Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
  • A61L9/16—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using physical phenomena
  • A61L9/18—Radiation
  • A61L9/20—Ultraviolet radiation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
  • A61L2/16—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using chemical substances
  • A61L2/20—Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours
  • A61L2/202—Ozone
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/72—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by oxidation
  • C02F1/78—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by oxidation with ozone
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F2201/00—Apparatus for treatment of water, waste water or sewage
  • C02F2201/78—Details relating to ozone treatment devices
  • C02F2201/782—Ozone generators

Definitions

• the invention relates to treatment of fluids.
• the invention relates more particularly although not exclusively to sterilising fluids.
• Fluids which are usually defined as gases or liquids include for the purpose of this invention also slurries, homogeneous mixtures, such as soups, as well as effluent and the like.
• the methods and apparatuses of the inventions are capable of treating any mixture or material which can flow or be generally pumped through a chamber for treatment.
• the applications of current interest are food and beverage processing plants, water bottling plants, swimming pools, fish farming, aquariums, secondary effluent treatment or generally any polluted or foul smelling water or air.
• a method of treating fluids comprising thoroughly mixing the fluid with ozone in a chamber and subjecting the mixture to ultraviolet radiation to break down the ozone so that the fluid is simultaneously treated by oxygen atoms released by the radiation and by the radiation itself.
• the ozone may be mixed with a separate fluid in a diffuser and thorough mixing of the fluid with the fluid to be treated achieved by supplying the diffused ozone directly into the chamber.
• the separate fluids are preferably air or oxygen.
• an apparatus for treating fluids comprising an ozone chamber in which ozone is produced from air, a diffuser through which the ozone/air mixture is fed to an ultraviolet chamber so as to be thoroughly mixed with the fluid to be treated and exposed to ultraviolet radiation to simultaneously radiate the fluid and break down the ozone.
• the diffuser may include a micro-diffuser element to evenly disperse the ozone throughout the air mixture and the diffuser may be attached to one side of the ultraviolet chamber adjacent an input end at which the fluid to be treated is supplied to the ultraviolet chamber.
• An outlet may be provided between the ozone chamber and the ultraviolet chamber to release the ozone for use in another apparatus-
• Figure 1 is a front schematic view of one apparatus
• Figure 2 is a sectional enlarged view of a micro diffuser for use in the apparatus.
• Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of another apparatus
• Figure 4 is a schematic elevation of the other apparatus
• Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the other apparatus; and Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a diffuser for use in the other apparatus.
• a generally conventional ozone chamber 10 is connected to a supply of compressed air and includes an ozone lamp (not shown), for example, a mercury lamp having an output generally about 1850 A.
• the lamp output converts oxygen in the air in the chamber 10 to ozone.
• An outlet 11 of the chamber 10 is connected to supply the ozone/air mixture to either a valved outlet 12, to release the mixture to atmosphere or for use in other treatment apparatus, or to a diffuser 13, shown in more detail in Figure 2.
• a water reservoir 14 and a drain 15 are provided for collecting and removing accumulated condensed water vapour from time to time.
• the diffuser 13 includes a porous inert micro-diffuser element 16 to the top of which the ozone/air mixture is supplied under pressure to disperse the ozone evenly throughout the air mixture as it is released into the ultraviolet chamber 18.
• the fluid to be treated is supplied and pumped into the apparatus via an inlet 17 into an ultraviolet chamber 18.
• the release of the ozone mixture into the ultraviolet chamber 18 via the diffuser causes thorough mixing of the ozone with the fluid to be treated.
• the chamber 18 includes a mercury vapour lamp (not shown) which radiates the fluid and ozone mixture in the chamber with ultraviolet light as it passes to an apparatus outlet 19.
• the fluid discharged from the outlet 19 is fully treated and contains no ozone.
• the ozone/air mixture may be mixed with an additional separate fluid, as described later, as or before the ozone enters the diffuser.
• the method of treating fluids and the apparatus described comprises in its simplest form a simultaneous ozone and ultraviolet treatment.
• Ozone is already known for treating, and especially sterilising, fluids.
• sterilisation processes which use ultraviolet radiation are already currently practised- It has not however been proposed before to apply ultraviolet radiation to a fluid to be treated which has been mixed, and in this embodiment thoroughly mixed, with ozone.
• the ultraviolet radiation is applied to an "ozone rich" fluid resulting in practice to an overall much more and surprisingly effective treating process.
• Typical and satisfactory apparatuses have fluid through-flow rates of between about 80 and 500 litres per minute.
• the ozone generated and used amounts to about 15 grams per hour and the total electric power consumption (for forming the ozone and creating the ultraviolet radiation) Is between about 500 and 800 watts, respectively for the two flow rates-
• An advantage of embodiments of the invention is that ozone is broken down by the ultraviolet radiation.
• the method can be readily arranged so that any ozone remaining in the mixture is always broken down in the chamber 18. In processes where ozone is used alone, especial care Is required to prevent ozone that Is not used (i-e- broken down) into oxygen or oxides, in the sterilising or treating, is removed or kept free of the fluid after treatment.
• the apparatus shown in Figures 3 to 6, comprises two ozone chambers 20 and 21 and two ultraviolet chambers 22 and 23.
• Each chamber is provided with two or more elongate lamps (not shown) extending along their lengths in sealed enclosures within the chambers to radiate the insides of the chambers with ultraviolet radiation in a manner well known per se.
• the chambers 20 and 21 receive a supply of air from which, in use, the ozone is formed.
• the air also carries the ozone to chambers 22 and 23 as discussed in more detail below.
• the chambers 22 and 23 are connected in parallel by tubes to receive at inlet ends fluid to be treated and at their outlet ends to allow the treated fluid to flow away.
• Other generally conventional components shown in the Figures do not form direct parts of the present invention.
• Diffusers 24 having micro-diffuser elements 25 incorporating ceramic particles or fibres are fitted to the sides of the chambers 22 and 23 adjacent their inlet ends and air is supplied together with the ozone from the chambers 20 and 21 into the diffusers. Ozone entering the chambers is therefore effectively dispersed or diffused to spread out and so as to thoroughly mix with the fluid to be treated in the chambers 22 and 23.
• the ultraviolet radiation not only acts on an . Impurities or organic matter in the fluid but also releases atomic oxygen by breaking down the ozone molecules. This breaking down of ozone under the action of radiation while it is thoroughly mixed with the fluid to be treated provides that the fluid is simultaneously acted upon directly by the ultraviolet radiation and also the released oxygen atoms.
• the radiation in the ultraviolet chambers 22 and 23 preferably has a wavelength of 2537 A and it has been found that if the simultaneous activity Is carried out as described with the oxygen atoms being released as a result of the radiation, the treating time can be reduced to a few minutes whereas if the same effective treatment is carried out In two stages using ozone and ultraviolet radiation separately, the time required for the same results is several times, say ten times, longer.
• the described apparatus may be arranged to provide treated fluid containing a chosen percentage of unreacted ozone to continue to further sterilise or treat the fluid and/or surfaces of pipes and other components which the treated fluid contacts after leaving the ultraviolet chambers 22 and 23.
• the ozone is mixed in the diffusers with air but other fluids may be used including water.
• oxygen may be mixed with the ozone in the diffusers.
• the treated fluid may be re-cycled so as to pass through the ultraviolet chambers twice or several times as may be required.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Treatment Of Water By Oxidation Or Reduction (AREA)
• Physical Water Treatments (AREA)
• Oxygen, Ozone, And Oxides In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

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ID=26299661

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• 1992
  • 1992-10-05 AU AU26870/92A patent/AU2687092A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1992-10-05 JP JP5506740A patent/JPH07500033A/ja active Pending
  • 1992-10-05 WO PCT/GB1992/001820 patent/WO1993006871A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1992-10-05 EP EP92920945A patent/EP0642358A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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