Recirculating Drinking Water Purification Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking water treatment devices require frequent refilling due to a high ratio of rinsing water to purified water, making them less user-friendly and increasing handling complexity.
Innovation Solution
A device with a water return line that recirculates rinsing water back to the tank, allowing multiple passes through the membrane filter, reducing the amount of initial water needed and incorporating features like a secondary line for venting, non-return valves, ceramic and activated carbon filters, and conductance sensors for quality monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rinsing water is discharged after a single pass through the membrane filter, then the membrane filter surface is cleaned, but the purified water yield is reduced and the water tank requires frequent refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The rinsing water is continuously recirculated back to the water tank through the water return line, allowing multiple filtration passes of the same water volume. This continuous recycling process maximizes the purified water yield from the initial water quantity while maintaining ongoing membrane filter cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the rinsing water after a single use, the system recovers it by returning it to the water tank via the water return line. This recovered water is then reused for multiple filtration cycles, significantly increasing the total purified water output from the same initial water volume.
2Ease of operation
If the water tank is connected to a fixed water connection, then water supply is continuous, but the device portability and ease of filling are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The water tank is separated from the fixed water connection, creating a portable, self-contained filtration unit. The tank can be removed and filled independently at different locations, enabling the device to be moved and used in various settings while maintaining continuous water supply through the recirculation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to be self-sufficient with an removable water tank that can be filled at any location. The recirculation system automatically manages water distribution and filtration without requiring external water connections, allowing the device to service itself and maintain continuous operation through internal water recycling.
3Quantity of substance
If rinsing water is recirculated multiple times through the membrane filter, then purified water yield increases, but the impurity concentration in the water tank increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously recirculates water through the membrane filter, maintaining constant purification action. The membrane filter consistently removes impurities from the recirculating water, ensuring that even after multiple passes, the water quality remains high and the purified water yield is maximized without significant impurity accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane filter is designed as a disposable component that can be replaced when its purification capacity is exhausted. This allows the system to operate with continuous water recirculation for extended periods, maximizing purified water yield from each water filling, while the filter is replaced rather than cleaned to maintain purification 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 device enhances user-friendliness by minimizing water tank refills, maintaining water quality, and improving taste through multiple filtration stages, while ensuring efficient operation and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The membrane filter retains unwanted impurities such as unwanted ions, drug residues, pesticides, herbicides, hormones or even residues of hydrocarbon molecules that are or may be contained in drinking water
Implementation Method 2
the drinking water to be cleaned is fed into a water tank of the device and fed to a membrane filter unit by means of a pump
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (2) for drinking water purification, having a water tank (4) for receiving the drinking water (6) to be purified, a pump (8) for transporting the water, and a membrane filter unit (10) which comprises a water inlet (12), a membrane filter (14), a pure water discharge (16), and a rinsing water discharge (18). The water inlet (12) is supplied with water directly or indirectly from the water tank (4) via a feed line (24), and is disposed in the flow direction (19) in front of the membrane filter (14). The pure water discharge (16) is disposed in the flow direction (19) behind the membrane filter (14). To remove deposits, part of the water fed to the membrane filter unit (10) via the water inlet (12) is guided across the membrane filter surface and exits the membrane filter unit (10) via the rinsing water discharge (18). In order to increase user friendliness, a water return line (26) connects the rinsing water discharge (18) to the water tank (4). Furthermore, the water tank (4) can be removed from the device (2) and filled with drinking water.