Magnesium-Enriched Drinking Water via Closed-Loop Bicarbonate Dissolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tap water often lacks sufficient magnesium, leading to increased susceptibility to medical conditions, and existing methods for enriching drinking water with magnesium are complex, costly, or inefficient, particularly in providing commercial volumes with low sodium content.
Innovation Solution
A system involving a closed flow circuit of an aqueous stream through a bed of magnesium compound, with injection of carbon dioxide to form magnesium bicarbonate, and an open circuit for fresh water input and enriched water output, allowing for controlled magnesium concentration and sodium minimization, utilizing a chromatographic column and conductivity measurement for flow regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If magnesium salts are dissolved by mixing magnesium and potassium carbonates, then magnesium content in water is increased, but the system becomes complex with many compartments and separated pre-dissolving steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the magnesium enrichment process into two distinct circuits: a closed circuit for recirculating and concentrating magnesium through the magnesium compound bed, and an open circuit for processing fresh water. This segmentation allows each circuit to be optimized independently, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving high magnesium concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed circuit performs preliminary magnesium concentration by recirculating water through the magnesium compound bed before the open circuit processes the fresh water. This preliminary action pre-concentrates the magnesium, reducing the burden on the open circuit and enabling more efficient overall enrichment with fewer processing steps.
2Quantity of substance
If high pressure technology is used to prepare calcium and magnesium bicarbonate solutions, then magnesium concentration is achieved, but the system becomes too complex and requires pressures ranging from 30 to 70 atmospheres
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a magnesium compound bed (solid phase) through which water flows, allowing magnesium dissolution to occur naturally through contact between the liquid and solid phases. This eliminates the need for high-pressure equipment, as the process operates at atmospheric or near-atmospheric pressures while still achieving high magnesium concentrations through the recirculation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating parameters from high pressure (30-70 atmospheres) to near-atmospheric pressure by using a solid bed dissolution mechanism. The recirculation flow rate and contact time are optimized to achieve the same magnesium concentration effect that would otherwise require extreme pressures, thereby simplifying the equipment requirements.
3Quantity of substance
If magnesium carbonate suspension is mixed in carbonated water, then magnesium bicarbonate is prepared, but problems occur in stirring suspensions, dosing substrate powders, and adjusting pH
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical stirring and dosing equipment with a flow-through bed system where water naturally percolates through the magnesium compound bed. This eliminates the need for mechanical stirrers, precise dosing mechanisms, and pH adjustment equipment, as the chemical reactions occur automatically as water flows through the bed.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnesium compound bed performs the dissolution and magnesium release functions automatically as water flows through it. The system self-regulates the magnesium concentration based on the flow rate and bed characteristics, eliminating the need for manual pH adjustment and dosing operations. The recirculation mechanism automatically maintains optimal conditions for magnesium dissolution.
4Quantity of substance
If commercial volumes of drinking water are fortified with magnesium, then public health benefit is achieved, but existing methods are not cost-effective for commercial-scale production
Solution Approach 1:
The closed circuit continuously recirculates water through the magnesium compound bed, maintaining constant magnesium dissolution and concentration. This continuous operation allows for efficient processing of large volumes of water without interruption, reducing per-unit costs and enabling commercial-scale production. The system can operate continuously to meet high demand while maintaining consistent magnesium enrichment levels.
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 method efficiently produces magnesium-enriched drinking water with concentrations up to 250 ppm, addressing magnesium deficiency while maintaining low sodium levels, scalable for commercial use and simple in operation.
Implementation Method 1
injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into said aqueous stream; thereby obtaining an aqueous solution of magnesium bicarbonate
Implementation Method 2
said aqueous stream dissolves said CO2, and further also dissolves said magnesium compound as it flows through said bed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a system for supplying a magnesium enriched drinking water, including circulating water through a bed of magnesium compound. The health-promoting water contains magnesium between 10 and 500 mg/liter, and further it may contain additional health promoting salts, while being sodium free.