Domestic water recycling apparatus and fluid contamination detection system therefor

• US 9,074,355 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orbital Systems AB
• Original Assignee: Reveeco Inc.
• Inventors: Jallon, Romain, Blais-Ouellette, Sebastien, Valette, Antoine
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): GURTOWSKI, RICHARD C
• Application Number:
  US12/996,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 210/94, 210/456, 210/745, 459/6, 459/7, 460/2, 460/3, 460/4, 460/5, 461/2, 137/901, 137/1, 137/544
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/002 Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• 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: E03B 1/04 for domestic or like local supply
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 2001/045 using household water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/00 Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks work tops A47B77/022
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/06 Investigating concentration of particle suspensions by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/075 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0687 in solutions, e.g. non volatile residue
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0693 by optical means, e.g. by integrated nephelometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0627 Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/148 using household water from wash basins or showers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/794 : With means for separating solid material from the fluid

Abstract

A domestic water recycling system using a combination of an optical detector to detect certain smaller sized (non-filtered) contaminants and a filter to remove larger sized (filtered) contaminants provides an efficient wastewater recycling system. Optical detection of contaminants determines whether water is discharged or filtered and recycled. The optical detection system can use several discrete optical wavelengths that are passed through the fluid, and can determine a relative presence of the contaminants based on the resulting wavelength response. A recycling shower using optical detection, an electronically actuated directional device and pump and a controller allows for automatic recycling or discharging of water without requiring user input. The system may include a turbulence reduction baffle in a collection chamber, and a disinfection unit for the recycled water.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically recycling or discharging a fluid based on the presence of at least one contaminant comprising:

an optical contaminant detection device configured to detect at least first and second contaminants in the fluid, the optical contaminant detection device comprising;

a first optical source that outputs a first optical signal at a first wavelength that passes through at least a portion of the fluid under test, the first wavelength being among a set of wavelengths for which at least the first contaminant has a characteristic absorption;

a first optical signal detector positioned to detect the first optical signal, the first detector generating a first electrical signal indicative of a magnitude of the detected first optical signal;

a second optical source that outputs a second optical signal at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength that passes through at least a portion of the fluid under test, the second wavelength being among a set of wavelengths for which at least the second contaminant has a characteristic absorption;

a second optical signal detector positioned to detect the second optical signal, the second detector generating a second electrical signal indicative of a magnitude of the detected second optical signal; and

a controller that receives the first and second electrical signals and determines therefrom the relative presence of the first and second contaminants in the fluid under test, wherein the identification of a relative wavelength response is made independent of the absolute magnitudes of the detected optical signals;

a contaminant removal device for removing particulate matter from the fluid;

a recycling conduit for recycling uncontaminated fluid from the contaminant removal device;

an outflow conduit for discharging contaminated fluid;

a directional device for directing fluid to the outflow conduit and the recycling conduit in response to contaminant detection by the optical contaminant detection device; and

a controller receiving input from the detection device and sending output to the directional device for controlling the recycling or discharging of the fluid.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the directional device is configured to direct fluid to the outflow conduit when optical detection of the contaminants is impeded by particulate matter.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the optical contaminant detection device further comprises a reflector located to a side of the fluid under test opposite the first optical source and the second optical source, and wherein the optical signals are reflected by the reflector such that they each pass through the fluid under test a second time.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the contaminant removal device comprises a filter of 50 micron pore size.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the optical contaminant detection device is disposed upstream from the filter such that non-filterable contaminants are prevented from entering the recycling conduit.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the filter is located in a chamber separate from a detection reservoir in which fluid is examined by the optical contaminant detection device.

7. An apparatus according to any one of claim 4 further comprising a filter cleaning system configured to allow passage of at least one fluid or cleaning solution from the recycling conduit to a collection chamber, such that particulate matter accumulated by the filter is dislodged and discarded via the outflow conduit.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the directional device comprises an electronically-actuated valve.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a collection chamber having a baffle configured to deflect fluid as it enters the collection chamber, the baffle being configured to inhibit turbulence in the fluid accumulating in the collection chamber.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a disinfection unit configured to kill bacteria in the recycled fluid, the disinfection unit comprising at least one of a UV lamp, an oxidant or ozone generator, a chemical or bactericide dispenser, and a heater.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical contaminant detection device is configured to detect the at least the first and second contaminants based on wavelength specific absorption/emission signatures of the contaminants.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second contaminants are selected from the group consisting of urine, blood and soap.

11. A method for reducing energy and fresh water consumption while taking a shower comprising the steps of:

collecting shower water in a collection chamber,

detecting the presence of at least first and second contaminants using optical absorption characteristics of the contaminants;

actuating a directional device based on optical detection of said contaminants such that contaminated water is directed to a discharge conduit and non-contaminated water is directed to a recycling conduit, wherein recycled water first passes through a filter to remove particulate contaminants;

controlling said directional device with a controller receiving input from first and second optical signal detectors;

adjusting the temperature of said water using a combination of recycled and fresh water, and returning a combined temperature adjusted water to a shower head, wherein the controller receives input from a temperature sensor; and

wherein detecting the presence of the at least first and second contaminants comprises;

outputting a first optical signal from a first optical source at a first wavelength that passes through at least a portion of the water under test, the first wavelength being among a set of wavelengths for which at least the first contaminant has a characteristic absorption;

detecting the first optical signal using the first optical signal detector that generates a first electrical signal indicative of a magnitude of the detected first optical signal;

outputting a second optical signal from a second optical source at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength that passes through at least a portion of the water under test, the second wavelength being among a set of wavelengths for which at least the second contaminant has a characteristic absorption;

detecting the second optical signal using the second optical signal detector that generates a second electrical signal indicative of a magnitude of the detected second optical signal; and

receiving the first and second electrical signals in the controller that determines therefrom the relative presence of the first and second contaminants in the water under test, wherein the identification of a relative wavelength response is made independent of the absolute magnitudes of the detected optical signals.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second contaminants are selected from the group of urine, blood, and soap.