WO2008047392A1

WO2008047392A1 - A modular apparatus for treatment of drinking water, in particular for domestic use

Info

Publication number: WO2008047392A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000748
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuliano Carapezzi
Original assignee: Enia Spa
Priority date: 2006-10-19
Filing date: 2006-10-19
Publication date: 2008-04-24
Also published as: EP1945581A1

Abstract

A modular apparatus for treatment of drinkable water, in particular for domestic use, comprising a first filtration group (2) designed to separate solid particles from supplied potable water and a second filtration group (5) hydraulically connectable to the first filtration group (2) downstream thereof for intercepting organic substances. The first filtration group (2) is associated to a respective first module (6) and the second filtration group (5) is associated to a respective second module (7). The first and the second modules (6, 7) are separate and distinct and are interconnected through at least one hydraulic conduit (8) for water passage and through at least one electric connector (9) for electrical supply.

Description

Description A Modular Apparatus for Treatment of Drinking Water, in particular for Domestic Use

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a modular apparatus for treatment of drinking water, in particular for domestic use.

The present invention can be applied in any dwelling and/or in any public or private structure, such as a health, a commercial or an industrial structure. In particular the present invention is aimed at purifying potable water from a municipal water supply and/or any like water source.

JBackground Art

As is known, there exist apparatuses for treatment of potable water designed to eliminate any organic and suspended substances, to provide a water supply of a predetermined optimal hardness, whose values approximately range between 15 and 20 French degrees, to reduce nitrates below the value of 50 ppm and preferably below 25 ppm, in accordance with existing laws_, (Rule 98/83 CE), and to guarantee sterility in the water supply dispensers. Among the various apparatuses on the market, some prior art ones provided with a filtration unit of a mechanical or of a sediment type are known, such as for instance an active charcoal filter, designed to trap and separate the solid suspended particles from water, such as sand, clay and/or the like. The apparatuses are also provided with a membrane filtration unit, such as the reverse osmosis membrane, aimed at physically separating the substances dissolved in potable water.

The prior art apparatuses can also be provided with an ultrafiltration unit to filter the bacterial loads, and similar organic substances to sterilize potable water supplied.

Given the large number of voluminous components, such as the above- mentioned, the apparatuses need bulky box structures in which the components are arranged and interconnected through some special hydraulic circuits and a considerable number of electrical connections. For domestic installations the bulky structure of the prior art apparatuses is usually arranged above the kitchen sink, or below it inside special containing units.

The installation normally requires a modification, sometimes fundamental and drastic, in the areas where the apparatus is to be located, in order to gain the space necessary for the bulky box structures to be arranged, as well as to guarantee the proper hydraulic and/or electrical connections. The applicant has observed that the apparatuses are susceptible to improvement in many aspects thereof, mainly relating to their volume as well as to the adaptability and their installation flexibility in various locations or destinations.

An aim of the present invention is to resolve the above-cited problems existing in the prior art.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a compact apparatus which is easily adaptable to any location. A further aim of the invention is to protect the structural and aesthetic integrity of the locations in which the above mentioned apparatus will be installed. The specified technical purposes are achieved by a modular apparatus for treating potable water, in particular for domestic use, according to the claims that follow.

Disclosure of Invention Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better result from the following detailed description of a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a modular apparatus for treatment of potable water, in particular for domestic use, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus, in a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a further perspective view of the apparatus, according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus, in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic hydraulic diagram of the apparatus of the preceding figures;

Figure 7 is a schematic hydraulic diagram of the apparatus in a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes in its entirety a modular apparatus for treatment of potable water, in particular for domestic use.

As can be seen in the appended figures, the apparatus 1 comprises a first filtration group 2, hydraulically connectable via a first connection 3 to a water supply 4 of potable water and/or to a similar water source, in order to separate solid particles such as sand, clay etc. from potable water being supplied. The apparatus 1 also comprises a second filtration group 5, hydraulically connectable to the first filtration group 2 downstream thereof, which traps at least the organic substances, such as for instance bacterial loads and/or viruses.

The first filtration group 2 is preferably associated to a first module 6 and the second filtration group 5 is associated to a respective second module 7. Advantageously the first and the second group 6, 7 are separated from each other in two different structures and are connected each other via at least one hydraulic connection 8 for the flow of pre-filtered potable water from the first filtration group 2, and by at least one electrical connection 9 for powering some components. Figures from 1 to 5 show that the first and the second modules 6, 7 both comprise a box structure 6a, 7a, substantially parallelepiped and preferably closed.

Advantageously the box structures 6a, 7a of each module 6, 7 are identical, each having a height A (for reasons of clarity shown only in figure 1) ranging between 90mm and 150 mm, preferably 108 mm; a length L (for reasons of clarity shown only in figure 1) ranging between 350mm and 500 mm, preferably 420 mm, and a width P (for reasons of clarity only shown in figure 1), ranging between 350 mm and 500 mm, preferably 420 mm. In a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in fig. 1 and 2, the first and the second module 6, 7 are on the same lie plane at reciprocally distanced positions, preferably side by side and reciprocally aligned so that the apparatus can be arranged internally of kitchen units or in the base of the unit. In a second, a third and a fourth embodiments, respectively shown in figures 3, 4 and 5, the first and the second modules 6, 7 lie on parallel planes. In the second embodiment (figure 3) the first and the second module 6, 7 are arranged one on top of the other and preferably contacting, thus defining a parallelepiped single component 10 mainly developing on a horizontal plane. In the third embodiment (figure 4) the first and the second module 6, 7 are arranged side by side, preferably touching each other and defining a parallelepiped single component 11, mainly extending in a vertical plane. In the fourth embodiment (figure 5) the first and the second modules 6, 7 are separated from each other at a distanced position for easy installation of the apparatus under a kitchen sink, for instance, without interfering with the pipes normally attached thereto.

In greater detail, the first filtration group 2 comprises at least an inlet 12 for untreated potable water (fig. 6 and 7) which is connectable at a side thereof to the municipal water supply 4 and at another side thereof is hydraulically connected to a supply branch 13 of a corresponding hydraulic circuit 14 (figures 6 and 7).

The supply branch 13 preferably extends between the inlet 12 and a first filtration unit 15, which is a part of the first filtration group 2. The first filtration unit 15 is operatively arranged downstream of the inlet 12 in order to separate solid particles from potable water coming from the municipal water supply 4.

Advantageously the first filtration unit 15, comprises a mechanical first filter (not shown) including a sieve with a pore diameter comprised between 50 and 20 micron, preferably 20 micron; a mechanical second filter (not shown) including a sieve with a pore diameter ranging between 5 and 20 micron, preferably 5 micron, and an active charcoal third filter (not shown), all arranged in series.

The active charcoal third filter is preferably interposed between the other two filters, respectively downstream of the mechanical first filter and upstream of the mechanical sieve second filter.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a first single-acting valve 16 and a first solenoid valve 16a, operatively arranged between the inlet 12 and the first filtration unit 15, activatable to stop or to allow potable water to pass along the supply branch 4. Downstream of the first filtration unit 15, the supply branch 4 comprises, at an end thereof, a by-pass 17 from which a first dispensing branch 18 and a second dispensing branch 19 extend, preferably in parallel. Advantageously the first and the second dispensing branch 18, 19 extend through the first and the second filtration group 2, 5. The first dispensing branch 18 is provided, in series, with a second and a third single-acting valve 20, 21, each being arranged in a corresponding connection 22, 23 located at the periphery of each module 6, 7.

In this way a corresponding first conduit 8a of a hydraulic connection (figure 6, 7) developing externally between the modules 6 and 7 defines a portion of the first dispensing branch 18 which is delimited by the second and third sngle-acting valve 20, 21. The first dispensing branch 18 is equipped with a first flow regulator 24 downstream of the third single-acting valve 21. Downstream of the flow dispenser 24 and of the first filtration unit 15, apparatus 1 comprises a second filtration unit 25 predisposed to trap the bacterial loads contained in the water coming from the first filtration unit 15 but to allow the passage of salts and minerals previously contained in potable water from the municipal water supply 4. The second filtration unit 25 is preferably of the ultrafiltration type and is also designed to perform a molecule weight cut-off of between 5000 MW and 20000 MW in water flowing through the second dispensing branch 18. With reference to figure 6, the first dispensing branch 18 is connected, on an opposite side to the supply branch 4, to at least one dispenser connection 26, with a first on-off valve 27 and a fourth single-acting valve 28 interposed. Figure 6 shows that the second dispensing branch 19 includes, downstream of the by-pass 17, a fifth single-acting valve 29 operatively arranged upstream of a batching station 30 including a reservoir 30a for anti-encrustation substances, such as polyphosphates for alimentary use, which is connected to a pump 30b on the second dispensing branch. A pumping station 31 is arranged downstream of the batching station 30, which pumping station 31 preferably operates in a pressure range between 5 and 10 bar, as well as a sixth and a seventh single-acting valve 32, 33, both located at a corresponding connection 34, 35 on the peripheral area of each module 6, 7. In this way a second duct 8b of a hydraulic connection (figures 6, 7) extending externally and between modules 6, 7, forms a portion of the second dispensing branch 19 which is delimited by the sixth and seventh single-acting valve 32, 33. The apparatus 1 further advantageously comprises a third filtration unit 36 located downstream of the first filtration unit 15 in order to separate organic substances, such as bacterial loads and viruses, and inorganic substances, such as salts and minerals, from water coming from the first filtration unit 15. The third filtration unit 36, designed to perform the physical separation of the substances dissolved in water, is preferably of the reverse osmosis type with a large permeable surface, preferably about 2.5 m².

In order to achieve a large osmotically permeable surface the third filtration unit 36 comprises at least a pair of osmotic membranes 36a, 36b connected in parallel. Downstream of the third filtration unit 36 the second dispensing branch 19 is provided with a pressure switch 37, a conductivity meter 38 a second on-off valve 39 and a seventh single-acting valve 40. As evident in figure 6, the second dispensing branch 19 is hydraulically connected, on the side opposite the supply branch 4, to a corresponding dispenser connection 41 in order to take off sterile demineralised water from the third filtration unit 36.

The apparatus 1 also includes a third supply branch 42, which is hydraulically connected to the third filtration unit 36 and to a dispenser connection 43 for dispensing waste water coming from the third filtration unit.

A second flow regulator 44 and an eighth single-acting valve 45 are preferably operatively arranged between the third filtration unit 36 and the corresponding dispenser connection 43 of the third dispensing branch 42. With reference to figure 6, the apparatus 1 comprises a fourth dispensing branch 46 which is hydraulically connected at one end to the first and the second dispensing branch 18, 19, respectively downstream of the second and the third filtration unit 25, 36, and at the other end to a corresponding dispenser connection 47 for dispensing mineralised sterile water resulting from mixing water coming from the second filtration unit 25 with water from the third filtration unit 36.

A regulation device 48 is preferably operatively arranged at the connection of the first 18, the second 19 and the fourth dispensing branches 46 in order to regulate the mixing of waters coming from the second and the third filtration units 25, 36. Still with reference to figure 6, a second solenoid valve 49 and a ninth single- acting valve 50 are arranged between the regulation device 48 and the corresponding dispenser connection 47. In figures 6 and 7, the first filtration group 2 comprises the first filtration unit 15, the batching station 30 and the pumping station 31, while the second filtration group 5 comprises the second and third filtration units 25, 36. In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, shown in figure 7, the apparatus 1 can comprise a plurality of identical second filtration groups 5, each located in a corresponding second module 7 and both hydraulically and electrically connected to a single first filtration group 2. In this way the filtration of solid particles suspended in potable water from the municipal water supply 4 is centralized in one single filtration group 2, which could for instance serve an entire shared system supplying various users, and to which a plurality of second filtration groups 5 could be connected, each one serving one user, i. e. one apartment in the block.

The present invention solves the problems inherent in the prior art and achieves the set aims. Firstly the present invention object is small and easily adaptable to many possible locations in the different apartments.

In more detail, the modularity of the above mentioned apparatus permits a fragmentation of the entire structure with consequent great installation flexibility, which means easier installation and preservation of the structural and aesthetic characteristics of the environment. In other terms the possible arrangement of the first and the second modules in any position and in any housing afforded in the kitchen furniture or in another like unit, means that the location and installation of the module is extremely practical and rapid without any need for substantial interventions and/or modifications to the room in which the installation is to be made.

Claims

Claims.

1). A modular apparatus for treatment of potable water, in particular for domestic use, comprising: a first filtration group (2), hydraulically connectable to a potable water supply

(4) and/or any like water source, the first filtration group (2) being designed to separate solid particles from supplied potable water; a second filtration group (5), hydraulically connectable to the first filtration group (2) downstream thereof, for intercepting at least organic substances; wherein the first filtration group (2) is associated to a corresponding first module (6) and the second filtration group (5) is associated to a corresponding second module (7), the first module (6) and the second module

(7) being separate and distinct from one another and being interconnected by at least one hydraulic conduit (8) for passage of water, and by at least one electric connector (9) for supply of electricity.

2). The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) each comprise a parallelepiped box structure (6a, 7a).

3). The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) each comprise a substantially closed box structure (6a, 7a).

4). The apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the box structures (6a, 7a) of the first module (6) and the second module (7) are identical.

5). The apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each box structure (6a, 7a) has a height of between 90 mm and 150 mm, preferably 108 mm, a length ranging between 350 mm and 500 mm, preferably 420 mm, and a depth ranging between 350 mm and 500 mm, preferably 420 mm. 6). The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) are on a same lie plane at distanced positions, preferably side by side and aligned.

7). The apparatus of one or more of claims from 1 to 5, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) lie on parallel lie planes.

8). The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) are arranged one above the other and in reciprocal contact, forming a single parallelepiped structure (10).

9). The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) are arranged side by side, preferably in reciprocal contact, forming a parallelepiped single structure (11).

10). The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first module (6) and the second module (7) are arranged side by side at distanced positions.

11). The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of second filtration groups (5) each one of the second filtration groups (5) being arranged in a corresponding second module (7) and being hydraulically and electrically connected to one first filtration group (2).

12). The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first filtration group (2) comprises: at least one inlet (12) for untreated potable water; a first filtration unit (15) operatively arranged downstream of the inlet (12) in order to separate at least one type of solid suspended particles from incoming potable water.

13). The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first filtration unit (15) of the first filtration group (2) comprises: a mechanical first sieve; a mechanical second sieve; and, an active charcoal filter, the mechanical first and second sieves and the active charcoal filter being arranged in series and the active charcoal filter being interposed between the other filters.

14). The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, wherein the first filtration group (2) also comprises a pumping station (31), operatively associated to a hydraulic circuit (14) of the apparatus (1) downstream of the first filtration group (15). 15). The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second filtration group (5) comprises at least one second filtration unit (25) operatively arranged downstream of the first filtration unit (15) of the first filtration group (2) in order to trap the bacterial loads in water coming from the first filtration unit (15).

16). The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second filtration group (5) comprises a third filtration unit (36) operatively arranged downstream of the first filtration unit (15) of the first filtration group (2) to separate organic and inorganic substances from water coming from the first filtration unit (15). 17). The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second filtration group (5) comprises at least a dispensing connector (26, 41, 47) connected to the second filtration unit (25) and/or the third filtration unit (36) in order to dispense sterile water coming from the second filtration unit (25) or to dispense demineralised sterile water coming from the third filtration unit (36), the second filtration unit (25) and the third filtration unit (26) being connected to each other and to the dispensing connector (26, 41, 47) in order to supply sterile water with a regulable mineralization rate.

18). The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second filtration group (5) comprises at least a tapping connection (43) connected to the third filtration unit (36) for dispensing waste ultra-mineralized water from the third filtration unit (36). 19). The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the third filtration unit (36) of the second filtration group (5) has no connections to any waste water discharge network.

20). The apparatus of any one of claims from 15 to 19, wherein the second filtration unit (25) is a molecular weight cut-off ultrafiltration unit.

21). The apparatus of any one of claims from 16 to 20, wherein the third filtration unit (36) is a membrane filtration unit, preferably comprising at least two osmotic membranes (36a, 36b) in a parallel connection.