Apparatus and method for photocatalytic purification and disinfection of water and ultrapure water
AssigneeTitan Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGary M. Carmignani, Lee W. Frederick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for the photocatalytic purification and ultrapurification of water. Water containing organic, inorganic and/or biological contaminants is directed through an open cell, three dimensionally reticulated, fluid permeable, semiconductor unit. Within the unit, a semiconductor surface capable of promoting electrons from its valence band to its conduction band, when exposed to a photoactivating light source, removes the contaminants through a photocatalytic reaction.
Claims58
An apparatus for photocatalytic degradation of organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminants in a fluid stream, said apparatus comprising:
- a reactor enclosure having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
- at least one semiconductor unit, interposed between, and in fluid communication with, said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said semiconductor unit including a rigid, transparent or semi-transparent, three-dimensional substrate having a transparent or semi-transparent semiconductor photocatalytic surface with which the fluid stream comes into contact;
- and
- a light emitting device in optical proximity and communication to said at least one semiconductor unit, said light emitting device providing light having a wavelength of about 365 nm;
- wherein said light emitting device and said photocatalytic surface work cooperatively to remove contaminants from the fluid stream by photocatalytic reaction.
A method of degrading organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminants in a fluid stream by photocatalytic reaction, comprising:
- providing at least one semiconductor unit, wherein the semiconductor unit includes a rigid, transparent or semi-transparent, three-dimensional substrate having a transparent or semi-transparent semiconductor photocatalytic surface;
- providing a light emitting device in optical proximity to the photocatalytic surface;
- and
- directing the fluid stream over the photocatalytic surface whereby said contaminants are removed from said fluid stream by photocatalytic reaction in the presence of light having a wavelength of about 365 nm.
A method of purifying water, comprising:
- contacting water from a manufacturing plant, said water containing at least one of organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminants, with a semiconductor unit comprising a transparent or semi-transparent, three-dimensional substrate and a transparent or semi-transparent TiO2 surface;
- and
- photocatalytically reacting said contaminants with light having a wavelength of about 365 nm, thereby removing said contaminants from the water to achieve a total organic carbon content of less than about 1 part per billion.
A method of purifying water, comprising:
- contacting bottled water or water for a point of use application with a semiconductor unit comprising a transparent or semi-transparent, three-dimensional substrate and a transparent or semi-transparent TiO2 surface, said water containing at least one of organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminants;
- and
- photocatalytically reacting said contaminants with light having a wavelength of about 365 nm, thereby removing said contaminants from the water to achieve a total organic carbon content of less than about 1 part per billion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.