Water purification treatment device, water purification treatment method, and dye-containing cassette for chlorine concentration measurement of sample water

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a water purification treatment device and method capable of easily measuring the chlorine concentration in sample water such as tap water. [Solution] Provided is a water purification treatment device comprising: a treatment part that removes impurities in sample water; a bypass part that bypasses the treatment part; and a measurement part that measures, at an appropriate sampling rate, the chlorine concentration remaining in mixed sample water obtained by blending sample water passing that has passed through the bypass part with sample water after water purification treatment in the treatment part, the bypass part having an adjustment part capable of adjusting the amount of the sample water passing through a bypass passage, and the adjustment part performing a comparison operation of a measurement value of the chlorine concentration in the measurement part and a set value of a chlorine concentration arbitrarily set by a user, and automatically adjusting the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass passage downward when the measurement value exceeds the set value, and automatically adjusting the sample water upward until the measurement value reaches the set value when the measurement value is lower than the set value. [FIG. 1]

Description

Water purification device, water purification method, and dye-containing cassette for measuring chlorine concentration in sample water

[0001] The present invention relates to a water purification treatment device, a water purification method, and a dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water.

[0002] Small water purifiers designed to remove residual chlorine, mold odors, turbidity, microorganisms, etc. from tap water have been widely used for some time. The filter media of such water purifiers are mainly composed of activated carbon and ceramic filters that remove residual chlorine, unpleasant tastes, and unpleasant odors from tap water, and microfiltration membranes and hollow fiber membranes that remove turbidity and microorganisms.

[0003] When such water purifiers are installed in an ordinary home, they are connected to individual branch pipes at the ends of tap water outlets, such as the water faucet for a kitchen sink or the inlet of a water heater for a bathroom.

[0004] In recent years, there has been an increasing need to use purified water throughout a building, but installing a water purifier at every location where tap water is used is cumbersome.To address this, all-water purification systems are becoming more and more popular, in which a water purifier is installed on the secondary side of the water main valve or water meter (the water supply pipe from the water meter to the water heater), purifying all the tap water used in the home and supplying purified water to the entire building.

[0005] JP 2016-47508 A

[0006] However, since water purifiers are capable of removing almost 100% of the chlorine contained in tap water, if a water purifier is installed in an all-water purification system and, for example, individual faucets at the end of a household are left unused for a long period of time, tap water containing almost no chlorine will remain in the branch pipes from the water purifier to each faucet for a long period of time.

[0007] If such purified water, which contains almost no chlorine, remains in the branch pipe for a long time, it can cause the branch pipe to corrode and deteriorate due to the growth of bacteria, and there is concern that the water will become unsanitary, especially in the summer.

[0008] From this perspective, although a certain concentration of chlorine is legally required in tap water, no easy method has been established for determining whether tap water contains sufficient chlorine. The present invention has been devised in view of the above, and aims to provide an apparatus, system, and method for easily measuring the chlorine concentration in a sample of tap water or the like, and automatically maintaining this concentration at a desired level.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention relates to a water purification treatment device comprising a treatment section that removes impurities from sample water, a bypass section that bypasses the treatment section, and a measurement section that measures, at an appropriate sampling rate, the chlorine concentration remaining in mixed sample water obtained by blending sample water that has passed through the bypass section with sample water that has passed through the bypass section, wherein the bypass section has an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass path, and the adjustment section compares and calculates the chlorine concentration measured in the measurement section with a set value of chlorine concentration that is arbitrarily set by the user, and if the measured value exceeds the set value, automatically adjusts the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass path downward, and if the measured value is below the set value, automatically adjusts the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass path upward until the set value is reached.

[0010] The present invention also relates to a method for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, comprising the steps of preparing a treatment section that removes impurities from sample water, a bypass section that bypasses the treatment section, and a measurement section that measures, at an appropriate sampling rate, the chlorine concentration remaining in mixed sample water obtained by blending sample water that has been purified in the treatment section with sample water that has passed through the bypass section; a step of comparing the chlorine concentration measured in the measurement section with a set value of chlorine concentration arbitrarily set by a user in an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass; and a step of automatically adjusting the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass section downward if the measured value exceeds the set value, and automatically adjusting the amount of sample water that passes through the bypass section upward until the set value is reached if the measured value is below the set value.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, characterized in that the sample water is introduced from a pipe through which the sample water flows via a bypass path into a water tank arranged at the end of the bypass path, and then the dye is introduced into the water tank.

[0012] According to the present invention, a treatment section for removing impurities from sample water, a measurement section for measuring the chlorine concentration remaining in the sample water after the treatment section has been purified at an appropriate sampling rate, and a bypass section for bypassing the treatment section are provided. An adjustment section for adjusting the amount of sample water passing through the bypass compares the chlorine concentration measured by the measurement section with a chlorine concentration value arbitrarily set by the user. If the former exceeds the latter, the amount of sample water passing through the bypass is automatically adjusted downward, and if it is below the latter, the amount is automatically adjusted upward until the desired value is reached. In other words, with a simple configuration and method, the chlorine concentration of sample water such as tap water can be easily measured and automatically maintained at a desired concentration.

[0013] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a water purification treatment device according to the present invention; 2 is a diagram showing an enlarged view of a measurement unit in another embodiment of the water purification treatment device according to the present invention;

[0014] The present invention will be described below based on embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a water purification treatment apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a measurement section of the water purification treatment apparatus according to the present invention. The water purification treatment apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a bypass path 11, which is part of the bypass section constituting the water purification treatment apparatus 10 and through which sample water flows, and a branch pipe 12 branching off from the bypass path 11. A water tank 13 is disposed at the end of the branch pipe 12 for introducing and storing a portion of the sample water flowing through the bypass path 11. A dye-containing cassette 14 for introducing a dye into the water tank 13 is disposed above the water tank 13. A white light source 15, e.g., a white LED, is disposed in front of the water tank 13. A photodetector 16, such as an optical sensor, is disposed across the water tank 13, facing the white light source 15. The dye-containing cassette 14, the white light source 15, and the photodetector 16 constitute a measurement section M.

[0015] A drain 17 is provided at the end of the water tank 13 for discharging the sample water in the water tank 13 after the chlorine concentration measurement described below is completed.

[0016] The dye-containing cassette 14 sequentially includes cassette elements 14A, 14B, and 14C containing red (R), green (G), and blue (B) dyes, respectively. As will be described below, the dye-containing cassette 14 may be configured to be movable horizontally to facilitate the injection of each dye into the water tank 13.

[0017] In the present invention, the sample water is purified as follows.

[0018] First, raw water flowing through a water supply pipe branching off from a main water main is split into two, and one of the raw water samples is used as sample water in a treatment unit P where impurities are removed from the sample water. The treatment unit P contains, for example, an activated carbon filter, which removes impurities from the sample water, thereby reducing the residual chlorine concentration to zero or close to zero. However, as mentioned above, a certain concentration of chlorine must remain in tap water supplied to household faucets for reasons of hygiene, etc. Therefore, in the water purification treatment device 10 of the present invention, the other raw water that was previously split into two is bypassed and blended with the sample water from which impurities have been removed via the treatment unit P, thereby achieving the desired chlorine concentration.

[0019] At this time, the bypass section is equipped with an adjustment section A that can adjust the amount of sample water (raw water) passing through the bypass path 11, and this adjustment section A compares and calculates the measured value m of the chlorine concentration in the measurement section M with the set value s of the chlorine concentration that the user sets arbitrarily.If the measured value m exceeds the set value s, the amount of sample water (raw water) passing through the bypass path 11 is reduced by automatically adjusting the valve in the closing direction, thereby reducing the residual chlorine concentration in the treated sample water sent to the home and bringing it closer to the set value s.

[0020] On the other hand, if the measured value m is lower than the set value s, the valve is automatically adjusted in the opening direction to increase the flow rate of raw water from the bypass line 11 until the set value s is reached, thereby increasing the residual chlorine concentration and making it possible to approach the desired set value s.

[0021] If the removal of impurities in the treatment section P is no longer as effective as expected due to clogging of the activated carbon filter or the like, and the measured value m continues to exceed the set value s despite the adjustment section A adjusting to fully close the bypass path 11, it is determined that an abnormality or deterioration in quality has occurred in the filter, and an appropriate alert is displayed or announced so that the user can recognize the need to replace the filter. In particular, as will be explained below, if the performance of the activated carbon filter has deteriorated and the measured value of the chlorine concentration of the sample water exceeds the set value of the chlorine concentration of the sample water, it will not be possible to adjust the chlorine concentration of the sample water downward, so it is preferable to configure the filter to be replaceable with an appropriate announcement.

[0022] Next, valve 21 is opened, and the sample water flowing through bypass path 11 is introduced into water tank 13 via branch pipe 12. Next, valve 22 is opened, and red dye is introduced into water tank 13 from cassette element 14A of dye-containing cassette 14, green dye is introduced into water tank 13 from cassette element 14B, and blue dye is introduced into water tank 13 from cassette element 14C.

[0023] Next, white light is irradiated from a white light source 15 onto the water tank 13 containing red, green, and blue dyes, and the transmitted light is received by a photodetector 16. The signal intensity I of the light in the red region detected by the photodetector 16 is Ｒ ", "The signal intensity of the light in the green region I Ｇ ", "The signal intensity of the light in the blue region I Ｂ " and "Signal Strength I Ｒ ", "Signal Strength I Ｇ ", "Signal Strength I Ｂ " or simply "I Ｒ "," "I Ｇ "," "I Ｂ "

[0024] I Ｒ Even if the chlorine concentration is 10 mg / L or more, the chlorine concentration is relatively high. Ｒ As the chlorine concentration increases and the color of the sample water deepens, the correlation with I Ｒ On the other hand, IＧ , I Ｂ , especially I Ｇ is highly correlated with the chlorine concentration at chlorine concentrations of 10 mg / L or less, and decreases in proportion to the increase in coloration caused by an increase in the chlorine concentration. Therefore, according to the present invention, by combining these signal intensities and using them to convert the residual chlorine concentration, it becomes possible to accurately measure residual chlorine concentrations of, for example, 0 to 25 mg / L.

[0025] In the present invention, particularly Ｒ and I Ｇ It is preferable to use a combination of these to calculate the chlorine concentration. Ｒ and I Ｇ It is preferable to calculate the corrected signal intensity by substituting the detected values ​​of and into the following formula (1), and to determine the chlorine concentration based on this corrected signal intensity. Corrected signal intensity = I Ｒ +A.I. Ｇ ...(1) (In equation (1), A is a correction coefficient.)

[0026] In the above formula (1), the correction coefficient A is preferably a positive number between 0.01 and 0.1, and more preferably between 0.02 and 0.05.

[0027] A preferred method for determining the chlorine concentration of sample water from the signal intensity of photodetector 16 or the above-mentioned corrected signal intensity is to perform measurements using sample water with a known chlorine concentration, create a calibration curve in advance showing the relationship between chlorine concentration and signal intensity or corrected signal intensity, and then apply the detected signal intensity or corrected signal intensity to this calibration curve to determine the chlorine concentration.

[0028] In this case, in order to eliminate the influence of variations in the manufacturing lot of the measurement cell on the measurement value, it is also effective to create a calibration curve for each measurement cell using the ratio of the measurement value of sample water with a known residual chlorine concentration to the measurement value of a blank.

[0029] After the chlorine concentration of the sample water stored in the water tank 13 is measured as described above, the valve 23 is opened and the water is discharged to the outside through the drain 17 .

[0030] The sample water, i.e., raw water, can be tap water, distilled water, or other liquids, but tap water is most useful since chlorine is essential in tap water.

[0031] Furthermore, although the dye-containing cassette 14 is composed of a cassette element 14A containing a red dye, a cassette element 14B containing a green dye, and a cassette element 14C containing a blue dye, it is not necessary to provide cassette elements 14A, 14B, and 14C containing red (R), green (G), and blue (B) dyes. By adding any dye from the dye-containing cassette 14, the dye will contain at least some red, green, and blue dyes, so the chlorine concentration in the sample water in the water tank 13, i.e., the sample water flowing through the bypass path 11, can be measured using the above-mentioned relationship.

[0032] However, as described above, by constructing the dye-containing cassette 14 from cassette elements 14A, 14B, and 14C containing red, green, and blue dyes, respectively, the above-mentioned relationship can be accurately obtained, and the chlorine concentration in the sample water can be measured easily and accurately.

[0033] Although the present invention uses a white light source 15, a general light source contains white light as a component and can therefore achieve the above-described mechanism of action. However, if a white light source 15 is used, the above-described mechanism of action can be achieved more reliably.

[0034] As described above, the residual chlorine concentration in the mixed sample water of the sample water that has passed through the treatment section P and the sample water passing through the bypass 11 is measured, and the measured value m is compared with the set value s while the adjustment section A provided in the bypass section automatically adjusts the amount of raw water to be blended to adjust the residual chlorine concentration of the mixed sample water. At this time, if the residual chlorine concentration of the mixed sample water is higher than the set value s, the amount of sample water passing through the bypass 11 is automatically adjusted downward in the adjustment section A to reduce the proportion of the sample water mixed with the raw water, and if the residual chlorine concentration is lower than the set value s, the amount of sample water passing through the bypass 11 is automatically adjusted upward in the adjustment section A to increase the proportion of the sample water mixed with the raw water, as described above.

[0035] This makes it possible to easily measure the chlorine concentration in sample water such as tap water with a simple configuration and method, and to automatically maintain the concentration at a desired level.

[0036] The above-described automatic adjustment process can be visualized by a traffic light (not shown) provided in the water purification treatment device 10. For example, a method can be used in which the traffic light is red during automatic adjustment and turns blue after the automatic adjustment is complete, or a method can be used in which the traffic light is turned on and the lamp is lit during automatic adjustment and turns off after the automatic adjustment is complete.

[0037] In view of the above embodiments, the present application also includes the following inventions: [1] A water purification treatment device comprising: a treatment section for removing impurities from sample water; a bypass section that bypasses the treatment section; and a measurement section that measures, at an appropriate sampling rate, the residual chlorine concentration in a mixed water sample obtained by blending the water sample that has been purified in the treatment section with the water sample that has passed through the bypass section, wherein the bypass section has an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of the water sample that passes through the bypass path, and the adjustment section compares the chlorine concentration measured by the measurement section with a chlorine concentration setting arbitrarily set by a user, and automatically adjusts the amount of the water sample that passes through the bypass path downward if the measured value exceeds the setting value, and automatically adjusts the amount of the water sample that passes through the bypass path upward if the measured value is below the setting value. [2] The water purification treatment device according to [1], further comprising: a water tank disposed at the end of the bypass path, and wherein the measurement section comprises a dye-containing cassette for adding a dye to the water tank, and a light source and a photodetector that are arranged opposite each other across the water tank. [3] The water purification treatment device according to [2], wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G), and blue (B) pigments. [4] The water purification treatment device according to [2] or [3], wherein the light source is a white light source. [5] The water purification treatment device according to any of [1] to [4], wherein the sample water is tap water. [6] The water purification treatment device according to any of [1] to [5], wherein the treatment section has a built-in activated carbon filter, and when the measured value continues to exceed the set value for a certain period of time even after the adjustment section fully closes the bypass path, an announcement is made that the performance of the activated carbon filter has deteriorated.[7] A method for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, comprising the steps of: preparing a treatment section that removes impurities from the sample water; a bypass section that bypasses the treatment section; and a measurement section that measures, at an appropriate sampling rate, the chlorine concentration remaining in a mixed sample water obtained by blending the sample water that has been purified in the treatment section with the sample water that has passed through the bypass section; in an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of sample water passing through the bypass path, comparing the measured value of the chlorine concentration in the measurement section with a set value of chlorine concentration that is arbitrarily set by a user; and automatically adjusting the amount of sample water passing through the bypass path downward if the measured value exceeds the set value, and automatically adjusting the amount of sample water passing through the bypass path upward until the measured value reaches the set value if the measured value is below the set value. [8] A step of introducing the sample water into a water tank arranged on the terminal side of the bypass pipe; a step of introducing dye into the water tank from a dye-containing cassette; a step of detecting light emitted from the light source toward the water tank by a light detector, the light being disposed opposite each other across the water tank; and a signal intensity I of light in the red region detected by the light detector. Ｒ , the signal intensity of light in the green region I Ｇ , and the signal intensity of light in the blue region I Ｂ [9] The water purification method according to [7], further comprising the step of measuring the chlorine concentration in the sample water by the corrected signal intensity = I Ｒ +A.I. Ｇ...(1). The water purification method according to [8], wherein the chlorine concentration is measured by the method described above.

[10] The water purification method according to [8] or [9], wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G), and blue (B) dyes.

[11] The water purification method according to any one of [8] to

[10] , wherein the light source is a white light source.

[12] The water purification method according to any one of [7] to

[11] , wherein the sample water is tap water.

[13] A dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, characterized in that the sample water is introduced from a pipe through which the sample water flows through a bypass path into a water tank disposed at the end of the bypass path, and then the dye is introduced into the water tank.

[14] The dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water according to

[13] , wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G), and blue (B) dyes.

[0038] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0039] For example, in the above embodiment, the chlorine concentration of the sample water is measured using a dye-containing cassette, but it may also be measured electrically using an ion sensor.

[0040] 10 Water purification treatment device 11 Bypass path 12 Branch pipe 13 Water tank 14 Dye-containing cassette 14A, 14B, 14C Cassette element 15 White light source 16 Photodetector 17 Drain 21, 22, 23 Valve

Claims

1. A water purification treatment device comprising a treatment section which removes impurities from sample water, a bypass section which bypasses the treatment section, and a measurement section which measures at an appropriate sampling rate the chlorine concentration remaining in a mixed sample water obtained by blending the sample water after water purification treatment in the treatment section with the sample water which has passed through the bypass section, wherein the bypass section has an adjustment section which can adjust the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path, and the adjustment section compares and calculates the chlorine concentration measured in the measurement section with a chlorine concentration set value arbitrarily set by a user, and automatically adjusts the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path downward if the measured value exceeds the set value, and automatically adjusts the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path upward if the measured value falls below the set value until the set value is reached.

2. A water purification treatment device as described in claim 1, further comprising a water tank disposed at the terminal side of the bypass path, and the measuring unit comprising a dye-containing cassette for adding dye to the water tank, and a light source and a photodetector arranged to face each other across the water tank.

3. The water purification treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G) and blue (B) pigments.

4. The water purification treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the light source is a white light source.

5. The water purification treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the sample water is tap water.

6. The water purification treatment device of claim 1, wherein the processing section has a built-in activated carbon filter, and when the measured value exceeds the set value for a certain period of time even when the bypass path is fully closed in the adjustment section, an announcement is made that the performance of the activated carbon filter has decreased.

7. A method for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, comprising the steps of: preparing a treatment section for removing impurities from the sample water; a bypass section that bypasses the treatment section; and a measurement section that measures the residual chlorine concentration in a mixed sample water obtained by blending the sample water after water purification treatment in the treatment section with the sample water that has passed through the bypass section at an appropriate sampling rate; in an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path, comparing the chlorine concentration measured in the measurement section with a chlorine concentration set value arbitrarily set by a user; and automatically adjusting the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path downward if the measured value exceeds the set value, and automatically adjusting the amount of the sample water passing through the bypass path upward until the set value is reached if the measured value is below the set value.

8. A step of introducing the sample water into a water tank disposed on the terminal side of the bypass path, a step of introducing a dye from a dye-containing cassette into the water tank, a step of detecting light emitted from the light source toward the water tank by a light detector, the light intensity I of the light in the red region detected by the light detector being determined by a light detector. Ｒ , the signal intensity of light in the green region I Ｇ , and the signal intensity I of light in the blue region Ｂ The water purification method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of measuring a chlorine concentration in the sample water by using a chlorine detector.

9. Corrected signal strength = I Ｒ + A.I. Ｇ The water purification method according to claim 8, wherein the chlorine concentration is measured by the following formula (1).

10. The water purification method according to claim 8, wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G) and blue (B) pigments.

11. The water purification method according to claim 8, wherein the light source is a white light source.

12. The water purification method according to claim 7, wherein the sample water is tap water.

13. A dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of sample water, characterized in that the sample water is introduced from a pipe through which the sample water flows, via a bypass path, into a water tank arranged on the terminal side of the bypass path, and then a dye is introduced into the water tank.

14. A dye-containing cassette for measuring the chlorine concentration of a water sample as described in claim 13, wherein the cassette contains red (R), green (G) and blue (B) dyes.

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