US 7,413,663 B2Granted

Water treatment apparatus and method

AssigneeZero Technologies, LLC

InventorsRajan G. Rajan, Mathu G. Rajan

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Abstract

A water treatment apparatus includes a housing comprising multiple housing portions and a plurality of treatment sections disposed within the housing, each treatment section comprising at least one distinct particulate layer. The apparatus is designed so that no water pressure need be applied to force the water through the apparatus, as gravity pulls the water down through the filtering layers. Water may also be force fed through the treatment apparatus; when the water is force fed, the housing portions need not be vertically stacked, but may be configured in any suitable arrangement. The treatment sections are distributed through the various housing portions in logical groups to perform various kinds of filtering. The housing portions are detachable and sealably stackable in multiple configurations, thus passing water through more or fewer treatment layers, depending on the quality of the incoming water.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A water treatment apparatus adapted to remove at least one of organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from untreated liquid water to produce potable water suitable for human consumption, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having an inlet for receiving untreated liquid water, an outlet for discharging liquid potable water, and a means for lengthening dwell time positioned near or as part of the outlet of the housing;
a plurality of distinct particulate treatment layers positioned within the housing and having substantially the same cross-sectional area as the housing, including:
(a) a first activated carbon layer for removing chlorine or organic contaminants in the untreated liquid water;
(b) a redox alloy layer for neutralizing pH in the water;
(c) a second activated carbon layer for removing residual chlorine or organic contaminants in the water;
and
(d) an ion exchange resin layer for removing inorganic and radiological contaminants in the water;
and
at least one separator member positioned within the housing and adjacent to at least one of the particulate treatment layers, the at least one separator member being adapted to control the flow of water through the housing,
wherein the untreated water enters the apparatus through the inlet, passes through each particulate treatment layer in sequential order, and is discharged through the outlet, thereby producing potable water suitable for human consumption.

7 more elements

A method for treating untreated liquid water to remove at least one of organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from untreated liquid water to produce liquid potable water suitable for human consumption, the method comprising the steps:

(a) passing untreated liquid water through a water treatment apparatus adapted to remove at least one of organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from untreated liquid water to produce potable water suitable for human consumption, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an inlet for receiving untreated liquid water, an outlet for discharging liquid potable water, and a means for lengthening dwell time positioned near or as part of the outlet of the housing;
a plurality of distinct particulate treatment layers positioned within the housing and having substantially the same cross-sectional area as the housing, including:
(a) a first activated carbon layer for removing chlorine or organic contaminants in the untreated liquid water;
(b) a redox alloy layer for neutralizing pH in the water;
(c) a second activated carbon layer for removing residual chlorine or organic contaminants in the water;
and
(d) an ion exchange resin layer for removing inorganic and radiological contaminants in the water;
and at least one separator member positioned within the housing and adjacent to at least one of the particulate treatment layers, the at least one separator member being adapted to control the flow of water through the housing,
wherein the untreated water enters the apparatus through the inlet, passes through each particulate treatment layer in sequential order, and is discharged through the outlet, thereby producing potable water suitable for human consumption;
and
(b) collecting the potable water that is discharged through the outlet.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/847,015Filed 29 Aug 2007 · division
Priority: 26 Sep 1994
Published: US 2008/0041790 A121 Feb 2008
Granted: 19 Aug 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

C02F 1/003
Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance: using household-type filters for producing potable water,…
C02F 1/28
Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage: by sorption
C02F 1/281
By sorption: using inorganic sorbents
C02F 1/288
By sorption: using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered

Family

Application08/311,943Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Sep 1994
Application08/867,910Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jun 1997
Application09/951,479Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Sep 2001
Application10/408,658Parent of this division · filed 8 Apr 2003
US 6,572,769 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jun 2003
US 5,635,063 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Jun 2007
US 2008/0041790 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Feb 2008
US 7,276,161 B2Parent of this division
Application10/408,658Parent of this continuation
Application08/867,910Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0117436 A1Published application
US 2004/0094465 A1Published application
US 7,413,663 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.