Portable water disinfection system

• US 6,524,475 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aqua Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Miox Corporation (Industrie De Nora S.p.A)
• Inventors: Mitchke, Curtis M., Hickerson, John K., Cushman, Timothy A., White, John F., Herrington, Rodney E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoey, Betsey Morrison
• Application Number:
  US09/579,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 210/192, 210/244, 204/194, 204/232, 204/271
• US Class Current: 210/192
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/00 Details relating to membrane cleaning, regeneration, sterilization or to the prevention of fouling
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/2066 Pulsated flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/06 Energy recovery
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/08 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/10 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/08 Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46104 Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4674 with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46119 Cleaning the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46128 Bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46142 Catalytic coating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4611 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4612 Controlling or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4615 Time
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46165 Special power supply, e.g. solar energy or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4618 : Supplying or removing reactants or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/04 : Oxidation reduction potential [ORP]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/10 : Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 : Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 : Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• 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: F04B 9/14 : Pumps characterised by muscle-power operation hand-held spraying or dispensing apparatus using pumps or bulbs B05B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 : Reverse-osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/208 : Off-grid powered water treatment

Abstract

A portable oxidant generator for generating oxidants suitable for sterilizing contaminated drinking water, thereby providing potable water. The oxidant generator optionally comprises an electrolytic cell and a power supply or source for powering the generator. In a preferred embodiment, the cell holds an electrolyte solution such that the solution contacts an anode and a cathode. The power supply provides electrical charge that is passed to the electrolyte solution and/or other electrolyte substance. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power supply includes an energy storage device that is charged to predetermined voltage. The energy storage device is preferably charged by a generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The present invention optionally includes an electrolyte storage compartment in the cap. The present invention also optionally includes a total dissolved solids measuring device to determine if the water to be treated requires reverse osmosis filtration to remove high concentrations of ions the water to be treated.

Claims

1. A portable oxidant generator comprising:

at least one cell, said cell comprising at least two electrodes wherein at least one electrode comprises at least one cathode and at least one electrode comprises at least one anode;

a control circuit for providing an electrical potential between at least one of said at least one cathode and at least one of said at least one anode, wherein said control circuit is in electrical contact with said at least one cathode and said at least one anode;

an electrolyte solution for placement in said cell wherein said electrical potential causes a controlled electrical charge to pass through said electrolyte solution from said at least one cathode to said at least one anode, thereby generating at least one oxidant in said electrolyte solution;

an energy source in electrical contact with said control circuit wherein said control circuit delivers a controlled electrical charge having a predetermined charge value.

2. The portable generator of claim 1 further comprising an annular cell, said annular cell comprising an inner annular surface and an outer annular surface.

3. The portable generator of claim 2 wherein said annular cell comprises at least one electrode positioned on said inner annular surface.

4. The portable generator of claim 2 wherein said annular cell comprises at least one electrode positioned on said outer annular surface.

5. The portable generator of claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least two electrodes comprises at least one catalyst.

6. The portable generator of claim 5 wherein said at least one catalyst comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Group VIIIB element of the Periodic Table of Elements and compounds thereof.

7. The portable generator of claim 5 wherein said at least one catalyst comprises ruthenium oxide.

8. The portable oxidant generator of claim 1 wherein said energy source comprises one source selected from the group consisting of mechanical sources, chemical sources, magnetic sources, pressure sources, and electromagnetic sources.

9. The portable generator of claim 1 wherein said circuit measures the electrical charge passed to said electrolyte solution.

10. The portable generator of claim 1 further comprising an output device for outputting information.

11. The portable generator of claim 10 wherein said output device for outputting information comprises at least one output selected from the group consisting of tactile, auditory, olfactory and visual outputs.

12. The portable generator of claim 10 wherein said information comprises at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of electrical charge, energy level, remaining energy, electrolyte level, remaining electrolyte, integrity of said portable generator, temperature, total dissolved solids, conductivity, pH, ion concentration, residual oxidant, and oxidation-reduction potential.

13. The portable generator of claim 1 further comprising a circuit for measuring at least one condition selected from the group consisting of temperature, total dissolved solids, conductivity, pH, ion concentration, residual oxidant, and oxidation-reduction potential.

14. The portable generator of claim 13 wherein said circuit for measuring at least one condition provides information to a circuit as in claim 1 for providing an electrical potential between said anode and said cathode.

15. The portable generator of claim 1 wherein said cell comprises a reservoir.

16. The portable generator of claim 1 further comprising at least one reservoir.

17. The portable generator of claim 16 wherein said at least one reservoir comprises an electrolyte reservoir.

18. The portable generator of claim 16 wherein said at least one reservoir comprises a salt reservoir.

19. The portable generator of claim 16 wherein said at least one reservoir comprises a refillable reservoir.

20. The portable generator of claim 16 wherein said at least one reservoir comprises a disposable reservoir.

21. The portable generator of claim 16 wherein said at least one reservoir comprises a self-sealing reservoir.

22. The portable generator of claim 21 wherein said self-sealing reservoir comprises a seal selected from the group consisting of an elastomer and a mechanical check valve.

23. The portable generator of claim 1 further comprising at least one deposit removing apparatus.

24. The portable generator of claim 23 wherein said at least one deposit removing apparatus comprises an apparatus selected from the group consisting of a scraper and a shaft comprising break-away segments.

25. The portable oxidant generator of claim 1 further comprising a housing.

26. The portable generator of claim 25 wherein said housing comprises a tube, said tube comprising at least one cross-section selected from the group consisting of circular, ellipsoidal, and polygonal.

27. The portable generator of claim 26 wherein said tube comprises a length between approximately 3 cm and approximately 60 cm.

28. The portable generator of claim 26 wherein said tube comprises a width between approximately 0.5 cm and approximately 30 cm.

29. The portable generator of claim 25 further comprising a clip for clipping said housing to an object.

30. The portable generator of claim 25 wherein said housing comprises a cap.

31. The portable generator of claim 30 wherein said cap comprises at least one set of threads.

32. The portable generator of claim 30 wherein said cap comprises at least one aperture for insertion of a drinking utensil.

33. The portable oxidant generator of claim 25 wherein said housing further comprises a delivery mechanism.