Water purification unit
OwnerRolf Engelhardinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Water to be purified swirls about a source of ultraviolet radiation to kill any microorganisms contained therein and flows through a carbon filter cartridge mounted about the ultraviolet source to remove any chlorine and particulate matter. The outflow from the carbon filter is again subjected to ultraviolet radiation to kill any microorganisms entrained in the water emanating from the carbon filter. An ozone generator may be incorporated to entrain ozone with the inflowing water to enhance killing of any microorganisms present and to oxidize any undesirable compounds.
Claims22
A water purification apparatus comprising in combination:
- (a) a sleeve member having first and second end portions;
- (b) a source of UV radiation for killing microorganisms present in the water to be purified, said UV source being disposed within said sleeve member and having first and second end sections;
- (c) an inlet member disposed in said first end portion of said sleeve member for introducing unfiltered water into a first space defined by said first end portion of said sleeve member and said first end section of said UV source to subject the unfiltered water to UV radiation for killing microorganisms and to produce irradiated unfiltered water;
- (d) a filter element located in said second end portion of said sleeve member and disposed proximate said second end section of said UV source and having an inner surface juxtaposed with said second end section of said UV source to define a second space between said UV source and said inner surface of said filter element for irradiating filtered irradiated water flowing into and through said second space, said filter element including an outer surface;
- (e) means for introducing the irradiated unfiltered water to said outer surface of said filter element;
- (f) means for preventing direct flow of unfiltered irradiated water from said first space to said second space and for directing flow of irradiated unfiltered water from said first space through said filter element into said second space to filter the irradiated unfiltered water flowing through said filter element and to produce filtered irradiated water flowing into said second space;
- and
- (g) means for discharging form said apparatus the filtered twice irradiated water irradiated within and flowing through said second space.
A method for purifying water within an apparatus having a sleeve member housing a UV source and a filter element, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) introducing unfiltered water through an inlet into a first space defined by a first portion of the sleeve member and a first section of the UV source;
- (b) irradiating the unfiltered water within the first space by subjecting the unfiltered water to UV radiation to kill microorganisms and to produce irradiated unfiltered water;
- (c) introducing the irradiated unfiltered water to an outer surface of the filter element;
- (d) filtering the irradiated unfiltered water through the filter element;
- (e) irradiating the filtered irradiated water within a second space defined by an inner surface of the filter element located in a second portion of the sleeve member and a second section of the UV source, and
- (f) discharging the twice irradiated filtered water from the sleeve member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.