Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
WATER POTABILIZING EQUIPMENT
The present invention refers to a utility model named "Water Potabilizing
Equipment", more specifically, a functional constructive novelty, which offers
a new shape and disposition of means, thus entailing a better use and
performance of their function.
Availability of potable water suitable for human consumption, is an essential
need in any living environment.
Nevertheless, there are some inhabited areas which even nowadays lack the
vital element. And further, it may occur that circumstantial factors may cut
off
temporarily the traditional potabilizing plants operating in fixed locations,
during long or short periods.
Our objective is not to describe known technical principles, based on which
great potabilizing plants established on fixed locations operate, since the
same are widely known and universally accepted.
On the basis of such general principles, we have created a water potabilizing
equipment, meant even for human consumption, which, despite being highly
efficient and functional is essentially compact, concentrated on a physical
volume which is herein called frame, of only about 20 cubic meters, making
the unit easy to transport on a road vehicle or the like, which is another
advantageous result.
We have thus achieved a revolution in the art in this field, since potable
water,
preferably for human consumption, may reach any area by means of an easy
means of transport and essentially, pursuant to technologies that have been
chosen among widely proved multiple options, although adapted to the above
established conditions.
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
- 2 -
The achievements of our research in this topic show outstanding
technological progress which exceeds environmental and human general
health and hygiene requirements, especially in rural areas or small villages.
The foregoing is available to everyone by using our portable and compact
water potabilizing equipment.
In order to allow for a better understanding of the following description, we
have added figures which are based on one of the preferred embodiments of
our utility model. It is obvious that, since the mentioned figures are not
meant
to represent said model, they do not limit the actual scope of the protection
applied for. Said scope must be set pursuant to law and current practices in
this topic, based on the following set of claims attached hereto for such
purpose. The added pictures show the following aspects of the actual
embodiment chosen to that effect.
The attached picture shows views and summarized functional sections of the
water potabilizing equipment herein disclosed, which, as established
heretobefore, is a new combination on known means which, when
appropriately chosen and adapted, allow for a better performance and make
the equipment compact and easy to carry from one place to the other.
In synthesis, our creation is a water potabilizing equipment, of compact
design (its nominal capacity may be 10m I hour; 50m I hour; 100m/ hour) and
a preferably metallic structure which may be easily transported and functions
as its frame.
The water potabilizing process carried out in said plants comprises four
different stages:
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
- 3 -
1. Fast Mixture
Raw or untreated water is quickly mixed with the chemicals (coagulants}
which enable the formation of coagulums with the suspended matter in the
water, for the same to be later separated.
Said process is carried out by creating a turbulence by means of a plate with
a hole in it which is placed in the raw water input pipe. Aluminum sulfate is
used as coagulant.
2. Flocculation
By stirring the coagulated water, contact among coagulums is encouraged,
which group together forming bigger and heavier flocks.
Stirring is carried out in two stages. During the first, energy is added to
the
water by means of engine operated vanes (mechanical flocculation).
During the second stage, the water's own hydraulic energy is used, making
water flow through narrow channels, alternating upward flow with downward
flow (hydraulic flocculation).
3. Settling
During this stage, the suspended flocks which are heavier than water are
separated by means of gravity.
The process occurs when the water raises slowly inside the treatment unit,
through flat sloping parallel plates.
The heavier flocks descend and are deposited on the plates, and due to
gravity, they slide towards the bottom where they are gathered in hoppers
for their later removal.
a
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
- 4 /-
The slow raising encourages the contact of the flocks entering from the
flocculator with those which are precipitating, which allows for an easier
contact among the particles and an improvement in their decantation size and
weight.
4. Filtration
It is the final stage inside the compact plant.
The settled water still comprises small flocks which have not been separated
during the foregoing process. These will be held by a filter layer of sand and
gravel when the water flows downwards.
As a summary, the modular plants created by OSE use gravity settling to
remove flocculator caused flocks.
They are portable, mass produced potabilizing plants, adaptable to different
raw water qualities from our superficial sources: rivers, brooks, lagoons,
lakes, etc.
The whole process and treatment units are built in or mounted in one body,
and thus, no independent units or chambers to be mounted or attached in situ
are necessary, making installation easier and avoiding additional
difficulties.
The object of this plant is the purification of water, by means of the
following
processes: coagulation, flocculation, settling and filtration.
The following are particular features of the equipment:
FLOCCU LATION:
Flocculation consists of stirring coagulated water to cause the formation of
flocks, so that the same may reach the appropriate size and consistency to
settle.
The process may be carried out in two ways: (1 ) by mechanical stirring
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
- 5 -
(mechanical flocculation), (2) or making use of the fluid's energy (hydraulic
flocculation) (6).
Both ways are used: a first stage of mechanical flocculation and a second
stage of hydraulic flocculation.
The combination of both processes allows for the operation parameters to
vary, in order for the appropriate results to be obtained according to the
quality of the water source.
SETTLING
The settling system (7) is of laminar flow and high rates, with parallel flat
stainless steel plates which allow mud to slide off more easily.
Input of flocculated water occurs at the bottom part, through longitudinal
ducts
of variable section, with side holes.
Settled water (8) is collected through longitudinal flumes with serrated
tipped
triangular outputs.
FILTRATION
Preferably, the equipment has four fast sand filters, with rates which may be
graded at variable stages. Said equipment possesses a particular feature by
which, between each cycle, the filter rate is of "continuous decline" type.
The
filtration system is controlled by means of a control valve (10) located at
the
output collector, which keeps water level (common to all four filters) within
a
range of variable regulation of a few centimeters, according to the
requirements of the system.
CA 02343507 2001-04-05
- 6 -
In the frame (1 ), which has limited proportions and volume as mentioned
heretobefore, a fast mixture section (2) is placed, coagulation and mechanical
flocculation (3) of the colloidal particles contained in the water to be
potabilized
occur, due to the addition of coagulants (4), as well as stirring and
flow by means of vane rotors (5) operated by variable speed gear motor
reducers.
The water, after being thus treated, undergoes a hydraulic flocculation
process (6) which has already been described.
Next, the water passes to a second section of the frame body where settling
takes place (7), separating the previously formed flocks which settle in the
shape of sediment in the collector hoppers (8).
Finally, water enters the filtration section (9) in which the level is kept
steady
by means of a valve (10) placed in the purified water output collector.
The object of the present invention has been herein described and illustrated,
proving that the same complies with the requirements of the applicable law in
force, and is not comprised within the prohibitions said laws establish, so
that
the protection of said utility model may be granted, pursuant to the following
claims.
