Small-sized clean water boiler for removing CECs in tap water

Abstract

The utility model discloses a small-sized clean water boiler for removing CECs in tap water, which jointly uses three technologies of heating, ultraviolet light catalysis and electrocatalytic oxidation for purification treatment, and comprises a box body, and a water tank is arranged in the box body; a purification module, a control module and a display module are arranged in the box body; the purification module comprises a heating assembly, a photocatalysis assembly and an electro-catalysis assembly; the photocatalysis assembly comprises an ultraviolet lamp and an ultraviolet lamp power plug; the electro-catalysis assembly comprises an anode TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode plate and a cathode titanium mesh electrode plate; the device disclosed by the utility model can be used for efficiently removing four types of CECs including pesticides, medicines and personal care products, disinfection by-products and endocrine interferon.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of tap water treatment technology, and in particular relates to a small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water. Background Technology

[0002] Drinking water is fundamental to human survival and development. With my country's economic development and rising living standards, the safety of drinking water has become an increasingly important concern. New contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) in water refer to chemical pollutants that are "newly identified or previously unconfirmed," "not regulated by law," and "pose a potential or substantial threat to human health and the ecological environment." Studies have shown that CECs in tap water and bottled water are primarily disinfection byproducts (DBPs), pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) compounds, and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). These pollutants can have significant negative impacts on the ecosystem and human health, including damaging the endocrine systems of humans and animals and increasing the risk of cancer.

[0003] The Chinese government attaches great importance to the control of emerging pollutants. The General Office of the State Council issued the "Action Plan for the Control of New Pollutants," which clearly states the goal of significantly enhancing the capacity for controlling new pollutants by 2025. However, traditional water treatment plants often lack comprehensive monitoring of CECs, relying on occasional rather than continuous detection. This makes treatment processes unable to specifically remove these pollutants. Moreover, while water treatment processes (such as coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection) are effective in removing turbidity, microorganisms, and some organic pollutants, their effectiveness in removing CECs is limited. CECs have diverse properties, and a single treatment process is unlikely to be effective against all of them. Many types of CECs are highly hydrophilic, making them difficult to remove through physical adsorption or sedimentation. Furthermore, many CECs are present at extremely low concentrations (nanogram to microgram levels), making them difficult to remove effectively with traditional treatment processes. In addition, the treatment of CECs in water treatment plants may generate new toxic byproducts, further impacting water quality safety. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the insufficient removal efficiency of CECs in water treatment plants, on-site tap water treatment at the user end can be a reasonable supplementary strategy. Accordingly, this invention provides a small-scale water purifier / boiler for removing CECs from tap water, achieving highly efficient removal of four major categories of CECs, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, disinfection byproducts, and endocrine disruptors. The heating-photoelectric oxidation technology achieved average degradation rates of 88.58% and 83.63% for eight model pollutants within 30 minutes under both boiling and room temperature conditions.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model includes:

[0006] A small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water includes: a housing, in which a water tank and an electrical control box are arranged side by side; the water tank contains a photocatalytic component, an electrocatalytic component, and a heating component arranged from top to bottom; the electrical control box contains an electrical control circuit for controlling the photocatalytic component, the electrocatalytic component, and the heating component to work alternately or simultaneously.

[0007] Optionally, the water tank is provided with an inlet pipe at the top of its side, an outlet at the middle of its front side, and a drain outlet at the bottom of its side.

[0008] Optionally, the photocatalytic component includes a first ultraviolet lamp, a second ultraviolet lamp, and a third ultraviolet lamp disposed at the top of the water tank; the electrocatalytic component includes an electrode plate disposed in the middle of the water tank, the electrode plate being composed of an anode electrode plate and a cathode electrode plate; and the heating component includes a heating tube and a thermocouple disposed at the bottom of the water tank.

[0009] Optionally, the anode electrode sheet is a TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode sheet, and the cathode electrode sheet is a titanium mesh electrode sheet; two anode electrode sheets and three cathode electrode sheets are installed crosswise, with a spacing of 45 mm between adjacent electrode sheets.

[0010] Optionally, the electrical control circuit includes: a leakage current protector and a time relay installed after the power supply line; three lines branching off from the time relay: the first line connects to the temperature controller, the second line connects to the switching power supply, and the third line connects to the AC contactor; a five-hole module and socket are connected to the AC contactor to power the UV lamp; a photocatalytic switch is installed on the line between the time relay and the AC contactor to control the opening and closing of the UV lamp; a heating switch is also connected between the temperature controller and the time relay. When the heating switch is closed, it connects the temperature controller, the thermocouple, and the solid-state relay to heat the lamp. With the circuit connected, the temperature controller receives the real-time temperature signal from the thermocouple and compares it with the preset target temperature. If the water temperature is lower than the set value, the temperature controller outputs a control signal, and the solid-state relay receives the signal to start the heating element. When the water temperature reaches the set value, the temperature controller receives the thermocouple signal and outputs a control signal again, and the solid-state relay receives the signal to turn off the heating element. The power cord is connected to the switching power supply to convert AC power to DC power, and then connected to the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator is then connected to the electrocatalytic component. At the same time, the voltage regulator and the time relay are controlled by the electrocatalytic switch to control the on / off state, thereby controlling the electrocatalytic time.

[0011] Optionally, in the aforementioned electronic control circuit, an emergency stop switch and a main switch are connected in series between the time relay and the power supply line; the emergency stop switch is normally connected; the main switch K5 is normally disconnected.

[0012] Optionally, a float valve may be installed at the water inlet pipe of the water tank.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model include:

[0014] (1) This utility model couples heating, ultraviolet photocatalysis, and electrocatalytic oxidation into a purification module, and regulates the operation of these three functions through a control module and a display module. It achieves efficient removal of four major categories of CECs, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, disinfection byproducts, and endocrine disruptors. Under boiling and ambient temperature conditions, the heating-photoelectric oxidation technology achieved average degradation rates of 88.58% and 83.63% for eight model pollutants within 30 minutes, respectively.

[0015] (2) The energy cost of this utility model for treating each ton of water is only 0.63 yuan / ton. -1 The energy consumption of this process is far lower than that of E-UV / Cl2, UV / H2O2, and electro-Fenton processes. This invention effectively utilizes the energy input during the heating process, improving water quality while reducing energy consumption. It aligns with the requirements of sustainable development and has high economic value in energy conservation and emission reduction, potentially becoming a practical solution for improving drinking water safety in households and small communities. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 This is the front view of the small water purifier / boiler device of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the water tank;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the electrical control box;

[0020] Figure 4 This is the circuit diagram of the electrical control box;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the degradation effect of a small water purifier on different pollutants under different operating conditions within 30 minutes in the embodiment.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a graph showing the trend of energy consumption of a small water purifier under different operating conditions as a function of pollutant degradation.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a comparison chart showing the energy consumption of a small water purifier / heater unit to reduce pollutant concentration by one order of magnitude under different operating conditions.

[0024] The labels in the diagram represent:

[0025] 1-Box body, 11-Water tank, 111-Inlet pipe, 112-Outlet, 113-Drain outlet, 114-Photocatalytic component, 1141-First ultraviolet lamp, 1142-Second ultraviolet lamp, 1143-Third ultraviolet lamp, 115-Float valve, 116-Electrocatalytic component, 1161-Anode electrode, 1162-Cathode electrode, 117-Heating component, 1171-Thermocouple, 1172-Heating tube;

[0026] 12-Electrical control box, 121-Power cord, 122-Temperature controller, 123-Voltage regulator display, 124-Switch, 125-Time relay, 126-Five-hole module, 127-Residual current device, 128-AC contactor, 129-Solid-state relay, 1210-Switching power supply, 1211-Voltage regulator, 1212-Socket, k1-Photocatalytic switch, k2-Electrocatalytic switch, k3-Heating switch, k4-Emergency stop switch, k5-Main switch;

[0027] 13-Top cover. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] Boiling, a common household method of drinking water treatment, effectively kills microorganisms and removes certain volatile organic compounds (such as chloroform). However, boiling has limited effectiveness in removing non-volatile organic pollutants. These pollutants are typically highly stable and do not decompose or volatilize when heated to 100°C. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), characterized by the generation of highly reactive oxygen species (mostly hydroxyl radicals ·OH), can oxidize large, recalcitrant organic molecules into lower-toxicity or non-toxic smaller molecules. Hydroxyl radicals ·OH are among the strongest oxidants, possessing an extremely high standard oxidation potential, E(·OH / H₂O) = 2.80V. SHE It is very effective in degrading highly toxic and persistent pollutants.

[0030] For other common pollutants in water (such as conventional organic matter, microorganisms, and suspended solids), conventional water treatment methods or single photo- or electro-treatment technologies can usually achieve ideal removal results. This is fundamentally different from the treatment requirements of CECs: For conventional pollutants (such as microorganisms, turbidity, and common organic matter), these pollutants can be efficiently removed in water treatment plants through coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and conventional disinfection processes (such as chlorination or ozone treatment). Traditional heating methods (such as boiling) can also effectively kill microorganisms and remove some volatile organic compounds. The applicability of single photocatalysis is that for organic pollutants that can absorb ultraviolet light, ultraviolet photocatalysis alone can achieve good degradation results. For example, pesticide pollutants with high ultraviolet absorption coefficients can be degraded by photocatalysis, but this may not be suitable for structurally complex CECs. The applicability of single electrocatalysis is that for pollutants that can directly transfer electrons at the electrode surface (such as some metal ions and simple organic matter), electrocatalysis can achieve efficient removal through simple electrolysis or electrochemical oxidation. However, due to the stable molecular structure and limited mass transfer of CECs, electrocatalysis alone often cannot achieve ideal degradation results.

[0031] This invention focuses on photocatalytic oxidation and electrocatalytic oxidation technologies for AOPs (Active Organic Compounds). The main mechanism of ultraviolet (UV) photo-oxidation is the excitation of a photocatalyst by UV light, generating electron-hole pairs, which in turn triggers the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as ·OH. These ROS, primarily ·OH, attack CECs molecules, causing bond breaking and oxidation, ultimately degrading some CECs into harmless small molecules such as carbon dioxide and water. However, the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is one of the main limitations of the UV photo-oxidation process. Photogenerated electrons recombine with unused holes or react with adsorbed ·OH, leading to a decrease in photocatalytic efficiency. The main mechanism of electrocatalytic oxidation is the generation of highly reactive oxidants such as ·OH on the electrode surface, which then propagate in the solution to achieve efficient degradation of CECs in water. However, the efficiency of electrocatalytic oxidation is limited by factors such as the mass transfer rate of pollutants, and it consumes relatively high amounts of electricity. Furthermore, the electrodes may become contaminated, corroded, or poisoned during the treatment process, affecting the treatment effect.

[0032] Coupling heating, UV photocatalysis, and electrocatalytic oxidation to treat end-use drinking water effectively overcomes the limitations of their individual applications, while enhancing the overall CEC removal efficiency and improving the broad-spectrum and stable nature of the water treatment. Coupling UV photocatalysis and electrocatalytic oxidation allows for further decomposition of non-volatile organic pollutants beyond the heating process. UV-assisted catalysis reduces the need for high voltage in the electrocatalytic process, lowering energy consumption. Furthermore, the photocatalytic effect reduces electrode fouling and extends electrode lifespan. Simultaneously, electrocatalysis can assist UV photocatalysis, reducing the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species such as ·OH. However, due to the very small diffusion coefficient of ·OH in water (approximately 2.3 × 10⁻⁶), [further steps are needed to address this issue]. -5 cm 2 ·s -1 The stay is very short (10) -9 ~10 -6 Therefore, the main sites of CEC generation and oxidation are near the UV lamp and anode. Thus, changes in water flow and molecular velocity significantly affect the mixing degree and mass transfer of the solution in the system, thereby influencing the efficiency of ·OH degradation of CECs. When the temperature in the reaction system increases, the viscosity of the liquid decreases, the diffusion coefficient increases, and the liquid's transport capacity is enhanced. With increasing temperature, the movement of water molecules intensifies, the mixing rate of solutes in the system increases, and the probability of collisions between photons, reactive oxygen species, and pollutant molecules in the system increases. Therefore, adding a heating function to the photoelectric coupling technology can further improve the degradation efficiency of CEC molecules.

[0033] The combined use of heating, ultraviolet photocatalysis, and electrocatalytic oxidation can fully leverage the advantages of these three technologies to achieve highly efficient removal of CECs. This multi-technology coupling can compensate for the limitations of a single technology, enabling deep treatment and broad-spectrum removal of pollutants. This synergistic effect of multiple technologies can provide an efficient, economical, and convenient solution for the deep purification of end-use drinking water, thereby improving the removal efficiency of CECs in drinking water and enhancing water quality safety.

[0034] The first aspect of this utility model provides a method for removing CECs from tap water, which combines heating, ultraviolet photocatalysis, and electrocatalytic oxidation technologies for purification. This enables the heating-photoelectric coupling technology to achieve efficient pollutant degradation under low energy consumption conditions. The method includes the following control process: enhancing the reaction efficiency between pollutants and reactive oxygen species. This enhancement is achieved by heating the water to increase its temperature, thereby reducing the viscosity of the liquid, increasing the generation rate of reactive oxygen species, and increasing the diffusion rate of pollutants and reactive oxygen species in the water.

[0035] The process of improving the oxidation efficiency of ultraviolet photocatalysis is achieved by suppressing the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes during photocatalysis through the application of an external bias voltage during electrocatalytic oxidation. The process of improving the efficiency of electrocatalysis is achieved by oxidizing and removing organic contaminants on the electrode surface through the reactive oxygen species generated during ultraviolet photocatalysis, maintaining the cleanliness of the electrode and reducing electrode contamination. The process of reducing the energy consumption of electrocatalysis is achieved by using ultraviolet photocatalysis to assist the electrocatalytic process, thereby reducing the electric field strength required on the electrode during electrocatalysis.

[0036] In this invention, CECs (new pollutants) are distinguished from other common water pollutants (such as common organic matter, suspended solids, microorganisms, etc.) by the following key features:

[0037] 1) Structural complexity: CECs typically include pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, disinfection byproducts and endocrine disruptors. These pollutants have complex molecular structures and high chemical stability, making them difficult to remove using traditional water treatment methods (such as coagulation, filtration, and sedimentation).

[0038] 2) Widespread presence at low concentrations: CECs are typically found in water bodies at extremely low concentrations (nanogram to microgram levels), yet they still pose significant risks to the environment and human health. Due to their low concentrations, traditional physical and chemical adsorption methods are insufficient for their effective capture and degradation.

[0039] 3) Biodegradability: CECs exhibit high biostability and are difficult for microorganisms to degrade in conventional biological treatment processes. Furthermore, some CECs may have toxic effects on the microbial community, further reducing the efficiency of biological treatment.

[0040] Given the complex characteristics of CECs, a single treatment technology is insufficient for comprehensive and effective removal. However, the coupling of thermal, optical, and electrical technologies can work synergistically to achieve efficient pollutant degradation. The necessity and effectiveness of this multi-technology combination are reflected in the following aspects:

[0041] 1) Heating enhances the reaction environment: Heating not only increases the water temperature and reduces the viscosity of the liquid, but also accelerates the diffusion rate of pollutants and reactive oxygen species, significantly improving the mass transfer efficiency within the system. For CECs with high stability, this heating effect can enhance the generation and transfer of reactive oxygen species, thereby providing more favorable reaction conditions for subsequent photocatalytic and electrocatalytic processes.

[0042] 2) Primary oxidation via photocatalysis: Ultraviolet photocatalysis generates electron-hole pairs by exciting the photocatalyst, producing highly oxidizing reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl radicals (·OH). These reactive oxygen species attack the complex molecular structure of CECs, degrading them into smaller, less toxic or non-toxic compounds. However, although photocatalysis has a broad-spectrum oxidation capability, it is difficult to effectively degrade certain highly stable or poorly absorbing ultraviolet light CECs using photocatalysis alone.

[0043] 3) Electrocatalysis deepens the oxidation process: During electrocatalysis, a strong oxidant is generated on the electrode surface. Simultaneously, an external electric field promotes the migration of photogenerated electrons and reduces electron-hole recombination, thereby increasing the generation rate of reactive oxygen species. This photoelectric synergy not only enhances the oxidation depth of pollutants, but also provides a further oxidation pathway for CECs with complex structures and limited photocatalytic degradation effects. Furthermore, the introduction of photocatalysis reduces the workload of electrocatalysis, lowering the voltage and energy required for the electrocatalytic process. This significantly reduces the overall energy consumption of the system while further enhancing its overall treatment effect.

[0044] By combining thermal, optical, and electrical technologies, this invention achieves a significant synergistic effect. Heating creates a more favorable reaction environment for the photoelectric process; photocatalysis not only effectively performs primary oxidation but also reduces the energy consumption of electrocatalysis; and electrocatalysis ensures the complete removal of pollutants by deepening oxidation and improving photocatalytic efficiency. Specific conditions include: heating to 25–100°C; ultraviolet light intensity of 2201–4566 LUX in ultraviolet photocatalysis; and voltage of 0–48V in electrocatalytic oxidation. A more preferred configuration is: heating to 100°C; ultraviolet light intensity of 4566 LUX in ultraviolet photocatalysis; and voltage of 21V in electrocatalytic oxidation.

[0045] The second aspect of this invention utilizes the aforementioned method for removing CECs from tap water to design a small water purifier / boiler. Through the synergistic effect of heating, ultraviolet oxidation, and electrocatalytic oxidation, it achieves effective removal of CECs from water and highly efficient purification of drinking water. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0046] Combination Figure 1-4 The present invention relates to a small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water: It comprises a housing 1, within which a water tank 11 and an electrical control box 12 are arranged side-by-side; within the water tank 11, a photocatalytic component 114, an electrocatalytic component 116, and a heating component 117 are arranged from top to bottom; the electrical control box 12 contains an electrical control circuit for controlling the photocatalytic component 114, the electrocatalytic component 116, and the heating component 117 to work alternately or simultaneously.

[0047] The heating component includes a heating tube and a thermocouple for heating tap water; the photocatalytic component includes a UV lamp and a UV lamp power plug for UV photocatalysis; the electrocatalytic component includes an anode TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode and a cathode titanium mesh electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation treatment.

[0048] Heating element 1172 is located at the bottom of water tank 11; thermocouple 111 is located above heating element 1172 to monitor water temperature in real time; ultraviolet lamps are installed in a triangular shape at the top of water tank; photocatalytic component 114 includes a first ultraviolet lamp tube 1141, a second ultraviolet lamp tube 1142, and a third ultraviolet lamp tube 1143 installed at the top of water tank 11; electrocatalytic component 116 includes electrode plates installed in the middle of water tank, the electrode plates are composed of anode electrode plate 1161 and cathode electrode plate 1162, the anode TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode plate and the cathode titanium mesh electrode plate are cross-installed inside water tank; the ultraviolet lamp is a 254nm full submersible ultraviolet lamp; the electrode plate spacing is 45mm, the cathode titanium mesh electrode plate and the anode TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode plate are cross-installed, a total of two anode electrode plates and three cathode electrode plates are installed.

[0049] Combination Figure 4The electrical control circuit of this utility model includes: a leakage current protector 127 after the power supply line 121, and then to a time relay 125. Three paths branch off from the time relay 125: one to a temperature controller 122, one to a switching power supply 1210, and one to an AC contactor 128. The emergency stop switch K4 is normally connected; when this emergency stop button is pressed, it changes from connected to disconnected, thus cutting off the current in the entire circuit. The main switch K5 is normally open; when closed, the entire circuit is connected, meaning that the total current is controlled by both K4 and K5. The five-hole module 126 and socket 1212 are connected to the UV lamp power plug to power the UV lamp 114, and the opening and closing are controlled by the photocatalytic switch k1 and AC contactor 128 connected to the time relay 125. After the heating switch k3 is closed, the temperature controller 122, heating element 117 and solid-state relay 129 are connected, the heating circuit is opened, the temperature controller 122 receives the real-time temperature signal from the thermocouple 1171 and compares it with the preset target temperature. If the water temperature is lower than the set value, the temperature controller 122 outputs a control signal, and the solid-state relay 129 receives the signal to start the heating element 1172. When the water temperature reaches the set value, the temperature controller 122 receives the signal from the thermocouple 1171 and outputs a control signal again, and the solid-state relay 129 starts the heating element 1172. 29 receives a signal to shut off heating tube 1172; solid-state relay 129 receives a control signal from temperature controller 122 to control the on / off state of heating tube 1172; switching power supply 1210 and voltage regulator 1211 are connected, switching power supply 1210 receives 220V AC power and outputs 48V DC power to voltage regulator 1211 so that it can adjust the voltage between 0-48V; voltage regulator 1211 is connected to electrode plate, and precisely adjusts the output voltage between 0-48V according to preset value; at the same time, voltage regulator 1211 and time relay 125 are controlled to switch on and off through electrocatalytic switch k2, thereby realizing the control of electrocatalytic time; voltage regulator 1211 is connected to voltage regulation display screen 123, and voltage regulation display screen 123 displays real-time voltage value.

[0050] The temperature controller display screen has the functions of setting a preset temperature value and displaying the real-time water temperature in the tank. According to the preset value, the temperature controller outputs a control signal to adjust the water temperature and receives feedback signals from the thermocouple to ensure precise temperature control. The voltage regulator display screen allows users to preset voltage values ​​via a knob. According to the preset value, the voltage regulator precisely adjusts the input voltage on the electrode plates and receives feedback signals. It also displays the real-time operating voltage, current, and power data of the electrode plates, facilitating monitoring of the electrocatalytic oxidation process. The time relay controls the operating time of the equipment. When the preset operating time is reached, it outputs a control signal, and the AC contactor receives the signal to disconnect the photocatalytic circuit. The leakage current protector is connected to the front end of the power input line, detects leakage current, and controls the circuit's on / off state to protect the equipment's operating circuit.

[0051] A water inlet pipe 111 is located on the top side of the water tank 11, a water outlet 112 is located in the middle of the front side of the water tank 11, and a drain outlet 113 is located on the bottom side of the water tank 11. Specifically, the dimensions of the water purifier / boiler are 550mm × 250mm × 530mm. Its outer shell is made of 201 stainless steel with a powder-coated finish in a matte black color. Supports are installed at the four corners of the water purifier / boiler base. The water tank 11 is located on the left side, and the electrical control box 12 is located on the right side. A float valve 115 is installed at the water inlet pipe 111 of the water tank 11 to control the water level.

[0052] Example 1:

[0053] Combination Figures 1-4 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water. It is equipped with a housing 1, and a water tank 11 and an electrical control box 12 are arranged side by side inside the housing 1. The water tank 11 is equipped with a photocatalytic component 114, an electrocatalytic component 116 and a heating component 117 arranged from top to bottom. The electrical control box 12 is equipped with an electrical control circuit for controlling the photocatalytic component 114, the electrocatalytic component 116 and the heating component 117 to work alternately or simultaneously. The photocatalytic component 114 includes a first ultraviolet lamp 1141, a second ultraviolet lamp 1142, and a third ultraviolet lamp 1143 disposed on the top of the water tank 11; the electrocatalytic component 116 includes an electrode plate disposed in the middle of the water tank, the electrode plate being composed of an anode electrode plate 1161 and a cathode electrode plate 1162; a heating tube 1172 is disposed at the bottom of the water tank 11; a thermocouple 1171 is located above the heating tube 1172 to monitor the water temperature in real time; an inlet pipe 111 is disposed on the top side of the water tank 11, an outlet 112 is disposed in the middle of the front side of the water tank 11, a drain outlet 113 is disposed on the bottom side of the water tank 11, and a float valve 115 is installed at the inlet pipe 111 of the water tank 11 to control the water level;

[0054] The tank 1 houses a water tank 11 made of 201 stainless steel with a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating for insulation. A heating element 1172 is located at the bottom of the water tank 11, and a thermocouple 1171 is positioned above it. The thermocouple measures the water temperature in real time and generates a corresponding electrical signal, which is transmitted to a temperature controller 122. The temperature controller 122 receives the signal and compares it to the set target temperature. When the water temperature drops below the set value by more than 2°C, the temperature controller 122 outputs a control signal. A solid-state relay 129 receives the signal and activates the heating element 1172. When the water temperature reaches the set value, the temperature controller 122 shuts off the control signal to the solid-state relay 129, thus disconnecting the circuit of the heating element 1172. When the water temperature drops again below the set value by more than 2°C, the thermocouple 1171 sends a signal again, and the temperature controller 122 restarts the heating element 1172. Five mesh electrode plates are positioned above the thermocouple 1171, serving as cathode, anode, cathode, anode, and cathode. TiO2-IrRu electrode mesh was selected as the anode and titanium mesh as the cathode. The mesh electrode has a larger surface area and more active sites, which helps increase the contact area between the electrode and CECs molecules in water, thereby improving reaction efficiency. The TiO2-IrRu anode has excellent catalytic performance and corrosion resistance, enabling efficient degradation at lower voltages while extending the electrode's lifespan. The pure titanium cathode has good conductivity and corrosion resistance, stably supporting the reaction. The electrode spacing was 45mm. The top of the electrode plates was fixed to a stainless steel plate 261. The voltage control process on the electrode plates is as follows: the equipment is connected to a 220V AC power supply through the power cord connection port. The voltage regulator 1211 converts the 220V AC power to 48V DC power, providing a low-voltage DC power supply suitable for electrocatalytic oxidation. The converted 48V DC power is introduced into the voltage regulator 1211. The voltage regulator 1211 is used to precisely adjust the output voltage, applying voltage to the electrode plates within a preset value range of 0 to 48V. The regulated DC voltage is transmitted to the electrode plates to drive the electrocatalytic oxidation reaction. The magnitude of the voltage applied to the electrode plates directly affects the intensity and efficiency of the reaction. By adjusting the applied voltage, the system can optimize the oxidation process of pollutants. The system is equipped with a voltage and current monitoring module to monitor the voltage and current parameters on the electrode plates in real time and display them on the voltage regulation display screen 123.

[0055] A first ultraviolet lamp 1141, a second ultraviolet lamp 1142, and a third ultraviolet lamp 1143 are arranged around the electrode plate. The tops of the ultraviolet lamps are fixed to the top plate of the tank 1 for photocatalytic oxidation treatment of drinking water. The first ultraviolet lamp 1141, the second ultraviolet lamp 1142, and the third ultraviolet lamp 1143 are arranged in a triangle to ensure that the water in the tank receives relatively uniform ultraviolet irradiation and reduce dead zones. A float valve 115 is installed at the end of the water inlet pipe 19 to control the water level in the tank. The surface of the top plate of the tank 1 is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as an insulating coating.

[0056] Example 2:

[0057] This embodiment uses the small water purifier and heater integrating heating and water quality improvement functions from Example 1 for a laboratory simulation experiment. The water sample used in the experiment was prepared using tap water from Xi'an City as the source water. From four categories of CECs (pesticides, antibiotics, disinfection byproducts, and endocrine disruptors), eight pollutants were selected as model pollutants: atrazine, dimethoate, ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, trichloroacetic acid, 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid, and bisphenol A. The initial mass concentration of the model pollutants was 100 μg·L⁻¹. −1 Starting at a water temperature of 100℃, water samples prepared for each model pollutant underwent one degradation process each under four conditions: individual heating, heating-electrocatalytic oxidation, heating-UV oxidation, and heating-photoelectric oxidation (boiling). Additionally, a second degradation process using heating-photoelectric oxidation (room temperature) was performed starting at a water temperature of 25℃. The water samples reacted in the equipment for 30 minutes, with samples taken every 5 minutes. After filtration through a 0.22μm filter membrane, the concentration changes of the eight model pollutants during the degradation process were detected using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (WatersUPLC-TQD) system. The electrocatalytic voltage was kept constant at 21V.

[0058] Table 1 Number of fluorescent tubes and corresponding illuminance

[0059]

[0060] This embodiment studies the degradation effects of the combined use of heating, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis under different operating conditions on different types of CECs, and the influence of reaction temperature on the degradation effect of CECs.

[0061] Table 2. Water quality parameters of tap water used in the experiment

[0062]

[0063] Combination Figure 5The experimental results showed that heating alone was ineffective in degrading the eight model pollutants. After boiling for 30 minutes, the degradation rate of half of the model pollutants was less than 10%, and the degradation rate of the vast majority of model pollutants was less than 20%. Even the best-performing pollutant, 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid, only achieved a degradation rate of 21.07%, proving that traditional heating methods alone cannot effectively remove CECs.

[0064] Combination Figure 5 The experimental results showed that the removal effects of heating-UV oxidation on the eight model pollutants varied significantly. Heating-UV oxidation achieved degradation rates exceeding 80% for atrazine, sulfamethoxazole, dimethoate, and trichloroacetic acid. However, its degradation rate for ibuprofen was only 12.26%. The better removal effect of the four model pollutants is likely due to their strong ability to absorb UV light. For example, dimethoate has a high UV absorption coefficient, thus its concentration decreased significantly after UV irradiation. In contrast, ibuprofen may have a weaker ability to absorb UV light, resulting in its lower degradation rate.

[0065] Combination Figure 5 The experimental results showed that the removal efficiency of the heating-electrocatalytic oxidation process varied significantly among the eight model pollutants. In contrast to heating-UV oxidation, heating-electrocatalytic oxidation achieved degradation rates of 92.57% and 90.94% for ibuprofen and 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid, respectively, and over 85% for dimethoate and bisphenol A, demonstrating excellent degradation performance. However, the degradation rates for sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine were less than 40%, and for atrazine, only 15.78%, indicating poor degradation. During heating-electrochemical oxidation, pollutants are primarily degraded through direct electron transfer. The low degradation rate of atrazine may be due to limited mass transfer at the anode surface. That is, although the molecules reach the electrode surface, they cannot effectively exchange electrons with the electrode. This could be because the molecular structure of pollutants such as atrazine is not conducive to electron addition, or the catalytic active sites on the surface of the TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode are unsuitable for this type of chemical reaction, making them difficult to oxidize and resulting in low degradation rates from heating-electrochemical oxidation alone.

[0066] Combination Figure 5Experimental results showed that heating-electrophotocatalysis (boiling) exhibited excellent degradation effects on most model pollutants. Among the eight model pollutants, carbamazepine had the lowest degradation rate at 58.80%. The degradation rates of the other seven model pollutants were all above 90%. Furthermore, the degradation rates of all model pollutants were higher than those achieved by heating-electrocatalytic oxidation or heating-photocatalytic oxidation alone. This is attributed to the synergistic and complementary effect between photoelectrochemical and photochemical oxidation, which involves multiple degradation pathways in the photoelectrophotocatalysis system, including direct photolysis by ultraviolet light, direct anodic oxidation, and free radical oxidation. In addition, the TiO2-IrRu anode material in the system provides a pathway for photocatalytic oxidation degradation of pollutants. Simultaneously, the applied external bias voltage reduced the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes in the system, thereby improving degradation efficiency. A significant advantage of heating-electrophotocatalysis is that it not only enhances the removal efficiency of CECs but also expands the treatment range, enabling the effective degradation of pollutants that are not highly reactive to single methods. For example, ibuprofen's degradation rate under heating-ultraviolet oxidation conditions was only 12.26%, and sulfamethoxazole's degradation rate under heating-electrocatalytic oxidation conditions was only 34.58%. However, under heating-photoelectric oxidation conditions, the degradation rates of ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole reached 94.56% and 96.20%, respectively, showing a significant improvement in degradation efficiency.

[0067] Combination Figure 5 Experimental results showed that both heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (room temperature) and heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (boiling) effectively promoted the degradation of eight model pollutants, exhibiting a wider treatment range than heating-electrocatalytic oxidation and heating-UV photocatalysis alone. However, under heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (room temperature) conditions, the degradation efficiency of most model pollutants was lower than that under heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (boiling). For example, the degradation efficiency of dimethoate reached 90.40% under heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (boiling), while it was only 80.07% under heating-electro-photocatalytic oxidation (room temperature). This may be because the formation rate of ·OH in the reaction system is higher at higher water temperatures than at lower water temperatures. When water approaches boiling, water molecules absorb a large amount of energy, intermolecular forces weaken, hydrogen bonds begin to break, molecular motion accelerates, and molecular collisions increase. Under the combined effect of these factors, water molecules are more prone to homogenization and ionization, thereby increasing the formation rate of ·OH. Furthermore, as the temperature increases, the viscosity of the liquid in the reaction system gradually decreases, the particle diffusion ability increases, and the mass transfer rate of CECs molecules and generated ·OH in water increases, thereby increasing the probability of intermolecular collisions and making the degradation reaction more likely to occur. Therefore, higher reaction temperatures can more effectively promote the degradation of CECs.

[0068] This invention relates to a small water purifier that integrates heating and water quality improvement functions based on heating-photoelectric oxidation technology. It can effectively degrade CECs and is expected to become a practical solution for improving drinking water safety in households and small communities.

[0069] Example 3:

[0070] This embodiment uses experimental data from Example 2 to study the energy consumption of the small water purifier of this invention under heating-ultraviolet oxidation, heating-electrocatalytic oxidation, and heating-photoelectric oxidation (boiling) conditions as a function of pollutant degradation.

[0071] Energy consumption is an important indicator for evaluating the feasibility of a process in practical applications, determining its economic viability and application prospects. The energy consumption for CEC removal mainly comes from electrocatalytic oxidation and photocatalytic oxidation processes. Using equations (1) to (3), the energy consumption for treating 1 m³ of CECs under the following conditions is calculated: heating-ultraviolet photo-oxidation (H-UV), heating-electrocatalytic oxidation (HE), and heating-photoelectric oxidation (boiling, H-UV-E). 3 Energy consumption of tap water. The variation of energy consumption with the pollutant degradation process is shown in [the table]. Figure 6 .

[0072] (1);

[0073] (2);

[0074] (3);

[0075] In the formula: E is the energy consumption required for the process, kWh·m −3 P is the power of the ultraviolet lamp, W; t is the treatment time, min; V is the solution volume, L; I is the total current of the electrode plates, A; U is the voltage applied to the electrode plates, V.

[0076] Experimental results show that while heating-electrocatalytic oxidation can remove ibuprofen, dimethoate, and 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid with relatively low energy consumption, the energy required for removing atrazine and sulfamethoxazole is too high. On the other hand, although heating-UV photo-oxidation can degrade trichloroacetic acid and sulfamethoxazole with low energy consumption, the energy consumption for degrading ibuprofen and 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid is too high. Although heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation (boiling) has higher energy consumption during degradation, its degradation rates for model pollutants are higher than those achieved by using heating-electrocatalytic oxidation or heating-photocatalytic oxidation alone.

[0077] To more accurately and intuitively reflect the energy consumption required for the degradation of pollutants in the model, equations (4) to (6) were used to calculate the energy consumption under the following conditions: heating-ultraviolet oxidation (H-UV), heating-electrocatalytic oxidation (HE), and heating-photoelectric oxidation (boiling, H-UV-E). 3 The energy consumption required to reduce pollutant concentration in water by one order of magnitude. See the energy consumption comparison below. Figure 7 .

[0078] (4);

[0079] (5);

[0080] (6);

[0081] In the formula: C0 and C t These are the pollutant concentrations at times 0 and t, respectively, in µg·L⁻¹. −1 .

[0082] Experimental results show that for pollutants such as dimethoate, trichloroacetic acid, and bisphenol A, the energy consumption required for heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation is slightly higher than that of heating-electrocatalytic oxidation or heating-photocatalytic oxidation alone. However, when degrading atrazine and sulfamethoxazole, the energy consumption of heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation is much lower than that of heating-electrocatalytic oxidation. Similarly, when degrading ibuprofen and 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid, the energy consumption of heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation is much lower than that of heating-ultraviolet photo-oxidation. This demonstrates the wider treatment range of heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation technology. For these types of pollutants, heating-photoelectrochemical oxidation technology can degrade them with relatively low energy consumption (see appendix). Figure 7 ).

[0083] Overall, although heating-photoelectric oxidation consumes more energy to degrade some pollutants than heating-electrocatalytic oxidation or heating-ultraviolet oxidation alone, its higher treatment efficiency and wider application range can reduce its overall treatment energy consumption in long-term operation, especially in the treatment of recalcitrant pollutants.

[0084] To explore the feasibility of CEC removal using the heating-photoelectric oxidation technology in practical applications, this embodiment also compared the effects of heating-photoelectric oxidation technology with other technologies such as E-UV / Cl2, UV / H2O2, and electro-Fenton in removing CECs. Based on the energy consumption of treating 1 ton of water using different processes, and taking the average electricity price in Xi'an at 0.49 yuan / (kWh), the water treatment costs of different processes were roughly estimated.

[0085] Table 3 Comparison of Energy Consumption of Different Processes

[0086]

[0087] The data in Table 3 show that the pollutant degradation rates of heating-electrocatalytic oxidation and heating-UV oxidation alone are lower than other processes, limiting their application. In contrast, heating-electrophotocatalytic oxidation technology requires only 30 minutes of treatment time and can degrade nearly 90% of pollutants while boiling water. Furthermore, in terms of energy consumption, heating-electrophotocatalytic oxidation technology is far lower than electrocoagulation, Fenton, and electro-Fenton processes. In addition, heating-electrophotocatalytic oxidation technology does not require the addition of chemical reagents, reducing the risk of secondary pollution. Therefore, heating-electrophotocatalytic oxidation technology can be a strong competitive method for eliminating trace CECs in drinking water treatment.

[0088] This utility model discloses a small water purifier / boiler based on a photoelectric system that integrates heating and water quality improvement functions. It exhibits low energy consumption under all three operating conditions. Especially under the heating-photoelectric oxidation (boiling) condition, the device requires only 30 minutes of processing time to degrade nearly 90% of pollutants, and the energy cost per ton of water treated is only 0.63 yuan / ton. -1 This utility model of a small water purifier and heater not only simplifies the purification process but also effectively utilizes the energy input during heating. It improves water quality while reducing energy consumption, meeting the requirements of sustainable development and possessing high economic value in terms of energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0089] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with general description and specific embodiments, some modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A small water purifier / boiler for removing CECs from tap water, characterized in that, set up: The box (1) has a water tank (11) and an electrical control box (12) arranged side by side inside the box (1). The water tank (11) is provided with a photocatalytic component (114), an electrocatalytic component (116) and a heating component (117) arranged from top to bottom. The electrical control box (12) is equipped with an electrical control circuit for controlling the photocatalytic component (114), the electrocatalytic component (116) and the heating component (117) to work alternately or simultaneously.

2. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank (11) is provided with an inlet pipe (111) at the top of its side, an outlet (112) at the middle of the front side of the water tank (11), and a drain outlet (113) at the bottom of its side.

3. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The photocatalytic component (114) includes a first ultraviolet lamp (1141), a second ultraviolet lamp (1142) and a third ultraviolet lamp (1143) disposed on the top of the water tank (11). The electrocatalytic component (116) includes an electrode plate disposed in the middle of the water tank, the electrode plate being composed of an anode electrode plate (1161) and a cathode electrode plate (1162); The heating assembly (117) includes a heating tube (1172) and a thermocouple (1171) disposed at the bottom of the water tank (11).

4. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 3, characterized in that, The anode electrode sheet (1161) is a TiO2-IrRu mesh electrode sheet, and the cathode electrode sheet (1162) is a titanium mesh electrode sheet; Two anode electrode plates (1161) and three cathode electrode plates (1162) are installed in a cross configuration, with a spacing of 45 mm between adjacent electrode plates.

5. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The electrical control circuit includes: a leakage current protector (127) and a time relay (125) installed after the power line (121); Three lines are branched off from the time relay (125). The first line is connected to the temperature controller (122), the second line is connected to the switching power supply (1210), and the third line is connected to the AC contactor (128). The five-hole module (126) and socket (1212) are connected to the AC contactor (128) to supply power to the photocatalytic component (114). A photocatalytic switch (k1) is set on the line between the time relay (125) and the AC contactor (128) to control the opening and closing of the photocatalytic component (114). A heating switch (k3) is also connected between the temperature controller (122) and the time relay (125). Thermocouple (1171) and solid-state relay (129) are connected to the temperature controller (122). The temperature controller (122) receives the real-time temperature signal from the thermocouple (1171) and compares it with the preset target temperature. If the water temperature is lower than the set value, the temperature controller (122) outputs a control signal, and the solid-state relay (129) receives the signal to start the heating element (1172). When the water temperature reaches the set value, the temperature controller (122) receives the signal from the thermocouple (1171) and outputs a control signal again, and the solid-state relay (129) receives the signal to turn off the heating element (1172). The power cord (121) is connected to the switching power supply (1210) to convert AC power to DC power, and then connected to the voltage regulator (1211). The voltage regulator (1211) is then connected to the electrocatalytic component (116). At the same time, the voltage regulator (1211) and the time relay (125) are controlled by the electrocatalytic switch (k2) to realize the control of the electrocatalytic time.

6. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the aforementioned electronic control circuit, an emergency stop switch (k4) and a main switch (k5) are also connected in series between the time relay (125) and the power line (121). Emergency stop switch (k4) is normally connected; The main switch (k5) is normally open.

7. The small water purifier for removing CECs from tap water according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A float valve (115) is installed at the water inlet pipe (111) of the water tank (11).

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