Waste Water Recovery System
A waste water recovery system to filter and recirculate waste water to a wash system including a fluid recovery line, a fluid supply line and a fluid backwash line comprising a filter assembly including a water filtering section to receive waste water from the wash system and to recirculate filtered water to the wash system and a filter backwash section to selectively clean the water filtering section when a system condition exists, and a fluid control including a plurality of valve assemblies operatively coupled between the wash system, the water filtering section and the filter backwash section to selectively control the circulation of water through the water filtering section to recirculate the recovery water to the wash system and to periodically
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/060,112, filed Feb. 17, 2005 by James Keller, currently pending and hereby incorporated by reference in the entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
A waste water recovery system to filter and recirculate waste water from and to a wash system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous efforts have been made to design an efficient system to recover and recirculate waste water from car washes and other industrial processes. Such designs typically incorporate self-cleaning capabilities to periodically clean filtering devices common to these systems. In order to provide essentially continuous or uninterrupted operation of such wash systems, a secondary supply or source of water is needed during the filter cleaning phase.
Filter devices often include a filter element and an air purge using the fluid in the filter device to dislodge the particulate contaminants adhering to the surface of the filter element and to force the particulate contaminates from the filter device.
However, a need remains to construct a reliable means to provide a virtually uninterrupted flow of recovered water to the car wash or other industrial process.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTAs shown in
As shown in
The waste water recovery system 10 also includes a fluid control comprising a plurality of valve assemblies operatively coupled between the wash system 12, the water filtering section 42 and the filter backwash or cleaning section to selectively control the circulation of water through each filter 44 to recirculate the recovery water to the wash system 12 and to periodically clean each filter 44 separately.
As shown in
As shown in
The waste water recovery system 10 further includes a fluid control including a plurality of valve assemblies operatively coupled between the wash system 12, the water filter section and the filter backwash or cleaning section and a control section 208 including control logic to control the position or state of each of the plurality of valve assemblies in accordance with a sequence of modes or configurations and duration of time or sensed pressure. Specifically, the plurality of valve assemblies comprises a first and second filter inlet valve assembly indicated as 210 and 212 respectively each coupled between one of the filter ports 116 and the pump outlets 114 through the pump outlet conduits 112 and 118 to selectively control the flow of waste water from the circulating pumps 46 to the corresponding filter(s) 44, a first and second filter outlet valve assembly indicated as 214 and 216 respectively each coupled between one of the filter outlets 126 and the recovered water supply line 34 to selectively control the flow of recovered water from the corresponding filter(s) 44 to the wash system 12, a first and second backwash/purge inlet valve assembly 218 and 220 respectively each coupled between the pressurized purge air source 50 to selectively control the flow of pressurized air into the air chamber 124 of the corresponding filter 44, a first and second backflush outlet valve assembly 222 and 224 respectively each coupled between one the filter ports 116 and the fluid backwash line 40 by a backwash conduit 225 to feed backwash to the drain sump 22 and a first and second purge outlet valve assembly 226 and 228 respectively each coupled to one of the purge air outlets 56 by one of the purge air conduits 58 to feed purge air to the drain sump 22.
The waste water recovery system 10 is selectively operable in a full filter mode where both filters 44 filter waste water, a dual mode where one of the filters 44 is filtering waste water and the other filter 44 is backwashed or cleaned while the wash system 10 is operating, and a backwash mode where one of the filters 44 is cleaned.
As shown in
After a predetermined period of time, such as about 4 minutes, the control logic of the control section will cause one of the filters 44 to transition to the cleaning or backwash mode including a backflush stage and a purge stage. As shown in
After the filter chamber 124 is charged for a predetermined period of time such as about 4 seconds with the valve assembly 218 remaining open, the first backflush outlet valve assembly 222 is opened for a predetermined period of time such as 4 seconds. The other valve assemblies 210, 214 and 226 remain closed, allowing water to be backflushed through the filter medium or member 125 through the filter port 116, and the fluid backwash line 40 to the drain sump 22 as shown in
After a predetermined period of time, such as about 9 seconds, the valve assemblies 218 and 222 are closed as the valve assemblies 210 and 226 and opened. The valve assembly 214 remains closed as shown in
After a predetermined period of time, such as about 10 seconds, the control logic starts the backwash cycle including the backflush and purge stages for the other filter s 44 similar to that of the first filter 44 as shown in
The control section will continue to cycle the filters 44 so long as the wash system 12 is operating. When the wash system 12 is not operating, the control section will automatically backwash the filters 44 from time to time.
The cross-flow or interconnecting pump outlet conduit 118 allows the pumps 46 to feed both filters 44 when in the full filtering mode and either filters 44 when the other filter is in the backwash mode to maintain a substantially constant volume of water filtering.
Claims
1. A waste water recovery system for filtering waste water received from a fluid recovery line and returning filtered water to a fluid supply line, comprising:
- at least one filter assembly(s), each of the filter assembly(s) provided with a filter chamber containing a filter element dividing the filter chamber between a filter outlet side provided with a filter outlet and a filter port side provided with a filter port;
- a filter inlet valve assembly between the fluid recovery line and the filter port; a backwash outlet valve assembly between the filter port and a fluid backwash line;
- a filter outlet valve assembly between the filter port and the fluid supply line operable to open or close a fluid connection between the filter outlet and the fluid supply line;
- an air purge inlet on the filter outlet side; and
- an air purge outlet coupled to the filter outlet side.
2. The waste water recovery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one filter assembly(s) is two filter assemblies.
3. The waste water recovery system of claim 1, further including at least one pump between the fluid recovery line and the at least one filter assembly(s).
4. The waste water recovery system of claim 1, wherein the air purge outlet is coupled to the fluid backwash line.
5. The waste water recovery system of claim 1, further including a backwash/purge inlet valve assembly between a pressurized air source and the air purge inlet.
6. The waste water recovery system of claim 5, further including a control section operable to control a position of the filter inlet assembly, the backwash outlet valve assembly, the filter outlet valve assembly and the backwash/purge inlet valve assembly of each of the filter assembly(s).
7. The waste water recovery system of claim 6, wherein the waste recovery system is selectively operable via the control section in one of:
- a full filter mode wherein each of the filter assembly(s) filters waste water passing from the fluid recovery line to the fluid supply line; and
- a dual filter mode wherein at least one of the filter assembly(s) filters waste water passing from the fluid recovery line to the fluid supply line and at least one of the filter assembly(s) is in a backwash mode.
8. The waste water recovery system of claim 5, wherein the control section sequences the position of the filter inlet assembly, the backwash outlet valve assembly, the filter outlet valve assembly and the backwash/purge inlet valve assembly of each of the filter assembly(s) according to a plurality of predetermined time(s).
9. The waste water recovery system of claim 1, wherein the air purge inlet extends into the filter chamber.
10. A waste water recovery system for filtering waste water received from a fluid recovery line and returning filtered water to a fluid supply line, comprising:
- two filter assembly(s), each of the filter assembly(s) provided with a filter chamber containing a filter element dividing the filter chamber between a filter outlet side provided with a filter outlet and a filter port side provided with a filter port; a filter inlet valve assembly between the fluid recovery line and the filter port; a backwash outlet valve assembly between the filter port and a fluid backwash line; a filter outlet valve assembly between the filter port and the fluid supply line operable to open or close a fluid connection between the filter outlet and the fluid supply line; an air purge inlet on the filter outlet side; a backwash/purge inlet valve assembly between a pressurized air source and the air purge inlet; and an air purge outlet located on the filter outlet side of the filter element; and
- at least one pump coupled between the fluid recovery line and a pump outlet conduit network, the pump outlet conduit network coupled to each filter assembly.
11. The waste water recovery system of claim 10, further including a control section; the control section configurable with a plurality of time periods for sequencing operation of the waste water recovery system.
12. A method for operating a waste water recovery system to filter and recirculate waste water to a wash system including a fluid recovery line, a fluid supply line and a fluid backwash line, comprising the steps of
- circulating water from the fluid recovery line through a plurality of filters to the fluid supply line during a full filter mode;
- upon a system condition initiating a backwash mode for at least one of the filters wherein the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode is isolated from the fluid recovery line and the fluid supply line and coupled to a pressurized air supply in a charge step;
- after a charge time coupling the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode to the fluid backwash line in a purge step;
- after a purge time, initiating an air purge step wherein the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode has an air purge outlet opened and the fluid recovery line opened to purge air from the at least one filter(s) in the backwash mode; and
- returning the at least one of the filter(s) to full filter mode.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the system condition is a preset time period.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the isolation and coupling between the plurality of filters, the fluid recovery line, the fluid supply line and the fluid backwash line is via a plurality of valve assemblies controlled by a control section.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein upon completion of the backwash mode the at least one filter in backwash mode is refilled with water and the charge step and the purge step repeated at least once before returning to full filter mode.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein upon completion of a backwash mode upon at least one of the filter(s), upon a next system condition the backwash mode is initiated with respect to a different group of at least one of the filter(s).
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the charge time and the purge time are configurable at the control section.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the control section will continue to alternate the filters between the full filter mode and the backwash mode so long as the wash system is operating.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein, when the wash system is not operating, the control section will initiate a backwash mode for the filters after a time period.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 20, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Applicant: CONSERV MANUFACTURING (Lakeland, FL)
Inventor: James C. Keller (Lakeland, FL)
Application Number: 12/143,407
International Classification: C02F 1/00 (20060101); C02F 103/02 (20060101);