Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Chemical reactor – With means applying electromagnetic wave energy or...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-19
2004-03-02
Mayekar, Kishor (Department: 1741)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Chemical reactor
With means applying electromagnetic wave energy or...
C422S186120, C422S186150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06699441
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to systems of purifying waters used in spas and jetted tubs. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods specifically configured and adapted for the treatment, for example, for the purification, of waters used in spas and jetted tubs.
Spas, jetted (hot) tubs and the like are often treated with active compounds to maintain the water therein in a purified or sanitized condition. Compounds, such as chlorine and ozone, have been used to sanitize the relatively large volumes, for example, hundreds or thousands of gallons, of water in such spas, tubs, etc. As used herein, the terms “spa” and “jetted tub” refer to systems which hold or contain a body of liquid aqueous medium, hereinafter referred to as water, which is often heated, in a reservoir which is smaller than a swimming pool, but is sufficiently large so that an adult human being can be completely submerged or immersed in the water contained in the reservoir.
Spas are often used by submerging all or a major portion of one's body in the water in the reservoir for recreation and/or relaxation. Additional, separate purifying or sanitizing components are also included in spa waters to control bacteria, algae, etc., which are known to contaminate such waters. Very low concentrations of these active materials are used in order to avoid harming sensitive parts of the body—since such spas, tubs, etc. are sized so that the entire body can be immersed in the water and to minimize costs, because of the relatively large volume of water to be treated. For example, the normal (that is the typical, non-acute contamination) concentration of ozone used to purify or sanitize the water in a spa or tub is often in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.05 parts per million (ppm) based on weight of ozone per volume of water (w/v).
Typically, ozone is generated on site for use in purifying spa/tub waters. Conventional ozone generators used for such service include a sealed ultraviolet (UV) light lamp which is known to produce ozone in the desired amounts. Such conventional ozone generators are generally effective. However, these generators do have certain drawbacks. For example, the UV light lamp is relatively bulky, can burn out (often requiring system disassembly and lamp replacement) and are relatively inefficient in producing the desired amounts of ozone.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide new systems for purifying waters used in spas and jetted tubs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
New systems, for example, apparatus and methods, for purifying the waters in spas and jetted tubs have been discovered. The new systems employ ozone as the purifying/sanitizing component. The ozone is generated using an assembly which is compact, durable, convenient, reliable, requires little or no maintenance and generates ozone efficiently, for example, more efficiently than a conventional UV light lamp ozone generator. Such an ozone generator is particularly effective in producing purifying amounts of ozone for spas and jetted tubs used for recreation and/or relaxation. The owners of such spas and jetted tubs want to use these items when desired, want the water to be effectively purified/sanitized, but do not want to spend large amounts of time/money on maintenance. The systems of this invention meet these requirements.
In one broad aspect, the present apparatus for purifying the water in a spa or jetted tub comprise an ozone generator and a transfer assembly. The ozone generator is sized and adapted to purify the water in a spa or jetted tube, and includes a chip electrode assembly adapted to produce ozone from air using an electric discharge. The transfer assembly cooperates with the ozone generator to pass ozone produced by the ozone generator to the water in the spa or jetted tub.
Preferably, the ozone generator is effective to produce sufficient ozone to purify (sanitize) the water in a spa or jetted tub containing about 50 or about 200 to about 1000 or about 5000 gallons of water. The concentration of ozone in the water in the spa/jetted tub is generally as noted elsewhere herein. Two or more ozone generators in accordance with the present invention can be utilized together if larger volumes of water are to be treated.
In one particularly useful embodiment, the chip electrode assembly is adapted to produce ozone from air using a corona discharge. The ozone generator preferably further includes a transformer (an electrical transformer) sized, adapted and located to control the electric power (voltage) provided to the chip electrode assembly. Often, the ozone generator operates on conventional line voltage. For example, the transformer may be adapted to function by being provided with (to be inputted with) supply (e.g., line) A.C. electric power of about 100 to about 130 volts.
Alternatively, a 12 volt D.C. system may be employed to supply electric power.
One specific ozone generator useful in the present invention is the generator sold by Del Industries under the trademark ZO-CDS or CDS16. The specifications for the CDS
16
ozone generator include power: 110-120 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 90 mA and 11W; flow: 3 SCFH or 1415 cc/min; and weight: 12 oz or 340 g.
Any suitable transfer assembly may be utilized provided that it functions to cooperate with the ozone generator to pass ozone produced by the ozone generator to the water in the spa or jetted tub.
The transfer assembly preferably includes a water pump, an adductor assembly and a transfer conduit. The adductor (or venturi) assembly has an inlet and an outlet. The transfer conduit is adapted to provide a passage for ozone-containing gases between the ozone generator and the adductor assembly. The water pump is positioned to pump water from the spa or jetted tub through the adductor assembly. The transfer conduit is positioned so that the passage of water through the adductor assembly causes ozone-containing gases from the ozone generator to pass through the transfer conduit into and through the adductor assembly.
The water pump can be, and preferably is, the spa/jetted tub water pump, that is the pump used to circulate water in the spa/jetted tub. In one useful embodiment, the adductor assembly is located in a bypass conduit and a minor amount, that is less than about 50%, of the water being pumped by the water pump is passed through the bypass line.
The transfer assembly preferably includes a water transfer line which circulates water from and to the spa or jetted tub, a filter located upstream of the adductor assembly in fluid communication with the water transfer line and adapted to remove solid or particulate matter from the water passing through the water transfer line. The transfer assembly preferably further includes a heater adapted to heat the water flowing through the water transfer line upstream of the adductor assembly.
In one embodiment, the ozone transfer conduit is configured to reduce the probability of water passing from the adductor assembly to the ozone generator. This feature is designed to avoid detrimentally affecting the ozone generator. For example, the ozone transfer conduit may include a water trap. The ozone transfer conduit may include a loop (for example, a water trap loop), preferably located above the adductor assembly, to reduce the risk of water contacting the ozone generator. The ozone generator preferably is located above the water level in the spa/jetted tub. The present apparatus may include a check valve, for example, of conventional design, located in the ozone transfer conduit and adapted to prevent fluid flow in the ozone transfer conduit toward the ozone generator.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a water purifying apparatus for a spa or jetted tub is provided which comprises a removable, replaceable chip electrode. Preferably, an ozone generator in accordance with this embodiment, generally comprises a power supply assembly housed in a main housing or enclosure, and a chip electrode assembly, separately enclosed from, and removably coupled to, the power supply assembly.
M
Del Industries Inc.
Fox Linda A.
Mayekar Kishor
Stout, Uxa Buyan & Mullins, LLP
Uxa Frank J.
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