# US 2018/0021734 A1 · Water treatment system and method for treating water located in a water reservoir > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021734 A1 - Document ID: US20180021734A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/538,303 - Filed: 2015-12-22 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-22 - Assignees: VEDER Waterbox GmbH - Applicants: VEDER Waterbox GmbH - Inventors: Harald EDER; Volker VIECHTBAUER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021734A1 ## CPC - B01D 65/02: Membrane cleaning or sterilisation {; Membrane regeneration} - B01D 15/361: {Ion-exchange} - B01D 61/145: {Ultrafiltration} - B01D 61/20: Accessories; Auxiliary operations - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/444: {by ultrafiltration or microfiltration} - C02F 1/50: by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment {(C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence)} - C02F 1/68: by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K) - B01D 2317/04: Elements in parallel - B01D 2321/04: Backflushing - B01D 2321/16: Use of chemical agents - B01D 2321/185: Aeration - C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds} - C02F 2103/42: from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools - C02F 2209/03: Pressure - C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate - C02F 2301/046: Recirculation with an external loop - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2303/16: Regeneration of sorbents, filters - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - 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) ## Abstract The invention relates to a water treatment system (1) and a method for treating water (2) located in a water reservoir (3). The water treatment system (1) comprises a recirculation means (4) and a membrane filtration means (9) with a plurality of filter modules (10) disposed in the recirculation means (4). The water treatment system (1) particularly comprises a gas supply means (24) by which gas can be introduced into the filter modules (10) to clean the membranes of the filter modules (10) of the membrane filtration means (9) or by which gas supply means (24) gas can be introduced into the water reservoir (3) at one or more locations, periodically or when required, to circulate and mix up the water (2). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-33. (canceled) ### Claim 34 Method for treating water (2) located in a water reservoir (3), for example in a swimming pool, pond or aquarium, in particular for cleaning and disinfecting the water (2), comprising: removing a pre-settable quantity of water (2) per unit of time from the water reservoir (3) via one or more extraction line(s) (6) of a recirculation means (4); filtering the removed partial quantity of water (2) by means of a membrane filtration means (9) disposed in the recirculation means (4), the membrane filtration means (9) comprising a number of filter modules (10) fluidically connected in a parallel arrangement; returning the water to the'water reservoir (3) via one or more return line(s) (7) of the recirculation means (4); cleaning the membranes of the filter modules (10), periodically or when required, by backwashing with a backwashing liquid by reversing the direction of flow through the filter modules (10) compared with that of the filtration operation and discharging the dirty liquid occurring during backwashing via a discharge (17), wherein in order to clean the membranes of the filter modules (10) of the membrane filtration means (9), gas is introduced by a gas supply means (24) into the filter modules (10) on the intake side or the gas is introduced into the water reservoir (3) at one or more locations by the gas supply means (24), periodically or when required, to circulate the water (2) in the water reservoir (3), the gas supply means (24) being used either to flush the filter modules (10) with gas or to circulate and mix the water (2) in the water reservoir (3). ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein an operation for cleaning the membranes of the filter modules (10) is run in such a way that gas is introduced simultaneously into all the filter modules (10) on the intake side and then presettable partial quantities of the filter modules (10) are sequentially backwashed with the backwashing liquid by reversing the direction of flow through the filter modules (10). ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein an operation for cleaning the membranes of the filter modules (10) is run in such a way that gas is introduced simultaneously into all the filter modules (10) on the intake side, after which each filter module (10) is sequentially individually backwashed with the backwashing liquid by reversing the direction of flow through the filter modules (10). ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the filter modules (10) are backwashed with mains water. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) Method according to claim 37, wherein cleaning chemicals are added to the mains water when backwashing a filter module (10). ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein a filter module (10) is backwashed with a flow volume of backwashing liquid of between 70 l/m2mem*h and 700 l/m2mem*h and with a flow speed of the backwashing liquid through the filter module (10) of between 0.02 m/s and 1.0 m/s. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein a filter module (10) can be cleaned on the intake side with a gas flow volume of between 0.2 Nm3/m2mem*h and 5.0 Nm3/m2mem*h and a flow speed of the gas through the filter module (10) of between 0.1 m/s and 2 m/s. ### Claim 41 (depends on 36) Method according to claim 36, wherein in order to end an operation for cleaning and flushing a filter module (10), the intake of mains water into the filter module (10) is halted, the backwashing water remaining in the filter module (10) is displaced by the gas and directed away via a discharge (17), and the filter module (10) is filled with mains water before resuming the filtration operation. ### Claim 42 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the flow quantity of water (2) through the filter modules (10) is detected during the filtration process and an operation for cleaning the filter modules (10) is initiated when there is a drop below a pre-settable threshold value for the flow quantity. ### Claim 43 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the pressure loss across the filter modules (10) is detected during the filtration process and an operation for cleaning the filter modules (10) is initiated when a pre-settable threshold value for the pressure loss is exceeded. ### Claim 44 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein in order to circulate the water (2) in the water reservoir (3), gas is introduced into the water reservoir (3) with a gas flow volume of between 0.05 Nm3/m3wr*h and 5 Nm3/m3wr*h at periodic time intervals. ### Claim 45 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the water (2) is directed through an activated carbon filter (31) fluidically incorporated in the recirculation means (4). ### Claim 46 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein ionic nutrients are removed from the water (2) by means of an ion exchanger (34) fluidically incorporated in the recirculation means (4). ### Claim 47 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein fragrances are added to the water (2) by means of a metering device (22). ### Claim 48 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein substances with an antimicrobial effect are added to the water (2) by means of a metering device (37). ### Claim 49 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the partial quantity of water (2) removed from the water reservoir (3) by the recirculation means (4) per unit of time is selected so that a removal rate of microorganisms that is greater than the growth rate of microorganisms in the water (2) over the same period can be achieved by recirculating and filtering the water (2). ### Claim 50 (depends on 34) Method according to claim 34, wherein the partial quantity of water (2) removed from the water reservoir (3) by the recirculation means (4) per unit of time is selected so that the volume of water (2) contained in the water reservoir (3) overall can be filtered by the membrane filtration means (9) at least once a day and preferably between 2 times and 10 times. ### Claim 51 (depends on 34) Water treatment system (1) for implementing the method according to claim 34, comprising a recirculation means (4) having a pumping device (5), one or more extraction line(s) (6) for removing a pre-settable quantity of water (2) from the water reservoir (3) per unit of time, and one or more return line(s) (7) for returning the water (2) to the water reservoir (3); a membrane filtration means (9) disposed in the recirculation means (4), which comprises a number of filter modules (10) fluidically connected in a parallel arrangement, and the filter modules (10) are connected to the extraction line or lines (6) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation on the intake side and on the filtrate side are connected to the return line or lines (7) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation, and in order to clean the filter modules (10), the filter modules (10) are connected to a backwashing liquid source (16) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation on the filtrate side and on the intake side are connected to a discharge (17) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation, wherein it comprises a gas supply means (24), which, for cleaning the filter modules (10) of the membrane filtration means (9), is connected to the filter modules (10) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation on the intake side so that all of the filter modules (10) can be flushed with gas, and which gas supply means (24) is connected to the return line or lines (7) of the recirculation means (4) by pipes that can be selectively shut off or opened to permit circulation for circulating and mixing the water (2) in the water reservoir (3). ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the filter modules (10) comprise at least two gas inlet connectors (28). ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein a shut-off member (15) co-operates with every filter module (10) of the membrane filtration means (9) on the filtrate side so that the filter modules (10) can be backwashed independently of one another in each case by means of the backwashing liquid source (16). ### Claim 54 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the filter modules (10) of the membrane filtration means (9) are connected to the extraction line or lines (6) via a common shut-off or flow-regulating member (14) on the intake side, and the filter modules (10) are connected to the discharge (17) via a common flow-regulating or shut-off member (18) on the intake side, and on the filtrate side, the filter modules (10) are connected to the return line or lines (7) of the recirculation means (4) and to the backwashing liquid source (16) via at least one switching means (19). ### Claim 55 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the backwashing liquid source (16) is provided in the form of a mains water supply (20). ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) Water treatment system according to claim 55, wherein the filter modules (10) are connected to the mains water supply (20) without a pumping device connected in between. ### Claim 57 (depends on 55) Water treatment system according to claim 55, wherein the mains water supply (20) for the filter modules (10) is provided with a pressure reducer (21). ### Claim 58 (depends on 54) Water treatment system according to claim 54, wherein the mains water supply (20) is provided with a metering device (22) for metering cleaning chemicals into the mains water. ### Claim 59 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the recirculation means (4) comprises a flow sensor (29) for detecting the quantity of water (2) flowing through the filter modules (10) during the filtration process. ### Claim 60 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the recirculation means (4) comprises at least two pressure sensors (30) for detecting the loss of pressure across the filter modules (10) during the filtration process. ### Claim 61 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the recirculation means (4) comprises an activated carbon filter (31). ### Claim 62 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the recirculation means (4) comprises an ion exchanger (34) for removing ionic nutrients. ### Claim 63 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein it comprises a metering device (37) for adding fragrances to the water (2). ### Claim 64 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein it comprises a metering device (35) for adding substances with an antimicrobial effect to the water (2). ### Claim 65 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the number and filtration capacity of the filter modules (10) are selected so that a removal rate of microorganisms that is greater than the growth rate of the microorganisms in the water (2) over the same period can be achieved by recirculating and filtering the water (2). ### Claim 66 (depends on 51) Water treatment system according to claim 51, wherein the number and filtration capacity of the filter modules (10) are selected so that the volume of water (2) contained in the water reservoir (3) overall can be filtered by the membrane filtration means (9) at least once a day and preferably between 2 times and 10 times.