Dual-Outlet Ozonated Water Fill Station for Cleaning and Drinking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water suppliers face challenges in controlling pathogens and disinfection byproducts in drinking water, as traditional disinfection methods are ineffective against resistant organisms, and disinfectants can form harmful byproducts.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates an aqueous ozone solution for cleaning and purification, using ozone generators to produce an ozone and water mixture with controlled oxidation reduction potential (ORP) for disinfection, while a carbon filter reduces ozone concentration to produce safe drinking water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional disinfection practices (chlorine) are used to protect drinking water from pathogens, then disinfection potential is improved, but harmful byproducts (trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids) are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the disinfectant from chlorine to ozone. Ozone (O3) is a different chemical substance with different reaction properties that achieves disinfection without forming the same harmful byproducts as chlorine. The system monitors ORP to ensure adequate disinfection potential while using this alternative chemical approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of ozone (which can form byproducts) into benefit by using it in a controlled manner where it decomposes into oxygen. The ORP monitoring ensures that ozone is used effectively for disinfection while the system design allows it to break down into harmless oxygen, avoiding persistent harmful byproducts.
2Reliability
If ozone is injected into water to generate ORP for disinfection, then antimicrobial potential is improved, but the water becomes unsafe for consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the water flow into two separate streams after ozone injection. One stream goes to the aqueous ozone solution outlet for cleaning applications where high ORP is needed. The other stream goes through a carbon filter to the purified water outlet where ozone is removed, making it safe for consumption. This segmentation allows both high disinfection potential and safe drinking water from the same system.
Solution Approach 2:
The carbon filter acts as an intermediary between the ozonated water and the consumption outlet. It removes ozone from the water stream destined for drinking, converting the harmful ozonated water into safe purified water while maintaining the system's ability to produce disinfecting aqueous ozone solution elsewhere.
3Device complexity
If a single water outlet is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot provide both cleaning solution and safe drinking water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single water treatment system universal by enabling it to produce two different outputs: aqueous ozone solution for cleaning/disinfection and purified water for consumption. The system uses ORP monitoring to control ozone injection and includes a carbon filter option, allowing one system to serve multiple functions that would traditionally require separate systems.
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
The system effectively disinfects surfaces and equipment while ensuring purified water is safe for consumption, reducing health risks from pathogens and disinfection byproducts, with the ORP value ensuring antimicrobial activity without harsh chemicals.
Implementation Method 1
One or more ozone generators may be disposed within the enclosure. The fluid mixer may be fluidically coupled to the one or more ozone generators and configured to inject ozone generated by the one or more ozone generators into water
Implementation Method 2
a carbon filter fluidically coupled to a second output of the splitter and configured to reduce an ozone concentration of a second portion of the aqueous ozone solution to produce purified water for consumption
Implementation Method 3
The fluid mixer may be fluidically coupled to the one or more ozone generators and configured to inject ozone generated by the one or more ozone generators into water received from a water source via the water inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solution
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed system includes one or more ozone generators disposed and a fluid mixer configured to inject ozone generated by the one or more ozone generators into water received from a water source via a water inlet to produce an aqueous ozone solution that is output via an aqueous ozone solution outlet. The aqueous ozone solution outlet is fluidically coupled to a splitter. The system further includes a janitorial fill station with a first faucet fluidically coupled to a first output of the splitter and configured to dispense a first portion of the aqueous ozone solution, a carbon filter fluidically coupled to a second output of the splitter and configured to reduce an ozone concentration of a second portion of the aqueous ozone solution to produce purified water for consumption, and a second faucet fluidically coupled to the carbon filter and configured to dispense the purified water.