Liquid purification or separation – Flow – fluid pressure or material level – responsive – Vent control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-25
2003-09-30
Hruskoci, Peter A. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Flow, fluid pressure or material level, responsive
Vent control
C210S123000, C210S136000, C210S205000, C210S209000, C210S218000, C210S278000, C210S288000, C261S076000, C261SDIG007
Reexamination Certificate
active
06627070
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of water treatment systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of aeration in a water filter system.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that water drawn from wells usually contains a variety of impurities or contaminates. The most usual contaminates occurring naturally in well water are iron, sulfur, manganese and arsenic, although many man-made contaminates are now also found. These mineral contaminates may cause stained plumbing fixtures and corroded pipes and in addition, may result in the presence of disagreeable odors and improper taste to the water.
Water with a high iron content can cause rust stains on clothing. Undesirable mineral content is removed from raw water by a variety of methods, although most of the methods involve treatment of the water with oxidizing substances. For example, removal of iron and manganese is commonly effected by running the water through a filter with a bed of minerals periodically regenerated with a chemical such as potassium permanganate to oxidize the dissolved metals forming either oxides or hydrates which are precipitated and removed in the filter. Another method that is widely used is that of injecting a quantity of oxygen, either as pure oxygen or more commonly in the form of air. Possibly the most widely accepted method for introducing air into well water is by means of air aspiration produced through use of a venturi orifice. Of a somewhat more limited use has been the injection of air under pressure into a body of water to provide the oxygen necessary to oxidize the metal ions for ultimate removal from the water.
A system illustrating the use of air aspiration to precipitate iron is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,580. In this arrangement, well water is drawn by means of a pump through a pipe and into a pressure tank. From that point, the water ultimately is directed, upon a demand basis to an oxygen induction device, which is in fact a venturi jet, that aspirates air into the water at that point. The induction of air created by the venturi orifice is located close to the filter tank so that build up of precipitated iron oxide or iron hydrates is prevented from occurring in the pipe. The preferred embodiment is shown with the oxygen induction device coupled to the valve control assembly which is coupled to the filter tank.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,532, water enters through an inlet and is passed through a venturi type air aspirator unit where it then continues to flow through a valve and to an inlet tube which is located on the interior of a filter tank. An automatic air release is provided in the upper portion of the tank to vent air and sulfur containing gases to the exterior. One problem encountered with this type of system results from the fact that the incoming air/water mixture are present together for a comparatively short time before being released into the interior of the tank and oxidation of the dissolved metal content is often inadequate to effect good cleansing of the well water.
A different sort of system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,493. In this instance, an oxygen supply is introduced into the bottom of a column which contains a plurality of rings. The interior of the column is first filled with an oxygen supply and then water flows upwardly through a tube, exiting through a screen. The water then percolates downwardly through the rings acquiring oxygen from the oxygen enriched environment that had been initially placed in the column from the oxygen supply. In this apparatus, the oxygenated water is withdrawn through the discharge ports located in the bottom portion of the column. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,378 shows an apparatus used for the purpose of treating acid mine water and involves the use of a pair of jet pumps using a venturi effect to provide aeration of the water. Following introduction of water through aspiration, the flow is then into a static mixer which has a helical interior that swirls the water and air to provide some additional mixing of the air and water. This aspiration describes a process for introducing air into acid mine water and performing a mechanical mixing operation but does not deal with the ultimate use of water for consumer use. Other patents which may be referred to are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,649,533, 4,659,463, 5,061,377, 5,096,596 and 5,147,530.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,867 discloses a system for removing iron from potable water. An air pump introduces air into the untreated water. The aerated water is then introduced into a tank containing a bed of granular activated carbon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,596 discloses an apparatus for removal of mineral contaminants from water comprising an aeration tank with an inlet for admitting water and an outlet for discharge. The outlet is coupled via a tube to a filter valve. The filter valve is coupled to a filter tank which receives the aerated water from the aeration tank.
While the processes that constitute the prior art recognize the use of air or oxygen introduction into water, for certain purifications, problems still exist. For example with systems utilizing venturi aspiration of air into water, the venturi devices are both difficult to maintain and to obtain the introduction of sufficient quantities of air into the water to effect complete oxidation of dissolved mineral elements. The venturi is a flow restrictor which limits water pressure to the end user or adds a load on the well pump. When oxidation does occur, depending upon the location where the air is aspirated, precipitation of mineral elements from solution can occur which can result blockage and constriction of conveying pipes. No effective system is known in which sufficient oxidation is obtained by merely tumbling air and water together. In systems using air injection, unremoved excess air creates blockages and noises in plumbing systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,759 is assigned to the instant assignee and relates to a system for removing certain contaminants or impurities from well water by oxidation effected by the injection of air into a reaction chamber having first and second sections wherein the air is first mixed intimately with incoming water through the use of baffles that break up the fluid flow paths and where thereafter in, the second section of the reaction chamber, the baffles act to strip the previously aerated water of excess air and permit it to be vented, so that it does not enter the water distribution system. The aerated water is then delivered to an iron filter via a control valve assembly.
An efficient, economical apparatus and system is provided for dissolving substantial quantities of air (oxygen) into well water and also for removing excess oxygen that might otherwise result in transport difficulties. In addition, the system insures that there is maximum physical interaction between the oxygen bearing air and the water so that thorough aeration of the water is accomplished to oxidize the maximum amount of dissolved mineral content. The apparatus further provides for continued agitation of the air/water mixture to result in the removal of excess air and to thereafter enable its venting to the exterior of the aerating reactor apparatus. Specifically, by providing a vent in an air/water reactor chamber at such a location that excess amounts of air can be present in a first section of the chamber while exhausting the excess air from a second section of the chamber.
The prior art systems are often fouled by the reaction of aeration, i.e., due to the precipitated iron. The blockage will deteriorate the system performance. Eventually, the blockage will cause failure requiring maintenance. The required maintenance can be costly, difficult and time consuming to repair.
In addition, the prior art systems have been found not to be efficient in the oxidation of iron and other impurities and the removal of the oxidized iron or other impurity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and
Ecowater Systems, Inc.
Hruskoci Peter A.
Piper Rudnick
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