Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Chemical reactor – Inorganic sulfur acid or anhydride producing type
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-07
2001-06-19
Beck, Shrive (Department: 1764)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Chemical reactor
Inorganic sulfur acid or anhydride producing type
C422S160000, C422S172000, C422S169000, C422S186220, C423S522000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248299
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
Only a fraction of the earth's total water supply is available and suitable for agriculture, industry and domestic needs. The demand for water is great and new technologies together with growing populations increase the demand for water while pollution diminishes the limited supply of usable water. The growing demand for water requires efficient use of available water resources.
Agricultural use of water places a large demand on the world's water supply. In some communities, the water supply may be adequate for farming but the quality of the water is unsuitable for agriculture because the water is alkaline. Alkalinity is an important factor affecting the quality, efficiency and performance of soil and irrigation water. A relative increase in irrigation alkalinity due to the water's sodium to calcium ratio or a high pH renders irrigation water detrimental to soil, crop growth and irrigation water efficiency. Such water can be reclaimed for soil rehabilitation and irrigation by adding lower pH sulphurous acid to the alkaline water to reduce its alkalinity or pH.
The invention of this application is directed toward a device which generates sulphurous acid in a simplified, efficient way. In particular, it is directed toward a sulphurous acid generator which produces sulphurous acid by burning sulphur to produce sulphur dioxide gas. The sulphur dioxide gas is then drawn toward and held in contact with water eventually reacting with the water and producing sulphurous acid, while substantially reducing dangerous emissions of sulphur dioxide gas to the air.
2. The Relevant Technology
There are several sulphurous acid generators in the art. The prior art devices utilize sulphur burn chambers and absorption towers. However, all known systems utilize countercurrent current flow or pressurized systems as the principle means to accomplish the generation of sulphurous acid. For example, many devices employ the absorption tower to introduce the majority of the water to the system in countercurrent flow to the flow of sulphur dioxide gas. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,771 teaches introducing 90% of the system water for the first time in countercurrent flow at the top of the absorption tower. In such devices, the integrity of the absorption towers is vital, and any deficiencies or inefficiencies of the absorption tower lead to diminished reaction and results. Other devices utilize pressurized gas to facilitate flow of gas through the system, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,201. Pressurized devices, however, require expensive manufacture to ensure the containment of dangerous sulphur dioxide gas to avoid leakage. Even negative pressure machines have the drawback of requiring a source of energy to power the negative pressure generator such as an exhaust fan. Still other devices rely upon secondary combustion chambers to further oxidize the sulphur, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,771. Many sulphurous acid generators emit significant or dangerous levels of unreacted sulphur dioxide gas, a harmful and noxious pollutant, into the surrounding environment.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a sulphurous acid generator which can be used to improve alkaline irrigation water by adding the sulphurous acid produced by the generator to alkaline water to reduce the alkalinity and/or pH of the water. In addition to making the water less alkaline, adding sulphurous acid to alkaline water increases the availability of sulphur in the water to act as a nutrient, improves capillary action of the soil, increases cation exchange capacity, and decreases tail water run-off and tillage and fertilizer costs.
In many agricultural settings, complicated farm machinery is not practical because it requires technical training to operate and special skills to service and maintain. For sulphur generators, improved design can reduce costs, simplify operation, service and maintenance and increase efficiency and safety thereby making the machine more practical for agricultural use. The present invention is directed toward a sulphurous acid generator that is simple to produce, operate, service and maintain, and which efficiency produces, contains and reacts sulphur dioxide gas and sulphurous acid without exposing the user or other living things in proximity to the machine to dangerous sulphur dioxide emissions.
It will be appreciated that a specific energy source is not necessarily required by the present invention, and therefore its use is not necessarily restricted to locations where a particular power source, like electricity, is available or can be generated for use. All of the above objectives are met by the present invention.
Unlike the prior art, the present invention is designed to maximize the amount of water in contact with sulphur dioxide gas and the duration of the contact of water with sulphur dioxide gas without creating back pressure in the system or relying upon pressurization of the gas to cause the sulphur dioxide gas to flow through the sulphurous acid generator. This reduces the complexity of the sulphurous acid generator and the need for additional equipment such as air compressors used by prior art devices.
The invention primarily relates to a sulphur hopper, a burn chamber, a gas pipeline, a mixing tank, an absorption tower and an exhaust pipeline.
The sulphur hopper preferably has a capacity of several hundred pounds of sulphur in powder or flake form. The sulphur hopper can be constructed of various materials or combinations thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the sulphur hopper is constructed of stainless steel and plastic. The sulphur hopper is connected to the burn chamber by a passageway positioned at the base of the sulphur hopper. The conduit joins the burn chamber at its base. The weight of the sulphur in the sulphur hopper forces sulphur through the passageway at the base and into the burn chamber, providing a continual supply of sulphur for burning.
The burn chamber has an ignition inlet on the top of the burn chamber through which the sulphur is ignited and an air inlet on the side of the chamber through which oxygen enters to fuel the burning sulphur. The burning sulphur generates sulphur dioxide gas. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom of the chamber is removable, facilitating access to the chamber for maintenance and service. The burn chamber is constructed of material capable of withstanding the corrosiveness of the sulphur and the heat of combustion, preferably stainless steel.
A cooling ring is disposed around the outer perimeter of the base of the burn chamber. The cooling ring lowers the temperature of the molten sulphur near the perimeter of the base of the burn chamber, creating a semi-solid ring of sulphur along the perimeter of the chamber and preventing molten sulphur and sulphur dioxide gas from leaking out of the base of the burn chamber. In the preferred embodiment, the cooling mechanism is a metallic ring through which cool water passes. The ring is connected to the base of the burn chamber, running along the perimeter of the base.
Sulphur dioxide gas exits the burn chamber through an exhaust outlet on the top of the burn chamber and is drawn into a first conduit. The first conduit may be manufactured from stainless steel.
A supply of water is brought to the gas pipeline by a second conduit and may be brought from a water source through the second conduit by any means capable of delivering sufficient water and pressure, such as an elevated water tank or a mechanical or electric pump.
The first conduit and second conduit meet and couple with a third conduit. The third conduit comprises a blending portion, a contact containment portion, an agitation portion and a means for discharging the sulphurous acid and unreacted sulphur dioxide gas. The third conduit may be constructed of polyethylene plastic.
The blending portion of the third conduit comprises a means for bringing the sulphur dioxide gas in the first conduit and substantially all the water in the second conduit into cont
Beck Shrive
Kirton & McConkie
Ohorodnik Susan
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