Water producing method and apparatus with additive control system

• US 7,886,557 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dmpg, LLC
• Original Assignee: Everest Water Ltd.
• Inventors: Anderson, Rae, White, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/833,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20080022694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 62/92, 62/93, 622/72, 622/85, 623/17, 623/89
• US Class Current: 62/272
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0072 with filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0084 Feeding or collecting the cooling medium B01D5/0087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/009 Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/04 by distillation or evaporation
• 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 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage

Abstract

A water producing system adapted to condense water from the air and collected in a storage tank were the water is purified and bacteria is killed. An additive device is configured to supplement additives to the water such as minerals. An additive control system supplements the water and controls the amount of additives therein. One form of killing the bacteria is utilizing an ozone injection system with a filter system to remove the ozone before the water is dispensed.

Claims

1. A water producing device configured to remove moisture from the air to for potable water and provide additives thereto, the water producing device comprising:

a) a refrigeration cycle comprising;

a water condensation member in thermal communication with the operating fluid that is adapted to transfer heat from the operating fluid,

an expander downstream of the condenser coil and upstream from the water condensation member,

a compressor interposed in a fluid circuit between an evaporator coil and a condenser coil,

b) the water condensation member positioned above a collection tray, the water collection tray having a conduit for communication with a main tank adapted to have water contained therein,

c) an additive depositor configured to insert additives to water collected from the water condensation member,

d) an additive control system comprising an additive water content sensor configured to measure the content of dissolved additives of the water in the main tank, the additive control system configured to circulate the water through the additive depositor when the content of additives in the water content sensor detects an additive content in the water that is below a prescribed additive content level of the additive control system.

2. The water producing device as recited in claim 1 where an additive generator is a mineral filter configured to deposit minerals thereto the water in a closed loop system.

3. The water producing device as recited in claim 1 whereby ozone is added to the main tank and first and second filters are carbon filters remove the ozone upstream and down stream of the main tank.

4. The water producing device as recited in claim 3 whereby the main tank is in communication with a hot water member and a cold water member whereby the hot water member is adapted to heat water therein to a hot dispensing nozzle and the cold water member is adapted to cool cold water therein and disburse water to a cold dispensing nozzle.

5. The water producing device as recited in claim 4 whereby the second filter is positioned interposed in the fluid circuit between the hot water member and the hot dispensing nozzle and another second filter is positioned between the cold water member and the cold dispensing nozzle.

6. The water producing device as recited in claim 5 where the cold water member is a plate heat exchanger for removing heat from the water of a cold water holding tank.

7. The water producing device as recited in claim 4 whereby the second filter is positioned in the fluid circuit between the main tank and the hot water member and the cold water member.

8. The water producing device as recited in claim 3 whereby an ozone generator has a first end and a second end and is comprised of a first electrically conducting cylinder and a second electrically conducting cylinder positioned substantially concentric therein where the first electrically conducting cylinder has an interior coating of an acid resistant material and the second electrical conducting cylinder has an outer coating of an acid resistant material whereby air is adapted to flow between the inner coating and the outer coating where a spark from a voltage differential between the first and second electrically conducting cylinders creates ozone therein where air enters from the first end and exits to the second end where it is directed to the main tank.

9. A water producing device adapted to condense water from air as water condensate, the water producing device comprising:

a) a water collection portion comprising;

a water condensation member positioned above a water collection tray where water condensate is adapted to drip downwardly from the water condensation member to an upper surface of the water collection tray,

a conduit in communication to a lower opening of the collection tray and adapted to take water therefrom,

a purification and augmentation portion comprising;

a filter system configured to remove contaminants from the water retrieved from the water collection portion,

a supplement depositor in fluid communication with a main tank, the supplement depositor configured to insert a prescribed amount of supplement material per unit of flow of water therethrough.

10. The water producing device as recited in claim 9 whereby filter is positioned upstream of a hot water tank and the cold water tank.

11. The water producing device as recited in claim 10 where the filter system is a carbon filter.

12. The water producing device as recited in claim 9 where the additive supplement depositor comprises an additive filter where the water from the collection tray is configured to pass therethrough and the dimensions of the additive filter dictate the amount of additives to be dissolved therein at a prescribed level.

13. The water producing device as recited in claim 9 where an iodine filter used in conjunction with a first and second carbon filter that are respectively positioned upstream and downstream of the main tank.

14. The water producing device as recited in 13 where the main tank line is in communication with a cold dispensing line in communication with a cold dispensing nozzle downstream of a heat exchanger where a pressure sensor detecting low pressure in the cold dispensing line activates a pump of a rapid cooling circuit.

15. A system for producing water from air having evaporated water therein by forming condensation droplets, the system comprising:

a) a water condensation member adapted to be positioned in an air stream having the evaporated water and further have the condensation droplets formed thereon,

b) a collection tray adapted to collect condensation droplets from the water condensation member,

c) a first collection tank in communication with the collection tray,

d) a water dispensing area operatively configured to dispense water,

e) an additive adding member configured to add additive elements to the water prior to dispensing of the water to the water dispensing area,

f) an additive adding control system configured to measure the additive content in the additive of a main tank and direct the water through the additive adding member until the water reaches a prescribed level.

16. The system for producing water as recited in claim 15 where a TDS meter is placed in the main tank and provides a reading to the additive adding control system.

17. The system for producing water as recited in claim 15 where the first collection tank passes water to the dispenser nozzle by way of hydrostatic pressure.

18. The system for producing water as recited in claim 17 where the water passes through the filter system by way of gravity.

19. The system for producing water as recited in claim 17 where the filter assembly includes an ozone generator that is in communication with the first collection tank.

20. The system for producing water as recited in claim 15 where the water downstream of the first collection tank is pumped through the filter assembly.