Air Water Generator Flow-Path Flushing for Drinking Water Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air water generators face challenges in completely removing airborne bacteria and viruses from condensed water, leading to potential contamination of stored drinking water due to bacterial proliferation in piping, which is difficult to address with conventional filtration methods.
Innovation Solution
An air water generator with a switching part and control unit that drains potentially contaminated drinking water from the flow path to a collection bottle before discharge, using a three-way solenoid valve and multiple filters to ensure uncontaminated water is dispensed, including activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and bio-mineral filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple filters are used to purify condensed water, then water purification quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides water purification into two distinct stages: (1) Condensed water is first purified through multiple filters (activated carbon filter, reverse osmosis membrane filter, bio-mineral filter) before storage in the water storage tank. (2) A separate flow path from the water storage tank to the water outlet is established, which allows draining of stagnant water without requiring additional filtration components in the discharge path. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by concentrating filtration efforts where most needed while simplifying the discharge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and addresses the contamination problem at its source (the water storage tank and incoming flow path) rather than trying to solve it at the discharge point. By purifying water before storage and providing a dedicated draining path, the system removes contaminated water without requiring complex sterilization equipment in the discharge line, thus improving purification quality while controlling device complexity.
2Reliability
If UV lamps are installed for sterilization, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces expensive, complex, and maintenance-intensive UV sterilization equipment with a simple mechanical draining mechanism. The flowing water from the water storage tank through the dedicated flow path naturally flushes out and removes bacteria and contaminants without requiring active sterilization. This approach achieves effective disinfection through simple hydrodynamic action rather than complex electromagnetic or chemical sterilization systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the water itself to sterilize the flow path. By continuously circulating and draining water through the dedicated flow path, the system creates self-cleaning action that removes contaminants without requiring external sterilization equipment. The flowing water serves both as the product and as the cleaning agent, eliminating the need for UV lamps or other sterilization devices.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If water is stored in piping for extended periods, then water availability is improved, but bacterial contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary purification of condensed water through multiple filters before it enters the water storage tank. This pre-treatment removes bacteria and contaminants before water is stored, significantly reducing the initial bacterial load. Combined with the periodic draining action that removes stagnant water, this preliminary purification approach allows extended storage duration while maintaining low contamination levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic draining of water from the water storage tank through the dedicated flow path to the water outlet. This periodic flushing action removes stagnant water that may have accumulated bacteria, resetting the flow path with fresh water. The periodic operation maintains water quality over extended storage periods without requiring continuous sterilization, resolving the contradiction between storage duration and contamination prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents the discharge of contaminated water by draining and replacing it with uncontaminated water, ensuring high purity without the need for additional sterilization equipment like UV lamps, achieving cost-effective and simple water purification.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of filters may include at least an activated carbon filter
Implementation Method 2
a reverse osmosis membrane filter
Implementation Method 3
a bio-mineral filter
Data Source
AI summary
This device comprises a collection bottle for storing condensate water made from air, a cold water tank for storing drinking water, a discharge part for discharging drinking water, a switching part for switching the flow path of drinking water supplied from the cold water tank, and a control unit for controlling the switching part. The control unit enables controlling the switching part to drain at least some of the drinking water that has accumulated in at least part of the flow path from the cold water tank to the collection bottle for a predetermined time during discharge, and controlling the switching part to discharge drinking water from the discharge part after the predetermined time has elapsed.