Rotating UV Cleaning Elements for Water Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water treatment apparatuses using advanced oxidation processes, such as those in the oil and gas industry, face inefficiencies in processing time, handling varying flow rates, and maintaining effective UV radiation exposure, leading to suboptimal contaminant removal and increased maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A water treatment apparatus featuring a liquid treatment vessel with UV radiation sources oriented parallel to the liquid flow, equipped with longitudinally arranged cleaning elements made from or coated with photocatalytic materials, and a rotational mechanism to clean the UV emission surfaces, enhancing the exposure and distribution of UV radiation across the liquid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV radiation sources are used in water treatment apparatus, then contaminant removal effectiveness is improved, but UV emission surfaces become contaminated and require maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-cleaning by using the UV radiation itself to activate photocatalytic materials on cleaning elements, which then clean the UV emission surfaces. The cleaning process is automated and integrated into the normal operation, requiring no external intervention or shutdown for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously removes contaminants from UV emission surfaces through the rotational cleaning mechanism, discarding accumulated contaminants into the water flow where they are subsequently treated by the advanced oxidation process, thus recovering the cleaning action as part of the treatment process.
2Illumination intensity
If cleaning elements are added to maintain UV exposure, then UV radiation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is merged with the existing water treatment process by integrating cleaning elements into the flow path and using the UV radiation already present for treatment to activate the photocatalytic cleaning action. The rotational mechanism is driven by the water flow itself, combining multiple functions into a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The UV radiation serves dual purposes: treating the water contaminants and activating the photocatalytic cleaning elements to maintain UV emission surfaces. The water flow serves both to transport contaminants for treatment and to drive the rotational cleaning mechanism, achieving multiple objectives through single system components.
3Illumination intensity
If UV sources are oriented parallel to flow direction, then UV exposure distribution is improved, but cleaning access becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning elements are designed to rotate dynamically within the flow, with their orientation changing continuously as they spin. This rotational motion allows them to access and clean all surfaces of the UV emission sources from multiple angles, overcoming the limited access posed by the parallel orientation configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating cleaning elements act as intermediaries between the water flow and the UV emission surfaces, transferring the cleaning action to all surfaces of the UV sources. The rotational motion of the cleaning elements mediates the contact between the flow-driven system and the parallel-oriented UV sources, enabling comprehensive cleaning access.
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 configuration improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the advanced oxidation process by maintaining optimal UV exposure, reducing maintenance intervals, and enhancing contaminant removal capabilities across a range of flow rates and contaminant types.
Implementation Method 1
A water treatment apparatus featuring a liquid treatment vessel with UV radiation sources oriented parallel to the liquid flow
Implementation Method 2
arranged to expose liquid in the vessel to ultraviolet radiation in an advanced oxidation process reaction
Implementation Method 3
the cleaning elements comprise filaments or bristles, and the filaments or bristles are partially constructed from a photocatalytic material, fully constructed from a photocatalytic material, or coated with a photocatalytic material
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention provides a water treatment apparatus and method of use. The apparatus comprises an inlet configured to be connected to a source of liquid to be treated, and at least one liquid treatment vessel arranged to expose liquid in the vessel to ultraviolet radiation in an advanced oxidation process reaction. A source of ultraviolet radiation comprises a longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to a direction of flow of liquid past the source. A boundary surface between the source and a liquid to be treated is provided with one or more cleaning elements arranged longitudinally on the boundary surface. The cleaning elements and the boundary surface are arranged to be rotationally moveable relative to one another around the longitudinal axis of the source.