Combined chlorine and ozone generator sterilization system

• US 7,604,735 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald L Barnes
• Original Assignee: Ronald L Barnes
• Inventors: Barnes, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cecil; Terry K
• Application Number:
  US11/714,411
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 210/192, 210/205, 210/218, 210/206, 210/208, 422/186.07, 422/186.03
• US Class Current: 210/192
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4674 with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools

Abstract

A water sanitizing apparatus is provided wherein a housing is divided into separate narrow compartments through which a flow of water is directed sequentially in upward and downward directions. An ultraviolet ozone generator and pair of electrolysis plates are mounted in one of the narrow compartments, with a salt in the flow of water being electrolyzed to form a sanitizing halogen in the presence of ultraviolet light from the ozone generator. In one embodiment, a bubble separator is used to separate undissolved gasses from the flow of water and re-apply such gasses back to the flow of water upstream from the bubble separator.

Claims

1. A system for sanitizing water for bathing facilities such as swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and the like comprising:

a water purifier through which said water to be sanitized flows,

an ultraviolet light ozone generator in a flow of water through said water purifier, said ultraviolet light ozone generator further comprising;

a lamp that produces ultraviolet light, said ultraviolet light including wavelengths that produce ozone in air and wavelengths that decompose ozone;

a lamp housing that encloses said lamp and seals from said water, said lamp housing being transmissive of at least said wavelengths that decompose ozone;

an air supply in flow communication with said lamp housing, and which provides an ozonated air flow through said lamp housing;

a predetermined quantity of salt dissolved in said flow of water and from which a sanitizer is obtained,

a sanitizer generator in said flow of water through said water purifier and mounted proximate said ozone generator, and comprising electrolysis plates exposed to said wavelengths that decompose ozone and which generate said sanitizer from said salt dissolved in said water in the presence of said wavelengths that decompose ozone;

a Venturi coupled to said ozonated air flow and connected to said flow of water upstream of said sanitizer generator and said ozone generator, providing ozone to said water which then combines with said generated sanitizer in the presence of said wavelengths that decompose ozone, thereby promoting advanced oxidation reactions in said water.

2. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 1 wherein said Venturi has a plurality of suction ports, at least one suction port of said plurality of suction ports being coupled to said ozonated air flow, and another of said plurality of suction ports being coupled to draw another substance into said water.

3. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 1 wherein said water purifier has a plurality of water flow compartments, said water flow compartments being elongated and disposed in substantially vertical relation, with said ozone generator and said sanitizer generator being in one of said water flow compartments.

4. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 3 further comprising a water/gas separator in one of said water flow compartments, said water/gas separator further comprising a selectively operated valve that vents responsive to accumulated gas in said water/gas separator.

5. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 4 wherein said water/gas separator is in said one of said water flow compartments also containing said ozone generator and said sanitizer dispenser, said water/gas separator including a hysteresis mechanism that and causes a water level in said one of said water flow compartments containing said ozone generator to rise with venting of said gasses and fall when gasses are not being vented, thereby exposing said gasses that are vented to said wavelengths that decompose ozone prior to said venting of said gasses, destroying said ozone in vented said gasses.

6. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a water level sensor in said one of said water flow compartments containing said water/gas separator for detecting a buildup of said collected gas, and a solenoid valve responsive to said water level sensor, said solenoid valve operative for venting said collected gas from said one of said water flow compartments.

7. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a water flow restrictor for building water pressure in said one of said water flow compartments, for forcing venting of said collected gas via said water/gas separator.

8. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 4 further comprising gas transfer tubing connected between said water/gas separator and said air supply, and operative for including said collected gas with air in said ozonated air flow.

9. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 3 further comprising at least one flow-modifying device insertable in at least one of said plurality of water flow compartments, said flow modifying device being selected from the group comprising:

a flow baffle,

a water-directing assembly,

a static mixer, and,

a turbulence-inducing device,

whereby said at least one flow-modifying device promotes mixing and diffusion of said ozone and said sanitizer in said water.

10. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing further comprises:

a casing having opposing open casing sides, said casing further having cavities forming said compartments, each of said cavities configured having two opposing cavity sides respectively coplanar with said opposing open casing sides, said casing further configured to be extrudable between said opposing open casing sides in a direction substantially transverse to said opposing open casing sides for a distance providing a casing thickness operative for said flow compartments, and,

side caps mountable on said opposing open casing sides, said side caps sealably forming side closures of said compartments.

11. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 10 wherein said casing has a substantially rectangular cross section when viewed from a direction transverse to said opposing open casing sides.

12. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing comprises:

a casing having an open casing top and an open casing bottom, said casing further having cavities forming said compartments, each of said cavities configured having a cavity top and a cavity bottom respectively coplanar with said open casing top and said open casing bottom, said casing further configured to be extrudable between said open casing top and said open casing bottom in a direction substantially transverse to said open casing top and said open casing bottom for a distance providing a casing height operative for said flow compartments, and,

a top cap mountable on said open casing top and a base member mountable on said open casing bottom, said top cap and said base member configured for providing channels operative for flow communications between said water flow compartments according to so directed serial flow through said plurality of water flow compartments.

13. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 12 wherein said casing has a substantially round cross section.

14. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a salt dispenser that provides said predetermined quantity of salt, said salt dispenser coupled to said flow of water.

15. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 14 wherein said salt dispenser further comprises a salt-containing canister connected to receive a portion of said flow of water, said canister mounted apart from said housing, and further comprising a water flow control valve coupled to said portion of said flow of water to control said portion of said flow of water through said canister, and thereby control release of said salt into said flow of water.

16. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 14 wherein said water purifier has a plurality of compartments, at least one of which compartments being a compartment through which water does not flow, and has mounted therein at least one device supporting operation of said water purifier.

17. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 16 wherein said at least one device supporting operation of said water purifier is an electrically operated component.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said electrically operated component is an ultraviolet lamp driver.

19. A system for sanitizing water as set forth in claim 14 wherein said air flow further comprises an air pump.