Aquatic Facility Water Remediation via In-Situ Chlorine Dioxide Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for remediating water in aquatic facilities are inadequate in addressing waterborne pathogens like Cryptosporidium, which are resistant to common sanitizers and can spread infections widely.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a programmable controller to implement a remediation cycle that generates chlorine dioxide in-situ, calculating and tracking a Ct value in real-time to ensure effective remediation without the use of bromine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If free chlorine and free bromine are used as sanitizers, then bacteria counts are controlled effectively, but efficacy against waterborne pathogens like Cryptosporidium is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter from traditional free chlorine/bromine sanitizers to chlorine dioxide, which has different oxidative properties and effectiveness characteristics. Chlorine dioxide maintains efficacy across a broader pH range and demonstrates superior effectiveness against Cryptosporidium and other waterborne pathogens that are resistant to conventional sanitizers.
2Reliability
If traditional remediation methods are used, then pathogen control is attempted, but remediation time is excessive allowing pathogen spread
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously maintaining a residual concentration of chlorine dioxide in the water between remediation cycles. This preliminary presence of the biocide ensures that when a pathogen introduction event occurs, the chlorine dioxide is already in place to immediately begin inactivation, eliminating the need for long remediation wait times and preventing pathogen spread during the remediation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous useful action by maintaining a persistent residual of chlorine dioxide in the aquatic facility water throughout the interval between remediation cycles. This continuous presence ensures uninterrupted protection and rapid response capability, rather than allowing periods where no active biocide is present in the water.
3Productivity
If bromine-based cyclic processes are used for chlorine dioxide generation, then remediation is achieved, but bromine usage creates additional complexity and potential harm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes bromine from the chlorine dioxide generation process. Instead of using the traditional bromine-based cyclic process, the invention employs alternative methods such as UV photolysis of chlorite ions or direct chemical reactions that do not require bromine, thereby eliminating bromine-related harmful byproducts while maintaining chlorine dioxide generation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful bromine-based process into a beneficial bromine-free process. By replacing bromine with alternative reagents and methods, the system maintains or improves remediation efficiency while eliminating the generation of harmful brominated disinfection byproducts, effectively turning a harmful approach into a beneficial one.
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
This approach significantly reduces the time required to achieve targeted Ct values, thereby accelerating the remediation process and mitigating over 80% of Recreational Water Illnesses, while avoiding the use of bromine.
Implementation Method 1
deliver an acid, an oxidizer and a chlorite ion donor to a conduit in communication with the water; allowing the acid, the oxidizer and chlorite ion donor to react in the conduit and form chlorine dioxide
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for controlling the accelerated remediation of the water of an aquatic facility using at least one sanitizer sensor, a pH sensor, a temperature sensor and a chlorine dioxide sensor all interfaced with a programmable controller that is programmed to implement a remediation cycle and configured to calculate a Ct value of the water chemical feed system. The programmable controller activates a chemical feed system to supply an acid, an oxidizer and a chlorite ion donor to a conduit to form chlorine dioxide that is supplied to the water until a desire Ct value is reached.