10436results about "Water/sewage treatment apparatus" patented technology

An inductive power supply system for providing power to one or more inductively powered devices. The system includes a mechanism for varying the physical distance or the respective orientation between the primary coil and secondary coil to control the amount of power supplied to the inductively powered device. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an inductive power supply system having a primary coil and a receptacle disposed within the magnetic field generated by the primary coil. One or more inductively powered devices are placed randomly within the receptacle to receive power inductively from the primary coil. The power supply circuit includes circuitry for adjusting the power supplied to the primary coil to optimize operation based on the position and cumulative characteristics of the inductively powered device(s) disposed within the receptacle.

A fluid treatment system is provided, the system including a fluid treatment cartridge for treating fluid passing therethrough. The cartridge has an inlet through which untreated fluid enters the cartridge and an outlet from which treated fluid exits the cartridge. The cartridge also has a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for storing data. The fluid treatment system also includes a connection manifold configured to detachably support the fluid treatment cartridge. The connection manifold has an inlet flow path for directing untreated fluid to the inlet of the cartridge and an outlet flow path for directing treated fluid from the outlet of the cartridge, and a data sensor for reading data stored on the RFID tag. The fluid treatment system further includes means for evaluating the data stored on the RFID tag and read by the data sensor, as well as means for deterring fluid treatment system use based upon the evaluation of the data stored on the RFID tag and read by the data sensor.

An inductive power supply system for providing power to one or more inductively powered devices. The system includes a mechanism for varying the physical distance or the respective orientation between the primary coil and secondary coil to control the amount of power supplied to the inductively powered device. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an inductive power supply system having a primary coil and a receptacle disposed within the magnetic field generated by the primary coil. One or more inductively powered devices are placed randomly within the receptacle to receive power inductively from the primary coil. The power supply circuit includes circuitry for adjusting the power supplied to the primary coil to optimize operation based on the position and cumulative characteristics of the inductively powered device(s) disposed within the receptacle.

A lamp assembly configured to inductively receive power from a primary coil. The lamp assembly includes a lamp circuit including a secondary and a lamp connected in series. In a first aspect, the lamp circuit includes a capacitor connected in series with the lamp and the secondary to tune the circuit to resonance. The capacitor is preferably selected to have a reactance that is substantially equal to or slightly less than the reactance of the secondary and the impedance of the lamp. In a second aspect, the lamp assembly includes a sealed transparent sleeve that entirely encloses the lamp circuit so that the transparent sleeve is fully closed and unpenetrated. The transparent sleeve is preferably the lamp sleeve itself, with the secondary, capacitor and any desired starter mechanism disposed within its interior.

Filter cartridge assemblies and housings are provided and include a tubular housing having an inner wall, an outer wall, a first end, and a second end. The housings include inner walls with shoulders or other radially-inwardly extending flow directors at the intersections of adjacent sections of the tubular body. The assemblies include a plurality of filter media sections within the housing, and each of the plurality of filter media sections preferably has a different filter media composition. One or more of the filter media sections traverses one or more of the shoulders or other radially-inwardly extending flow directors such that the flow directors evenly direct the flow of fluid through the assembly. The assemblies find particular applicability in dialysis systems.

Methods and apparatus in which ultraviolet radiation is generated from at least one first LED, an object is irradiated with the ultraviolet radiation, and the ultraviolet radiation is controlled so as to generate at least one perceivable visual effect based on an interaction between the ultraviolet radiation and the object.

A method of producing safe drinking water from virtually any water source utilizing a water purification system is disclosed. The method includes a combination of water purification methods with a control system that evaluates water quality and functional processing parameters, such as pressure and flow. The control system determines what water processing methods to utilize and how most efficiently to operate them. The system is capable of treating highly contaminated water to the necessary degree to produce safe drinking water. Furthermore, the system regulates and cleans itself to maintain functionality despite receiving high concentrations of various contaminants from the feed water source.

The invention features a flow-through capacitor system that achieves enhanced power efficiency by sequential control and actuation of at least two or more flow-through capacitor cells within the flow-through capacitor system. Alternatively or in addition, power efficiency is enhanced by integrating the purification stages of the system, for example, by placing more than one cell within a single cell casing. Preferably, integrated stage flow-through capacitors are controlled sequentially.

A combination tool for cleaning and sanitizing a surface is disclosed. The tool includes a cleaning device and at least one UV flash unit. The cleaning device can be adapted for either wet or dry cleaning. The combination tool can also include a dispensing unit that can dispense a treatment agent. The tool can also include a sensor that can detect surface properties. In some arrangements, the tool includes a motive component that can propel the tool robotically.

Systems and processes for producing hydrogen using bacteria are described. One detailed process for producing hydrogen uses a system for producing hydrogen as described herein, the system including a reactor. Anodophilic bacteria are disposed within the interior of the reactor and an organic material oxidizable by an oxidizing activity of the anodophilic bacteriais introduced and incubated under oxidizing reactions conditions such that electrons are produced and transferred to the anode. A power source is activated to increase a potential between the anode and the cathode, such that electrons and protons combine to produce hydrogen gas. One system for producing hydrogen includes a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reactor and an exterior of the reaction chamber. An anode is provided which is at least partially contained within the interior of the reaction chamber and a cathode is also provided which is at least partially contained within the interior of the reaction chamber. The cathode is spaced apart at a distance in the range between 0.1-100 centimeters, inclusive, from the anode. A conductive conduit for electrons is provided which is in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode and a power source for enhancing an electrical potential between the anode and cathode is included which is in electrical communication at least with the cathode. A first channel defining a passage from the exterior of the reaction chamber to the interior of the reaction chamber is also included.

An Ultraviolet-C (UVC) based portable water purification system employing a novel array of baffles increases the efficiency per unit energy of irradiating UVC light in the eradication of pathogens in the water. Closed loop feedback allows monitoring the application of UVC light power to ensure high levels of pathogen eradication. This system is capable of eradicating a wide range of waterborne bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminthes, yeast, and mold found in natural freshwater sources worldwide. By adding pre- or post-filters, the system can remove harmful organic compounds, pesticides, inorganic compounds and heavy metals from the water. The system can also be used to eradicate pathogens in fluids other than water. As a feature of this invention, a communications systems that can reach geographically dispersed populations at low cost without the need to install costly wired communications infrastructure is combined with and powered by the water purification system. In one embodiment, a packet radio system is provided to create nodes in a wireless mesh communications system to provide voice, data, video and internet communications using an array of the water purifiers to create a wireless mesh network.

A solution for treating a fluid, such as water, is provided. The solution determines an ultraviolet transparency of a fluid before or as the fluid enters a disinfection chamber. In the disinfection chamber, the fluid can be irradiated by ultraviolet radiation to harm microorganisms that may be present in the fluid. One or more attributes of the disinfection chamber, fluid flow, and/or ultraviolet radiation can be adjusted based on the transparency to provide more efficient irradiation and/or higher disinfection rates.

An ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system and method for treating fluids including a configuration and design to function effectively with at least one UV light source or lamp that is not submerged in the fluid. The UV light source is positioned outside the fluid to be disinfected via exposure to at least one UV dose zone outside the fluid being treated wherein UV light is projected into the at least one dose zone. The UV light source may be presented in a vertical riser configuration, wherein the UV light source is positioned above the fluid to be treated and projecting a UV dose zone downward toward and into the fluid to be treated, with the fluid moving upward toward the UV light source. Alternatively, the UV light source may be presented in a non-vertical riser configuration, wherein the UV light source is positioned above the fluid stored at least temporarily within a reservoir and projecting a UV dose zone downward toward and into the static fluid to be treated, and is particularly effective where the fluid is pre-treated or purified drinking water.

A method and apparatus creates gas-enriched fluid that is used to treat wastewater. In one embodiment, the wastewater is withdrawn from a supply of wastewater to be treated, and the wastewater is delivered in an atomized manner to a vessel pressurized with gas to form gas-enriched wastewater. The gas-enriched wastewater is then delivered to the supply of wastewater to be treated.

A mobile station and methods are disclosed for diagnosing and modeling site specific effluent treatment facility requirements to arrive at a treatment regimen and/or proposed commercial plant model idealized for the particular water/site requirements. The station includes a mobile platform having power intake, effluent intake and fluid outflow facilities and first and second suites of selectably actuatable effluent pre-treatment apparatus. An effluent polishing treatment array is housed at the station and includes at least one of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and ion-exchange stages. A suite of selectively actuatable post-treatment apparatus is housed at the station. Controls are connected at the station for process control, monitoring and data accumulation. A plurality of improved water treatment technologies is also disclosed. The modeling methods include steps for analyzing raw effluent to be treated, providing a field of raw effluent condition entry values and a field of treated effluent condition goals entry values, and utilizing said fields to determine an initial treatment model including a selection of, and use parameters for, treatment technologies from the plurality of down-scaled treatment technologies at the facility, the model dynamically and continuously modifiable during treatment modeling.

Sodium chloride and purified water are recovered by treating salt water that contains sodium chloride with an integrated reverse osmosis and electrodialysis system, which includes an efficiency-enhancing feature that is one or more of the following: the use of univalent anion and univalent cation selective membranes in the electrodialysis unit; the addition of a nanofiltration unit to process the diluate from the electrodialysis unit; or operation of the electrodialysis unit at an elevated pressure. Magnesium and bromine can optionally be produced when the salt water contains these materials.

Feed water comprising an aqueous salt solution is supplied to an anode chamber and to a cathode chamber. The feed water is cathodically electrolyzed in the cathode chamber to produce alkaline electrolyzed water (catholyte) and is anodically electrolyzed in the anode chamber to produce electrolyzed water (anolyte) whose pH is modified. A portion of alkaline catholyte from the cathode chamber is recycled back to the feed water during continuous electrolysis to provide a blend of feed water and alkaline catholyte to the anode chamber to control pH of the anodically electrolyzed water therein to provide more stable bactericidal activity thereof over time.

A treatment system provides treated or softened water to a point of use by removing at least a portion of any undesirable species contained in water from a water source. The treatment system can be operated to reduce the likelihood of formation of any scale that can be generated during normal operation of an electrochemical device. The formation of scale in the treatment system, including its wetted components, may be inhibited by reversing or substituting the flowing liquid having hardness-causing species with another liquid having a low tendency to produce scale, such as a low LSI water. Various arrangements of components in the treatment system can be flushed by directing the valves and the pumps of the system to displace liquid having hardness-causing species with a liquid that has little or no tendency to form scale.

A method and apparatus for electrolytically producing oxidation reduction potential water from aqueous salt solutions for use in disinfection, sterilization, decontamination, wound cleansing. The apparatus includes an electrolysis unit having a three-compartment cell (22) comprising a cathode chamber (18), an anode chamber (16), and a saline solution chamber (20) interposed between the anode and cathod chambers. Two communicating (24, 26) membranes separate the three chambers. The center chamber includes a fluid flow inlet (21a) and outlet (21b) and contains insulative material that ensures direct voltage potential does not travel through the chamber. A supply of water flows through the cathode and anode chambers at the respective sides of the saline chamber. Saline solution flows through the center chamber, either by circulating a pre-prepared aqueous solution containing ionic species, or, alternatively, by circulating pure water or an aqueous solution of, e.g., aqueous hydrogen chloride and ammonium hydroxide, over particulate insulative material coated with a solid electrolyte. Electrical current is provided to the communicating membranes separating the chambers, thus causing an electrolytic reaction that produces both oxidative (positive) and reductive (negative) ORP water.

A method for making surface corona discharge, which produces ozone gas and apparatus for producing the same are disclosed, in which a dielectric spacer/film having a specific capacity C' equal to or more than 200 nanofarad per square meter positioned between the base electrode and the net electrode. Said net electrode is a wire net or a perforated metal or a wire winding having an open area not less than about 70%, and a size of hole D equals to or less than about 0.7V/P, where V is a voltage in kilovolts and P is pressure of an ambient air or an oxygen in atmospheres. Net electrode has radius R of wire or radius of an edge of openings in the perforated metal equal to or more than about 1.6d, where d is the thickness of the said dielectric spacer/film, which is determined by a fundamental formula d=9k/C', where d is in millimeters, C' is in nF/m2, and k is dimensionless dielectric constant k of given material. Under disclosed parameters said surface corona is safe for human contact if said net electrode is grounded. Start voltage Vst of ozone production is determined by experimental formula Vst=0.7+60/C', kV, here C' in nF/m2. The even and high intensity corona surface and high ozone output takes place if the operating voltage is more than about 3Vst. AC power supply is applied to produce ozone gas at "home" voltage 0.7-1.0 kV and produces ozone gas more effectively at 2,5-3.6 kV. A method for disinfection and decontamination of objects by using the direct corona contact and apparatus for making the same is disclosed, in which safe corona surface is placed on said object and is acting by ozone, ultraviolet and ion bombing simultaneously in the unique environment, which takes place inside of the safe corona. A method for ozone disinfection and decontamination and devices for making the same is disclosed, in which said ozone generating element is placed in a closed container/room with or without treated objects and produce a high ozone concentration due to effective ozone dispersion from corona surface without blowing of air/oxygen through said container/room.

A fluid treatment system includes at least one flow-through tank, a treatment device configured for treating at least one of an untreated fluid and a treated fluid and providing the treated fluid to the at least one flow-through tank and at least one sensing device configured for sensing the quality of fluid in the at least one flow-through tank. The sensing device is connected to the treatment device for providing the treated fluid to the at least one flow-through tank upon a determination of a quality of fluids in the at least one flow-through tank being less than or equal to a predetermined fluid quality threshold.

A filter assembly for fluid filtration having a push-activated lock and release mechanism. The filter housing has a sump for enclosing the filter media, a filter head, and at least one standoff protruding outwards for use in securing the filter head to a filter manifold. The filter manifold supports the filter housing with a filter locator. A filter guide having a rotator actuating mechanism secures and holds the filter head in place when the filter head is axially inserted. The rotator actuating mechanism has tabs and slots that rotate upon a transverse axial force from the standoff and from tabs on an internal shutoff. The internal shutoff has an inlet extension and an outlet extension with apertures for fluid ingress and egress. The internal shutoff tabs slidably contact and align the rotator actuating mechanism to secure and remove the filter head.

A solution for treating a fluid, such as water, is provided. The solution first removes a set of target contaminants that may be present in the fluid using a filtering solution. The filtered fluid enters a disinfection chamber where it is irradiated by ultraviolet radiation to harm microorganisms that may be present in the fluid. An ultraviolet radiation source and/or the disinfection chamber can include one or more attributes configured to provide more efficient irradiation and/or higher disinfection rates.

Water treatment systems and methods. Embodiments provide water treatment systems which comprise first oxidation, particulate filtration, and membrane filtration subsystems in that order. Systems also comprise recirculation paths and sensors for these subsystems. A controller determines whether to recirculate water to a previous subsystem in the order. Systems can comprise downstream second oxidation, high pressure membrane, ion exchange, activated carbon subsystems and/or ultraviolet contactors. Systems with high pressure membranes can comprise a pump before the high pressure membranes, a booster pump of the high pressure membrane subsystem, and a damping tank. In such systems the controller maintains a pressure in the damping tank. High pressure membrane subsystems can further comprise nanofiltration membranes and RO membranes. Systems can comprise bypass paths for some/all of the subsystems. For such systems, the controller further determines, whether to bypass these subsystems.

A self-contained, portable water purification system, including (a) an ozone supply, (b) an ozone contact chamber for mixing a contaminated or potentially contaminated water stream with ozone generated by such ozone supply, (c) an ozone destruction unit for destructing ozone contained in the water stream and converting said water stream into an oxygen-rich and ozone-depleted water stream, and (d) a downstream biologically active carbon filter, for receiving such oxygen-rich and ozone-depleted water stream and biologically destructing at least a portion of contaminants contained therein.

A topical formulation containing an oxidative reduction potential (ORP) water solution and a thickening agent that is stable for at least twenty-four hours. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical dosage form comprising (1) a formulation for topical administration comprising an oxidative reductive potential water solution and a thickening agent and (2) a sealed container, wherein the formulation is stable for at least twenty-four hours. The invention further provides a method for treating or preventing a condition in a patient comprising topically administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of a formulation comprising an oxidative reductive potential solution and a thickening agent, wherein the formulation is stable for at least twenty-four hours.

The present invention is a device and method for ozonating water and applying the ozonated water to surfaces for cleaning purposes. The instant invention allows a user to transform water into a liquid with more robust cleaning properties conveniently and in a short time. The present invention includes a cleaning apparatus having a reservoir containing water, the reservoir able to be easily manipulated by a user to dispense the water, a device for increasing the level of oxidative properties in the water, and a circulation flow path communicating with the reservoir and the device to allow at least some of the water in the reservoir to flow from the reservoir to the device and back to the reservoir.

An automated self-propelled pool cleaner having a housing, a water pump for moving water through the housing, drive means for moving the pool cleaner over the surface of the salt water pool to be cleaned, and an integral electrochemical chlorine generator mounted in the housing, includes a processor/controller that is programmed to activate the chlorine generator, the pump and drive means in predetermined operational sequences that minimize wear and tear on the water pump and drive means, while at the same time distribute and maintain a safe level of sanitizing chlorine in the pool, to thereby obviate the need for an in-line chlorinator or other chemical additive treatments; an optional automated sensor device can be provided to activate a secondary maintenance program which enables the pool cleaner to operate over prolonged periods of time as the sole means for filtering and sanitizing the pool water. An electrochemical cell manual mounting system permits the cell to be secured in place for operation and manually removed for maintenance, repair or replacement by the user without special tools or training.

The invention provides a water purification system and method for combining ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and photocatalysis in a helical reactor geometry that maximizes both the photocatalytic efficiency and the germicidal dosage of the ultraviolet irradiation in deactivation of microbes and the destruction of contaminant organic compounds.

A mobile station and methods are disclosed for diagnosing and modeling site specific effluent treatment facility requirements to arrive at a treatment regimen and/or proposed commercial plant model idealized for the particular water/site requirements. The station includes a mobile platform having power intake, effluent intake and fluid outflow facilities and first and second suites of selectably actuatable effluent pre-treatment apparatus. An effluent polishing treatment array is housed at the station and includes at least one of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and ion-exchange stages. A suite of selectively actuatable post-treatment apparatus are housed at the station. Controls are connected at the station for process control, monitoring and data accumulation. A plurality of improved water treatment technologies are also disclosed.