Bypass valve for water treatment system

• US 6,347,644 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Chemical Engineering Corp. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Channell, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US09/518,810
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 137/599.14, 137/597, 137/599.15, 137/625.29
• US Class Current: 137/597
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/006 Water distributors either inside a treatment tank or directing the water to several treatment tanks; Water treatment plants incorporating these distributors, with or without chemical or biological tanks for settling tanks B01D21/24
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/043 Treatment of partial or bypass streams
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/20 operated by separate actuating members with one plug turning in another F16K11/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86726 Valve with bypass connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8737 Water treatment feature

Abstract

A water treatment system bypass valve assembly that includes a unique multi-functional auxiliary port. The auxiliary port may be fitted with a check valve that relieves vacuum drawn on the water treatment system to which the bypass assembly is connected, which may be caused by a water supply failure. The auxiliary port also provides easy access for sampling untreated water and adding chemicals to the treatment system. Additionally, the auxiliary port can be used as a conduit to transport treated water to the treatment system during regeneration thereof. Bosses are formed on the bypass valve assembly that can be later drilled and tapped to provide further access to the fluid passages of the bypass valve for pressure testing and sampling. The rotatable valves that switch the assembly from the service to bypass position are integrally formed and removably secured in the housing of the assembly without requiring any additional fasteners.

Claims

1. A water treatment system including an inlet adapted to receive untreated water, a treatment tank, an outlet adapted to dispense treated water and a bypass assembly removably connected to said inlet and said outlet, said bypass assembly comprising:

a housing having a first opening, a second opening and an auxiliary port which comprises a third opening;

at least one valve disposed in said housing and movable to a service position and a bypass position;

wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said service position said housing defines a first fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said inlet and said housing further defines a second fluid passage extending from said outlet through said at least one valve to said second opening, whereby the untreated water can be communicated from said first opening to said inlet and the treated water exiting said tank can be communicated from said outlet to said second opening;

further wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said bypass position said housing defines a third fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said second opening, said at least one valve blocking said first and said second fluid passages in said bypass position, whereby in said bypass position said bypass valve assembly diverts the untreated water from said treatment tank;

said bypass assembly further comprising a fourth fluid passage disposed in said housing, said fourth fluid passage extending from said third opening to said first opening, said fourth fluid passage being open when said at least one valve is positioned in said bypass position and said service position; and

said auxiliary port comprising a fitting, whereby said auxiliary port can be utilized for at least one auxiliary function.

2. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said fitting comprises a check valve oriented to allow fluid flow into said third opening, whereby suction drawn on said first opening can be relieved.

3. The water treatment system of claim 2, further comprising a tube coupler connected to said auxiliary port, said tube coupler housing said check valve.

4. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said fitting comprises an elbow.

5. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said fitting comprises a solenoid.

6. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said fitting comprises a male pipe thread.

7. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said fitting comprises a flexible spring clip and slots disposed in said housing adapted to receive said spring clip.

8. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said at least one valve comprises a cylindrical member which is rotatably disposed in a cylindrical bore disposed in said housing, said cylindrical member having an arm projecting therefrom, said arm engaging an edge defined by said cylindrical bore and thereby removably securing said cylindrical member in said housing.

9. The water treatment system of claim 8, wherein said arm comprises a pair of arms that are integrally formed with said cylindrical member.

10. The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein said at least one valve comprises a pair of valves.

11. The water treatment system of claim 1, further comprising at least one boss disposed on said bypass valve assembly, said boss located proximate one of said first and said second passages, said boss comprising a cylindrical lip projecting from said housing and forming a cylindrical hole which terminates at said housing, whereby said boss can be drilled through to fluidly access said one of said first and said second passages.

12. The water treatment system of claim 11, wherein said at least one boss comprises first and second bosses, said first boss disposed proximate said first fluid passage and said second boss located proximate said second fluid passage.

13. A water treatment system including an inlet adapted to receive untreated water, a treatment tank, an outlet adapted to dispense treated water and a bypass assembly removably connected to said inlet and said outlet, said bypass assembly comprising:

a housing having a first coupler defining a first opening and a second coupler defining a second opening;

at least one valve disposed in said housing and movable to a service position and a bypass position;

wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said service position said housing defines a first fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said inlet and said housing further defines a second fluid passage extending from said outlet through said at least one valve to said second opening, whereby the untreated water can be communicated from said first opening to said inlet and the treated water can be communicated from said outlet to said second opening;

further wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said bypass position said housing defines a third fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said second opening, said at least one valve blocking said first and said second fluid passages in said bypass position, whereby in said bypass position said bypass valve assembly diverts the untreated water from said treatment tank; and

said housing further comprising at least one boss disposed on one of said first and said second couplers, said boss comprising a cylindrical lip projecting from said housing and forming a sealed cylindrical hole which terminates at said housing, whereby said boss can be drilled through to fluidly access one of said first and said second passages.

14. The water treatment system of claim 13, wherein said at least one boss comprises first and second bosses, said first boss disposed on said first coupler and said second boss disposed on said second coupler.

15. The water treatment system of claim 13, further comprising an auxiliary port which comprises a third opening.

16. A water treatment system including an inlet adapted to receive untreated water, a treatment tank, an outlet adapted to dispense treated water and a bypass assembly removably connected to said inlet and said outlet, said bypass assembly comprising:

a housing having a first opening and a second opening;

at least one valve disposed in said housing and movable to a service position and a bypass position;

wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said service position said housing defines a first fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said inlet and said housing further defines a second fluid passage extending from said outlet through said at least one valve to said second opening, whereby the untreated water can be communicated from said first opening to said inlet and the treated water can be communicated from said outlet to said second opening;

further wherein when said at least one valve is positioned in said bypass position said housing defines a third fluid passage extending from said first opening through said at least one valve to said second opening, said at least one valve blocking said first and said second fluid passages in said bypass position, whereby in said bypass position said bypass valve assembly diverts the untreated water from said treatment tank; and

said at least one valve comprising a cylindrical member which is rotatably disposed in a cylindrical bore disposed in said housing, said cylindrical member having an integrally formed arm projecting therefrom, said arm engaging an edge defined by said cylindrical bore and thereby removably securing said cylindrical member in said housing, whereby no separate fasteners are required to secure said at least one valve in said housing, wherein said at least one valve comprises a pair of valves, a first one of said valves being disposed in line with said first fluid passage and a second one of said valves being disposed in line with said second fluid passage.

17. The water treatment system of claim 16, wherein said arm comprises a pair of arms.

18. The water treatment system of claim 16, wherein said arm comprises a notch which receives said edge.

19. The water treatment system of claim 16, further comprising an auxiliary port which comprises a third opening.