Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Chemical treatment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-17
2001-04-24
Drodge, Joseph W. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Chemical treatment
C210S087000, C210S090000, C210S101000, C210S198100, C169S013000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06221263
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the treatment of water within fire protection systems to kill microbes that promote corrosion within such systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been determined that microbes present in the water within a fire protection sprinkler system (FPS) can promote corrosion within the FPS by a mechanism that has been termed microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC). In the past, the treatment of water within an FPS required treating the water during initial filling of the FPS, and then maintaining appropriate treatment levels by occasionally testing the system for microbes and manually adding additional treatment chemicals as necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As those skilled in the art are aware, other than during filling, the water within an FPS is relatively stagnant. However, small amounts of water periodically enter the FPS due to usage, leakage, and pressure increases in the water supply (which notably occurs at night as city water pressure typically rises due to lower usage). Therefore, while an FPS may be adequately treated with a treatment chemical to kill microbes when the FPS is initially filled, the inevitable addition of small amounts of water to the FPS introduces microbes. This invention is based in part on the determination that, left untreated, microbes introduced in this manner will lead to MIC and eventual damage to the FPS.
Accordingly, the invention is a device that is capable of automatically treating water as it enters a fire protection sprinkler system (FPS) to kill microbes introduced with the water. More particularly, this invention is a treatment system that includes a storage tank for chemicals prescribed to kill the microbes of concern, means for injecting the chemicals into an FPS, a pump capable of delivering the proper amount of chemicals to the FPS, valving to isolate the pump and tank and prevent backflow from the FPS, and a flow switch to activate the pump when water enters the FPS from an outside source.
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patent: 6076536 (2000-06-01), Ludwig et al.
Collinsworth Delbert
Pope Daniel H.
Cecil Terry K.
Drodge Joseph W.
Hartman Domenica N. S.
Hartman Gary M.
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