Water quality monitoring and transmission system and method

• US 6,753,186 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ewatertek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ewatertek Incorporated
• Inventors: Moskoff, Harold I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US10/097,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 463/8, 422/82.05, 422/82.09, 422/50, 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/119, 436/164, 436/39, 436/125, 436/161, 250/493.1, 210/85, 210/94, 210/96.1, 210/143, 210/192, 210/198.2, 210/739, 210/748, 210/656, 210/920, 210/424, 210/433, 210/449, 73/530.1, 73/614.1, 73/614.3, 73/648.5, 738/63, 738/630.1, 738/632.1, 738/633.1, 700/266, 702/22, 702/23, 702/25, 702/31, 702/32, 702/50, 705/1
• US Class Current: 436/125
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/20 Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/29 Chlorine compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/193333 In aqueous solution

Abstract

A water quality sampling system and method in which compact water impurity detector and monitoring units intended for domestic use are installed in a residential environment while detected values are electronically transmitted to a Central Monitoring Station (CMS), where customers can register and pay over the Internet. Using the impurity detector units, a portion of an incoming water stream is passed to an analyzer for detection of chlorine and various contaminants. The detector analyzes related data for determining the condition and extent of impurity in the water elements. This data is transmitted from a compact control box, known as the wall unit, that translates the data for output to the CMS, located in another geographic locale, via a common data acquisition network. This network can be the Internet or a cellular and/or satellite connection. Upon detection of contaminants above a threshold level, the monitoring device will make a sound through a wall unit located in the vicinity, to warn the average household tap water user of such unsatisfactory condition of his/her water elements, as the conditional values are sent using EDI onto the network, and then onward to the CMS website.

Claims

1. A water quality monitoring and transmission system comprising:

a detecting unit having a water sensor adapted for use in a household environment to detect contaminants in running water, said water sensor including an ultra-violet lamp and reactor;

a monitoring unit located proximate and electrically connected to said detecting unit for receiving contaminant level data therefrom;

a central monitoring station, remotely located from said detecting unit and said monitoring unit, said central monitoring station in communication with said monitoring unit through a communication channel over a distributed computer network.

2. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit further includes an amplifier coupled to said water sensor and having a predetermined reference value for comparison with said contaminant level, and an analog to digital converter coupled to said amplifier for transmitting a digital signal to said monitoring unit in response to said contaminant level exceeding said predetermined reference value.

3. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said water sensor further includes a chlorine analyzer and a chromatographic column for analyzing water contaminant levels in said running water.

4. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said monitoring unit includes indicator circuitry for generating a warning signal detectable in said household environment in response to receipt of said digital signal.

5. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit includes a shallow helical path close to said ultraviolet lamp along which water is forced with rapid linear velocity to create high intensity radiation with the ultraviolet light.

6. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit further includes a fiber-optic based residual chlorine monitor.

7. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit is sized to fit in a compact area in said household environment and further includes at least one of a chlorine analyzer and a chromatographic column for analyzing chlorine levels in said running water.

8. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitoring unit comprises:

a microprocessor, electrically connected to said detecting unit, for controlling said monitoring unit and said detecting unit;

indicator circuitry, electrically connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, for generating a warning signal; and

a transmission circuit, electrically connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, for transmitting data to said central monitoring unit over said communication channel;

said monitoring system being wall-mounted in said household environment.

9. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said monitoring unit further comprises data input circuitry, electrically connected to said microprocessor, for inputting predetermined reference values into said microprocessor.

10. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said indicator circuitry includes sound generating circuitry for generating an auditory warning signal.

11. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said indicator circuitry includes light generating circuitry for generating a visual warning signal.

12. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said monitoring unit includes a programmed shell script programmed with an address of said central monitoring station to map an EDI file and send data over said communication channel.

13. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central monitoring station includes a central controller and a plurality of databases, said central monitoring station tracking water contaminant data received from a plurality of household monitoring units, and visually presenting said data on a dynamic basis using the distributed computer network.

14. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said distributed computer network is the Internet and said central monitoring station includes a web site through which information is made available to and collected from consumers.

15. A water quality monitoring and transmission system comprising:

a detecting unit having a water sensor with an ultraviolet lamp/reactor for detecting a contaminant level in a sample of running water, said detecting unit transmitting a signal when said contaminant level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

a monitoring unit located proximate and electrically connected to said detecting unit, said monitoring unit receiving said signal from said detecting unit and generating a warning signal indicating unsafe water quality;

a central monitoring station, remotely located from said detecting unit and said monitoring unit, said central monitoring station in communication with said monitoring unit over a distributed computer network;

said monitoring unit including a transmission circuit for transmitting said contaminant level to said central monitoring station for processing and storage, said central monitoring station presenting a plurality of water quality data received from a plurality of monitoring units on a web site accessible through the distributed computer network.

16. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detecting unit further includes at least one of a chlorine analyzer and a chromatographic column for analyzing water contaminant levels in said running water.

17. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detecting unit further includes an amplifier coupled to said water sensor and having a predetermined reference value for comparison with said contaminant level, and an analog to digital voltage converter coupled to said amplifier for transmitting a digital signal to said monitoring unit in response to said contaminant level exceeding said predetermined reference value.

18. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said water sensor further includes a chlorine analyzer and a chromatographic column for analyzing chlorine levels in said running water.

19. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said ultraviolet lamp/reactor is set at 210-290 nanometers.

20. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said monitoring unit includes indicator circuitry for generating said warning signal in response to receipt of said digital signal.

21. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detecting unit includes a shallow helical path close to said ultraviolet lamp along which water is forced with rapid linear velocity to create high intensity radiation with the ultraviolet light.

22. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detecting unit further includes a fiber-optic based residual chlorine monitor.

23. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said monitoring unit comprises:

a microprocessor, electrically connected to said detecting unit, for controlling said monitoring unit and said detecting unit; and

a transmission circuit, electrically connected to and controlled by said microprocessor, for transmitting data to said central monitoring unit over said distributed computer network;

said monitoring system being wall-mounted in a household environment.

24. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said monitoring unit further comprises data input circuitry, electrically connected to said microprocessor, for inputting predetermined reference values into said microprocessor.

25. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said monitoring unit includes sound generating circuitry for generating an auditory warning signal.

26. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said monitoring unit includes light generating circuitry for generating a visual warning signal.

27. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said monitoring unit includes a programmed shell script programmed with an address of said central monitoring station to map an EDI file and send data over said distributed computer network.

28. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said central monitoring station includes a central controller and a plurality of databases, said central monitoring station tracking data received from a plurality of household monitoring units, and visually presenting said data on a dynamic basis using the distributed computer network.

29. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 28, wherein said distributed computer network is the Internet and said central monitoring station includes a web site through which information is made available to and collected from consumers.

30. A method of monitoring water quality in a household setting, comprising the steps of:

extracting a water sample from running tap water using a fiber-optic based residual chlorine monitor in combination with an optical flow-through cell and a controlled lamp source as a detecting unit installed in a household environment;

determining a contaminant level in said water sample using said detecting unit by passing ultraviolet light through the water sample to irradiate said water sample and generate, through use of pre-amplifiers, a current proportional to a number of ions absorbing and being excited by said ultraviolet light, said current indicating the contaminant level within said water sample;

comparing, by said detecting unit, said contaminant level with a predetermined reference value;

transmitting, in response to said contaminant level exceeding said reference value, a digital signal to a monitoring unit installed in said household environment;

generating, by said monitoring unit, a warning indicator detectable within said household environment; and

transmitting, by said monitoring unit, said contaminant level to a remotely located central monitoring station (CMS) over a distributed computer network.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein said step of transmitting by said monitoring unit is user-initiated.

32. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein said step of extracting a water sample is user-initiated.

33. The method as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the step of inputting said predetermined reference value into said monitoring unit using a keypad.

34. The method as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the step of uploading, by said CMS, contaminant level data from a plurality of detecting units to a publicly-accessible web site.

35. The combination of a water quality monitoring and transmission system and residential plumbing in a household, comprising:

a water access area having an incoming tap water supply stream and a drain area;

a detecting unit mounted adjacent said water access area in said household, a water input to said detecting unit connected to said incoming water supply stream, an output of said detecting unit directing water into said drain area, said detecting unit including a fiber-optic based residual chlorine monitor operating in the ultraviolet and visible region in combination with an optical flow-through cell and a controlled lamp source;

a diverter valve connected to said water input and having a first position for bypassing said detecting unit and a second position for directing a sample of flowing tap water into said detecting unit;

a user-actuated switch for toggling between said first and second positions, incoming tap water flowing directly into said water access area and through said drain area when said diverter valve is in the first position and, when said diverter valve is in said second position, a sample of said tap water flowing into said detecting unit for analysis before passing to said water access area and drain area;

a wall-mounted monitoring unit located proximate and electrically connected to said detecting unit, said monitoring unit receiving a signal from said detecting unit indicating a contaminant level and generating a warning signal indicating unsafe water quality which is detectable in said household; and

a central monitoring station, remotely located from said detecting unit and said monitoring unit, said central monitoring station in communication with said monitoring unit over a distributed computer network.

36. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said detecting unit has a detection limit of 0.2 mg 1 (minus 1) of free chlorine in water relying upon strong light absorption of chlorine at 290 nm.

37. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 36, wherein said monitoring unit includes a transmission circuit for transmitting said contamninant level to said central monitoring station for processing and storage, said central monitoring station presenting a plurality of water quality data received from a plurality of monitoring units on a web site accessible through the distributed computer network.

38. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said detecting unit includes at least one pure water electrode in contact with said tap water stream to take a conductivity reading representative of general water quality.

39. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said controlled lamp source is a deuterium lamp source.

40. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 35, wherein the detecting unit includes a miniature monolithic diode array spectrometer.

41. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said flow-through cell has a length of approximately 430 mm.

42. The water quality monitoring and transmission system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said water access area is a sink.