A water purification system capable of producing sparkling water and its control method

Abstract

This invention discloses a water purification system and its control method for producing sparkling water, belonging to the field of sparkling water production and processing technology, and designed to solve the problem of low flow rate in existing sparkling water production. The water purification system for producing sparkling water disclosed in this invention includes: an inlet pipe equipped with a pressure reducing valve; a sparkling water pipe connected to the inlet pipe; a purified water pipe connected to the inlet pipe, equipped with an RO membrane filter; a concentrated water pipe connected to the concentrated water outlet of the RO membrane filter; and a return pipe, one end of which is connected to the inlet pipe and located outside the outlet of the pressure reducing valve, and the other end of which is connected to the concentrated water pipe. The connection between the return pipe and the concentrated water pipe is connected to an air intake assembly, which is configured to supply air to the concentrated water pipe. The water purification system and its control method for producing sparkling water disclosed in this invention produce a large flow rate of sparkling water, with a high and uniform bubble content, and stable sparkling water production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sparkling water production and processing technology, and in particular to a water purification system and its control method for producing sparkling water. Background Technology

[0002] Sparkling water is made by mixing air with water, with the air in the water appearing as bubbles with a diameter between 1 and 100 micrometers. The equipment used to produce sparkling water typically includes a mixing tank and a bubbler. In the mixing tank, air and water are mixed to form a gas-liquid mixture, which then enters the bubbler to be processed into sparkling water.

[0003] For ease of use, some existing water purification systems are equipped with sparkling water processing devices. Under normal operation, they process purified water; by changing the on / off state of certain solenoid valves, they can process sparkling water. These systems typically include an inlet pipe, a sparkling water outlet pipe, a purified water outlet pipe, and a concentrate pipe. An air-injection device is installed on the inlet pipe; when sparkling water processing is needed, air is injected into the inlet pipe through this device to achieve preliminary mixing of air and water. The drawback is that directly adding air into the water pipe results in less than ideal air-water mixing, affecting the processing quality and flow rate of the sparkling water. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to propose a water purification system and its control method for producing sparkling water with high efficiency.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0006] A water purification system capable of producing sparkling water includes: an inlet pipe equipped with a pressure reducing valve configured to reduce the water pressure in the inlet pipe; a sparkling water pipe connected to the inlet pipe; a purified water pipe connected to the inlet pipe, the purified water pipe being equipped with an RO membrane filter; a concentrated water pipe connected to the concentrated water outlet of the RO membrane filter; and a return pipe, one end of which is connected to the inlet pipe and located outside the outlet of the pressure reducing valve, and the other end of which is connected to the concentrated water pipe, the connection between the return pipe and the concentrated water pipe being connected to an air intake assembly configured to supply air into the concentrated water pipe.

[0007] In one preferred embodiment, the air intake assembly includes a one-way valve and an air pump connected together; or, the air intake assembly is a hollow structure with a through hole, wherein the pressure inside the hollow structure is lower than the external pressure at the through hole, so that air enters the air intake assembly through the through hole and is sent into the concentrated water pipe.

[0008] In one preferred embodiment, along the water flow direction, a concentrate control valve for controlling the flow rate and a concentrate on / off valve for controlling the opening and closing of the concentrate pipe are sequentially arranged on the concentrate pipe, and the other end of the return pipe is connected to the concentrate pipe between the concentrate control valve and the concentrate on / off valve.

[0009] In one preferred embodiment, the bubble water pipe is provided with a bubble water switch that can control the on / off state of the bubble water pipe, and the bubble water switch includes at least a high flow rate setting and a low flow rate setting.

[0010] In one preferred embodiment, the water purification system further includes a PCB composite filter element, which includes a pretreatment filter element and a posttreatment filter element that are independent of each other. The pretreatment filter element is disposed on the water inlet pipe, and the posttreatment filter element is disposed on the purified water pipe.

[0011] In one preferred embodiment, the pressure reducing valve is connected to the outlet end of the pretreatment filter cartridge.

[0012] In one preferred embodiment, a booster pump is also provided on the water inlet pipe. The booster pump is connected to the outlet end of the pressure reducing valve, and one end of the return pipe is connected to the water inlet pipe between the pressure reducing valve and the booster pump.

[0013] In one preferred embodiment, a water purification switch is provided on the water purification pipe between the RO membrane filter and the post-treatment filter. The water purification switch is configured to detect whether the water purification pipe is in an external water supply state.

[0014] In one preferred embodiment, the water purification switch is a high-pressure switch or a Hall effect switch.

[0015] On the other hand, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0016] A control method for a water purification system, based on the above-mentioned water purification system capable of producing sparkling water, wherein when the sparkling water switch is in the high flow rate setting, the air pumped into the return pipe is mixed with the concentrated water in the concentrated water pipe and the raw water in the inlet pipe to form a mixture that is then completely sent into the mixing tank.

[0017] In one preferred embodiment, when the sparkling water switch is in the low flow rate setting, the air pumped into the return pipe mixes with the concentrated water in the concentrated water pipe and the raw water in the inlet pipe. Part of the mixture is sent into the mixing tank, and the other part is sent into the purified water pipe.

[0018] The water purification system disclosed in this invention can produce both purified water and sparkling water, meeting various water needs of users. By reducing the water pressure in the inlet pipe, more gas can enter the inlet pipe through the return pipe and mix with the raw water, resulting in a large flow rate of sparkling water, a high bubble content in the sparkling water, uniform mixing, and stable sparkling water production.

[0019] The water purification system control method disclosed in this invention allows for the following process: when a user requires high-flow-rate sparkling water, the entire water-air mixture flowing out of the booster pump is sent into the mixing tank; when a user requires low-flow-rate sparkling water, a portion of the water-air mixture flowing out of the booster pump is sent into the mixing tank, while the other portion passes through the water purification on / off valve and the RO membrane filter element before entering the return pipe. This allows the water-air mixture to flush the RO membrane filter element, extending its service life. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water purification system capable of producing bubble water, provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0026] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0027] This embodiment provides a water purification system capable of producing sparkling water, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the water purification system includes an inlet pipe, an aerated water pipe, a purified water pipe, a concentrated water pipe, and a return pipe. The aerated water pipe and the purified water pipe are connected to the outlet of the inlet pipe. The inlet of the inlet pipe is connected to the raw water source and is equipped with a pressure reducing valve to lower the water pressure. The aerated water pipe is equipped with an air mixing tank for uniformly mixing water and air and an aerator for generating aerated water. The purified water pipe is equipped with an RO membrane filter for producing purified water. The concentrated water pipe is connected to the concentrated water outlet of the RO membrane filter for discharging the concentrated water produced by the RO membrane filter. One end of the return pipe is connected to the inlet pipe and located outside the outlet of the pressure reducing valve; the other end is connected to the concentrated water pipe. The connection between the return pipe and the concentrated water pipe leads to an air intake assembly, which is configured to supply air into the concentrated water pipe.

[0028] When purified water is needed, the air intake assembly is not activated. Raw water passes through the inlet pipe and enters the purified water pipe, where it is filtered by the RO membrane filter to form purified water, which is then provided to the user. When sparkling water is needed, the pressure reducing valve lowers the water pressure in the inlet pipe to a reasonable range, allowing the air pump in the air intake assembly to send air into the return pipe. The air either enters the inlet pipe directly through the return pipe or is initially mixed with the concentrated water in the return pipe before entering the inlet pipe. The air or the initially mixed water-air mixture then mixes with the water in the inlet pipe to form a water-air mixture suitable for producing sparkling water. This water-air mixture enters the sparkling water pipe and passes through the mixing tank and aerator in sequence to produce sparkling water.

[0029] This water purification system can provide both purified water and sparkling water to meet various user needs. By reducing the water pressure in the inlet pipe, more gas can enter the return pipe and mix with the raw water in the inlet pipe, resulting in a large flow rate of sparkling water with a high bubble content and uniform mixing, and stable sparkling water production.

[0030] The specific structure of the air intake assembly is not limited, as long as it can deliver air into the concentrate pipe. Preferably, the air intake assembly may include a connected one-way valve and an air pump. When the air pump is working, it uses pressure to send air into the concentrate pipe, which is active air intake.

[0031] The air intake assembly can also be a hollow structure with a through-hole. At the through-hole, the pressure inside the hollow structure is lower than the external pressure. Air near the through-hole enters the air intake assembly through the through-hole under the pressure difference and is then sent into the concentrate water pipe. This is passive air intake. The specific method of ensuring that "the pressure inside the hollow structure is lower than the external pressure" is not limited. Preferably, the end of the hollow structure connected to the return pipe or concentrate water pipe is thicker, and the location of the through-hole is thinner. When the liquid flows through the hollow structure, the flow velocity increases and the pressure decreases at the thinner location, thereby creating a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the through-hole.

[0032] Because a return pipe connects the inlet pipe and the concentrate pipe, this water purification system has both a normal water production mode (or low recovery rate mode, with a recovery rate of k0) and a return water production mode (or 100% recovery rate mode). In the normal water production mode, raw water passes through the inlet pipe and enters the purified water pipe, where it is filtered by the RO membrane filter before being supplied to the user. The concentrate produced by the RO membrane filter is discharged through the concentrate pipe. In the return water production mode, raw water passes through the inlet pipe and enters the purified water pipe, where it is filtered by the RO membrane filter before being supplied to the user. The concentrate produced by the RO membrane filter returns to the inlet pipe through the return pipe, mixes with the raw water, and re-enters the purified water pipe for filtration and purification. In this mode, there is no concentrate discharge.

[0033] This water purification system can operate continuously in normal water production mode; when the raw water quality is very good, the system can also operate continuously in recirculation water production mode; when the raw water quality is relatively good, the system can operate in normal water production mode for part of the time and in recirculation water production mode for part of the time. By controlling the different time ratios of the two modes, the overall recovery rate can be adjusted between k0 and 100%.

[0034] Based on the above structure, the water purification system also includes a PCB composite filter element, which includes an independent pretreatment filter element and a posttreatment filter element. The pretreatment filter element is installed on the inlet pipe and is used to coarsely filter the raw water. The posttreatment filter element is installed on the purified water pipe and is located after the RO membrane filter element. It is used to adsorb off-color and off-odor substances and improve the taste.

[0035] The pressure reducing valve is connected to the outlet of the pretreatment filter cartridge. Raw water under normal pressure passes through the pretreatment filter cartridge for coarse filtration and then reaches the pressure reducing valve. When the pressure reducing valve operates, it lowers the pressure of the coarsely filtered water flowing out of it, allowing the water-air mixture in the return pipe to enter the inlet pipe and mix with the coarsely filtered water. This prevents the water-air mixture in the return pipe from being unable to enter the inlet pipe due to excessive water pressure in the inlet pipe.

[0036] Based on the above structure, a booster pump is also installed on the inlet pipe. The booster pump is connected to the outlet end of the pressure reducing valve, and one end of the return pipe is connected to the inlet pipe between the pressure reducing valve and the booster pump. The water-air mixture in the return pipe mixes with the coarsely filtered water in the inlet pipe and then reaches the booster pump. After being pressurized by the booster pump, it is at least partially sent into the bubble water pipe to prepare for the preparation of bubble water.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, a water purification valve is installed on the water purification pipe before the RO membrane filter element. The water purification valve can control the opening and closing of the water purification pipe, thereby controlling whether water flows into the RO membrane filter element.

[0038] A water purification switch is installed on the water purification pipe between the RO membrane filter and the post-treatment filter. The water purification switch is configured to detect whether the water purification pipe is in the external water supply state. When the water purification pipe is in the external water supply state, the water purification switch does not send a signal, and the water purification system normally prepares and supplies purified water; when the water purification pipe is not in the external water supply state, the water purification switch sends a signal to the controller, and the controller shuts down the water purification system.

[0039] The specific structure of the water purifier switch is not limited, as long as it can detect whether the water purifier pipe is in an external water supply state. Preferably, the water purifier switch can be a high-pressure switch. The high-pressure switch is set with a pressure threshold. When the water purifier pipe is in an external water supply state, the water pressure in the water purifier pipe is low, the high-pressure switch is not triggered, and no signal is sent; when the water purifier pipe is not in an external water supply state, the water pressure in the water purifier pipe is high. When the water pressure is greater than or equal to the pressure threshold of the high-pressure switch, the high-pressure switch is triggered and sends a signal to the controller.

[0040] A water purifier switch can also be a Hall effect switch. When a magnetic object approaches, the Hall effect switch will change its state. Therefore, magnetic materials can be used to make faucet handles or other components that can prove whether the water purifier is supplying water. When the faucet handle or other components approach the Hall effect switch, the Hall effect switch will change its state, thereby detecting whether the water purifier is supplying water. The detection sensitivity is high.

[0041] Based on the above structure, along the water flow direction, a concentrate control valve for controlling the flow rate and a concentrate on / off valve for controlling the opening and closing of the concentrate pipe are sequentially installed on the concentrate pipe. The other end of the return pipe is connected to the concentrate pipe between the concentrate control valve and the concentrate on / off valve. The structure is simple and reasonable, and easy to use. When the concentrate on / off valve is closed, it does not affect the air pump's injection of air into the return pipe, nor does it affect the water in the concentrate pipe entering the return pipe with the air and forming a water-air mixture.

[0042] The return pipe is equipped with a return shut-off valve and a second check valve. The return shut-off valve controls the opening and closing of the return pipe. When sparkling water needs to be prepared, the return shut-off valve is open, keeping the return pipe unobstructed; when sparkling water preparation is not needed, the return shut-off valve is closed, cutting off the return pipe and preventing water, air, and water-air mixtures from entering the inlet pipe. The second check valve prevents the backflow of water, air, and water-air mixtures in the return pipe.

[0043] Based on the above structure, the sparkling water pipe is equipped with a sparkling water switch to control the on / off state of the sparkling water pipe and to detect whether the user has taken sparkling water. The sparkling water switch can be, but is not limited to, a high-pressure switch and a Hall effect switch. The working principle of the high-pressure switch and Hall effect switch is basically the same as that of the high-pressure switch and Hall effect switch used as a water purification switch on the water purification pipe, and will not be described in detail here.

[0044] The sparkling water switch includes at least a high flow rate setting and a low flow rate setting. When the sparkling water switch is in the high flow rate setting, the booster pump, air pump, and return flow shut-off valve are all open, while the purified water shut-off valve, concentrate control valve, and concentrate shut-off valve are all closed. Tap water enters the booster pump after being pre-filtered by the PCB filter and pressure-reduced by the pressure-reducing valve. Air is introduced into the return pipe by the air pump, and the air mixes initially with the concentrated water in the concentrate pipe to form a water-air mixture. This water-air mixture enters the booster pump after passing through the check valve, the return flow shut-off valve, and the second check valve. The initially mixed water-air mixture mixes again with the water in the inlet pipe. The entire water-air mixture is then sent to the mixing tank to improve the uniformity of the mixture, and finally, the pressure is released by the aerator to generate sparkling water.

[0045] When the sparkling water switch is in the low flow setting, the booster pump, air pump, purified water on / off valve, and return flow on / off valve are all open, while the concentrate control valve and concentrate on / off valve are closed. Tap water is pre-filtered through the PCB filter element and then depressurized by the pressure reducing valve before entering the booster pump. Air pumped into the return pipe initially mixes with the concentrated water in the concentrate pipe to form a water-air mixture. This mixture passes through a check valve, the return flow on / off valve, and a second check valve before entering the booster pump. The initially mixed water-air mixture mixes again with the water in the inlet pipe. Part of the water-air mixture flowing out of the booster pump passes through the purified water on / off valve and the RO membrane filter element, mixes with air, and flows back to the booster pump, cleaning the RO membrane filter element. The other part of the water-air mixture enters the mixing tank for thorough mixing, and then the pressure is released by the aerator to generate sparkling water.

[0046] Note that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water purification system capable of producing sparkling water, characterized in that, include: A water inlet pipe is provided with a pressure reducing valve, which is configured to reduce the water pressure in the water inlet pipe; A bubble water pipe is connected to the water inlet pipe; A water purification pipe is connected to the water inlet pipe, and an RO membrane filter element is installed on the water purification pipe; A concentrate pipe is connected to the concentrate outlet of the RO membrane filter element; and, A return pipe has one end connected to the inlet pipe and located outside the outlet of the pressure reducing valve, and the other end connected to the concentrate pipe. The connection between the return pipe and the concentrate pipe is connected to the air intake assembly, which is configured to supply air into the concentrate pipe. Along the water flow direction, a concentrate control valve for controlling the flow rate and a concentrate on / off valve for controlling the opening and closing of the concentrate pipe are sequentially installed on the concentrate pipe. The other end of the return pipe is connected to the concentrate pipe between the concentrate control valve and the concentrate on / off valve. The bubble water pipe is equipped with a bubble water switch that can control the on / off state of the bubble water pipe. The bubble water switch includes at least a high flow rate setting and a low flow rate setting. The air supplied by the air intake assembly is initially mixed with the concentrated water in the return pipe before entering the water inlet pipe, where it mixes with the water to form a water-air mixture. When the bubble water switch is in the high-flow setting, the entire water-air mixture is sent into the bubble water pipe. When the bubble water switch is in the low-flow setting, a portion of the water-air mixture is sent into the bubble water pipe, and the other portion is sent into the purified water pipe.

2. The water purification system capable of producing bubble water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake assembly includes a one-way valve and an air pump connected to each other; or, the air intake assembly is a hollow structure with a through hole, wherein the pressure inside the hollow structure is lower than the external pressure at the through hole so that air enters the air intake assembly through the through hole and is sent into the concentrated water pipe.

3. The water purification system capable of producing sparkling water according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The water purification system also includes a PCB composite filter element, which comprises an independent pretreatment filter element and a posttreatment filter element. The pretreatment filter element is installed on the inlet pipe, and the posttreatment filter element is installed on the purified water pipe.

4. The water purification system capable of producing bubble water according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pressure reducing valve is connected to the outlet end of the pretreatment filter element.

5. The water purification system capable of producing bubble water according to claim 4, characterized in that, A booster pump is also installed on the inlet pipe. The booster pump is connected to the outlet end of the pressure reducing valve. One end of the return pipe is connected to the inlet pipe between the pressure reducing valve and the booster pump.

6. The water purification system capable of producing bubble water according to claim 3, characterized in that, A water purification switch is provided on the water purification pipe between the RO membrane filter element and the post-treatment filter element. The water purification switch is configured to detect whether the water purification pipe is in an external water supply state.

7. The water purification system capable of producing bubble water according to claim 6, characterized in that, The water purification switch is a high-voltage switch or a Hall effect switch.

8. A control method for a water purification system, based on the water purification system capable of producing bubble water as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the sparkling water switch is in the high flow setting, the air pumped into the return pipe mixes with the concentrated water in the concentrated water pipe and the raw water in the inlet pipe, and the resulting mixture is sent to the mixing tank.

9. The control method for the water purification system according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the sparkling water switch is in the low flow setting, the air pumped into the return pipe mixes with the concentrated water in the concentrated water pipe and the raw water in the inlet pipe. Part of the mixture is sent into the mixing tank, and the other part is sent into the purified water pipe.

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