Gas separation: processes – Liquid contacting – Gaseous fluid mixture discharged against or beneath surface...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-08
2003-05-13
Smith, Duane (Department: 1724)
Gas separation: processes
Liquid contacting
Gaseous fluid mixture discharged against or beneath surface...
C096S329000, C096S352000, C096S371000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06562106
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an atmosphere treatment device that can be used to treat, clean, and sterilize replacement atmosphere entering or exiting a container as liquid is drawn off or added to the container. In particular, the present atmosphere treatment device is very useful in public water systems where water is stored in a container and replacement air entering the container as water is dispensed may cause contamination of the water remaining in the container. However, the present invention is not believed to be limited to just this single area, as will be apparent from the following discussion.
Many different water systems using rigid containers are used by the public for drinking water, such as municipal water towers, five-gallon bottled water delivered at regular intervals, and bulk water delivered into rigid storage containers stored at on-site locations. The water in these containers are at risk for contamination by air-borne contaminants because untreated ambient air replaces the liquid as the liquid is removed from the respective containers. The air-borne contaminants can include dirt, dust, mold, algae, germs, bacteria, chemicals, and other organic and inorganic matter that are potentially harmful and/or that detract from the taste and healthiness of drinking water.
Even state-approved systems and filtered water delivery systems have this problem. For example, state-approved bulk drinking water is delivered by tank trucks, then pumped into smaller vented tanks at the customer's site where it is used as an alternative source of drinking water. Several Californian companies in the water-delivery business use 5-micron filters to reduce dust and dirt in their systems. However, they still have a problem with algae, because algae particles find their way past or through the filtering system. There are several ways that this can occur. Algae spores can potentially be carried by air moisture as air flows through the filters, such that the filters are not effective at filtering out the algae. Where a filter is used as a breather, any contact from over-filling or expansion of liquid in the container tanks can potentially be sucked back into the drinking water, where it contaminates the contents of the tanks. Some tanks have a cover that is removed for filling, which compromises a quality of the water in the tank by permitting a direct open access for ambient air and airborne contaminants to enter into the tank. Even though the open access is temporary, it only takes a single particle, spore, seed, or germ to initiate a growing active contamination problem.
Advancements in pollution-detecting equipment and scientific knowledge have uncovered many health issues with chemicals and bacteria in the water we drink and the air we breathe. This has created a huge industry that deals with treated and filtered water and air, with filters being provided for removing suspended particles and chemicals and for treating bacteria and algae. Often, ozone, chlorine, ultra-violet light, and distillation are used to address the bacteria problems in drinking water. However, these treatments are potentially a safety hazard in concentrated forms, are expensive and difficult to reliably dispense in accurate and safe ranges, and are difficult to uniformly and widely disperse into drinking water. Further, they can cause undesirable side effects in certain percentages of the human population, and/or can cause poor taste, odors, and other problems.
It is believed that the ability to treat water and keep it in sealed sanitary containers is a preferred method for protecting water quality. However, because of cost, convenience, and/or the lack of an effective alternative method, many liquid products are stored in rigid tanks. Rigid containers that dispense liquid by use of gravity or pumps rely on the flow of untreated ambient replacement air to prevent vacuum from developing that would stop and/or slow restrict outflow of liquid. For example, municipalities often use large water towers to store drinking water. Attached to a top of the towers is usually a 10-inch or 12 inch vent pipe in the shape of an upside down U-section. One end of the U-section is connected to the interior of the tower and the other end is open to ambient air with a 1 inch or ½ inch screen mesh over the end. Replacement air unfortunately carries unnecessary airborne pollutants inside the tower where they are absorbed into the water or where they float on top of the water. By removing as many pollutants as possible from the replacement air, the need for chlorine and anti-algae and anti-bacteria agents can be substantially reduced. However, to date, known systems have not been as effective as desired for reasons discussed above and below.
It is noted that, in the State of Michigan, municipal water suppliers are required to maintain a residual of 0.2 ppl chlorine disinfectant in potable water. Chlorine seems to be the disinfectant of choice, but it has some problems that cannot or should not be ignored. For example, organic debris found in surface water when treated with chlorine creates carcinogens. Further, any additional unnecessary pollutants that enter the water require additional chlorine to maintain the residual level of 0.2 ppl. Still further, to maintain a 0.2 ppl residual for the end user, the chlorine added to the water is excessive at the point of treatment, since the chlorine dissipates over distance.
In another example, the carbonated beverage industry uses ambient air tanks for storing liquid sugar. It is difficult to control mold and bacteria in these tanks.
In another example, the milk industry uses ambient air tanks on all milk house holding tanks, all milk delivery trucks and on some of the milk processing tanks. It is difficult to control airborne bacteria in these tanks, and difficult to meet USDA standards for purity and cleanliness.
The medical field has serious problems with several strains of antibiotic-resistant staff infection, such as may occur in medical treatment centers and in hospitals. Staff bacteria are an airborne bacterium that comes from the nose and throat of carriers and spreads easily. Storage containers in the medical field that use ambient replacement air would benefit greatly from a reliable, low-cost safeguard against airborne contamination.
It is also noted that certain medicines and chemicals react with plastic and need to be stored in rigid non-plastic containers. By using a valve assembly connected to the tank port on an open-air rigid container, the non-plastic container would be hermetically sealed. However, the valve assembly must relieve pressure in the container to prevent high pressures and/or vacuums from developing in the container that cause problems with liquid flow into and out of the container. The existing filters and disinfectants do not adequately nor satisfactorily solve this high/low pressure problem.
Therefore, there is a real need for hermetically sealing vented storage containers to allow for removing liquid therein, while protecting remaining uncontaminated liquid from contaminated replacement ambient atmospheric air. Further, an apparatus is desired that is cost-effective, efficient, relatively simple in its operation and construction, and that utilizes known materials and technology and low cost materials to accomplish significant improvements in the quality of water and other liquids.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for treating replacement atmosphere for hermetically sealed containers adapted to hold and dispense uncontaminated liquids sensitive to contamination. The apparatus includes a valving system having a container port adapted for connection to a sealed container, and having an intake port with an intake check valve configured to permit replacement atmosphere to be drawn to the container port for passing into the sealed container but to prevent backflow through the intake port. A bubbler includes a reservoir partially filled with a treatment liquid, the treatme
Life Line Water Co., LLC
Price Heneveld Cooper Dewitt & Litton
Smith Duane
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