in a completely closed position during water recirculation in said system, and is in a completely opened position for removing purified water from said system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said pump has an output of about 0.5 liter/min for water recirculation in said system when said outlet valve is closed.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said pump output is controlled by said regulating device when said outlet valve is opened.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device includes a potentiometer.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device includes a key pad.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device includes an angle encoder.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said regulating device is a potentiometer.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said regulating device includes a device to perform at least one of turning off said motor at a first predetermined time, and turning on said motor at a second predetermined time.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second predetermined times are provided by a user through an input device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second predetermined times are provided by said regulating device as a function of operational data.

17. The system of claim 1, further including a proportional valve hydraulically connected downstream of said outlet valve, wherein the regulating device is connected to said proportional valve.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller converts said input signal to a valve control signal that causes said proportional valve to open at a cross-section which causes the flow of water at said proportional valve to correspond to the desired flow rate.

19. A water treatment system having dosing control to regulate a system output, comprising:

a water inlet hydraulically connected to a pump having a variable speed motor and producing a pump output;

at least one water treatment device hydraulically connected downstream of said pump;

at least one outlet valve hydraulically connected downstream of said water treatment device;

a recirculation line hydraulically connected from said outlet valve to said pump,

wherein said pump output is controlled by a regulating device connected to said variable speed motor; and

a proportional valve hydraulically connected downstream of said outlet valve,

wherein the regulating device is connected to said proportional valve to control said system output;

said regulating device including a controller and an input device to provide an input signal, which represents a desired flow rate at said proportional valve, to said controller; and

said controller converting said input signal to a valve control signal that causes said proportional valve to open at a cross-section which causes the flow of water at said proportional valve to correspond to the desired flow rate.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said at least one water treatment device is selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light lamp unit, a filter cartridge having at least one layer of an activated carbon and at least one layer of a mixture of ion exchange resins, an ultrafilter unit, and combinations thereof.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said water treatment device is an ultraviolet light lamp unit.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said water treatment device is a filter cartridge having at least one layer of an activated carbon and at least one layer of a mixture of ion exchange resins.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein said water treatment device is an ultrafilter unit.

24. The system of claim 20, further comprising a disinfection unit hydraulically connected between said pump and said outlet valve.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said outlet valve is in a completely closed position during water recirculation in said system, and is in a completely opened position for removing purified water from said system.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said pump has an output of about 0.5 liter/min for water recirculation in said system when said outlet valve is closed.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said pump output is controlled by said regulating device when said outlet valve is opened.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein said controller converts said input signal to a motor control signal that causes said motor to operate at a speed which causes the flow of water at said outlet valve to correspond to the desired flow rate.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said input device includes a potentiometer.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said input device includes a key pad.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said input device includes an angle encoder.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein said regulating device is a potentiometer.

33. The system of claim 19, wherein said regulating device includes a device to perform at least one of turning off said motor at a first predetermined time, and turning on said motor at a second predetermined time.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said first and second predetermined times are provided by a user through an input device.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said first and second predetermined times are provided by said regulating device as a function of operational data.

36. A water treatment system having dosing control to regulate a system output, said water treatment system comprising:

a water inlet hydraulically connected to a pump;

at least one water treatment device hydraulically connected downstream of said pump;

at least one outlet valve hydraulically connected downstream of said water treatment device;

a recirculation line hydraulically connected from said outlet valve to said pump; and

a proportional valve hydraulically connected downstream of said outlet valve,

wherein said system output is controlled by a regulating device connected to said proportional valve;

said regulating device including a controller and an input device to provide an input signal, which represents a desired flow rate at said proportional valve, to said controller; and

said controller converting said input signal to a valve control signal that causes said proportional valve to open at a cross-section which causes the flow of water at said proportional valve to correspond to the desired flow rate.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said at least one water treatment device is selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light lamp unit, a filter cartridge having at least one layer of an activated carbon and at least one layer of a mixture of ion exchange resins, an ultrafilter unit, and combinations thereof.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said outlet valve is in a completely closed position during water recirculation in said system, and is in a completely opened position for removing purified water from said system.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said pump has an output of about 0.5 liter/min for water recirculation in said system when said outlet valve is closed.