Device for sanitizing liquids

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for sanitizing liquids, such as waters, having a first process stage (10) for cleaning the respective liquid, in the form of a fluid stream, of particulate contamination for the purpose of reducing turbidity, and having a second process stage (12), following the first process stage, for inactivating microorganisms in the fluid stream. The device is characterized in that - the fluid stream flows through the first process stage (10) in the radial flow direction (14), - the fluid stream flows through the second process stage (12) in the axial flow direction (16), and - a guide device (18) is provided between the first process stage (10) and the second process stage (12), said guide device deflecting the fluid stream from the radial flow direction (14) into the axial flow direction (16).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR HYGIENIZING LIQUIDS

[0002] The invention relates to a device for sanitizing liquids, such as water, with a first process stage for cleaning the respective liquid in the form of a fluid stream from particulate contamination in order to reduce turbidity and with a second process stage following the first for inactivating microorganisms in the fluid stream.

[0003] DE 10 2021 1 1 7 137 A1 discloses a system for disinfecting drinking water, the system comprising at least one UV radiation source, at least one turbine configured to generate electrical energy from the movement of water flowing through the system, and at least one recirculation module through which water can be conducted from downstream of the UV radiation source to upstream of the UV radiation source.

[0004] Thanks to the turbine, an additional power supply is unnecessary, and it's easy to retrofit existing drinking water installations with such a system. Drinking water is a clear liquid, whereas industrial water, including rainwater, cooling water, and swimming pool water, regularly contains particulate contamination that leads to cloudiness, which impairs the effectiveness of UV radiation sources and thus the sanitization process.

[0005] To counteract this, a filter system for water has already been proposed in EP 1 092 682 B1, comprising a filter container in which a filter substance such as sand is arranged, through which dirty water to be cleaned is passed via an inlet and an outlet, and comprising a UV disinfection device for pathogens, past which the water is passed and disinfected by a UV lamp of the disinfection device, wherein a) the UV disinfection device is integrated into the clean water area of ​​the filter container and projects approximately half the diameter of the filter container, b) the water outlet of the filter container is designed as a T-piece, and c) the UV lamp is inserted centrally and sealingly into the straight horizontal outlet piece of the T-piece.

[0006] In this way, the filter substance in the filter container, in the form of a sand-like bulk material, allows the wastewater to be cleaned of particulate contaminants. The thus cleaned liquid, free of turbidity, is irradiated by the UV lamp and thus disinfected or sanitized. Viewed in the flow direction of the process water in the form of wastewater from a swimming pool, the flow from the first process stage with the filter substance and the second process stage in the form of the UV lamp occurs in an axial direction, and the bulk filter substance creates a kind of depot effect in the system, which can reduce the separation efficiency and the amount of fluid in the disinfected water quantities. Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of further improving the known solutions described above.A device having the features of patent claim 1 in its entirety solves this problem.

[0007] Because according to the characterizing part of claim 1, the first process stage is flowed through by the fluid flow in the radial flow direction and the second process stage is flowed through by the fluid flow in the axial flow direction and

[0008] - If a guide device is present between the first and second process stages, which diverts the fluid flow from the radial flow direction to the axial flow direction, this results in short reaction times and, as a result, high discharge rates of the fluid quantities to be treated. In particular, there is no depot effect, i.e. the quantity of liquid to be treated at the inlet of the device, which is designed as a reactor, is simultaneously released again as treated liquid at the outlet. Thanks to the guide device, the fluid flow is also made more uniform, which proves to be energetically advantageous during operation of the device. In particular, thanks to the guide device, the fluid flow cleaned of particulate contamination is guided parallel and therefore laminar over a very long distance to the second process stage, so that any microorganisms present can be inactivated very efficiently.Furthermore, the control system allows a spatial separation of the two process stages from each other, so that one process stage cannot adversely influence the effect of the other process stage.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the first process stage comprises at least one fluid filter, and the second process stage consists of at least one UV lamp, preferably in the form of a UV-C lamp. Both the respective fluid filter and the respective UV lamp represent independent structural units that, when combined in a modular manner, form the device as a whole. In particular, the respective process stage can be interchangeably inserted into a device housing or reactor housing of the device for maintenance purposes, independently of the other process stage.

[0010] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the second process stage consists of a radiator package with several UV radiators arranged parallel to one another, between which the fluid flow is guided in the axial flow direction. Due to the radiator package with a predeterminable number of preferably identically designed UV radiators, the exposure time of the UV radiation to the liquid in the fluid flow can be increased, which increases the radiation duration of the UV radiation on the microorganisms and thus improves the desired inactivation process.

[0011] Preferably, the radiation package is enclosed in a single- or multi-part housing that prevents unwanted radiation from escaping into the environment during operation. This protects users of the device from cell-damaging UV radiation, ensuring that the device also meets increased safety standards.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that a first part of the housing, together with a fluid-permeable support tube of the fluid filter, at least partially forms the guide device. While the support tube of the fluid filter still serves to radially guide the fluid through the fluid filter, the guide device allows the radial fluid flow to be diverted into an axial flow. In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the fluid filter, the guide device, and part of the radiator package are accommodated in a device housing having an inlet for the fluid flow, which, after passing through the guide device, enters the first part of the housing along its free end face.Preferably, it is further provided that a portion of the lamp assembly exits the device housing and is enclosed by another portion of the enclosure, which has an outlet for the sanitized fluid flow and is closed by a mounting plate on its free end facing the environment during operation. In this way, a modular design for the device as a whole is achieved for the device housing, together with the respective portion of the enclosure, so that, depending on the application, several fluid filters can be accommodated in series, and several lamp assemblies or different lengths of UV lamps can be combined in one package.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the mounting plate, which has electrical contacts for the individual UV lamps, can be removed from the housing at a central location together with the lamps as a lamp assembly and reinserted therein. This ensures that the removal of the individual UV lamps, even as a lamp assembly, from the device housing can only be carried out when the electrical contact on the mounting plate is deactivated, so that under no circumstances can the respective UV lamp release its cell-damaging effect into the environment, for example, when replacing a used UV lamp with a new one.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device housing is horizontally supportable and has a flange-like removal point for replacing the fluid filter on one of its free end faces, which faces away from the enclosure. This allows the device housing to be installed in a space-saving manner even on existing machinery. Furthermore, the fluid filter and the UV lamp package can be removed and replaced from opposite sides of the device housing, which increases ease of maintenance by providing appropriate accessibility at various points on the device housing.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the fluid filter comprises a preferably pleated element material that extends between two end caps and that, after releasing a reattachable retaining device, can be removed from a perforated support tube remaining in the device housing for a replacement and / or removal process. Thus, due to the pleating of the element material, an increased dirt-holding capacity for particle contamination is created, and the fluid filter, as a standardized filter element, can be easily replaced with a filter element of the same design, which helps save costs.

[0016] In the following, the device according to the invention is explained in more detail using an embodiment according to the figure. In this diagram, not to scale, the

[0017] Figure 1 shows a perspective external view of a device housing of the device as a whole;

[0018] Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the device according to Figure 1; and

[0019] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a radiator package with a

[0020] Bundle of UV radiation sources together with front-side electrical contact for the individual UV lamps, attached to an end plate of the device housing according to Figures 1 and 2. The device shown in the figures is used for the hygienization of liquids, such as water, for example in the form of process or industrial water, drinking water, rain and cooling water as well as swimming pool water, etc. As Figure 2 shows in particular, the device has a first process stage 10 for cleaning the respective liquid in the form of a fluid flow of particulate contamination in order to reduce the turbidity and furthermore a second process stage 12 following the first as seen in the direction of fluid flow is provided for inactivating microorganisms in the fluid flow.The first process stage 10, as viewed in the direction of Figure 2, is traversed by the fluid flow in a radial flow direction from outside to inside, which is represented exemplarily in Figure 2 with only one arrow 14. The second process stage 12, on the other hand, is traversed by the fluid flow in an axial flow direction, which is represented exemplarily in Figure 2 with an arrow 16. Between the first process stage 10 and the second process stage 12, there is also a guide device 18 which deflects the fluid flow from the radial flow direction according to arrow 14 into the axial flow direction according to arrow 16. The first process stage 10 has a fluid filter 20 with a preferably pleated, multi-layer element material 22 which extends in a conventional design between a front element cap 24 and a rear element cap 26. The element material 22 is supported on its inside on a perforated support tube 28.The perforation for the support tube 28 is formed from individual, hole-like fluid passages 30 in a circumferential casing, which, for the sake of clarity, are shown only at one free end of the support tube 28, but otherwise extend over the entire installation length of the support tube 28.

[0021] The second process stage 12 consists of at least one UV emitter 32, preferably in the form of a so-called UV-C emitter. As Figure 3 in particular shows, a total of five UV emitters 32 are used as an emitter package 34. As can also be seen from Figure 3, the five UV emitters 32 maintain an equidistant distance from one another in the radial direction. It is understood that a different number of UV emitters 32 can also be used as a radiation source here. During operation, the respective UV emitter 32 emits ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation). This can generate high-energy, specific wavelengths that are used to reduce germs and kill unwanted microorganisms. The term microorganism is not precisely defined in the specialist world; however, it predominantly refers to very small single-celled organisms.Microorganisms also include all bacteria, archaea, microscopic algae, fungi, and protozoa. Viruses are not considered organisms per se because they lack the metabolism necessary for independent life; however, some are also considered microorganisms.

[0022] The UVC light preferred here is a short-wave, high-energy radiation that typically falls within the wavelength range of approximately 100 to 280 nm. When it hits the microorganism in question, the UVC radiation triggers an inactivation process based on the radiation absorption by nucleic acids and other cellular components of the microorganisms. This absorption leads to photochemical reactions, which alter essential cellular components of the microorganism, ultimately leading to a loss of cell replication capacity and thus to the inactivation of the microorganisms.

[0023] The UV lamps 32 used here consist, in a known manner, of radiation-permeable glass tubes which, as shown in Figure 3, extend in the same length between a mounting plate 36 and a fluid-permeable end plate 38. The closed mounting plate 36 is provided with an electrical contact 40 with individual electrical connection points 42, each connection point 42 supplying an associated UV lamp 32 with electrical energy. Connecting cables (not shown) lead from the individual connection points 42 for the purpose of connecting the UV lamps 32 to a central electrical power supply (not shown). Individual spacer rods 44, which are each arranged between the radial distances between two adjacent UV lamps 32, serve to connect the mounting plate 36 to the end plate 38.The spacer rods 44 also serve to position disc-shaped spacers 46, which secure and hold the sensitive glass rods of the individual UV lamps 32 within the lamp assembly 34. As further shown in Figure 3, the free ends of the glass rods terminate at an axial distance from the end plate 38. Accordingly, the second process stage 12 consists of the lamp assembly 34 as shown in Figure 2 with a total of five UV lamps 32 running parallel to one another, between which the fluid flow is guided in the axial flow direction along the arrow 6.

[0024] In the present case, the radiator package 34 is enclosed by a two-part housing 48, 50, which essentially prevents radiation from escaping into the environment during operation. The first part 48 of the housing is formed from a thin-walled hollow cylinder, which, as viewed in the direction of Figure 2, is firmly connected on its left side to a flange plate 52 of a device housing 54. The other free end of the first part 48 of the housing is closed by the fluid-permeable end plate 38 and has a predeterminable axial distance from the rear element cap 26. On the outer circumference side, the first part 48 of the housing is enclosed by the support tube 28 together with the element material 22 at a predeterminable radial distance.In this way, a fluid-conducting, gap-like annular space 56 is formed, which, as part of the guide device 18, is bounded outwardly by the fluid-permeable support tube 28 and inwardly by the first part 48 of the housing, which forms a circumferentially closed, cylindrical tube. In this annular space 56, thanks to the guide device 18, the fluid flow entering radially via the fluid filter 20 is deflected axially by 90° to the right, specifically along the arrows 58. The flow in this direction is in turn deflected by 90° in the direction of the arrow 60 at the free end of the first part 48. While, as viewed in the direction of Figure 2, the fluid flow in the annular space 56 runs from left to right along the arrows 58, after a right-angled deflection according to the direction of arrow 60, the fluid flow is guided from right to left in the axial flow direction along the arrow 16 through the radiator package 34 with the individual UV radiators 32.Before entering the reactor chamber 62 containing the radiator package 34, the fluid flows through the end plate 38 with its hole-like through-openings 64. To ensure uninterrupted flow, the disk-like spacers 46 also have through-openings for the fluid flow 16. The spacer 46, which is arranged approximately centrally in the radiator package 34 in Figure 3, is encompassed by the flange plate 52 as shown in Figure 2 and held in position there, without being axially fixed in this position.

[0025] A second part 50 of the housing, like the first part 48, is designed as a hollow cylinder; however, it has a larger diameter than the first part 48. Furthermore, the second part 50 of the housing extends between a free end face of the flange plate 52 and an annular receiving flange 66, wherein the flange plate 52 and the receiving flange 66 are held at a distance from one another by a connecting web 70, which stiffens the structure in this area and is firmly connected, in particular firmly welded, to the outer circumference of the second part 50 of the housing at the base. Firmly connected to the annular receiving flange 68 is the receiving plate 36, which is also designed as a flange and, after loosening a corresponding screw connection 72, can be removed from the device as a structural unit together with the lamp package 34 as shown in Figure 3, for example in order to replace a used UV lamp 32 with a new one.This also makes it possible to modify the device as a whole by replacing the lamp unit, for example, by replacing UVC lamps with UVB lamps or the like. However, for this removal of the unit according to Figure 3, the electrical contact 40 must first be deactivated or rendered inactive, for example, by removing the associated cable connection. This ensures that no unintentional UV radiation escapes into the environment when the lamp package 34 is removed, thus meeting increased safety requirements.

[0026] Otherwise, the device comprises the solid, hollow-cylindrical device housing 54, which can be raised using support components 76, for example, relative to a hall floor 77 or the like. The device housing 74 is surrounded on both sides by annular flanges 78, 80, with the annular flange 78 serving as a securing point for the flange plate 52 to the second part 50 of the housing. The rear annular flange 80, on the other hand, has a flange-like removal plate 82, which, after loosening another screw connection 84, serves as a removal point for replacing the fluid filter 20 with a new element. Otherwise, the flange connections shown seal off the interior of the device housing 54 and the housings 48, 50 in a pressure-tight manner from the environment.

[0027] To remove the fluid filter 20, a handle 86 as part of a reattachable holding device 88 must also be released. The handle 86 forms a type of spring-loaded toggle closure that releasably positions the element material 22 of the fluid filter 20, together with the two end caps 24, as a structural unit on the perforated support tube 28. The support tube 28 is firmly connected at one free end to a ring segment 90, which in turn is firmly connected to the flange plate 52 via the screw connection 92. As Figure 2 shows, the ring segment 90 has a circumferential bevel 91 onto which the front element cap 24 is pushed with its inner circumference and thus tightly clamped or fixed.At the other free end, the support tube 28 has a cover-like end part 93 connected to it in one piece, through which the handle 86 passes, allowing the rear element cap 26 to be secured in a flat position against the end part 93. The toggle-like handle 86, supported by a compression spring as the spring load, also passes through the otherwise closed element cap 24. Towards the outside, a cover part 95 is present as part of the holding device 88, which has a starting cone on the inner circumference, which is supported on an outer circumference bevel of the rear element cap 26. In this way, the cover part 95 can be pulled against the plate-like end part 93 of the support tube 28 by means of the tightenable handle 86, whereby the rear end cap 26 is thus secured to the stationary end part 93 of the support tube 28.Thus, during the associated longitudinal displacement, the element material 22 is releasably secured to the stationary support tube 28 via the two element caps 24, 26. After releasing the holding device 88, with the removal plate 82 released, the element 22, 24, 26 can then be replaced with a new element by pulling it off the support tube 28. Such securing devices are known per se and are described, for example, in DE 10 2018 004 096 A1 of the patent holder.

[0028] It is understood that after loosening an associated screw connection 94, the flange plate 52 can be separated from the annular flange 78, so that a separation can be brought about between the device housing 54 and the second part 50 of the housing. Opposite the support components 76, two eyelet-like handles 96, for example for transporting the device by crane, are welded to the top of the device housing 54. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the device housing 54 has a manually operated valve fitting 98 at its lowest point for emptying the device of fluid when the device is shut down. An inlet 97 is provided on the device housing 54 for the supply of fluid. Furthermore, an outlet 99 for the treated fluid is provided on the second part 50 of the housing.According to the illustration in Figure 1, inlet 97 and outlet 99 are located on opposite sides of the device in a common horizontal plane.

[0029] Furthermore, a central, tubular sampling point 100 is provided, with an associated sampling tube 102 extending beyond the first part 48 of the housing at the bottom and ending on the other side with the closable sampling point 100 in the flange-like receiving plate 36. Additional sampling and observation points 104 can be arranged, in particular, on the outer circumference of the second part 50 of the housing, primarily in the vicinity of the flange plate 52.

[0030] Overall, a UV reactor 62 with an integrated fluid filter 20 is created, whereby the fluid filter 20 enables reliable cleaning of particulate contamination, and the UV reactor 62 ensures the inactivation of microorganisms entrained in a fluid stream. Due to its horizontal, stand-alone design, this device can be used in a space-saving manner anywhere where such devices are required. This has no equivalent in the prior art.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for the hygienisation of liquids, such as water, with a first process stage (10) for cleaning the respective liquid in the form of a fluid stream from particulate contamination in order to reduce the turbidity and with a second process stage (12) following the first for inactivating microorganisms in the fluid stream, characterized in that the first process stage (10) is flowed through by the fluid stream in the radial flow direction (14) and the second process stage (12) is flowed through by the fluid stream in the axial flow direction (16) and - between the first process stage (10) and the second process stage (12) there is a guide device (18) which deflects the fluid flow from the radial flow direction (14) into the axial flow direction (16).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first process stage (10) has at least one fluid filter (20) and that the second process stage (12) consists of at least one UV radiator, preferably in the form of a UV-C radiator.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second process stage (12) consists of a radiator package (34) with several UV radiators (32) running parallel to one another, between which the fluid flow is guided in the axial flow direction (16).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radiator package (34) is enclosed by a single-part or multi-part housing (48, 50) which prevents radiation from escaping into the environment during operation.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first part (48) of the housing together with a fluid-permeable support tube (28) of the fluid filter (20) at least partially forms the guide device (18).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluid filter (20), the guide device (18) and a part of the radiator package (34) are accommodated in a device housing (54) which has an inlet (97) for the fluid flow which, after passing the guide device (18), enters the first part (48) of the housing along its free end face.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a part of the radiator package (34) emerges from the device housing (54) and is enclosed by a further part (50) of the housing, which has an outlet (99) for the hygienized fluid flow and which is closed on its free end facing the environment by a receiving plate (36) during operation.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving plate (36), which has an electrical contact (40) for the individual UV lamps (32), can be removed together with these as a lamp package (34) from the housing (48, 50) at a central location and can be reinserted therein.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device housing (54) can be erected horizontally and has on its one free end side, which faces away from the housing (48, 50), a flange-like removal point (82) for replacing the fluid filter (20).

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluid filter (20) has a preferably pleated element material (22) which extends between two end caps (24, 26) and which, after release of a re-attachable holding device (88), can be removed from a support tube (28) remaining in the device housing (54) as part of the guide device (18) for a replacement and / or removal process.

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