US 10,787,375 B2Granted

Ultraviolet water disinfection system

AssigneeSensor Electronics Technology, Inc.

InventorsSaulius Smetona, Timothy James Bettles, Igor Agafonov, Ignas Gaska, Alexander Dobrinsky, Maxim S Shatalov, Arthur Peter Barber, III

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Abstract

A solution for treating a fluid, such as water, is provided. An ultraviolet transparency of a fluid can be determined before or as the fluid enters a disinfection chamber. In the disinfection chamber, the fluid can be irradiated by ultraviolet radiation to harm microorganisms that may be present in the fluid. One or more attributes of the disinfection chamber, fluid flow, and/or ultraviolet radiation can be adjusted based on the transparency to provide more efficient irradiation and/or higher disinfection rates. In addition, various attributes of the disinfection chamber, such as the position of the inlet(s) and outlet(s), the shape of the disinfection chamber, and other attributes of the disinfection chamber can be utilized to create a turbulent flow of the fluid within the disinfection chamber to promote mixing and improve uniform ultraviolet exposure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a disinfection chamber for disinfecting a fluid, the disinfection chamber comprising:
an inner chamber located in a central portion of the disinfection chamber, wherein at least a portion of the inner chamber is transparent to ultraviolet radiation;
a set of ultraviolet radiation sources configured to generate ultraviolet radiation to treat the fluid within the inner chamber of the disinfection chamber, wherein at least one ultraviolet radiation source is operating in a UV-C range;
and
at least one inlet located at a first end of the disinfection chamber, wherein the at least one inlet is fluidly connected to the inner chamber, and at least one outlet located at a second end of the disinfection chamber, wherein the at least one outlet is fluidly connected to the inner chamber, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one inlet directly into the inner chamber of the disinfection chamber and directly out of the inner chamber of the disinfection chamber through the at least one outlet;
a sensing component located adjacent to the disinfection chamber configured to obtain sensing data corresponding to a level of biological activity within the fluid;
and
a control component configured to control an intensity and a frequency of pulsation for the set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the level of biological activity within the fluid.

5 more elements

A system comprising:

a disinfection chamber for disinfecting a fluid, the disinfection chamber comprising:
an outer chamber, the outer chamber including ultraviolet reflective material;
an inner chamber located within the outer chamber and within a central portion of the disinfection chamber, the inner chamber including ultraviolet transparent material;
a mixing element located within the inner chamber configured to mix the fluid within the inner chamber;
a set of ultraviolet radiation sources configured to generate ultraviolet radiation to treat the fluid within the inner chamber, wherein at least one ultraviolet radiation source is operating in a UV-C range;
and
at least one inlet located at a first end of the disinfection chamber, wherein the at least one inlet is fluidly connected to the inner chamber, and at least one outlet located at a second end of the disinfection chamber, wherein the at least one outlet is fluidly connected to the inner chamber, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one inlet directly into the inner chamber and directly out of the inner chamber through the at least one outlet, such that the fluid is only within the inner chamber;
a sensing component located adjacent to the disinfection chamber configured to obtain sensing data corresponding to a level of biological activity within the fluid;
and
a control component configured to control an intensity and a frequency of pulsation for the set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the level of biological activity within the fluid.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/176,362Filed 31 Oct 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 8 Jul 2013
Published: US 2019/0135659 A19 May 2019
Granted: 29 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

C02F 1/325
With ultraviolet light: irradiation devices or lamp constructions
C02F 1/008
Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage: control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
C02F 1/001
Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage: processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance
C02F 1/004
Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance: using large scale industrial sized filters

Family

Application61/843,498Us provisional application · filed 8 Jul 2013
Application61/874,969Us provisional application · filed 6 Sep 2013
Application14/324,528Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jul 2014
Application62/032,730Us provisional application · filed 4 Aug 2014
Application14/817,558Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Aug 2015
US 9,802,840 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Oct 2017
Application62/579,868Us provisional application · filed 31 Oct 2017
Application16/052,980Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Aug 2018
US 10,040,699 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Aug 2018
US 2019/0135659 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 May 2019
Application16/052,980Parent of this continuation
Application14/817,558Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,745,295 B2Related patent
US 2015/0008167 A1Published application
US 2015/0336810 A1Published application
US 2018/0346349 A1Published application
US 10,787,375 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.