Multiple application purification and recycling device

Abstract

A multiple application recycling and purification device has a coaxial core that is horizontally oriented, non-rotating, cylindrical distillation chamber. The enhanced, completely coaxial configuration continuously cleans the entire distillation chamber and spreads a thin film of liquid to enhance distillation and positively aid in the removal of remaining contaminants. Through a timed and positioned valve, the device removes and purges lower-temperature contaminants. Timed valves and sensors control all phases of the distillation to provide a coaxially integrated, stand-alone, adaptable, scalable and maintenance free distillation unit that self-monitors, self-cleans and economically functions to produce the pure distilled liquid, e.g., water. This device can be modified to purify any numerous array of liquids and can be scaled to produce any amount of purified liquids for either household, commercial, or industrial applications.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a first embodiment of a coaxial liquid purification apparatus according to the invention with a first embodiment of a heating system;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIG. 1 with a second embodiment of the heating system;

FIG. 3 is a partially hidden, side elevational view of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3 along section line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, exploded view of the stationary and rotating valves of the coaxial water purification apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a coaxial water purification apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 8 with an alternative embodiment of a rotator inside a distillation chamber;

FIG. 10 is an exploded side elevational view of a valve assembly of the apparatus of FIGS. 8 and 9; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the rotator of the apparatus of FIG. 9.

Claims

1. A liquid purification system, comprising: a rotationally fixed cylindrical boiling chamber having: a cylindrical interior surface defining a central axis;an exterior surface; andtwo opposing end surfaces, said interior surface and said end surfaces defining a distillation chamber;a rotator rotationally disposed within said distillation chamber about said central axis and radially extending at least partly towards said interior surface;a temperature regulating heater disposed about said exterior surface and heating liquid in said distillation chamber at least to a boiling point of the liquid;a valve having ports selectively fluidically connected to said distillation chamber;a valve controller selectively actuating said valve to fluidically connect said ports to said distillation chamber in a given sequence;a motor connected to said rotator and, when activated, turning said rotator about said central axis at a speed sufficient to form liquid inside said distillation chamber into a film coating said interior surface;a condenser disposed about said heater and having: an inlet fluidically connected to at least one of said ports for receiving distilled vapors from said distillation chamber; anda discharge fluidically connected to said inlet for supplying a purified form of the liquid; anda blower disposed about said heater and within said condenser and, when activated, moving environmental air along said condenser to cool said condenser and condense distilled vapors of the liquid inside said condenser.

2. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein: said distillation chamber has a drainage passage; andsaid rotator is shaped to forcefully directed material in said distillation chamber toward and through said drainage passage.

3. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said distillation chamber has a volume between approximately 8 ounces and approximately 100 gallons.

4. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said central axis is horizontally oriented.

5. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator is semi-flexible.

6. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator has a portion of a semi-flexible material and said portion contacts said interior surface when exposed to centrifugal forces.

7. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator has a movable portion for selectively contacting said interior surface.

8. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator includes features forming at least one of a paddle, an auger, and a brush.

9. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of said rotator is smaller than an inner diameter of said distillation chamber.

10. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator touches said interior surface.

11. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from at least one of the group consisting of tap water, ocean water, pond water, stream water, river water, street runoff, and industrial waste water.

12. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said valve has a central axis parallel to and offset from said central axis.

13. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said valve is coaxial with said central axis.

14. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said valve has at least one stationary plate and one rotating plate.

15. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said valve has a series of three stacked discs including two stationary discs and one rotating disc.

16. The purification system according to claim 15, wherein said disks are of a material selected from at least one of the group consisting of ceramic, steel, alloys, and plastic.

17. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said valve controller has a pre-set program set to positively vent and purge vapors boiling out of the liquid at a temperature below the boiling point of the liquid, said program being based on at least one of time and temperature.

18. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said ports is fluidically connected to a water source for supplying water to said distillation chamber.

19. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said heater is selected from one of: a bonded, proportionally temperature-controlled, electric heating element;self regulating, non-controlled positive temperature coefficient heating elements; superheated vapor compression passages; anda combination of at least two of said electric heating element, said heating elements, and said passages.

20. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a reservoir fluidically connected to said discharge for at least temporarily storing the purified liquid.

21. The purification system according to claim 20, further comprising at least one of: a heater thermally connected to said reservoir for keeping the purified liquid at a temperature above room temperature;a chiller thermally connected to said reservoir for keeping the purified liquid at a temperature below room temperature; andan additive dispenser fluidically connected to said reservoir for adding a substance to the purified liquid.

22. The purification system according to claim 21, wherein said substance is at least one of the group consisting of a flavor, a mineral, and a vitamin.

23. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said heater completely encircles a 360-degree exterior of said exterior surface.

24. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said heater is temperature adjustable.

25. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said heater has a selective temperature controller for selecting a desired temperature of said heater.

26. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a vapor compressor fluidically connected to said distillation chamber for raising vapor temperature in said distillation chamber.

27. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum pump fluidically connected to said distillation chamber for lowering a boiling point of the liquid in said distillation chamber.

28. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer between said heater and said blower and encapsulating said heater to shield thermally said blower from said heater.

29. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said condenser has cooling tubes oriented parallel to said central axis.

30. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said condenser has cooling tubes coiling about said central axis.

31. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said blower is rotationally connected to said rotator for rotating said blower with said rotator.

32. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a gear assembly rotationally connecting said blower and said rotator to one another for rotating said blower at a speed different from said rotator.

33. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a blower motor rotationally connected to said blower for rotating said blower at a speed independent of a rotational speed of said rotator.

34. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said distillation chamber has a diameter of between approximately 5 inches and approximately 96 inches.

35. The purification system according to claim 1, wherein said motor rotates said rotator at a speed of between approximately 300 rpm and approximately 1200 rpm.

36. The purification system according to claim 35, wherein said motor rotates said rotator at a speed of between approximately 350 rpm and approximately 800 rpm.

37. The purification system according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid dispensing unit for supplying the liquid to be purified to said distillation chamber, said liquid dispensing unit being fluidically connected to at least one of said ports and automatically and repetitively dispensing a given amount of the liquid to said distillation chamber when said valve opens said liquid dispensing unit to said at least one port.

38. A liquid purification system, comprising: a rotationally fixed, horizontally disposed cylindrical boiling chamber having: a cylindrical interior surface defining a central axis;a exterior surface; andtwo opposing substantially parallel and planar end surfaces on either side of said interior surface, said interior surface and said end surfaces defining a distillation chamber;a rotator rotationally disposed within said distillation chamber about said central axis and radially extending at least partly towards said interior surface, said rotator having an outer radial surface;a rotationally fixed, temperature regulating heater circumferentially disposed about said exterior surface and evenly heating liquid in said distillation chamber at least to a boiling point of the liquid;a rotational valve having ports selectively fluidically connected to said distillation chamber, said ports including a fill port, a purge port, a distilled vapor port a rinse port, and a drain port;a valve controller selectively controlling said valve to fluidically connect each of said ports to said distillation chamber in a given sequence;a motor having an axle connected to said rotator and, when activated, turning said rotator about said central axis at a speed sufficient to form liquid inside said distillation chamber into a film coating said interior surface, said film having a thickness spanning a distance between said outer radial surface of said rotator and said interior surface;a cylindrical condenser circumferentially disposed about said heater, said condenser having: an inlet fluidically connected to said distilled vapor port for receiving distilled vapors from said distillation chamber;a discharge fluidically connected to said inlet for supplying a purified form of the liquid; anda condenser tube fluidically connecting said inlet to said discharge; anda cylindrical blower circumferentially and rotationally disposed about said heater and within said condenser tube and, when activated, moving environmental air along said condenser tube to cool said condenser tube and condense distilled vapors of the liquid inside said condenser tube.

39. The liquid purification system according to claim 38, wherein said valve controller selectively controls said valve to fluidically connect said fill port, said purge port, said distilled vapor port, said rinse port, and said drain port to said distillation chamber in sequence.

40. A liquid purification system, comprising: a rotationally fixed cylindrical boiling chamber having: a cylindrical interior surface; andtwo opposing end surfaces, said interior surface and said end surfaces defining a distillation chamber;a rotator coaxially and rotationally disposed within said distillation chamber and radially extending at least partly towards said interior surface;a coaxial, temperature regulating heater at said boiling chamber, said heater when activated, heating liquid in said distillation chamber at least to a boiling point of the liquid;a coaxial valve having ports fluidically connected selectively to said distillation chamber;a valve controller selectively controlling said valve to fluidically connect said ports to said distillation chamber in a given sequence;a coaxial motor connected to said rotator and, when activated, turning said rotator at a speed sufficient to form liquid inside said distillation chamber into a film coating said interior surface;a coaxial condenser disposed about said boiling chamber, said condenser having: an inlet fluidically connected to at least one of said ports for receiving distilled vapors from said distillation chamber; anda discharge fluidically connected to said inlet for supplying a purified form of the liquid; anda coaxial blower rotationally connected to said motor and disposed about said boiling chamber and within said condenser and, when rotated, moving environmental air along said condenser to cool said condenser and condense distilled vapors of the liquid inside said condenser.