Piston-Driven UV Irradiation Chamber for Liquid Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional UV liquid purification systems face inefficiencies due to low flow rates requiring multiple UV sources, dead volumes, and potential cross-contamination between treated and untreated liquids, especially in small apparatuses like water fountains.
Innovation Solution
A liquid purification assembly with a piston-driven irradiation chamber that changes volume to ensure all liquid is treated, using UV-LEDs and one-way valves to prevent cross-contamination and enhance disinfection efficiency, allowing for batch sequencing mode and precise purification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a continuous flow irradiation chamber is used, then the liquid can be treated continuously, but dead volumes and short cuts are created reducing purification efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by alternating between filling the irradiation chamber with untreated liquid and then irradiating the contained liquid. This batch-wise periodic operation eliminates continuous flow dead volumes and short cuts, ensuring all liquid receives adequate UV exposure while maintaining treatment capability.
2Productivity
If the flow rate is increased to reduce residence time, then productivity improves, but the irradiation time decreases reducing disinfection effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the irradiation chamber volume variable through a movable piston. The chamber volume is dynamically adjusted to match the exact amount of liquid to be treated, optimizing residence time and irradiation effectiveness for each batch while allowing flexible throughput control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of chamber volume to optimize the irradiation process. By adjusting the chamber volume to contain only the necessary liquid amount, the system ensures adequate irradiation time without requiring high flow rates, thus maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
3Reliability
If multiple UV sources are added to handle low flow rates, then disinfection effectiveness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic batch operation instead of continuous flow, the patent achieves thorough disinfection with a single UV source. The extended residence time in the batch process compensates for using fewer UV sources, reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving disinfection effectiveness.
4Device complexity
If treated liquid is pushed out by untreated liquid, then the discharge mechanism is simple, but cross-contamination occurs reducing purification reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the piston mechanism from the continuous flow system to perform the discharge function. The piston actively pushes out the treated liquid without allowing untreated liquid to enter, thereby eliminating cross-contamination while maintaining a relatively simple discharge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston acts as an intermediary between the irradiation chamber and the discharge system. It mediates the liquid discharge process by physically separating the treated liquid ejection from the untreated liquid inlet, preventing cross-contamination while enabling controlled discharge.
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
Ensures thorough disinfection of liquids by maintaining UV exposure time, eliminating cross-contamination, and reducing hydrodynamic issues, thereby ensuring all liquid is purified effectively without the need for a circulating pump.
Implementation Method 1
a volume of water being treated is bombarded with high-energy radiation in the form of UV light. The UV light damages the DNA and RNA of the pathogenic microorganisms, destroying their ability to reproduce
Implementation Method 2
a mechanism in the form of a mobile piston configured to cause a change in the internal volume of the irradiation chamber, the movement of the piston causing the change in inner volume of the irradiation chamber comprised between the piston and the wall closing an end of the cylinder
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a liquid purification assembly using ultraviolet light irradiation against reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, comprising an irradiation chamber (200) having an internal volume and comprising an inlet (204) and an outlet (205), the irradiation chamber (200) being provided with ultraviolet light emitting means (208) configured to irradiate liquid in the irradiation chamber (200) with ultraviolet light. The irradiation chamber (200) comprises a mechanism configured to cause a change in the internal volume of the irradiation chamber (200), said change in internal volume drawing liquid into the irradiation chamber (200) when the volume of the irradiation chamber (200) increases, and forcing liquid out of the irradiation chamber (200) when the volume of the irradiation chamber (200) decreases. The invention also relates to a beverage dispenser and to a method for purifying a liquid.