WO2025172825A1

WO2025172825A1 - Fluid treatment device

Info

Publication number: WO2025172825A1
Application number: PCT/IB2025/051399
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter Villa
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2024-02-16
Filing date: 2025-02-11
Publication date: 2025-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-16

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluid treatment device, comprising a filtration and sanitation apparatus.

Description

FLUID TREATEMENT DEVICE

In the field of liquid fluid treatment , with reference in particular to aqueous liquid fluids for civil and industrial use, systems that can act on multiple fronts are es sential :

- Filtration and microfiltration systems to remove impurities present in the water to be treated;

- Sanitization systems to remove microorganisms , mould, algae and, more generally, microbial agents , present even after filtration and/or microfiltration;

- Systems to reduce or remove limescale deposits , which typically form along water pipelines , on surfaces washed with running water and in systems fed by the water mains (damaging them) .

Italian patent No . 102017000070489, in the name of the present Applicant , uses an electric field to reduce or inhibit the above-mentioned problems , overcoming the known problems presented by the systems based on the use, for example, of traditional filter cartridges .

This patent provides a device which is capable of being integrated into a hydraulic circuit located in a water distribution pipeline, which is capable of :

- Filtering water, removing the impurities present in the water to be treated, such as rust , grains of sand, clay particles , . . . ;

- Sanitizing water, preventing the survival and proliferation of microorganisms , fungi, bacteria and algae and ensuring the service life of the cartridge filters ;

- Reducing or removing limescale deposits .

In particular, this patent provides a device comprising :

- a container reversibly connected to a water pipeline,

- a water filtering device comprising a cartridge filter, and

- a water sanitation apparatus comprising two electrodes , namely one bar-shaped electrode and one helical-shaped electrode, connected to an electric power supply; wherein the two apparatuses are housed together into the container .

The water obtained after being treated with said device is pure (preferably pasteurized or sterilized) .

However, the device of the Italian patent 102017000070489 has some disadvantages, in structural, economic and performance terms, which, although satisfactory, are surprisingly overcome by the object of the present invention. The present invention in fact provides a single filtration and sanitization apparatus, which is extremely simplified compared to the mentioned patent and brings surprisingly improved results compared to the known prior art.

Moreover, thanks to such a simplification, the apparatus can be produced on a large scale at an industrial level; the apparatus of the present invention, in fact, turns out to be less expensive, more simplified and standardized to assemble, while still having a performance and reliability much higher than the known ones.

DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be clear from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example and hence in a non-limiting way in the Figures attached hereto, in which:

Figure 1 : a view of the device (200) of the invention comprising a container (100) , a filtration and sanitization apparatus (1) assembled and connected to the manifold (11) ; Figure 2 : a view of a mandrel (2) ; a mandrel covered by a wound wire (5) ; a filter cartridge (6) ;

Figure 3 : a view of the filtration and sanitization apparatus (1) of the present invention comprising the mandrel (2) covered by a wound wire (5) ; a material comprising electrodes (4) ;

- a filter cartridge (3) ; - a material comprising electrodes (4) ;

- electrical wires (16) connected to stainless steel spikes (9) and (10) inserted into said material comprising electrodes ( ) .

Figure 4 : the filtration and sanitization apparatus (1) comprising the mandrel (2) ; a filter cartridge (3) ; a material comprising electrodes (4) ; a wound wire (5) ;

Figure 5 : is a horizontal plan view of one of the possible configurations of the system (300) of the invention, comprising devices (200) arranged in parallel, connected by means of respective manifolds (11) to two segments of the liquid fluid pipeline (12, 13) . The dashed arrows show the flow of the liquid fluid through the system (300) .

The present invention will be described in detailed below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Definitions

As used herein, the term "fluid" means a material (generally consisting of a substance or a mixture of several substances) that does not have its own shape and cannot sustain a shear stress for some appreciable time. Due to the plastic configuration of the particles, the term fluid refers to liquids, gases, plasma. From a macroscopic point of view, fluids are continuous systems, that is, composed of an infinite number of elements. In the category of liquid fluids, it is possible to identify aqueous fluids, such as water, preferably water for civil and industrial use, beverages, and so on.

As used herein, the term "electrode" means a conductor that carries current or creates an electric field in a medium.

As used herein, the term "pipeline" means a set of hydraulic pipes designed to distribute liquid fluids in a network. The distributed fluid is a preferably aqueous liquid fluid, preferably water for civil or industrial use, for example for food use, washing, or for supplying domestic utilities (including toilets) or large or small household appliances (for example washing machines, dishwashers, coffee machines) .

As used herein, the term "mandrel" refers to a perforated tube, preferably made of plastic, as described for example in Fig . 2.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a liquid fluid treatment device (200) comprising a container (100) , wherein said container (100) is characterized in that it comprises a filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) , wherein said filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) comprises: i) a mandrel (2 ) ; ii) a filter cartridge (3) ; iii) a material comprising preferably stratified electrodes (4) ;

- said mandrel (2) being inserted in said filter cartridge (3) ;

- said mandrel (2) and filter cartridge (3) being made of an insulating material, preferably plastic, even more preferably food-grade plastic;

- said mandrel (2) being covered on the outer surface by an insulating material, preferably a wound wire (5) , said wound wire (5) consisting of an insulating material, preferably plastic, even more preferably food-grade plastic;

- the spaces (6) and (7) comprised inside said mandrel (2) and between the outer surface of said mandrel (2) and the inner surface of said filter cartridge (3) , respectively, being filled by said material comprising electrodes (4) , wherein said material (4) is selected from the group consisting of: steel wool, preferably stainless steel wool, steel shavings, preferably stainless steel shavings;

- said filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) being housed in said container (100) .

Said material comprising electrodes (4) is inserted by pressure and/or winding in said spaces (6) and (7) and advantageously allows:

- to obtain the maximum number of electronic concentration points;

- the highest dielectric constant;

- the maximum space-time contact with the treated liquid fluid .

Preferably, said stainless steel wool is 316L stainless steel wool .

Preferably, said stainless steel shavings are 316L stainless steel shavings .

The use of wool, or stainless steel shavings, is also advantageous for manufacturing electrodes aimed at producing hydrogen by hydrolysis since, even in the aforementioned process, obtaining the greatest number of electronic concentration points is essential in the configuration of the cathodes and anodes, greatly reducing the size of the apparatus .

Preferably, said material comprising electrodes (4) further comprises 925 Sterling silver wool (14) . The added 925 Sterling silver wool (14) , in combination with the acting electrodes, amplifies the bactericidal effect and proves to be useful for carrying out natural bactericidal activity in the event of temporary electronic shutdown.

The container (100) of the device (200) of the invention preferably has a substantially cylindrical shape, is hollow and suitable for housing the filtration and sanitization apparatus (1) of the invention.

The mandrel (2) and the filter cartridge (3) of the present invention preferably have a cylindrical and hollow shape. Preferably, said container (100) of said device (200) of the present invention is made of a transparent material, preferably of a polymeric material having high thermal resistance; even more preferably, the transparent material is selected from the group consisting of: a styrene- acetonitrile copolymer SAN (CAS Registry Number: 9003-54-7) polypropylene, more preferably Moplen™ polypropylene, Tritan™ copolyester, more preferably Tritan™ copolyester, preferably Tritan™ TX1001 copolyester (produced by Eastman Chemicals Company) .

Said container (100) , filter cartridge (3) and mandrel (2) are standard products and are easily available to those skilled in the art .

Preferably, the container (100) has a height which is between 10 and 80 cm, between 15 and 50 cm, between 20 and 35 cm.

Preferably, the container (100) has an internal diameter which is between 3 and 25 cm, between 5 and 10 cm; preferably the container has an internal diameter which is approximately equal to 6, 8, 10, 13 cm.

Preferably, in said filter cartridge (3) the filter has a filtration degree which is less than or equal to 60 pm, less than or equal to 20 pm, less than or equal to 10 pm, less than or equal to 5 pm, less than or equal to 1 pm.

The diameter of the filter cartridge (3) is preferably between 3 and 10 cm, preferably 5 cm.

Preferably, the height of said filter cartridge (3) is between 15 and 70 cm, more preferably between 20 and 55 cm, even more preferably it is 50 cm.

Preferably, the height of said mandrel (2) is between 15 and 70 cm, more preferably between 20 and 60 cm, even more preferably between 20 and 55 cm.

Preferably, said device (200) further comprises two preferably stainless steel spikes (9) and (10) , preferably 316L stainless steel, having a diameter and a length suitable for the modular electrical connection, said stainless steel spikes (9) and (10) being inserted into said material comprising electrodes (4) , for example by penetration, in said spaces (6) and (7) , respectively, and connected to an electronic control unit (15) by means of electrical wires (16) . Said spikes (9) and (10) electrically power the electrodes which, reciprocally and alternatively, act as the anode (+ ) and the cathode (-) .

Preferably, the device ( 200 ) of the present invention comprises an electronic control unit ( 15 ) connected to a power supply ( 17 ) and to the material comprising electrodes ( 8 ) by means of stainless steel spikes ( 9 ) and ( 10 ) by means of electrical wires ( 16 ) .

Preferably, said electronic control unit ( 15 ) can be remotely controlled and transmits :

- pin-shaped waves with variable voltage and frequency with instantaneous peaks of over 1 KV, and

- wave sustaining periods .

The electrical peaks of the pin-shaped pulses are able to inhibit the multiplication and survival of microorganisms (bacteria) , mould, or algae, present in the treated water, which would otherwise be harmful to health if ingested or brought into contact with the skin .

Preferably, said electronic control unit ( 15 ) is programmed to periodically reverse the polarity of the electrodes . Advantageously, the following effects are thereby achieved :

- hyper-ionization and consequent transformation of calcium carbonate (CaCOs) present in the treated liquid fluid into aragonite crystals (CaCOs) (aragonite crystals are known to boost the production of serotonin, the beneficial effects of which are scientifically known) ;

- pasteurization of the treated liquid fluid and consequent microbial inactivation by means of a pulsed electric field (PEF, Pulsed Electric Field) ;

- 7KV cold sterilization of the treated liquid fluid, by means of cyclic insertion of instantaneous discharges .

Preferably, said electronic control unit ( 15 ) further comprises other accessory components , as for example :

- miniaturized digital oscilloscope for displaying the functional cycles and any anomalies thereof ; - GSM with remote reporting of function status and any alarms via Wi-Fi;

- LED light alarm indicator.

Preferably, said electronic control unit (15) is powered by a rechargeable battery connected to the electrical network. Preferably, said electronic control unit (15) is connected to a hydroelectric turbine, preferably a mini-hydroelectric turbine, said hydroelectric turbine being placed on the downstream hydraulic circuit; advantageously, the kinetic energy contained in the flow of the passing liquid fluid can be thereby recovered, generating a voltage that recharges the rechargeable battery.

Preferably, said device (200) further comprises a hydroejector for addition of chemical and gaseous substances.

In another embodiment, the device (200) of the present invention is connected to a pipeline for liquid fluids, preferably a water pipeline, and is adapted to receive from a first segment of said pipeline the liquid fluid flowing through it, and to return the treated fluid into a second segment of said pipeline.

Preferably, said device is connected to the pipeline by means of a manifold (11) .

Preferably, the device is reversibly connected to the pipeline .

The container (100) is preferably connected to the water pipeline by means of a manifold (11) .

Preferably, said manifold (11) comprises an inlet port (41) connected to a first segment of said pipeline and an outlet port (42) connected to a second segment of said pipeline; said first and second segments of said pipeline being placed upstream and downstream, respectively, of said device (200) and putting said pipeline in fluid communication with the device (200 ) .

The liquid fluid from the pipeline enters the device (200) through the inlet port of the manifold (41) and exits as a treated liquid fluid from the device (200) through the outlet port (42) of the manifold (11) , being then re-introduced into a second segment of the pipeline.

The manifold (11) is preferably reversibly connected to the container (100) of said device (200) , preferably by means of a screw connection (18) , preferably comprising a tightening ring (19) , so that said device (200) can be easily disconnected from said pipeline by unscrewing the container (100) from the manifold (11) .

Advantageously, the filtration and sanitization apparatus (1) of the present invention can be easily removed and replaced by a new apparatus, when exhausted.

The liquid fluid treatment system (300) , according to a second aspect of the invention, comprises at least two of the devices (200) described above, connected to the same pipeline, which can be connected to each other in a modular and seamless manner.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to the use of the device (200) or the system (300) for the treatment of aqueous liquid fluids, preferably selected from the group consisting of: waters for domestic use and/or heating and/or food use, beverages.

Preferably said beverages are alcoholic beverages, even more preferably wine; in a preferred form, said wine is sparkling white wine. Surprisingly, in fact, (thanks to the sanitizing action of the device) the treatment of sparkling white wine by using the device (200) of the present invention enables the beverage to be bottled without the addition of sulphites. The above described effects are surprisingly obtained by means of a device which is structurally simple and easy to install .

The device is also easy to maintain; in fact, since the cartridge filter is visible thanks to the use of a transparent polymer container, it is possible to monitor its clogging status . EXAMPLES

Some descriptive, non-limiting examples which prove the advantages of the present invention will be given below .

EXAMPLE 1 Assessment of the presence of biofilm and bacteria in the samples of water for civil use .

The presence of bacterial population in wastewater samples has been investigated : Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coll, Enterococcus faecalis, Legionella pneumophila .

Before and after the treatment of said samples by using the device of the present invention, at 30 ' ' and 60 ' ' after the treatment . Protocol used : UNI EN ISO 6222 : 2001

The test has showed the effectiveness of the device of the present invention in reducing the bacterial population present in the wastewater . Furthermore, this technology :

- does not modify the organoleptic characteristics of the water,

- does not change the pH of the water;

- does not produce stray electrical currents ; - does not release chemical transformation products into the sewer system;

- keeps the systems clean .

EXAMPLE 2

Assessment of the presence of Legionella in water samples before and after the treatment of the samples by using the device of the present invention

Bacterium : Legionella pneumophila .

Protocol : UNI ESISO 11731 : 2017

The presence of Legionella and coliform bacteria has also been investigated through periodic checks after the treatment and no presence has been detected ( 0 ) .

EXAMPLE 3

Analysis of the composition of the water coming out of the device of the present invention on 4 samples : identification of calcite and aragonite by X-ray diffraction on powders (PXRD ) (BruckerD8 Advance instrument with copper radiation - range 20-80 ° 2-theta) Samples :

The device of the present invention has been connected to the mains water and put into operation .

The water to be analyzed has been collected after leaving the water flow in the reservoir for 3 minutes to have a homogeneous phase .

The water has been collected in a container and evaporated at reduced pressure by means of a rotavapor ( 4mmHg) . The obtained and dried fixed residue has been analyzed by X-ray diffraction on powders (PXRD ) .

The samples have been subsequently subjected to FT-IR analysis to evaluate the presence of calcite or aragonite with low crystallinity and therefore difficult to identify via XRD .

The FT-IR analyses have been carried out in ATR mode on a Thermo™ Scientific™ Nicolet™ iS™50 instrument ( range 4000- 400cm^-1 ) .

The carried out analysis shows that the treatment of the sample by using the device of the present invention increases the "amorphous" content of the fixed residue and the presence of possible hydrated forms .

This condition is responsible for an increase in the solubility of calcium carbonate in the water with a decrease in the accumulation of fixed residue on external surfaces .

Claims

1) A liquid fluid treatment device (200) comprising a container (100) , wherein said container (100) is characterized in that it comprises a filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) , wherein said filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) comprises: iv) a mandrel (2) ; v) a filter cartridge (3) ; vi) a material comprising preferably stratified electrodes

(4) ;

- said mandrel

(2) being inserted in said filter cartridge

(3) ;

- said mandrel (2) being covered on the outer surface by an insulating material, preferably a wound wire (5) , said insulating material being preferably plastic, even more preferably food-grade plastic;

- the spaces (6) and (7) comprised inside said mandrel (2) and between the outer surface of said mandrel (2) and the inner surface of said filter cartridge (3) , respectively, being filled with said material comprising electrodes

(4) , wherein said material comprising electrodes (4) is selected from the group consisting of: stainless steel wool, stainless steel shavings;

2) The device (200) according to claim 1, wherein said material comprising electrodes (4) further comprises 925 Sterling silver wool (14) . 3) The device (200) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said container (100) of said device (200) is made of a transparent material, preferably said transparent material is selected from the group consisting of: a styreneacetonitrile copolymer, polypropylene, Moplen™ polypropylene, Tritan™ copolyester, preferably Tritan™ copolyester, preferably Tritan™ TX1001 copolyester.

4) The device (200) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said device (200) further comprises two steel spikes (9) and (10) , said two steel spikes (9) and (10) being inserted in said material comprising electrodes (4) , in said spaces (6) and (7) , respectively, and connected to an electronic control unit (15) by means of electrical wires (16) .

5) The device (200) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said device (200) comprises an electronic control unit (15) connected to a power supply (17) and to the material comprising electrodes (8) by means of steel spikes (9) and (10) by means of electrical wires (16) .

6) A filtration and sanitation apparatus (1) according to one or more of claims 1-5.

7) A liquid fluid treatment system (300) comprising at least two devices (200) according to any of the preceding claims 1-5, said devices being assembled in a modular and seamless manner .

8) The use of the device (200) or system (300) for the treatment of aqueous liquid fluids, preferably selected from the group consisting of: waters for domestic use and/or heating and/or food use, beverages, preferably wine.