Water Filtration System with Return Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing water filtration systems have a low recycling rate of water, resulting in a small pure water flux and wastage of resources, which affects the service life of fine filter cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A water filtration system with a return flow path and a water storage device, which includes a pre-filter cartridge, a fine filter cartridge, and a post-filter cartridge, along with a throttle valve and waste-water valve, to improve the recycling rate and maintain water intake pressure, ensuring the service life of the fine filter cartridge while providing two different water qualities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the recycling rate of the water filtration system is increased, then water resources are saved, but the service life of the fine filter cartridge may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is divided into three separate cartridges: pre-filter, fine filter, and post filter. Each cartridge handles specific filtration tasks, allowing the fine filter to focus only on fine particles while the pre-filter handles larger debris. This segmentation protects the fine filter from clogging and extends its service life while maintaining high recycling rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-filter cartridge acts as an intermediary between the raw water source and the fine filter cartridge. It intercepts larger particles and debris before they reach the fine filter, reducing the burden on the fine filter and extending its operational life while enabling higher water recycling rates.
2Productivity
If the pure water flux is increased, then water production efficiency is improved, but the recycling rate decreases causing water waste
Solution Approach 1:
The water filtration system provides multiple water outlets with different water qualities (pure water and purified water). This multi-functionality allows the system to serve different purposes simultaneously, improving overall water utilization efficiency and reducing waste while maintaining high pure water flux.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses water that would otherwise be wasted. By providing both pure water and purified water outlets, the system enables selective reuse of different water qualities for different purposes, effectively recovering water resources and reducing overall water loss while maintaining high production efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If a water storage device is added to satisfy large water demand, then user requirements are met, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water storage device is integrated with the existing multi-outlet filtration system, combining storage functionality with the dual-water-quality delivery mechanism. This merging approach satisfies large water demands without requiring completely separate storage systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
4Reliability
If the fine filter cartridge processes all water flow, then filtration effectiveness is maximized, but the service life decreases due to rapid clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration process is segmented into multiple stages with dedicated cartridges for each stage. The pre-filter handles coarse filtration, the fine filter handles fine particle removal, and the post-filter provides final polishing. This segmentation ensures the fine filter operates at optimal capacity without being overwhelmed by large debris, maintaining filtration effectiveness while extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-filter cartridge serves as a protective intermediary that removes larger particles before water reaches the fine filter. This intermediary layer protects the fine filter from rapid clogging while maintaining its ability to effectively remove fine particles, thereby extending service life without compromising filtration effectiveness.
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 enhances the recycling rate and pure water flux, achieving water savings and satisfying user demands for large amounts of water by recycling waste water and storing it for later use, thus optimizing water resource utilization.
Implementation Method 1
raw water entering through the raw-water inlet is configured to flow out of the pure-water outlet after being filtered by the pre-filter cartridge, the fine filter cartridge and the post filter cartridge successively
Implementation Method 2
The return flow path has a first end connected between the first port and the raw-water inlet and a second end connected between the waste-water outlet and the third port
Implementation Method 3
the return flow path is provided with a throttle valve, so that a water-intake pressure in the integrated filter cartridge before the fine filter cartridge is maintained
Data Source
AI summary
A water filtration system (100) includes: a raw-water inlet (100a); a pure-water outlet (100b); a purified-water outlet (100c); a waste-water outlet (100d); an integrated filter cartridge (1); and a return flow path (101). The integrated filter cartridge (1) has a first port (10a), a second port (10b), a third port (10c) and a fourth port (10d). The purified-water outlet (100c) and the waste-water outlet (100d) both are connected to the third port (10c), and a water storage device (2) is provided to at least one of the fourth port (10d) and a flow path connected to the pure-water outlet (100b). The return flow path (101) has a first end connected between the first port (10a) and the raw-water inlet (100a) and a second end connected between the waste-water outlet (100d) and the third port (10c).