Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Utilizing electrical or wave energy directly applied to...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2001-01-30
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Utilizing electrical or wave energy directly applied to...
C210S723000, C210S760000, C210S787000, C210S192000, C210S205000, C205S633000, C205S636000, C422S024000, C422S186070, C422S186300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180014
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a device for generating ozone in-situ in water in order to remove therefrom a large variety of pollutants, especially organic pollutants, in addition to bacteria and viruses.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In order to carry out purification of water without the use of biocides such as chlorine and other chemicals, it is well known in the art to use ozone (O
3
) as a disinfectant. Ozone is usually prepared outside the medium (water) and then injected inside the water by means of injectors or bubbling in a contact column. Such makes the process bulky and costly as it involves the use of several devices.
It is also well known in the art that ozone can be produced by water electrolysis. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,250,177 and 5,154,895 disclose devices for generating ozone by electrolysis. The so generated ozone is then used for the purification of water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,441 discloses a device wherein ozone is produced from oxygen generated by electrolysis. However, the so generated ozone is recovered and used outside of the device. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,747; 5,205,994; 5,686,051; 5,203,972 and 5,779,865 disclose devices using solid electrolyte to produce ozone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,970 discloses a device for producing a stream of ozone by electrolysis of water and conversion of the oxygen that is so produced into ozone.
It is further known in the art that ozone can be produced via UV light. By way of examples, reference can be made of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,189,363 (Beitzel) and 4,992,169 (Izumiya).
It is further known that the efficiency of an apparatus using U.V. light to destroy microorganisms can be enhanced if ozone is mixed with the water to be purified. In this connection, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,215 (Engelhard).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,252 (Mass), there is disclosed a photochemical reactor for the treatment of a fluid polluted with photoreactants components. This patent discloses that the walls of the reactor in the treatment region may be coated with a catalyst in order to increase the rate of secondary reactions that occur with reaction products produced by the initial photochemical reaction.
To the inventor's personal knowledge, none of the prior art references known to him discloses a device or a process wherein a high level of dissolved ozone (O
3
) and other active oxygen species are produced in situ to destroy pollutants and microorganisms in an economical way while allowing separation of the undesirable by-products of electrolysis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery that ozone can be produced in situ inside a water stream by interaction between oxygen produced by electrolysis and a UV light having a wavelength of 189 nm. Such a production of ozone in situ eliminates the use of ozone generators and/or ozone injection peripherals. The so produced ozone is in a very soluble state. Moreover, the invention provides means for preventing hydrogen and other cations generated during the operation from reentering into the main stream.
It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide an efficient and economic method for the treatment of water, especially but not exclusively drinking water, by oxidation of its contaminants with ozone produced in situ. This method also permits to kill contaminating living pollutants such as bacteria and virus while separating undesirable electrolysis by-products.
The method according to the invention is intended to be used for purifying of pollutants containing water by oxidation of the pollutants to form oxidation products and removal of these oxidation products. In accordance with the invention, this method is characterized in that the pollutants containing water is treated within a vessel where ozone is produced in situ by UV irradiation on nascent oxygen produced by electrolysis.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for carrying out the aforesaid method.
The device according to the invention is intended to be used for purifying pollutants containing water by oxidation of said pollutants to form oxidation products and removal of the so formed oxidation products. This device comprises:
a) at least one reactor, the reactor comprising:
a vessel;
at least one inlet means for introducing the pollutant-containing water to be purified in the vessel;
at least one outlet means for the recovering of the purified water from the vessel;
at least one duct extending centrally within the vessel, said duct being made of a material transparent to UV light;
a UV lamp mounted within said least one duct, said UV lamp generating UV irradiation;
an anode extending close to said at least one duct;
a porous medium surrounding the anode;
a cathode extending behind the porous medium;
b) a power supply operatively connected to said anode and cathode for generating between them a difference of potential; and
c) means for removing the oxidation products from the water,
whereby, in use, oxygen is produced by electrolysis at the anode and is converted in situ into ozone by the UV irradiation generated by the UV lamp the so generated ozone reaction with the pollutants contained in the water and converting them into oxidation products while, in the meantime, cationic ions of heavy metals, Ca++ and Mg++ are attracted by the cathode.
Preferably, the duct is made of quartz and the UV lamp is selected to produce electromagnetic waves at a wavelength of 189 nm.
Preferably also, the anode and cathode are formed of wire meshes made of an electrically conductive material, the wire mesh forming the anode surrounding the at least one duct, the wire mesh forming the cathode surrounding the porous medium.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3623970 (1971-11-01), Haas
patent: 4416747 (1983-11-01), Menth et al.
patent: 4504445 (1985-03-01), Walz
patent: 4728441 (1988-03-01), King
patent: 5114549 (1992-05-01), Shimamune et al.
patent: 5203972 (1993-04-01), Shimamune et al.
patent: 5205994 (1993-04-01), Sawamoto
patent: 5494559 (1996-02-01), Patterson
patent: 5589052 (1996-12-01), Shimamune et al.
patent: 5686051 (1997-11-01), Shiota et al.
patent: 5779865 (1998-07-01), Schulze et al.
Brochure CH-M 9102, The Membrel® Mkll Electrolytic Ozone Generation System.
Hoey Betsey Morrison
Robic
Simmons David A.
LandOfFree
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