IL314110B2 - A water purification system with cells with inner walls with contours that match the lines of lighting efficiency. - Google Patents

Description

Water purification system with chambers inner walls outline surfaces correlated to lighting efficiency lines Description TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention refers to a water purification system with chambers in which the purification process is performed that their inner walls outline surfaces correlated to lighting efficiency lines of the system.

BACKGROUND ART There are many water purifiers based on UV lighting that treats micro-biologically unsafe water with germicidal ultraviolet light. The UV wavelength scrambles the DNA of living organisms in the water so that they can no longer reproduce. The present invention discloses a water purification system with special structure and design, which make it a compact, modular and extremely efficient.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The intention of the drawings attached to the application is not to limit the scope of the invention and its application. The drawings are intended only to illustrate the invention and they constitute only one of its many possible implementations.

FIG. 1 is a perspective depiction of the water purification system (10).

FIG. 2 is an exploded depiction of the system (10).

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional depiction of the chamber unit (11).

FIG. 4 is a top perspective depiction of the chamber unit (11).

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective depiction of the chamber unit (11).

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the UV subsystem (13).

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the UV subsystem.

FIG. 8 is an explosive depiction of two UV subsystem and one chamber unit.

FIG. 9 illustrates the lighting efficiency lines.

FIGS 10 - 12 depict two UV subsystem and one chamber unit.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the system (10) with two double-chambers units. [17.09.2024] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional illustrative depiction of the chamber unit.

THE INVENTION The main objective of the present invention is to provide a water purification system (10) with one or more chamber unit (11) with one or more chambers (12) in which the purification process is performed. The water purification system (10) can be modular and is compact, in the sense that it is relatively small in its volume compared to the rate of the amount of water it can purify. The water purification system (10) includes at least one UV subsystem (13) and at least one chamber unit (11) with at least one chamber (12). As the water flows through the chamber it undergoes the UV lighting purification treatment. Figure 1 is a perspective depiction of the water purification system (10), Figure 2 is an exploded depiction of the system, Figure 3 is a cross sectional depiction of the chamber unit, Figure 4 is a top perspective depiction of the chamber unit, and Figure 5 is a bottom perspective depiction of the chamber unit.

The system may include a first clamp (141) and a second clamp (142) or other equivalent mechanism to clamp the parts of the system or to enclose them. The system include an inlet opening (143) from which the contaminated water comes into the system and an outlet opening (144) from which the purified water goes outside the system. The water enters through the inlet opening into the chamber in chamber unit.

The water then flows through the chamber unit and from there flow outside through the outlet opening. The system (10) may be designed in such a way that the inlet and the outlet water openings will be on the clamps, as a design variation.

The system may include one or more chamber units (11). The system may include a first chamber unit (11A) that comprises a body (110), with a first chamber (12A), and preferably includes also a second chamber (12B). The first chamber and the second chamber are connected by means of a central passageway (111) that enables the water to flows from the first chamber to the second chamber. Both chambers may have the same design and inner shape.

The structure of the chambers may increase the residence time of the water in the chambers relative to the residence time of the water in the pipe which allows more time for the water to be exposed to the UV light while flowing in the chambers, which increases the efficiency of the purification process.

The system may include one or more UV subsystems (13). The system may include a first UV subsystem (13A) that includes a flat body (131), a lighting cell (132) that includes UV lighting (133), an electric harness (134) for connecting the UV lighting to a power source (15) that may be an internal or external battery, standard or rechargeable, or a connection to an external power source such as a power grid or a generator. The chamber (11) or the UV subsystem (13) may include one or more side water passageways (115) that are designed to enables the flow of the water from the water inlet opening (that may be in the first clamp) into the chamber unit, and to flow from there to the water outlet opening (that can be in the second clamp). The one or more side water passageways (115) are in fact the entry holes into or exit holes from the chamber and they can be form by the flat body (131) or directly in the chamber unit. Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the UV subsystem (13), Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of the UV subsystem, and Figure 8 is an explosive depiction the chamber unit with two chambers and UV subsystems.

The first UV subsystem (13A) is designed to be positioned between the clamp or equivalent means and the chamber unit in a way that the UV lighting cell (132) faces the chamber so that the UV lighting will light the water in the chamber. When the chamber unit comprises two chambers (12A) and (12B) then the system may include the first UV subsystems and a second UV subsystem (12B), in each side of the chamber unit (that when it comprises two chambers we can refer to it as a double- chamber unit or a sandwich). The UV lighting cell (132) is closed by a transparent quartz cover (136) to seal the UV lighting cell so that the water will not be in contact with the UV lighting and to enable the light to reach the water in the chamber and in the central passageway.

The structure of the chambers (11): The chamber is in fact a cavity in the chamber unit that includes an inner wall (112). The outline surface (112A) of the inner wall (112) correlates to the lighting efficiency line (112B) of the UV lighting of the system (of that chamber). In another words, the outline surface of the inner wall of the chamber reflects the lighting efficiency line of the UV lighting of that chamber.

The efficiency of the light (the UV rays) based in each point on the distance from the source of the light and the angle of the light away from the zenith. As much as a selected segment on the inner wall of the chamber is closer to the UV lighting source the killing efficiency of the bacteria is greater. As much as the angle of the selected segment is closer to the zenith (to ninety degrees) of the UV lighting source the killing efficiency of bacteria is greater.

It will be clarified that as the angle of the lighting decreases from the zenith point ( degrees) the lighting efficiency decreases dramatically. For example, the lighting efficiency at point x1, which is at an angle of 90 degrees, is the same as the lighting efficiency at point x2, which is much closer to the lighting source, but its angle is smaller than 90 degrees, and the same is true for points x3 and x4. The term the "outline surface" of the inner wall in this disclosure and in the claims reflects the "lighting efficiency line" which is naturally not a line (one dimension) but a surface like a dome of a beam (two dimension) but we will use the word "line" in these term instead of the word "beam" due to the fact that this is the language to describe a distance from a source of light to a point on a surface. The system is designed in a way that each segment (113) on the inner wall of the chamber (the surface of the inner wall) gets the same light intensity.

When the system uses one source of light then a vertical elliptical dome may be the shape of the outline surface of the inner wall and when the system uses two or more lightings in a row then an elongated elliptical dome may be the shape of this outline surface of the inner wall of the chamber.

Figure 9 illustrates the lighting efficiency line (112B), that represent in fact the lighting efficiency beam, of the UV lighting (133) that is positioned inside the UV lighting cell (132). The light rays are illustrated by straight lines (139) coming out of the UV lighting source and in the Figure we illustrates one line only but the essence is two dimensions as a beam. The efficiency points x1 – x4 are marked on the lines that illustrate the UV rays. The line connecting the efficiency points constitutes the lighting efficiency line and this line constitutes the outline surface of the inner wall of that chamber.

The water flows into the chamber from the sides, from the side water passageways (115) and then through the center (through the central passageways) outside or to the next chamber (in which the water flows from center to the sides) (or the opposite direction in the second chamber to which the water comes from the central passageway and go outside through the side water passageways). The fact that the intensity of the light is substantially equal on the inner wall of the chamber makes the purification process effective and each molecule of water gets the sufficient radiation.

In addition to that, the chamber has a large rounded volume that extends the residence time of the water to the lighting; the water path in the chamber is elongated and relatively narrow that causes the water to flow in a longer path from the side water passageways to the central passageway, which increases the residence time. In addition, the UV lighting is in zenith and vertically towards the central passageway where all the molecules must flow where the light is in its highest intensity that creates better purification. The structure of the chamber and the location of the UV lighting are such that the intensity of the lighting is uniform over most of the surface that constitutes the inner wall of the chamber, so that each water molecule receives the same and the minimum amount of radiation necessary to purify the water.

It is desirable that the chamber unit is made of, or at least the inner wall of the chamber be coated with, a material that causes or increases the scattering of radiation that hits the inner wall. This is so that the radiation that will hit the inner wall will not return back mainly at a normal refraction angle, as in the case of an inner wall made of glass or stainless steel, but that the returning rays will be scattered in different directions and thus the entire chamber space will be illuminated with lighting to increase the purification efficiency of the water. Such material can be for example an ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) that is a highly durable to UV radiation and incudes Micronics pores that make this scattering. The combination of the materials from which the chamber unit is made or with which the inner wall of the chamber is coated or at least a part of it, allow an effective combination of reflective radiation (radiation returned at an opposite angle) and diffuse radiation (scattered return radiation), which ensures peripheral and spherical radiation that hits all the bacteria in the entire cell space.

It is possible that each chamber unit will be designed in a way that the side water passageways through which the water flows into the chamber will be on the east and west sides of the chamber, while the side water passageways through which the water flows outside from the next chamber be north-south, and so on, to the next sandwich after it, in a way that will cause an internal swirling and circulation of the water molecules, so that each molecule will travel more through and a greater distance along the chambers.

The system (10) can include a warning sensor (18) that is located inside the UV lighting cell that is designed to measure the reflected returning radiation, the intensity of which is an indication of the effectiveness of the water purification action, to alert the users if the purification is effective or not.

The system is designed and built so that it is modular. First, to position a UV subsystem on the first chamber of the double-chamber unit and to position another UV subsystem on the second chamber of that double-chamber unit (hereinafter and in the clams "a sandwich") as depicted for example in Figure 8, and then to closed this sandwich between the first and second clamps as depicted for example in Figure 1.

The system (10) is designed in a way that it is possible to assembled a plurality of sandwiches, and place them one on top of the other, and finally to close them by the clamps, as depicted for example in Figures 10 - 12.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the system (10) with two double-chambers units. It goes without saying, naturally, that the system (10) includes screws, nuts, sealing rubbers, and similar elements that are required after receiving the explanation of the invention as stated above. So for example, the system may include four (or more or less) clamping screws (201) for tightening the clamps together and to fasten all the parts of the system. The system can include such fastening screws of different lengths that will match the length of the system according to the number of sandwiches it includes. The system (10) can include gaskets, of various sizes and diameters, which will be placed for example: gasket (202) between the clamps and the UV subsystems, gasket (203) between the UV subsystem and the double-chamber unit, gasket (204) between the clamps and adapters (205) that are designed to connect the system (10) to the pipe (100), gasket (206) between the flat body (131) and the UV lighting cell. The special structure on the system allows it to be mounted inline.

In summary, the present invention refers basically to the water purification system (10) that comprises the first chamber unit (11A) and the first UV subsystem (13A).

The first chamber unit includes the first chamber (12A) that the outline surface of its inner wall is designed and correlated with the lighting efficiency line of the UV lighting of that chamber, and the side water passageways and the central passageway through which the water can flows into and outside the first chamber. The first UV subsystem (13A) includes the flat body, the UV lighting cell that includes the UV lighting, and the electric harness. The system may further include the second UV subsystem (13B) and the first chamber unit may further include the second chamber (11B), in the same form as stated above. The system may further includes a third and fourth UV subsystems (13C) (13D) and a at least a second chamber unit (13B) that includes the third (12C) and the fourth (12D) chambers, also in the same form as stated above, and may include more chamber units and UV subsystems. The chambers may be made of materials that are designed to cause returning radiation scattering or that their inner walls are coated with such materials. The system may include one or more warning sensor (18) that is can be located inside one of the UV lighting cells that is designed to measure reflected returning radiation that indicates effectiveness of the water purification process. The outline surfaces of the inner walls of the chambers correlate with the lighting efficiency line of the UV lighting of that UV subsystem.

In another embodiment the system includes the chamber unit with the first and second chambers and a first and second UV subsystem. The UV lighting cells are positioned in the system in such a way that the UV lightings are designed to light the water that flows in the chambers and also to light the water that flows in the central passageway, at an angle of ninety degrees. 25 [17.09.2024] In more details, the water purification system (10) of the present invention is designed for purifying up to two liters of water per minute. The system (10) includes: (a) the chamber unit (11) having a cylindrical shape with a maximum diameter of 30 millimeters and a maximum height of 30 millimeters. (b) the first UV subsystem (13A) comprising the UV lighting cell (132) with UV lighting elements (133) and the electric harness (134). (c) the second UV subsystem (13B) comprising the UV lighting cell (132) with UV lighting elements (133) and the electric harness (134). (d) a battery (15) as the power source connected to the harnesses for powering the UV lighting elements. [17.09.2024] The chamber units comprises the first chamber (12A), the second chamber (12B), and the central passageway (111) connecting the first and the second chambers. Each chamber has an elongated dome shape, with a length (91) between millimeters and 25 millimeters, a width (92) between 3 millimeters and 7 millimeters, a side elliptical perimeter with a height (93) between 1 millimeter and 3 millimeters, and a central height (94) between 4 millimeters and 6 millimeters. Each chamber includes two side passageways (115) positioned at opposite ends of the chamber; the central passageway has a length (95) between 15 millimeters and 20 millimeters and a diameter (96) between 4 millimeters and 8 millimeters. The total volume (97) of the chambers and the central passageway, in which the water is treated, is 4 cubic centimeters (cc) or less. The volume (97) illustrated in Figure 14 with marks. [17.09.2024] The first UV lighting elements comprises two UV LEDs aligned longitudinally along the longitudinal axis (98) of the first chamber and positioned under the central passageway, configured to irradiate both the water within the first chamber and the central passageway. The second UV lighting elements comprises two UV LEDs aligned longitudinally along the longitudinal axis (98) of the second chamber and positioned above the central passageway, configured to irradiate both the water within the second chamber and the central passageway. The size of each of LED element is approximately 3 millimeters by 3 millimeters; [17.09.2024] The UV subsystems are positioned such that the UV light is projected into the central passageway at an angle of 90 degrees. The water enters the first chamber through the side passageways, flow through the central passageway, and exits through the side passageways of the second chamber. [17.09.2024] The system (10) can be described in more detail. It is a compact, miniature design, where the volume (97) of the treatment chamber is no more than centimeter cube (cc). The system typically uses two LED elements (up and down).

Due to its small size, the system can be mounted on devices such as a military water trailer or a hydration bag with a capacity of approximately three liters. Due to the compact dimensions, it is critical to maximize the efficiency of both the four LEDs and the treatment space. This approach differs from larger systems, where water can undergo multiple rounds of treatment before consumption, and which are connected to powerful electrical systems, eliminating energy constraints for purification lighting and water circulation. [17.09.2024] Each LED measures about 3 mm by 3 mm. The LEDs are arranged in a row, with a total width of approximately 3 mm (equal to the LED width) and a length of about 7 mm (comprising two LEDs with a 1 mm gap between them). As seen in the accompanying drawings, the distance from the LEDs to the circumferential perimeter (99S) of the chambers is greater than the distance to the center (99C) of the chambers, resulting in a smaller illumination angle at the perimeter. Because the perimeter receives less purification light due to the greater distance and smaller angle, the intensity of light is significantly reduced, as it is at its maximum when the angle is ninety degrees. Consequently, the chamber’s cross-sectional area near the perimeter is reduced to ensure the light treats a smaller amount of water. In contrast, the central chamber area has a larger cross-section to maintain uniform treatment efficiency throughout the chamber. This design prevents insufficient treatment at the edges, which could leave microbes untreated and compromise the overall purification process. FIG. 14 is a cross sectional illustrative depiction of the chamber unit (11).

Claims (1)

Claims What is claimed is: [17.09.2024]

1. A water purification system (10), comprising: (a) a chamber unit (11) having a cylindrical shape; (b) a first UV subsystem (13A) comprising a UV lighting cell (132) with UV lighting elements (133) and an electric harness (134); (c) a second UV subsystem (13B) comprising a UV lighting cell (132) with UV lighting elements (133) and an electric harness (134); (d) a battery (15) connected to said harnesses for powering the UV lighting elements; [17.09.2024] wherein the chamber units comprises: a first chamber (12A), a second chamber (12B), and a central passageway (111) connecting the first and the second chambers; [17.09.2024] wherein: each chamber has an elongated dome shape, with a side elliptical perimeter; each chamber includes two side passageways (115) positioned at opposite ends of the chamber; 25 [17.09.2024] wherein: the first UV lighting elements comprises two UV LEDs aligned longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the first chamber and positioned above or under the central passageway, configured to irradiate both the water within the first chamber and the central passageway; the second UV lighting elements comprises two UV LEDs aligned longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the second chamber and positioned above or under the central passageway, configured to irradiate both the water within the second chamber and the central passageway; [17.09.2024] wherein the UV subsystems are positioned such that the UV light is projected into the central passageway at an angle of 90 degrees; and [17.09.2024] wherein water enters the first chamber through the side passageways, flow through the central passageway, and exits through the side passageways of the second chamber.