Water purification apparatus and method

#Many techniques have been employed for the treatment of impure water so as to provide a potable water supply. Generally the most widely employed techniques involving minimum expense utilize distillation of one form or another, with wide variations in the source of heat energy being employed. One of the major impediments to use of distillation involving rapid boiling of the water is the tendency for foaming to occur with certain types of contamination. This foaming often will require excessively large dimensions for the boiler or an intricate and elongated passage from the boiler to the condenser. Moreover, even with water feedstocks which do not evidence substantial foaming, rapid boiling will frequently produce a tendency for water droplets which are carried by the steam vapors into the condenser. As will be readily appreciated, foam droplets or such water droplets will exhibit the contamination of the feedstock and thereby contaminate the condensate which is produced.

#Another problem which is frequently encountered in certain sections of the world involves the contamination of the water supply by organic compounds which vaporize along with the water in the boiler. Exemplary of such contaminants are carbon tetrachloride and chloroform which result from chlorination of water supplies containing dissolved methane and other hydrocarbons.

#Various types of water purification devices have been suggested for providing potable water in the home, or on shipboard, or in other locations. Many of these devices require substantially continuous operation for efficiency, others require substantial investments, and still others require extensive maintenance from time to time.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water purification apparatus embodying the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus drawn to an enlarged scale with some elements shown in phantom;

#FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the operating components of the apparatus drawn to an enlarged scale and with portions of internal components drawn in phantom line and with portions of some components broken away to reveal internal construction;

#Turning first to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10, the water purifier thereof has the operating elements arranged as to be compactly disposed within a housing illustrated in FIG. 1 and generally designated by the numeral 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 10 includes a lower portion 12 disposed upon four legs 14 and an upper portion 16 having a plurality of vents 18 provided therein. Purified water from the unit is discharged through the outlet 20 of the spigot assembly 22 by pressing upon the discharge button 24. The unit is placed in operation by the switch 25 in the power supply represented by the fragmentarily illustrated power cord 21, and the "on" condition is indicated by the light indicator 23. Not seen in this illustration are the water conduits.

#The overall internal assembly is best seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein water supplied to the boiler assembly generally designated by the numeral 26 is heated to produce steam vapor which is condensed in the condenser assembly generally designated by the numeral 28, and the condensate is then filtered in the filter assembly generally designated by the numeral 30 prior to passage and storage in the tank generally designated by the numeral 32. Water entering the unit through the water inlet 34 is supplied to the condenser assembly 28 or channeled through the filter assembly 30 for passage into the boiler assembly 26 as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

#Turning first in detail to the water supply system, the illustrated embodiment is intended for automatic operation and is therefore coupled to a source of water under pressure through the water inlet 34. Water entering the inlet passes through the internal conduit 36 to the T-connection 38. If the solenoid valve 40 is in the open position, water will pass through the conduit 42 into one coil 44 of the filter assembly 30. Water which is passed through the coil 44 may then pass into the interior of the boiler assembly 26 through the conduit 46 and check valve 48. Water passing to the T-connection 38 through the conduit 36 may be directed into the condenser assembly 28 through the conduit 50 if the solenoid valve 52 is in the open condition. Cooling water is discharged from the condenser assembly 28 through the conduit 54 and may be discharged from the unit through the water outlet 56.