DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE FORMATION OF LIME SCALES

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for preventing the formation of lime scales in a water pipeline (11) comprising a main body (4) with an inlet (2) and an outlet (3), and an anti-scaling medium (5) configured to prevent the formation of lime scales, located within main body (4), between the inlet (2) and the outlet (3), comprising a galvanic cell, with at least one cathode element (7) and an anode sacrificial element (6), and a support medium (8) of the galvanic cell configured to be fixed to the main body (4); characterized in that the anode sacrificial element (6) is made of an alloy comprising zinc between 89.5-99.5% and aluminum between 0.5 and 10%.

Claims

1. A device for preventing the formation of lime scales in a water pipeline (11) comprising a main body (4) with an inlet (2) and an outlet (3), and an anti-scaling medium (5) configured to prevent the formation of lime scales, located within the main body (4), between the inlet (2) and the outlet (3), comprising a galvanic cell, with at least one cathode element (7) and an anode sacrificial element (6), and a support medium (8) of the galvanic cell configured to be fixed to the main body (4); characterized in that the anode sacrificial element (6) is made of an alloy comprising zinc between 89.5-99.5% and aluminum between 0.5 and 10%.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial anode (6) further comprises a content of the remaining alloys below 0.5%.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the anode element (7) and the cathode element (6) of the anti-scaling medium (5) are a set of discs, and the support medium (8) is a shaft on which the discs are arranged, wherein the set of discs alternates an anode disc with a cathode disc, wherein each disc comprises at least one perforation configured for the passage of water.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the anode element (7) and the cathode element (6) of the anti-scaling medium (5) are a set of concentric tubes, wherein said set of concentric tubes alternates a cathode tube and an anode cylinder, separated by a water passage window.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the anti-scaling medium (5) comprises a solid cylinder in the center of the section of the set of concentric tube.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the support medium (8) comprise a crosshead (9) located at each end of the anti-scaling medium (5) and at least one screw (10) in electrical contact with each one of the concentric tubes.

7. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the anode element (7) and the cathode element (6) of the anti-scaling medium (5) are a set of sheets formed by at least one anode sheet and one cathode sheet, wherein said set of sheets are separated by a water passage window.

8. The device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the set of sheets of the anti-scaling medium (5) alternates an anode sheet and a cathode sheet.

9. The device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the anode sheet of the anti-scaling medium (5) has a greater thickness in its central third.

10. The device (1) according to claim 9, wherein the spacing between the anode sheet and the cathode sheet is greater in the peripheral region of the anti-scaling medium than in the center.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cathode element (7) is copper.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the anode element (8) is Zamak-3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] FIG. 1 schematically shows the arrangement of a device object of the invention interposed in a water pipeline.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an anti-scaling medium, comprising a galvanic cell, wherein the anode sacrificial element and the cathode element of the anti-scaling medium are a set of anode-cathode discs.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows a section of an embodiment of a device object of the invention with an anti-scaling medium where the anode sacrificial element and the cathode element of the anti-scaling medium are concentric tubes.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a section of the profile of an embodiment of a device with an anti-scaling medium, where the anode sacrificial element and the cathode element of the anti-scaling medium are concentric tubes.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a crosshead of the support medium.

[0072] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a device object of the invention with square section with an anti-scaling medium, where the anode sacrificial element and the cathode element of the anti-scaling medium, comprising a galvanic cell, are anode and cathode sheets.

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a section of the profile of an embodiment of a device with square section with an anti-scaling medium, where the anode sacrificial element and the cathode element of the anti-scaling medium are anode and cathode sheets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0074] FIG. 1 schematically shows the arrangement of a device (1) object of the invention interposed in a water pipeline (11). To this end, the device (1) comprises a main body (4), with an inlet (2) and an outlet (3), adaptable to a water pipeline (11).

[0075] Specifically, in this FIG. 1 there is shown a device (1) with an anti-scaling medium (5) comprising a galvanic cell, with at least one cathode element (7) and an anode sacrificial element (6). Said anti-scaling medium (5) requires the presence of a support medium (8) for its fixing to the main body (4).

[0076] As mentioned above, those configurations can be distinguished where the anode and cathode elements are arranged perpendicular or parallel to the direction of water flow.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an anti-scaling medium (5), wherein the anode sacrificial element (6) and the cathode element (7) of the anti-scaling medium (5) are a set of anode-cathode discs.

[0078] As seen in this embodiment, each disc of the anode (7) and cathode (6) elements are arranged perpendicular to the flow of the water pipeline (11). Thus, taking as main body (4) of the device (1) a circular copper pipe, said configuration has a support medium (8), in the form of a shaft, preferably composed of a threaded rod of stainless steel, where a cathode and anode disc are alternately placed so that in any case each face of the anode element faces another of the cathode element.

[0079] Thus, the spacing between each cathode element (7) and anode sacrificial element (6) can be achieved both with washers and with stainless steel screws.

[0080] The size of the opening of the water passage holes in both the anode sacrificial element (6) and the cathode element (7) is consistent with the inlet diameter of the water. The water goes from the central zone, where the axis of the support medium (8) is located, to the inner contour of the main body (4). This is achieved with at least one perforation in the central part of the anode sacrificial element (6) and a decrease in the diameter of the cathode element (7); or, in other embodiments, with openings in the outer part of the anode sacrificial element (6) and in the interior of the cathode element (7).

[0081] Obviously, the number of discs depends on the final content of zinc to be obtained.

[0082] The main disadvantage of this configuration is the high loss of load that occurs in the water flow, not permissible in the frame of a housing. Although this configuration is not recommended for solutions in homes, where the loss of load is very high, it can be used in another pipeline where this loss of load can be assumed by the installation.

[0083] For an embodiment where the anode (6) and cathode elements are five 8 mm thick zinc-based anode rings and six 1 mm thick cathode discs, with a water passage window in each disc, for a diameter of 15 mm piping and a water inlet in the device with an equally diameter of 15 mm (which can be easily found in a dwelling with a single bathroom), 4 mm apart from each other and inserted in a main body, constituted by a 40 mm inner diameter copper tube, pressure losses have been found for water speeds of 2 m/s (flow rate of 21.2 liters/minute) of 0.2 bar but at speeds of 3.5 m/s (flow rate of 37.11 liters/minute) can reach 1.3 bar.

[0084] Therefore, the acceptance of this configuration goes through the acceptance of a large pressure loss above a certain flow rate limit.

[0085] A preferred embodiment of the device (1) is achieved with an arrangement of the anti-scaling medium (5), where the main surfaces of the anode and cathode elements are parallel to the water flow.

[0086] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an embodiment of a device (1) object of the invention with an anti-scaling medium (5), comprising a galvanic cell, where both the anode elements (6) and the cathode elements (7) are concentric tubes.

[0087] First, in FIG. 3 the section of said device (1) is shown, showing each of the tubes used, as well as the water passage windows.

[0088] The device (1) comprises a main body (4) with an inlet (2) and an outlet (3) of the water flow, with an anti-scaling medium (5), located between the inlet (2) and the outlet (3).

[0089] Specifically, in FIG. 3, an embodiment is shown with two anode elements, a first cylinder, preferably solid, in the center of the anti-scaling medium (5) of the device and a second hollow cylinder located between two cathode tubes. In this way, a configuration of the anti-scaling medium (5) is generated that alternates anode and cathode tubes, leaving between them a water passage window, so that the water flow flowing through said windows is in contact with both the cathode and the anode of the galvanic cell.

[0090] Therefore, said preferred embodiment of the anti-scaling medium (5) comprises a double sacrificial anode (6) and double cathode (7) contained in a copper tube of diameter of 42 mm for nominal device inlet diameters of 16 mm, 20 mm and 27 mm. The arrangement of the elements is as follows: [0091] First anode in the form of a solid cylinder with a diameter of 16 mm, [0092] First 2 mm water passage window, [0093] First cathode: hollow cylinder with a diameter of 22 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, [0094] Second 2 mm water passage window, [0095] Second anode: hollow cylinder with a diameter of 35 mm and a thickness of 4.5 mm, [0096] Third 2.5 mm water passage window, and [0097] Second cathode: hollow cylinder with a diameter of 42 mm and a thickness of 1 mm

[0098] FIG. 4 shows a section of the profile of an embodiment of a device (1) with an anti-scaling medium (5) where the anode element (6) and the cathode element (7) are concentric tubes. Said section corresponds to the embodiment of the device (1) shown in FIG. 3.

[0099] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the device (1) has a main body (4) of tubular shape, where the water flows inside. In an alternative embodiment of the device (1), the inlet (2) and outlet of the (3) main body (4) has a thread, configured to facilitate the connection to the water pipeline to be treated.

[0100] The anti-scaling medium (5) configured to prevent the formation of lime scales is made up of units, which can be linked, giving rise to devices with greater dimensions. In FIG. 4, unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an anti-scaling medium (5) is specifically shown with three units linked by a tongue-and-groove joint.

[0101] To facilitate both the passage of water through the device (1) and the fixing of the galvanic cell constituting the anti-scaling medium (5) therein, it is necessary to use a support medium (8) in the case where the galvanic cell has a cylindrical shape in turn within a copper duct. To guarantee the electrical connection in the short and long term, while the deposits of minerals in the anode sacrificial element (6) can prevent it, a crosshead (9), preferably of stainless steel, is used in each use of the ends of the anti-scaling medium.

[0102] The electrical connection in the galvanic cell is further ensured thanks to at least one screw (10), preferably of stainless steel, which fixes the three inner elements and will maintain the electrical contact with the tube by simple pressing of the head of the screw (10) with the inner surface of the tube. As is known, stainless steel is stable in contact with drinking water and does not contribute any contamination to the environment.

[0103] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a crosshead of the support medium. These crosspieces (9) not only ensure the parallelism and spacing of all these elements of the anti-scaling medium (5) that comprise the galvanic cell, but thanks to a mordant element to the set of inner tubes and a sufficient pressure to the outer tube by a toothed joint, guarantees said contacts between the elements of the galvanic cell.

[0104] For assemblies such as those described 7 cm in length and an inlet of 15 mm in diameter, zinc concentrations above the ratio 0.0610.sup.3 Zn/Ca have been recorded in very hard waters at flow rates of 5 liters/min at the beginning of their start-up with pressure losses of 0.04 bar for water speeds of 3.5 m/s.

[0105] Therefore, the devices whose inlet diameter is 20 mm and 27 mm and which respond to type dwellings whose reference flow rate is 10 liters/minute and 15 liters/minute are solved by the simple addition of a second and a third body as described to make galvanic cells of approximately 14 and 21 cm in length. The pressure losses recorded can be assumed within the framework of the residential sector.

[0106] Finally, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show an embodiment of a device (1) object of the invention with square section with an anti-scaling medium (5) where the anode element (6) and the cathode element (7) of the anti-scaling medium (5) are alternating anode and cathode sheets, preferably made of a zinc and copper alloy, respectively.

[0107] In this configuration, the device (1) has a main body (4) in the form of a square tube, preferably made of stainless steel, used as a container for galvanic cells. Its availability in the market is relatively simple for many measures and there is no problem in its contact with drinking water.

[0108] In a specific embodiment, the main body (4) of square section has outer dimensions 100 mm100 mm for inlets in the device of diameters 35 mm, 42 mm and 54 mm.

[0109] Because the movement of the water inside a pipeline (11) of greater dimensions than another that precedes it, tends to go through the center thereof, the shape and arrangement of the sheets of the anode element (6) have to displace the set of the water that is received uniformly to all the windows of passage of the water.

[0110] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the anode element (6) of the anti-scaling medium (5) has a laminated design, where the anode sheets have a greater thickness in their central third and whose separations from the cathode element increase as we move away from the center of the section of the main body (4). Thus, the spacing between the anode sheet and the cathode sheet is larger in the peripheral region of the sheets of the anti-scaling medium than in the center.

[0111] The securing of the electrical contact in the cell will be achieved again by means of a support medium (8): [0112] First of all, the support medium (8) consists of a screw (10), preferably of stainless steel, which crosses the center of each sheet of the anode (6) and cathode (7) elements and which, preferably by screwing on them, maintains the electrical contact of all of them. [0113] Secondly, the support medium (8) has a fixing of the set of sheets, for example, by means of at least one rod, preferably of stainless steel, threaded that fixes a suitable spacing for the passage of water between the sheets of the anode (6) and cathode element (7). Similar to previous cases, the spacing of the sheets may be achieved, for example, through stainless steel washers and/or nuts.

[0114] Therefore, the use of any of the embodiments described in the present invention manages to prevent the formation of lime scales in a water pipeline, increasing the durability of these pipelines.