Patent Application
20100206799
Not applicable.
The present invention relates generally to fluid treatment systems and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a liquid filtering apparatus and liquid filtering method.
Fluid treatment systems, devices and processes are necessary for purifying fluids such as water, air, gases and oil. Purified water is essential for human health and recreation, and for countless agricultural, industrial, military and medical applications. Polluted air and contaminated exhaust from combustion processes and effluent from chemical production can be harmful and must be treated to remove contaminants prior to release into the environment. Purification typically involves the removal or destruction or neutralization of harmful and undesirable biological and chemical substances present in water, air and other fluids.
Fluid treatment processes include filtration, chemical disinfection, oxidation and reduction, adsorption, electrochemical separation and neutralization. Contaminants are often removed from air and other gases by filtration, catalyzed destruction and/or adsorption onto a suitable media such as activated carbon. Water is commonly treated to remove micro-organisms, such as bacteria or algae, and harmful metal ions, such as mercury and lead. Potable water is prepared by filtration and chemical coagulation to remove solids and particulate matter followed by chemical disinfection to destroy pathogens. Water used in swimming pools and spas is also purified by filtration and chemical treatment. Chemicals such as chlorine, bromine, copper or silver ions are commonly used to disinfect and purify water. When used to purify water in swimming pools, spas and hot tubs chlorinated and brominated compounds are dangerous to the environment and can cause human health problems, including asthma in children and birth defects in pregnant women.
Metal particulates are also used for water treatment and/or additional treatment processes. Metal particulates are less hazardous to human health and less damaging to the environment than chlorine and bromine treatment. Metal particulates made from copper and zinc alloys have been used for many years to treat water containing bacteria and algae. U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,623 discloses a method for treating fluids that utilizes a bed of metal particles such as aluminum, steel, zinc, tin, copper, and mixtures and alloys thereof. Especially desirable results have been obtained where the metal particles are zinc and copper particles, which can be alloyed to form brass having the capability of undergoing oxidation/reduction reactions when exposed to water and other polar fluids that are useful in removing heavy metals from the fluids. Brass particulates can be used to catalytically destroy chlorine present in water and to selectively remove lead and mercury. Copper/zinc alloys containing other constituents, such as silver, are also reported to be effective bacteriostatic agents, and can be used to control bacteria in both air and water.
Metal particles have been used to form packed beds of particles enclosed within a treatment device to provide suitable surface area and contact time for removal of the contaminants from a fluid. Because the metal particles are reactive, particles within the packed beds fuse together in the presence of the fluid or decompose to form fines that clog the bed and reduce porosity, resulting in a reduction of treatment efficiency and excessively high pressure drops through the bed or column of particles.
The prior art also describes the use of copper/zinc alloys in the form of a metal reticulated foam media to provide effective fluid treatment without the need for a packed bed of metal particulates. The metal reticulated foam media preferably are of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,058, entitled “Cooling Tower Water Treatment Method” issued Sep. 3, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,457 entitled “Machine Coolant Treatment Method” issued Feb. 4, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,627 entitled “Parts Washer System” issued Apr. 22, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,456 entitled “Fluid Treatment Utilizing a Reticulated Foam Structured Media Consisting of Metal Particles” issued Feb. 4, 1997; and U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0182944 entitled “Flexible Reticulated Foam Fluid Treatment Media and Method of Preparation” filed Feb. 10, 2006 and published Aug. 17, 2006, the disclosures of each of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The metal reticulated foam media shown in the above-referenced patents and patent application provides a high surface area for fluid treatment and a low pressure drop, allowing high flow rates and low restriction that facilitate oxidation/reduction reactions between the contaminants in the fluid and the metal reticulated foam media. Fluid treatment systems utilizing such metal reticulated foam media substantially remove and/or reduce the amount of contaminates, such as chlorine, dissolved heavy metal ions (including but not limited to arsenic, cadmium, chromium VI, chromium III, selenium, and mercury), sulfur, iron and the like from a fluid. The metal reticulated foam media can also be used to control the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria, algae and fungus, and to remove scale and minimize scale formation from the surfaces of conduits, pipes and ducts in contact with the treated fluid. Metal reticulated foam media can also contain silver and/or other metals. As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,168, a copper-zinc metal reticulated foam media is disclosed that contains silver to enhance the disinfection capability of the metal reticulated foam media.
Generally, the fluid treatment system of the present invention includes a liquid filtering apparatus having a housing with at least one inlet, at least one outlet, and an internal chamber extending therebetween such that the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are in fluid communication via the internal chamber of the housing. The liquid filtering apparatus also includes a first filter disposed in the internal chamber of the housing in proximity to the at least one inlet, the first filter capable of removing particulate matter from a liquid entering the internal chamber of the housing via the inlet thereof; and a second filter disposed in the internal chamber of the housing in proximity to the at least one outlet, the second filter capable of removing dissolved impurities from the liquid entering the internal chamber of the housing via the inlet thereof.
Generally, the fluid treatment system of the present invention also includes a method for filtering a liquid, the method including the steps of providing a filtering apparatus which includes a housing having at least one inlet, at least one outlet, and an internal chamber extending therebetween such that the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are in fluid communication via the internal chamber of the housing; a first filter disposed in the internal chamber of the housing in proximity to the at least one inlet, the first filter capable of removing particulate matter from a liquid entering the internal chamber of the housing via the inlet thereof; a second filter disposed in the internal chamber of the housing in proximity to the at least one outlet, the second filter capable of removing dissolved impurities from the liquid entering the internal chamber of the housing via the inlet thereof; connecting the filtering apparatus to a liquid dispensing source; and passing a liquid through the filtering apparatus so that the liquid passes through the at least one inlet into the internal chamber of the housing, through the first filter, through the second filter and out the at least one outlet.
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to
The housing 12 of the filtering apparatus 10 is shown with a collar 26, at least one support member 28, at least one inlet 30, at least one outlet 32, and an internal chamber 34 extending between the at least one inlet 30 and the at least one outlet 32. The collar 26 extends from the housing 12 such that the collar 26 extends about and surrounds the at least one inlet 30. The collar 26 funnels liquid from the liquid dispensing source 20 into the at least one inlet 30 through the first filter 14 into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 and out of the at least one outlet 32. While, the housing 12 of the filtering apparatus 10 is shown with the collar 26, it should be noted that the housing 12 can be provided with or without the collar 26 as long as a liquid is able to be disposed into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12.
The at least one inlet 30 of the housing 12 is shown with at least one support member 28 extending across at least a portion of the at least one inlet 30 to reinforce the housing 12 and to stabilize and support the first filter 14. The at least one support member 28 is shown configured so as to permit a liquid to pass therethrough into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 via the at least one inlet 30. While the housing 12 of the filtering apparatus 10 is depicted as having a substantially spherical shape it should be noted that the housing 12 can be formed of any suitable shape including but not limited to a substantially square, rectangular or triangular shape. Further, the housing 12 of the filtering apparatus 10 can be formed from any suitable material including but not limited to plastic, metal or wood.
The first filter 14 can be formed of any suitable material which is capable of removing particulate matter from a liquid, including but not limited to a substantially fibrous material. The second filter 16 can be formed of any material capable of removing dissolved impurities from a liquid, including but not limited to a reticulated foam media filter. The reticulated foam media filter can be substantially coated with metal particles, including but not limited to copper and zinc particles, metal oxide particles, activated carbon particles and mixtures thereof.
The filtering apparatus 10 is shown connected to a liquid dispensing source 20, such that a liquid can be funneled from the liquid dispensing source 20 by the collar 26 into the at least one inlet 30, through the first filter 14 into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12, through the second filter 16 and out the at least one outlet 32. The filtering apparatus 10 is shown connected to the liquid dispensing source 20 by the connecting element 18. The connecting element 18 includes any connector or combination of connectors suitable to detachably connect the filtering apparatus 10 to the liquid dispensing source 20 or the like. For example and not by way of limitation, the filtering apparatus 10 can be connected to a liquid dispensing source (such as a kitchen faucet, bath faucet, or outdoor liquid dispensing source) by screw tops, fasteners, string, rope, adhesive, or the like.
Referring now to
The internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 has a first ledge portion 50 in proximity to the at least one inlet 30. The first ledge portion 50 is positioned to support and stabilize the first filter 14. The internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 also has a second ledge portion 52. The second ledge portion 52 having an upper half 54 positioned in proximity to the lower edge 44 of the upper portion 40 of the housing 12 and a lower half 56 positioned in proximity to the upper edge 46 of the lower portion 42 of the housing 12. The second ledge portion 52 is positioned to support and stabilize the second filter 16.
Referring now to
Particularly,
As previously described, the housing 12 of the filtering apparatus 10 is shown with a collar 26, at least one support member 28, at least one inlet 30, at least one outlet 32, and an internal chamber 34 extending between the at least one inlet 30 and the at least one outlet 32. The collar 26 extends from the housing 12 such that the collar 26 extends about and surrounds the at least one inlet 30. The collar 26 funnels liquid from the liquid dispensing source 20 into the at least one inlet 30 through the first filter 14 into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 and out of the at least one outlet 32.
The at least one inlet 30 of the housing 12 is shown with at least one support member 28 extending across at least a portion of the at least one inlet 30 to reinforce the housing 12 and to stabilize and support the first filter 14.
The at least one support member 28 is shown configured so as to permit a liquid to pass therethrough into the internal chamber 34 of the housing 12 via the at least one inlet 30.
