Water Recycling Drain with Buffer and Pre-Filter for Quality Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water recycling devices face challenges in reliability, cost, ease of installation, and maintenance, particularly in the design of drains that collect and direct used water for recycling, as existing solutions are often costly and require frequent modifications to existing piping systems.
Innovation Solution
A drain for water recycling devices featuring a water buffer with angled flaps that create a circular motion, a recycling pipe intake with a pre-filter, and a diverter to prevent water from entering the buffer outlet without passing through the buffer, allowing for water quality measurement and controlled recirculation or discard based on quality thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drain arrangements are used in water recycling devices, then the system can collect and direct used water, but the reliability and hygienic conditions deteriorate due to inability to ensure proper water quality control and buffer management
Solution Approach 1:
The drain is segmented into distinct functional components: a water buffer for holding used water, angled flaps for creating circular motion and separation, a recycling pipe intake with pre-filter for water quality control, and a diverter for directed flow. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, improving reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The water buffer acts as an intermediary between the drain inlet and the recycling system, allowing used water to be held and pre-treated before recycling. The pre-filter in the recycling pipe intake serves as an intermediary filtering mechanism that removes particles before water enters the recycling system, ensuring hygienic conditions without requiring complex treatment equipment at the drain level.
2Reliability
If a water buffer with circular motion mechanism is implemented, then water quality control and particle removal improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The angled flaps in the water buffer create a self-sustaining circular motion that uses the water's own flow energy to generate the rotating current. This eliminates the need for external motors or power sources, allowing effective particle removal through natural hydrodynamic forces while keeping manufacturing simple and costs low.
Solution Approach 2:
The circular motion mechanism utilizes hydraulic principles where the angled flaps redirect water flow to create a rotating current within the buffer. This passive hydraulic design achieves effective particle separation and water quality control without mechanical components, simplifying manufacturing while improving reliability.
3Reliability
If a pre-filter is added to the recycling pipe intake, then water quality and hygienic conditions improve, but maintenance requirements and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-filter performs preliminary particle removal at the drain level, capturing contaminants before water enters the recycling system. This preliminary action protects downstream equipment and reduces the burden on central filtration systems, lowering overall maintenance requirements and operational costs despite the added filter component.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-filter is designed to handle only the largest particles and initial contamination, performing partial filtration at the drain level. This allows the central recycling system to focus on more sophisticated treatment, dividing maintenance tasks into manageable portions and reducing overall system maintenance complexity.
4Reliability
If the diverter is designed to force all water through the buffer, then water quality control improves, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diverter is designed to work with the natural gravitational flow of water, creating a smooth transition that guides water through the buffer without requiring pumps or complex control mechanisms. By aligning the diverter geometry with natural water flow patterns, the system achieves reliable water quality control while maintaining simple installation and operation.
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 solution enhances the reliability and hygienic conditions of water recycling by allowing for effective water quality analysis and controlled recirculation, reducing maintenance needs and operational costs while ensuring reliable water flow and efficient particle removal.
Implementation Method 1
a number of angled flaps arranged in the water buffer such that water received by the water buffer via the drain inlet is set in a circular motion in the water buffer
Implementation Method 2
the recycling pipe intake comprising an open end... The open end of the recycling pipe intake may be directed towards the bottom surface of the water buffer
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
The present inventive concept relates to a drain for a water recycling device, the drain comprising a drain inlet configured to receive used water from an outlet of the water recycling device; a water buffer configured to hold a volume of water, wherein the water buffer comprises an outer wall element and a bottom surface; a recycling pipe comprising an recycling pipe intake, the recycling pipe intake comprising an open end, wherein the recycling pipe and the recycling pipe intake is configured to receive used water to be recycled from the water buffer; and a buffer outlet configured to output water from the water buffer. The present inventive concept also relates to a method for collecting water to be recycled in a drain of a water recycling device.