Water purification system and method

• US 7,931,810 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Millipore Corporation
• Inventors: Kano, Ichiro, Gaignet, Yves, Regnault, Cecilia, Darbouret, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Durand; Paul J
• Application Number:
  US11/656,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20070187335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 137/561.A, 137/561.R, 137/563, 285/125.1, 702/46
• US Class Current: 210/739
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/288 using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/04 for obtaining ultra-pure water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/046 Recirculation with an external loop
• 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: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85954 Closed circulating system

Abstract

A water purification system and method. A closed water recirculation loop supplied at one point by a water inlet with water to be purified, and having at least one outlet point of use of the purified water. Also included is a pump and a water purifier on the loop respectively downstream of the inlet point and upstream of the at least one outlet point, in the water flow direction. The system includes two independent valves, including a first valve on the loop upstream of the pump and a second valve upstream of the at least one point of use outlet point. The first and second valves are selectively opened and closed to recirculate all the water treated by the purifier.

Claims

1. Water purification system comprising a closed water recirculation loop supplied at one point by a water inlet with water to be purified, and having at least one outlet point of use of the purified water, a pump and water purification means on the loop respectively downstream of the inlet point and upstream of the at least one outlet point, in the water flow direction, said system including two independent valves on the loop:

a first two-way normally closed valve on the loop, for recirculation, to provide in the open position, recirculation of water purified by the purification means, via the pumping means, and

a second two-way normally closed valve for distribution of said at least one outlet point of use and being disposed upstream of said first valve and of the at least one point of use outlet point so as to provide, in the closed position, recirculation of all of the water purified by the purification means towards said first valve;

said system further comprising a first hydraulic connector comprising four ports that forms a distributor or manifold for said system and is positioned between said first two-way normally closed valve and said second two-way normally closed valve.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein said two valves are solenoid valves of the type with two normally closed (NC) flow paths, wherein one of one of said valves is located in said loop upstream of said pump, and one of said valves is located at said the point of use outlet point connected via said first hydraulic connector.

3. System according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit for the valves that includes a user interface.

4. System according to claim 3, wherein said valve control unit further comprises a memory for saving data supplied by a user.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein a filter or a polishing cartridge is disposed between said second valve and said corresponding outlet point of use.

6. Water purification system according to claim 1, wherein said hydraulic connector comprises a purified fluid inlet and three outlets, the inlet of the connector being connected directly to a first of said three outlets by a first pipe, and a second pipe being connected hydraulically to said first pipe between said inlet and said first outlet and to a third pipe having two ends forming the other two outlets of the connector.

7. Water purification system according to claim 6, further comprising two parallel branches, interconnected by said second pipe creating a secondary loop in recirculation mode and creating a single branch in dispensing mode, that come together downstream of the hydraulic connector.

8. Water purification system according to claim 7, wherein said two parallel branches are made from polyethylene, polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene.

9. The water purification system according to claim 6, wherein the diameter of two of said three outlets is less than the diameter of said inlet.

10. The water purification system of claim 1, further comprising a second hydraulic connector comprising four ports that forms a distributor or manifold for said system, wherein one of said ports of said second hydraulic connector is an inlet port in fluid communication with one of said ports of said first hydraulic connector, and one of said ports on said second hydraulic connector is in fluid communication with said recirculation loop.

11. Water purification method including the steps of:

purifying water using water treatment means,

providing a hydraulic connector comprising four ports for distributing and recirculating purified water, said four ports comprising a purified fluid inlet and three outlets, the inlet of the connector being connected directly to a first of said three outlets by a first pipe, and a second pipe being connected hydraulically to said first pipe between said inlet and said first outlet and to a third pipe having two ends forming the other two outlets of the connector; and

circulating the purified water in a recirculation line, wherein it further comprises at least one of the steps of;

opening a purified water distribution line connecting the recirculation line to a purified water distribution point and opening the purified water recirculation line to obtain distribution at a low throughput, the major portion of the purified water being directly recirculated via said recirculation line;

opening the water distribution line and closing the recirculation line downstream of the water distribution line to obtain high throughput distribution, all the purified water being distributed at the distribution point via the distribution line;

opening the distribution line and closing the recirculation line to obtain the distribution of a predetermined volume of water;

or

opening the recirculation line and closing the distribution line to obtain a recirculation of all the purified water.

12. The water purification method of claim 11, wherein, for the distribution of a predetermined volume of water, the opening of said distribution line and the closing of said recirculation line are implemented simultaneously.

13. The water purification method of claim 11, further comprising providing a control unit having a memory;

entering a value into said control unit for the volume of purified water to be delivered;

storing said value in said memory; and

automatically distributing the entered volume of water, wherein a change from recirculation mode to distribution mode is carried out by instantaneously opening said distribution valve and closing said recirculation valve before distributing the entered volume of water.