# US 10,870,595 B2 · System and method for liquid disinfection

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- Number: US 10,870,595 B2
- Document ID: US10870595B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/844,900
- Filed: 2020-04-09
- Published: 2020-07-30
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-17
- Applicants: Akiyoshi Ohki; Whitney Rich
- Inventors: Akiyoshi Ohki; Whitney Rich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870595B2

## CPC

- C02F 1/34: with mechanical oscillations
- C02F 1/78: with ozone {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)}
- B01F 23/232: using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
- B01F 23/29: {Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams}
- B01F 25/60: Pump mixers, i.e. mixing within a pump
- B01F 33/821: {with consecutive receptacles}
- B01F 35/2111: {Flow rate}
- B01F 35/2132: {Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand (B01F35/2133 takes precedence)}
- B01F 35/2202: {Controlling the mixing process by feed-back, i.e. a measured parameter of the mixture is measured, compared with the set-value and the feed values are corrected}
- B01F 35/2203: {Controlling the mixing process by feed-forward, i.e. a parameter of the components to be mixed is measured and the feed values are calculated}
- B01F 35/2211: {Amount of delivered fluid during a period}
- C02F 1/008: {Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F}
- C02F 1/727: {using pure oxygen or oxygen rich gas}
- B01F 23/237612: {Oxygen}
- B01F 23/237613: {Ozone}
- B01F 2101/305: {Treatment of water, waste water or sewage}
- C02F 2103/002: {Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers}
- C02F 2201/782: Ozone generators
- C02F 2201/784: Diffusers or nozzles for ozonation
- C02F 2209/006: comprising a software program or a logic diagram
- C02F 2209/36: Biological material, e.g. enzymes or ATP
- C02F 2209/38: Gas flow rate
- C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate
- C02F 2301/066: Overpressure, high pressure
- C02F 2303/04: Disinfection
- C02F 2303/26: Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)

## Abstract

The efficiency of water disinfection can be significantly increased by supplying the ozone in combination with oxygen to an inlet of a cavitation pump or a line atomizer. A compressor can be introduced at an inlet of the cavitation pump or the line atomizer, compressing the gas mixture at a pressure higher than the pressure within pump or the atomizer. The compressed gases are provided to the inlet of the atomizer or the pump, where the compressed gases mix with the water and enter the cavitation pump or the line atomizer (where most of the dissolution of the gases happens). The compressor allows to increase the amount of oxygen and ozone provided to the pump or the line atomizer, increasing their dissolved concentration. In addition to the disinfecting properties, the higher level of oxygen correlates to an improved taste of the water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for atomizer-based liquid disinfection, comprising:
one or more pipes through which a liquid contaminated by microorganisms is supplied to a line atomizer;
a gas generator configured to generate a gas mixture comprising oxygen and ozone and to pump the gas mixture to a compressor;
the compressor connected to pressurize the gas mixture, wherein the gas mixture compresses while pressurized, and to move the pressurized gas mixture to one of the pipes at an intake of the line atomizer at a pressure greater than a pressure within the line atomizer; and
the line atomizer configured to dissolve at least a portion of the pressurized gas mixture within the liquid, wherein the dissolved oxygen and ozone reduce a concentration of the microorganisms within the liquid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a flow meter configured to measure a flow rate of the liquid through one or more of the pipes,
wherein an amount of the gas mixture pumped into one or more of the pipes by the gas generator is set based on the measured flow rate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A system according to claim 2, wherein the amount of the gas mixture is increased proportionally to an increase in the flow rate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a computer in control of the gas generator and configured to modify an amount of the gas mixture pumped by the gas generator into the one or more pipes, wherein the amount of the gas mixture pumped by the gas generator into the one or more pipes is modified by the computer based one or more tests conducted on the liquid following the dissolution of the further portion of the gas mixture by the line atomizer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A system according to claim 4, wherein the tests comprise determining a density of the microorganisms within the liquid and determining one or more types of the microorganisms within the liquid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A system according to claim 4, wherein the tests are conducted multiple times a day.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A system according to claim 6, further comprising:
one or more sensors configured to conduct the tests under the multiple times a day under a control of the computer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises greywater.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A system according to claim 1, wherein the line atomizer churns and mixes the gas mixture and the liquid under a pressure of 0.0981 MPa-5.394 MPa.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A system according to claim 1, further comprising:
the gas generator configured to generate the ozone by passing oxygen through an ultraviolet light.

### Claim 11

A system for cavitation-based liquid disinfection, comprising:
one or more pipes through which a liquid contaminated by microorganisms is supplied to a cavitation pump;
a gas generator configured to generate a gas mixture comprising oxygen and ozone and to pump the gas mixture to a compressor;
the compressor configured to pressurize the gas mixture, wherein the gas mixture compresses while pressurized, and to move the pressurized gas mixture to one of the pipes at an intake of the cavitation pump at a pressure greater than pressure within the cavitation pump; and
the cavitation pump configured to provide cavitation by an impeller of the pump and to cause a formation in the liquid of ultra-fine bubbles via the impeller slicing larger bubbles of the compressed gas mixture into the ultra-fine bubbles to dissolve at least a portion of the pressurized gas mixture within the liquid via the cavitation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A system according to claim 11, further comprising:
a flow meter configured to measure a flow rate of the liquid through one or more of the pipes,
wherein an amount of the gas mixture pumped into one or more of the pipes by the gas generator is set based on the measured flow rate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A system according to claim 12, wherein the amount of the gas mixture is increased proportionally to an increase in the flow rate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

A system according to claim 11, further comprising:
a computer in control of the gas generator and configured to modify an amount of the gas mixture pumped by the gas generator into the one or more pipes,
wherein the amount of the gas mixture pumped by the gas generator into the one or more pipes is modified by the computer based one or more tests conducted on the liquid following the dissolution of the further portion of the gas mixture by the line atomizer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A system according to claim 14, wherein the tests comprise determining a density of the microorganisms within the liquid and determining one or more types of the microorganisms within the liquid.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

A system according to claim 14, wherein the tests are conducted multiple times a day.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A system according to claim 16, further comprising:
one or more sensors configured to conduct the tests under the multiple times a day under a control of the computer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

A system according to claim 11, wherein the liquid comprises greywater.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

A system according to claim 11, wherein the ultra-fine bubbles are of a diameter from 1 nm-30,000 nm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

A system according to claim 11, further comprising:
the gas generator configured to generate the ozone by passing oxygen through an ultraviolet light.