U.S. patent application number 16/545074 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-05 for water treatment system with passive halogen barrier.
The applicant listed for this patent is Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation. Invention is credited to Aaron Beaudry, Barbara M. Peyton, John W. Steele.
Application Number | 20190367383 16/545074 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62750827 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190367383 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beaudry; Aaron ; et
al. |
December 5, 2019 |
WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM WITH PASSIVE HALOGEN BARRIER
Abstract
A water treatment system includes an adsorbent bed, a
halogen-release material downstream of, and adjacent to, the
adsorbent bed, and a passive halogen barrier intermediate of the
adsorbent bed and the halogen-release material.
Inventors: |
Beaudry; Aaron; (Houston,
TX) ; Peyton; Barbara M.; (Windsor, CT) ;
Steele; John W.; (New Hartford, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation |
Charlotte |
NC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
62750827 |
Appl. No.: |
16/545074 |
Filed: |
August 20, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15629790 |
Jun 22, 2017 |
10427952 |
|
|
16545074 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C02F 2201/008 20130101;
C02F 1/42 20130101; C02F 1/281 20130101; C02F 2303/185 20130101;
C02F 1/283 20130101; C02F 1/683 20130101; C02F 1/685 20130101; C02F
1/76 20130101; C02F 1/286 20130101; C02F 1/50 20130101; C02F 1/001
20130101; C02F 2103/06 20130101; C02F 1/766 20130101; C02F 2305/08
20130101; C02F 1/00 20130101; C02F 1/28 20130101; C02F 1/285
20130101; C02F 2201/001 20130101; C02F 2001/422 20130101; C02F
2303/04 20130101; C02F 2201/006 20130101 |
International
Class: |
C02F 1/28 20060101
C02F001/28; C02F 1/76 20060101 C02F001/76; C02F 1/00 20060101
C02F001/00; C02F 1/42 20060101 C02F001/42; C02F 1/50 20060101
C02F001/50; C02F 1/68 20060101 C02F001/68 |
Claims
1. A water treatment system comprising: an adsorbent bed; a
halogen-release material downstream of, and adjacent to, the
adsorbent bed; and a passive halogen barrier intermediate the
adsorbent bed and the halogen-release material.
2. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet.
3. The water treatment system as recited in claim 2, wherein the
pleated sheet is formed of polyolefin.
4. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the adsorbent bed.
5. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the halogen-release
material.
6. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a common canister having an inlet and an outlet, and the
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are within the common canister intermediate the inlet and
the outlet.
7. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein
adsorbent bed is in a first cartridge and the halogen-release
material is in second, separate cartridge.
8. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are in a common cartridge.
9. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the
adsorbent bed includes at least one of activated carbon media,
synthetic carbon, or zeolite, and the halogen-release material
includes iodinated resin.
10. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet formed of either
polypropylene or polyethylene, and the pleated sheet is contiguous
with at least one of the adsorbent bed or the halogen-release
material.
11. The water treatment system as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a spacesuit, and the adsorbent bed, the halogen-release
material, and the passive halogen barrier are within the
spacesuit.
12. A water treatment system comprising: a canister having an inlet
and an outlet, the canister including therein between the inlet and
the outlet: an adsorbent bed, a halogen-release material adjacent
the adsorbent bed, and a passive halogen barrier intermediate the
adsorbent bed and the halogen-release material.
13. The water treatment system as recited in claim 12, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet.
14. The water treatment system as recited in claim 13, wherein the
pleated sheet is formed of polyolefin.
15. The water treatment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the adsorbent bed.
16. The water treatment system as recited in claim 12, wherein the
passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the halogen-release
material.
17. The water treatment system as recited in claim 12, wherein
adsorbent bed is in a first cartridge and the halogen-release
material is in second, separate cartridge.
18. The water treatment system as recited in claim 12, wherein
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are in a common cartridge.
19. The water treatment system as recited in claim 12, wherein the
adsorbent bed includes at least one of activated carbon media,
synthetic carbon, or zeolite, and the halogen-release material
includes iodinated resin.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/629,790 filed Jun. 22, 2017.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The International Space Station, spacesuits such as the
Extravehicular Mobility Unit, spacecraft, or other space structures
that operate in outer space include systems that use water.
Depending on the system, the water may come into contact with heat
exchangers, pumps, valves, sublimators, circulation circuits in
astronaut garments, and other components.
[0003] Typically the water is filtered and treated to remove
contaminants and destroy micro-organisms that could otherwise foul
the components and debit performance. If the filters and water
treatments do not perform at expected levels or are compromised in
some way, the levels of contaminants or micro-organisms may
increase and, if untreated, lead to fouling. While some components
are returned from space and restored at regular intervals,
premature fouling may require early return, which greatly increases
costs.
SUMMARY
[0004] A water treatment system according to an example of the
present disclosure includes an adsorbent bed, a halogen-release
material downstream of, and adjacent to, the adsorbent bed, and a
passive halogen barrier intermediate the adsorbent bed and the
halogen-release material.
[0005] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet.
[0006] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the pleated sheet is formed of polyolefin.
[0007] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the adsorbent
bed.
[0008] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
rein the passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the
halogen-release material.
[0009] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments
includes a common canister that has an inlet and an outlet, and the
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are within the common canister intermediate the inlet and
the outlet.
[0010] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
adsorbent bed is in a first cartridge and the halogen-release
material is in second, separate cartridge.
[0011] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are in a common cartridge.
[0012] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the adsorbent bed includes at least one of activated carbon media,
synthetic carbon, or zeolite, and the halogen-release material
includes iodinated resin.
[0013] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet formed of either
polypropylene or polyethylene, and the pleated sheet is contiguous
with at least one of the adsorbent bed or the halogen-release
material.
[0014] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments
includes a spacesuit, and the adsorbent bed, the halogen-release
material, and the passive halogen barrier are within the
spacesuit.
[0015] A water treatment system according to an example of the
present disclosure includes a canister having an inlet and an
outlet. The canister has therein, between the inlet and the outlet,
an adsorbent bed, a halogen-release material adjacent the adsorbent
bed, and a passive halogen barrier intermediate the adsorbent bed
and the halogen-release material.
[0016] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is a pleated sheet.
[0017] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the pleated sheet is formed of polyolefin.
[0018] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the adsorbent
bed.
[0019] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the passive halogen barrier is contiguous with the halogen-release
material.
[0020] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
adsorbent bed is in a first cartridge and the halogen-release
material is in second, separate cartridge.
[0021] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
adsorbent bed, the passive halogen barrier, and the halogen-release
material are in a common cartridge.
[0022] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments,
the adsorbent bed includes at least one of activated carbon media,
synthetic carbon, or zeolite, and the halogen-release material
includes iodinated resin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The various features and advantages of the present
disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the
detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates an example water treatment system that
includes an adsorbent bed, a halogen-release material, and a
passive halogen barrier.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates an adsorbent bed, a halogen-release
material, and a passive halogen barrier in a common canister.
[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates another example water treatment system in
which an adsorbent bed is in a first cartridge and a
halogen-release material is in a second cartridge.
[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates another example water treatment system in
which an adsorbent bed and a halogen-release material are in a
common cartridge.
[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a water treatment system that includes a
space structure and heat source.
[0029] FIG. 6 illustrates another example water treatment system
that includes a space suit and a garment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example water treatment
system 20 ("system 20"). As shown, the system 20 is disposed in a
water line 22. The water line 22 may be located in a space
structure or a terrestrial structure. As will be described, the
system 20 serves to remove contaminants from the water and to
release a halogen into the water as a biocide.
[0031] The system 20 includes an adsorbent bed 24 and a
halogen-release material 26 located downstream of, and adjacent to,
the adsorbent bed 24. The term "adjacent" indicates that the
location of the halogen-release material 26 is in the vicinity of
the adsorbent bed 24. Although not limited, the vicinity of the
adsorbent bed 24 may be the region within about twenty lengths of
the adsorbent bed 24. More typically, the vicinity will be within
ten lengths, within five lengths, or within one length. Closer
proximity between the adsorbent bed 24 and the halogen-release
material 26 yield a more compact system 20 that can be packaged as
a unit.
[0032] The adsorbent bed 24 contains an adsorbent media, such as
but not limited to, activated carbon, synthetic carbon, and
zeolite. Synthetic carbon is carbon that is prepared by high
temperature processing of carbon-containing starting materials,
which may be natural or synthetic. Zeolites are microporous
aluminosilicate materials. Most typically, the activated carbon is
in the form of granules and the activated carbon is configured to
remove target contaminants such as organic compounds. Halgon is
added to the water as a biocide. The halogen can be depleted during
use of the system due to capture in filters or adsorbent. The
halogen-release material 26 serves to replenish the halogen by
releasing halogen into the water. The halogen-release material 26
to may be, but is not limited to, an iodinated resin. Other or
additional halogen-release materials may include halogen crystals,
halogen compounds, or halogen mixtures with other materials. As
will be appreciated, this list is not exhaustive and any
halogen-release material that is capable of releasing halogen into
a water flow-by could be used.
[0033] It has been found that under some conditions adsorbent beds
or media are incompatible with halogen-release material. Put
another way, there can be interactions that degrade performance.
For instance, in a stagnant water environment where the release
material is in the vicinity of the adsorbent, the halogen from the
release material can diffuse through the stagnant water to the
adsorbent. The potential for the halogen to reach the adsorbent
increases the closer the release material is to the adsorbent. The
adsorbent may adsorb the halogen. The adsorbed halogen irreversibly
binds to an adsorption site that would otherwise be available for
adsorption of target contaminants. Thus, the adsorbed halogen
reduces the capacity of the adsorbent to remove target
contaminants. After a period of water stagnation, such as during
inactivity or storage of a system, the adsorbent may then not
perform to the expected level. In a system in outer space, such a
debit to performance could be especially problematic and
costly.
[0034] To reduce or eliminate the effects of this diffusion
phenomenon, the system 20 disclosed herein includes a passive
halogen barrier 28 intermediate of the adsorbent bed 24 and the
halogen-release material 26. The passive halogen barrier 28 is
water-permeable and thus only minimally restricts water flow
through the system 20. The term "passive" means that the barrier 28
does not consume power to function. The passive halogen barrier 28
is configured to block or remove halogens from the halogen-release
material 26 that would otherwise diffuse back into the adsorbent
bed 24 in a stagnant water condition. Thus, the passive halogen
barrier 28 can be used instead of implementing more costly and
space-consuming alternatives, such as disconnecting an adsorbent
bed from a halogen-release material (costly manpower) or inclusion
of a valve between the bed and release material.
[0035] As an example, the passive halogen barrier 28 is an enhanced
surface area polyolefin sheet, designated at 28a. As an example,
the sheet 28a is pleated or has other features that increase
surface area in comparison to a flat sheet. For instance, the
polyolefin of the polyolefin sheet 28a is formed of polypropylene,
polyethylene, or combinations thereof. In particular, polyolefin
such as polyethylene and polypropylene is effective for removing
halogen, such as iodine, from water by binding with the iodine.
Moreover, if pleated, the pleats of the polyolefin sheet 28a
provide a barrier thickness, designated at t1, that is greater than
the thickness of the sheet 28a itself, shown at t2. In some
examples, t1 is greater than t2 by at least 10%, at least 25%, or
at least 50%. The barrier thickness provided by the pleats provides
a higher surface area (in comparison to the flat sheet) through
which the halogen would have to diffuse to reach the adsorbent bed
24. Even though there is the barrier thickness, the system 20 can
still be compact in comparison to alternative solutions of
disconnections or valves. Especially in an outer space structure,
compactness is highly desirable.
[0036] In the system 20, the halogen-release material 26 is spaced
apart from the adsorbent bed 24, and the passive halogen barrier 28
is spaced apart from both the adsorbent bed 24 and the
halogen-release material 26. Although compact, FIG. 2 shows another
example water treatment system 120 that is even more compact. In
this example, the passive halogen barrier 28 is contiguous with the
adsorbent bed 24 and also contiguous with the halogen-release
material 26. That is, the passive halogen barrier 28 shares a
common boarder, which here is screen 30a, with the adsorbent bed
24. The passive halogen barrier 28 also shares a common boarder,
which here is screen 30b, with the halogen-release material 26.
Although the passive halogen barrier 28 is contiguous with both the
adsorbent bed 24 and the halogen-release material 26 in this
example, it is to be understood that passive halogen barrier 28
could alternatively be contiguous with only one or the other of the
adsorbent bed 24 and the halogen-release material 26. Being
contiguous with both provides a more compact arrangement
though.
[0037] In this example, the adsorbent bed 24, the halogen-release
material 26, and the passive halogen barrier 28 are contained
within a common housing or canister 32. The canister 32 includes an
inlet or influent side 34 and an outlet or effluent side 36. A
spring (not numbered) may be provided to retain and compact the
adsorbent bed 24 and halogen-release material. In use, water is fed
into the inlet 34 and flows through the adsorbent bed 24, the
passive halogen barrier 28, and the halogen-release material 26
before exiting through the outlet 36.
[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates another example water treatment system
220 that is somewhat similar to the system 120 of FIG. 2. In this
example, the adsorbent bed 24 is in a first cartridge 24a and the
halogen-release material 26 is in a second cartridge 26a. The
cartridges 24a/26a may include, but are not limited to, a structure
or lattice that supports, respectively, the adsorbent bed 24 and
the halogen-release material 26 therein. The cartridges 24a/26a may
further include screens and/or nets for retaining the adsorbent bed
24 and the halogen-release material 26 inside. The cartridges
24a/26a are insertable into, and removable from, the canister 32.
Thus, if there is a need for replacement or regenerative treatment,
one or both of the cartridges 24a/26a can be removed from the
canister 32 and replaced. The separate cartridges 24a/26a also
provide the benefit of being able to individually remove either of
the cartridges 24a/26a without removal of the other.
[0039] Alternatively, FIG. 4 shows another example water treatment
system 320 in which the adsorbent bed 24 and the halogen-release
material 26 are in a common cartridge 340. In this example, in
addition to the adsorbent bed 24 and the halogen-release material
26, the common cartridge 340 includes the passive halogen barrier
28 and the screens 30a/30b. As with the cartridges 24a/26a, the
common cartridge 340 is insertable into, and removable from, the
canister 32. Thus, the cartridge 340 can also be removed and
replaced.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows another example water treatment system 420. In
this example, the adsorbent bed 24, halogen-release material 26,
and passive halogen barrier 28 are disposed within a space
structure 450, which is here also considered to be part of the
system 420. More specifically, the water line 22 in this example is
a recirculation loop that runs between a heat source 452 and a
sublimator 454.
[0041] The sublimator 454 generally includes a porous plate 454a
that is connected with a water feed line 456. A thermal transfer
member 456 is arranged adjacent the porous plate 454a. The water
feed line 456 provides water to the porous plate 454a, or at least
the vicinity of the porous plate 454a. The water freezes on the
surface of the porous plate 454a. The opposed side of the porous
plate 454a is exposed to a vacuum, which is typically the vacuum of
outer space. The vacuum sublimes the frozen water, thereby removing
heat.
[0042] The water in water line 22 circulates through the heat
source 452, the adsorbent bed 24, the passive halogen barrier 28,
and the halogen-release material 26 into the sublimator 454. The
sublimator 454 removes heat from the water in water line 22 through
the thermal transfer member 456. The cooled water then returns to
the heat source 452.
[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates a modified example water treatment system
520 that is similar to system 420. In this example, the system 520
includes a space structure which is a space suit 550. The space
suit 550 includes a garment 552, which is connected within the
water line recirculation loop 22. The water in the water line 22
circulates through the garment 552 to regulate the temperature of
the astronaut wearing the garment. As discussed above, heat is
removed from the circulating water by way of the sublimator 454.
One example of the spacesuit 550 is the Extravehicular Mobility
Unit, which includes an outer garment, also known as a Thermal
Micro-meteoroid Garment, a portable life support system, and a
pressure garment. The pressure garment provides, among other
things, thermal management of the astronaut wearing the spacesuit.
This pressure garment may be the garment 552 connected in the water
line 22.
[0044] Although a combination of features is shown in the
illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to
realize the benefits of various embodiments of this disclosure. In
other words, a system designed according to an embodiment of this
disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown
in any one of the Figures or all of the portions schematically
shown in the Figures. Moreover, selected features of one example
embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example
embodiments.
[0045] The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting
in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples
may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not
necessarily depart from this disclosure. The scope of legal
protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by
studying the following claims.
* * * * *