Abstract
A water distiller for distilling contaminated water is disclosed, the water distiller comprising a first container, for containing contaminated water, the first container comprising a first base and a first wall, upwardly extending from the first base, an outer cover, a water collection unit, preferably an outer container, and an inner cover for enclosing a volume in the first container, which inner cover comprises at least one aperture and is positioned below the outer cover, wherein the inner and outer cover are designed for transporting condensed water to the water collection unit, preferably an outer container, and wherein the outer cover is transparent for heating the contaminated water in the first container by sun. The invention also relates to a method for distilling water, to specifically shaped outer covers and/or inner covers and their use in distilling contaminated water.
Claims
1. A water distiller, for distilling contaminated water, the water distiller comprising: a) a first container, for containing contaminated water, the first container comprising a first base and a first wall, upwardly extending from the first base; b) an outer cover, c) a water collection unit, characterised in that the water distiller further comprises an inner cover, for enclosing a volume in the first container which inner cover and is positioned below the outer cover, wherein the inner cover and the outer cover are designed for transporting condensed water to the water collection unit, wherein the outer cover is transparent for heating the contaminated water in the first container by sun radiation, wherein the first container is provided with electrical heating means for heating the contaminated water in the first container, or wherein the water distiller comprises both a transparent outer cover and an electrical heating means provided in the first container.
2. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein the water collection unit is an outer container comprising an outer base and an outer wall upwardly extending from the outer base, wherein the first container is covered with the inner cover and is positioned inside the outer container which is covered and closed by the outer cover.
3. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the surface area of the outer cover is slanted at an angle with a horizontal plane, perpendicular to gravity, and at an angle with a horizontal plane of the first base of the first container or the outer base of the outer container, wherein the angle is at least 10 and lower than 80, and wherein the outer cover has one surface part slanting down towards one edge and another adjacent surface part slanting down towards another edge.
4. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein the outer cover comprises over at least a part of its surface area an outer corrugated surface comprising a plurality of outer corrugations having an upper portion and a bottom portion 839, wherein the upper portions and the bottom portions of the outer corrugations are spaced apart by wall portions, said wall portions being at angle with one another of between 20 and 70.
5. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein the inner cover comprises: a slanted surface wherein the apertures are positioned at an elevated region of the slanted surface of the inner cover; or the inner cover comprises apertures that are provided on an elevation or the inner cover comprises apertures 60) that are at least partially surrounded with a ridge; or combinations thereof, to prevent condensed water to flow into the apertures and wherein the inner cover is transparent, opaque, intransparant, or provided with a light absorbing substance to absorb energy from sunlight.
6. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein the inner cover comprises over at least part of its surface area an inner corrugated surface comprising a plurality of inner corrugations having an upper portion and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portions are designed to channel condensed water towards the water collection unit, wherein the upper portions and the bottom portions of the inner corrugations are spaced apart by wall portions, said wall portions being at angle between 20 and 70.
7. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein at least part of the upper surface of the inner cover or at least part of the inner surface of the outer cover are water repellent by being made from a hydrophobic material or by being modified with a hydrophobic coating or a lotus leaf surface structure or combinations thereof.
8. The water distiller of claim 2, wherein the outer wall and the first wall are spaced apart by a wall spacing of 0.5 to 6 cm ; and wherein at least a part of the first base of the first container and the outer base of the outer container are spaced apart by a base spacing of at least 0.5 cm and less than 10 cm, wherein the spacings are set by spacers provided on the first container and/or on the outer container.
9. The water distiller of claim 1, wherein the first container comprises means to increase the evaporation, having a capillary function positioned inside the first container partially in and partially above the envisaged water level.
10. The water distiller of claim 2, wherein the outer wall of the outer container extends lower than the first wall of the first container by at least about 1 cm and/or wherein at least a top portion of the outer wall is transparent or wherein alternatively the entire outer container is transparent.
11. The water distiller of claim 1, having a circular or square circumferential shape in horizontal cross-section, and optionally having a central opening to surround and protect a plant positioned therein, or has a recess in at least one side or comer which recess forms part of an opening such that, in an assembly of two or more adjacent separate water distillers, the recesses cooperatively form an opening to surround and protect for example a plant positioned therein, which assembly of water distillers is connected by coupling member.
12. The water distiller of claim 1, further comprising one or more of the features a) to e) a) a closable drainage opening in the water collection unit for draining collected distilled water, b) irrigation means in the water collection unit. c) a filling opening extending through the outer cover and inner cover into the first container and means to close the filling opening in the outer cover, d) an overflow duct or opening between the water collection unit and the first container, e) the outer cover and the outer container are prepared from a transparent polymer material that also is transparent for UV light, f) electrical heating means for heating the contaminated water in the first container.
13. A method of distilling water, comprising: providing a water distiller of claim 1; filling the first container with contaminated water; exposing the water distiller to sunlight; and collecting distilled water from the water collection unit.
14-15. (canceled)
16. The water distiller of claim 5, wherein the inner cover has a thermal emissivity measured according to ASTM C1371-15 of at least about 0.50.
17. The water distiller of claim 6, wherein the outer cover comprises over at least a part of its surface area an outer corrugated surface comprising a plurality of outer corrugations haVing an upper portion and a bottom portion, wherein the upper portions and the bottom portions of the outer corrugations are spaced apart by wall portions, said wall portions being at angle with one another of between 20 and 70, and the inner corrugations of the inner cover align with the outer corrugations of the outer cover such that the bottom portions of the outer corrugations align with the bottom portions of the inner corrugations such that condensed water droplets falling from the bottom portion of the outer corrugations of the outer cover fall in the bottom portion of the inner cover.
18. The water distiller of claim 6, wherein the outer corrugations in the outer cover, and in the inner cover, have a triangular cross-sectional shape.
19. The water distiller of claim 9, wherein the capillary means are capillary cords, cloth or felt and are suspended from the inner cover into the first container.
20. The water distiller of claim 12, wherein the overflow opening is preferably formed by one or more recesses in an upper edge portion of the inner cover or first container where the inner cover engages the first container.
21. The water distiller of claim 12, wherein the electrical heating means is a resistance heating element integrated in the first wall or first base of the first container or an immersion heater haVing an electrical resistance heating element encased in a tube that can be positioned in the first container in the contaminated water to be heated through a filling opening or a separate opening similar to a filling opening and which immersion heater is provided with a cap to close the filling opening and to fix the position of the immersion heater in the first container to a distance of 1-2 cm from the first base of the first container.
22. The method of distilling water of claim 13, wherein the first container is filled to a height of at most 20 cm to allow the thermal energy to quickly heat up the water in the first container.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0085] The features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reference to the following drawings, in which:
[0086] FIG. 1 is an angled top view of one embodiment of the water distiller according to the invention;
[0087] FIG. 2 is an angled top view of the inner cover according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0088] FIG. 3A is an angled top view of the outer container with the first container disposed therein in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0089] FIG. 3B is an angled top view of the outer container of FIG. 3A with the first container removed therefrom in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0090] FIG. 4 is an angled bottom view of the water distiller according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0091] FIG. 5 is an angled top view of a water distiller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0092] FIG. 6 is an angled top view of two inner covers of FIG. 5 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0093] FIG. 7 is an angled top view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 with one of the inner covers removed to show the first container and the outer container;
[0094] FIG. 8 is an angled top view of the embodiment of FIG. 5, showing the outer containers with the first containers and the outer and inner covers removed;
[0095] FIG. 9 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover;
[0096] FIG. 10 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover;
[0097] FIG. 11 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover;
[0098] FIG. 12 is an angled top view of a cross section of a water distiller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprising evaporation means; and
[0099] FIG. 13 is a zoomed-in cut-out from FIG. 12 showing the evaporation means suspended from the inner cover.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0100] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 shows an angled top view of one embodiment of the water distiller 1 comprising an outer container 4, covered with an outer cover 3. The outer container 4 is comprised of a base 41 and an upwardly extending wall 42, thereby defining a container having an open top. The outer container 4 is connected to the outer cover 3 such that they enclose a volume therein. The outer cover 3 may be transparent and may be provided with a downward oriented side wall (34 in this embodiment) at its perimeter so that a larger part of the upward extending area of the distiller is comprised of the outer cover 3. If the outer cover 3 is transparent, allowing it to extend further down ensures a larger amount of lateral sunlight is received through the outer cover 3, thereby increasing the efficiency of the water distiller 1. Alternatively, the outer container 4 may be made transparent completely or only for an upper part of the outer wall 42.
[0101] In the outer container 4, a first container 2 is disposed, for containing contaminated water, which cannot be seen in FIG. 1 since it is disposed in the outer container 4 and under the outer cover 3 (see FIG. 3A). The outer cover 3 comprises a plurality of radially extending zig-zag shaped corrugations 31 which allow water that condenses on the inner surface of the outer cover 3 to flow to the outer container 4 more effectively. The corrugations 31 comprise a top portion 32 and a bottom portion 33. The angles defined by the corrugations 31, with respect to gravity, allow for quicker drainage of the condensed water. Water that condenses on the inner surface of the outer cover 3 is directed to the bottom portions 33 of the corrugations 31 and either drips down or slides along the bottom portions 33 to the side of the outer cover 3 for collection in the outer container 4.
[0102] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the outer container 4 and the outer cover 3 are shaped such that a plant may be received in the middle of the water distiller through an opening 6. A part of the condensed water, or all of the water, can be used to water the plant. This is advantageous since it prevents the accumulation of sediments in the watering process, keeping the soil healthy for a longer period of time. Water irrigation system of such general shape are described for example in EP1891275, WO2012081980 and WO2016118011.
[0103] In addition, the outer cover 3 may comprise a filling opening 71, which during use is closed with closing means, such as a filling cap 7. The opening 71 directs the contaminated water through the outer cover 3, through the inner cover 5, and into the first container 2. From there, the contaminated water can evaporate due to the accumulation of heat.
[0104] FIG. 2 shows an angled top view of the inner cover 5 according to an embodiment of the invention. The inner cover 5 is in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1 and is disposed on the first container 2, inside the outer container 4 and underneath the outer cover 3. The inner cover 5 is arranged to be positioned on the first container 2. However, the inner cover 5 may also be suspended above the first container 2.
[0105] The inner cover 5 of FIG. 2 comprises a plurality of corrugations 51 having a top portion 52 and a bottom portion 53. The corrugations increase the speed with which the water flows by creating a smaller angle with gravity. In this embodiment, the corrugations 51 of the inner cover 5 are in accordance with the corrugations of the outer cover 3 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in particular having a similar shape of the corrugations and having the corrugations aligned above each other, such that a droplet of condensed water from the bottom portions 33 of the corrugations 31 of the outer cover 3 drops down onto a bottom portion 53 of the inner cover. This allows the water to be directed to the water collection unit or to the outer container 4 more effectively as fewer condensed water droplets fall back from the outer cover into the contaminated water.
[0106] The inner cover 5 comprises a plurality of apertures 50 in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to allow evaporated water to pass through. The apertures 50 are arranged between the top portions 52 and the bottom portions 53 of the corrugations 51. The apertures 50 may also be positioned on the top portions 52 of the corrugations 51. Thus, the chance is minimised that a droplet from the (bottom part 33 of the) outer cover 3 falls through an aperture 50. The inner cover 5 further comprises a filling opening 71 through which additional contaminated water may be provided to the first container or another area underneath the inner cover 5. As mentioned, the opening 71 may also be closed by e.g. a filling cap 7.
[0107] The corrugated surface 51 of the inner cover 5 in the FIG. 2 embodiment is slanted in two directions so that water on the surface of the inner cover 5 is directed to the periphery of the inner cover 5 or to the middle of the inner cover 5. In both cases, in this embodiment, the water would be directed at the outer container 4, or to another water collection structure.
[0108] FIG. 3A shows an angled top view of the outer container 4 with the first container 2 disposed therein. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the outer container 4 comprises an outer base 41 and an outer wall 42. In the outer container 4, the first container 2 is provided. The first container 2 comprises a first base 21 and a first wall 22, extending upwardly from the first base 21. The first container 2 and the outer container 4 are shaped so that they define an opening 6 for receiving a plant. As shown, the opening 6 is created by an upwardly extending and tapering central outer wall 64 and central first wall 62. These walls define the opening 6 without allowing water to flow out the first container 2 or out the outer container 4. In the embodiment comprising a central opening 6, the outer cover and inner cover are slanted in two directions, one part towards the outer wall and one part towards the central opening so that condensed water is directed to the periphery of the cover and to the middle cover and flows through the spacing between the first inner and the outer container into the water collection unit.
[0109] FIG. 3B shows an angled top view of the outer container 4 of FIG. 3A with the first container 2 removed therefrom. As explained, the outer container 4 is arranged to collect the condensed water. The outer container shown in FIG. 3B comprises a base portion 41 and an upwardly extending outer wall 42 to define a volume. The outer container 4 further comprises an upwardly extending middle outer wall 64 so that an opening 6 can be defined without allowing the collected water to flow from the outer container 4. The drawings show corrugations or indentations in the bottom of the outer container and first container and indentations in the walls of the containers for increasing the stiffness of the container.
[0110] FIG. 4 shows an angled bottom view of the water distiller 1 showing the bottom portion of the outer container 4 comprising an outer base portion 41 and an outer wall 42 extending upwardly therefrom. The outer container 4 further comprises a drainage opening 43 on the base portion 41 of the outer container 4. In another embodiment, the drainage opening 43 may be disposed on the outer wall 42 of the outer container 4. The drainage opening 43 is arranged to allow clean water to be drained from the outer container 4. The drainage opening 43 may be connected to a water collection structure, to a water dissipation device, or directly to the soil underneath, depending on the application of the invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the drainage opening 43 is coupled to a bottle 8. The bottle can be any regular bottle, such as a PET bottle. The drainage opening 43 may comprise a threaded section to receive a bottle 8 therein. The bottle 8 is arranged to collect fresh drinking water directly from the outer container 4 so that the usage of the water distiller 1 according to the invention is simplified.
[0111] FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of another embodiment of the water distiller 1 comprising two combined distillers according to the invention shaped to cooperatively create an opening for surrounding a plant. This embodiment shows two outer containers 4, comprised of two outer base portions 41 and two outer walls 42 extending upwardly from the outer base portions 41. On the outer containers 4, two transparent outer covers 3 are provided. The outer covers 3 comprise a plurality of corrugations 31 in a down shape slanting down in two directions towards two edges of the square outer containers. the corrugations having top portions 32 and bottom portions 33 for effectively directing water, condensed on the inner surface of the outer covers 3, to a water collection unit, such as the outer containers 4. The outer containers 4 are rectangular and are coupled together with a coupling member 44, arranged to hold the outer containers 4 together. The outer containers 4 and the outer covers 3 comprise a semi-circular recess in their sides. These recesses form, when the two outer containers 4 and the two outer covers 3 are coupled, an opening 6 for receiving a plant therein. Further, the outer covers 3 comprise a filing opening 71 with a filling cap 7 disposed therein to close off the filing opening 71. The filling opening 71 allows the first container 2 to be filled without dismantling the entire water distiller 1.
[0112] FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of two inner covers 5 in accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. The two inner covers 5 comprise a plurality of corrugations 51, having top portions 52 and bottom portions 53. The corrugations 51 of the inner covers 5 in this embodiment operate in the same manner as described hereinbefore. The inner covers 5 comprise a plurality of apertures 50 to allow evaporated water to pass through and condense on the inner surface of the outer covers 3. The inner covers 5 further comprise a filling opening 71 through which the first container 2 may be filled with contaminated water. Again, the rectangular shape of the inner covers 2 defines a recess on two opposing sides, allowing for the definition of an opening 6 for receiving a plant therein.
[0113] FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 with one of the inner covers 5 removed to show the first container 2 and the outer container 4. The left side of the embodiment of FIG. 7 shows the outer container 4 having an outer base portion 41 and an outer wall 42, with the first container 2 disposed therein. The first container 2 comprises a base portion 21 and an inner wall 22. As previously discussed, the rectangular shape of the first container 2 and the outer container 4 defines a recess for partly surrounding a plant. Together with the recesses in the components of the right side of the embodiment, an opening 6 is defined for surrounding a plant. The right side of the water distiller 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 shows the inner cover 5 disposed on the first container 2, within the outer container 4. The inner cover 5 is in accordance with the inner cover 5 described in previous embodiments. The filling cap 7 is shown on the right side of the water distiller 1, disposed in the filling opening 71 of the inner cover 5.
[0114] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 5, showing the outer containers 4 with the first containers 2 and the outer 3 and inner 5 covers removed. The two outer containers 4 comprise an outer base portion 41 and outer walls 42 which define the inner volume of the outer containers 4. The rectangular shape of the outer containers 4 defines a recess which, coupled together, defines an opening 6 for a plant. The outer containers 4 are connected with a coupling member 44, which is arranged to connect the two (or more) outer containers 4. The outer containers 4 also comprise a drainage opening 43 to which water collection members can be attached, such as a bottle 8.
[0115] FIG. 9 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover 5. The inner cover 5 is shaped as a truncated cone, having a plurality of apertures 50 arranged over the cone. In a preferred embodiment, these are arranged mostly near the top portion of the cone. The apertures 50 are arranged to allow evaporated water to pass through so that it can condense on the inner surface of an outer cover 3 according to any of the embodiments described hereinbefore. The inner cover 5 further comprises a gutter 55, attached to a tube 56 for draining collected water. Instead of providing a tube for transport of water to a water collection unit, the gutter can be shaped larger to function as a water collection unit. A drainage in accordance with any of the previously described embodiments can also be utilised. The embodiment of FIG. 9 allows for the omission of a first container 2 or an outer container 4. The inner cover 5, along with an outer cover 3, can be placed on any surface having contaminated water which can evaporate. Due to the inclusion of a gutter 55, in combination with a tube (or any other water collection device), the outer container 4 is not needed. As a result, the combination of an outer cover 3 and the inner cover 5 can also readily be utilised in accordance with the invention.
[0116] FIG. 10 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover 5. The inner cover 5 comprises an upwardly directed wall portion 57, which is high enough to stop water flowing over the sides of the inner cover 5. The surface 58 of the inner cover 5 is substantially horizontal. In another embodiment, the surface 58 can be slanted or comprise any other geometry which directs water towards a tube 56 which is disposed in the surface of the inner cover. The tube 56 can be replaced with any other convenient water collection device, such as e.g. a bottle 8. The horizontal surface 58 collects water which drips down from the transparent outer cover 3 so that the surface 58 allows the clean water to flow to the water collection tube 56. The inner cover 5 further comprises a plurality of elevated apertures 50. In this embodiment, the apertures 50 are disposed in the top regions of semi-spheroids 59. Any elevation of the apertures 50 with respect to the surface 58 and the water collection tube 56 is in accordance with the present invention. The semi-spheroids can be replaced with e.g. pyramids, corrugated surfaces, cones, cylinders, or any other geometry.
[0117] FIG. 11 is an angled top view of an embodiment in accordance with the invention showing the inner cover 5. The inner cover 5 of the FIG. 11 embodiment shows a corrugated surface 51, the corrugations having top portions 52 and bottom portions 53. The corrugated surface 51 is slanted to direct water to the periphery of the inner cover 5. The inner cover may be closed or may be open to comprise an opening 6 in the middle for receiving a plant, or the like. The apertures 50 are positioned on the top portions 52 of the corrugations 51 to prevent water from flowing back into the contaminated water source.
[0118] FIG. 12 is an angled top view of a cross section of a water distiller in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising evaporation means. This embodiment is in essence the same as that of FIG. 1 and features already described for FIG. 1 will not be repeated here. FIG. 12 shows downwardly extending portion of outer cover 34 and that the upper edge of the first wall of the first container is higher than the upper edge of the outer wall of the outer container, thus exposing part of the first container to direct sunlight through the transparent outer and in particular also when the sun is low through downwardly extending portion of outer cover 34. Also visible are a plurality of capillary chords 9 that are suspended from the inner cover into the first container through the apertures in said inner cover. The outer spacers on first container 23 position the first container in contact with the outer cover and provide a set wall spacing 24 between outer container and first container cooperatively with the inner spacer 25 on the first container providing a wall spacing 26 between the inner upward extending walls of the central opening 6 in the outer container and first container. The indents 45 in the outer container form spacers setting bottom spacing 46 between the outer container and the first container.
[0119] FIG. 13 is zoomed in cut out from FIG. 12, showing more clearly the evaporation means 9 suspended from the inner cover, showing that the capillary means extends over the upper surface of the inner cover through 2 apertures 50 in the inner cover having an upper end 91 above the upper surface of the inner cover and two ends 92 being suspended into the first container. Ultimately, capillary means can be provided from all apertures in the inner cover.
[0120] The invention also relates to a water distiller 1, for distilling contaminated water, the water distiller 1 comprising: a first container 2, for containing contaminated water, the first container 2 comprising a first base 21 and a first wall 22, upwardly extending from the first base 21; an outer cover 3 as in any of the embodiments described above and a water collection unit 4, wherein the outer cover 3 is transparent for heating the contaminated water in the first container 2 by sun radiation and wherein the first container 2 is provided with electrical heating means powered by solar energy for heating the contaminated water in the first container 2.
[0121] Thus, the invention has been described by reference to certain embodiments discussed above. It will be recognized that these embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms well known to those of skill in the art.
[0122] Further modifications in addition to those described above may be made to the structures and techniques described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, although specific embodiments have been described, these are examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention.
