Device and Method for Filtering and/or Purifying Liquid

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and method for filtering and/or purifying liquid. The device comprises: an outer housing provided with at least one outer opening; an inner housing which encloses an inner chamber, wherein the inner housing is provided with an inner opening; a purification chamber which extends between the outer housing and the inner housing, wherein the at least one outer opening debouches in the purification chamber and wherein the purification chamber is provided with a carrier material on which a biological purification film can form for filtering and/or purifying water; and wherein a side wall of the inner housing which is adjacent to the purification chamber is provided with one or more fluid throughfeed openings, and wherein, during use of the device, a substantially vortex-like fluid flow path is formed in the purification chamber, between the at least one outer opening and the fluid throughfeed openings.

Claims

1. A device for filtering and/or purifying liquid, the device comprising: an outer housing provided with at least one outer opening; an inner housing which encloses an inner chamber, wherein the inner housing is provided with an inner opening; a purification chamber which extends between the outer housing and the inner housing, wherein the at least one outer opening debouches in the purification chamber and wherein the purification chamber is provided with a carrier material on which a biological purification film can form for filtering and/or purifying water; and wherein a side wall of the inner housing which is adjacent to the purification chamber is provided with one or more fluid throughfeed openings, and wherein, during use of the device, a substantially vortex-like fluid flow path is formed in the purification chamber, between the at least one outer opening and the fluid throughfeed openings.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one outer opening is positioned such that, during use of the device, the vortex-like fluid flow path is formed in the purification chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inner housing and/or the outer housing are arranged rotatably around the longitudinal axis and wherein, during use of the device, the vortex-like fluid flow path in the purification chamber is formed by the rotation of the inner housing and/or the outer housing.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the device is further provided with a drive configured to drive the inner housing and/or outer housing.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing and the inner housing are substantially cylindrical, wherein the inner housing has an inner housing diameter D.sub.in and the outer housing has an outer housing diameter D.sub.out, wherein D.sub.out>D.sub.in, and wherein Dout:Din preferably lies in the range of 2:1 to 1.75:1.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing and the inner housing are cylindrical and extend concentrically relative to each other about a longitudinal axis over a length.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inner opening is positioned close to a longitudinal axis of the inner housing and wherein the inner opening is preferably positioned at the position of the longitudinal axis of the inner housing.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inner housing is provided with a plurality of fluid throughfeed openings.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier material comprises a composition of carrier material, wherein the carrier material is chosen from a group of: carrier material which floats on water; carrier material which sinks in water; or a mixture of carrier material which floats in water and carrier material which sinks in water.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing has a length and wherein the at least one outer opening extends substantially over the whole length of the outer housing.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is further provided with a gas inlet for supplying reaction gas to the purification chamber, wherein the gas inlet is preferably positioned on an upper side of the outer housing, and wherein the purification chamber is preferably filled at least partially with a gas.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is provided with a control for controlling one or more of: a supply speed of fluid for purifying through the inner opening; a rotation speed of the outer housing and/or the inner housing; a discharge speed of the purified water; a supply quantity of reaction gas to the purification chamber; a pressure in the purification chamber and/or the fluid discharge space by controlling the fluid infeed and/or the fluid discharge.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein a fluid level of the fluid in the purification chamber is such during use of the device that the inner chamber is completely filled with fluid, and wherein the fluid level is preferably such that the purification chamber is not completely filled with fluid.

14. A method for purifying and/or filtering liquid, the method comprising the steps of: providing a device according to any one of the foregoing claims; arranging carrier material in the purification chamber, wherein the carrier material is preferably provided with a biofilm; supplying a fluid for purifying; and realizing in the purification chamber a substantially vortex-like fluid flow path for the fluid which extends between the at least one outer opening and the fluid throughfeed openings.

15. The method according to claim 13, the method further comprising of positioning and/or controlling the at least one outer opening so as to form the vortex-like fluid flow path in the purification chamber.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises of rotation of the inner housing and/or the outer housing in order to form the vortex-like fluid flow path in the purification chamber.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein a fluid level of the fluid in the purification chamber is such during use of the device that the inner chamber is completely filled with fluid, and wherein the fluid level is preferably such that the purification chamber is not completely filled with fluid.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein realizing the substantially vortex-like fluid flow path for the fluid comprises of: supplying the fluid for purifying via the at least one outer opening to the purification chamber and bringing it into contact with the carrier material; realizing the vortex-like fluid flow path by supplying fluid for purifying to the purification chamber and rotating the inner housing and/or the outer housing, such that during the residence time in the purification chamber the supplied fluid is carried in ever-decreasing circles to the inner side of the purification chamber; and flowing on the inner side of the purification chamber through fluid throughfeed openings to the inner chamber, after which the fluid is discharged as purified fluid.

19. A carrier material composition configured for use in a device for filtering and/or purifying liquid, the device comprising: an outer housing provided with at least one outer opening; an inner housing which encloses an inner chamber, wherein the inner housing is provided with an inner opening; and a purification chamber which extends between the outer housing and the inner housing, wherein the at least one outer opening debouches in the purification chamber and wherein the purification chamber is provided with a carrier material on which a biological purification film can form for filtering and/or purifying water, wherein a side wall of the inner housing which is adjacent to the purification chamber is provided with one or more fluid throughfeed openings, wherein, during use of the device, a substantially vortex-like fluid flow path is formed in the purification chamber, between the at least one outer opening and the fluid throughfeed openings, and wherein the composition comprises a mixture of floating carrier material and non-floating carrier material, wherein the ratio of floating carrier material and non-floating carrier material lies in the range of 70%-30% and more preferably about 50%-50%.

20. The device according to claim 2, wherein the inner housing and/or the outer housing are arranged rotatably around the longitudinal axis and wherein, during use of the device, the vortex-like fluid flow path in the purification chamber is formed by the rotation of the inner housing and/or the outer housing.

Description

[0076] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0077] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of a device according to the invention; and

[0078] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0079] In an embodiment of device 2 according to the invention it is provided with inner housing 4 and outer housing 6, each having a length L. Outer housing 6 has diameter D.sub.out and inner housing 4 has diameter D.sub.in. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, diameter D.sub.out is greater than diameter D.sub.in, whereby in this embodiment the surface area of inner housing 4 amounts to about 25% of the surface area of outer housing 6. Outer housing 6 is provided with outer opening 8, which in this embodiment extends over the whole length L of outer housing 6 and is provided on an outer side 6a thereof (see FIG. 2). Outer opening 8 is relatively small relative to diameter D.sub.out of outer housing 6.

[0080] Inner housing 4 and outer housing 6 collectively form purification chamber 10 which extends between the two housings 4, 6. Side wall 4a of inner housing 4 is provided with a plurality of fluid throughfeed openings 12 which are used in this embodiment to carry the fluid flow to inner chamber 14 which is enclosed by side wall 4a of inner housing 4. Inner housing 4 is further provided with inner openings 16 which are arranged in side wall 18 of inner chamber 4 and which debouch in inner chamber 14.

[0081] Purification chamber 10 is provided with carrier material 20, here formed from a mixture of carrier material 20a which sinks in water and carrier material 20b which floats in water. Further shown in this embodiment is optional drive shaft 22, with likewise optional drive 24 connected thereto.

[0082] In use of device 2 the fluid for purifying is supplied via outer opening 8 to purification chamber 10, in which it comes into contact with carrier material 20a, 20b and the biological material 26 decomposes and/or absorbs contamination in the water. The supply and/or the optional drive shaft which drives inner housing 4 realizes a vortex-like flow V in purification chamber 10. This ensures that during the residence time the supplied water is carried in ever-decreasing circles to the inner side of purification chamber 10 and there flows through fluid throughfeed openings 12 in side wall 4a to inner chamber 14, after which it is discharged via inner openings 16 from device 2 as purified liquid.

[0083] Alternatively, the flow direction V in device 2 is reversed, whereby vortex-like flow V is directed from inside to outside.

[0084] The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged.