METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF TREATING FLUIDS APPLIED TO A UV REACTOR

Abstract

There is disclosed a method and UV reactor for improving the efficiency of treating fluids applied to a UV reactor (2) comprising a longitudinal flow chamber (4) having a longitudinal center axis (22), an input (6) for entry of fluid in the flow chamber (4), and an output (8) for fluid to exit the flow chamber (4), where at least the input (6) of the flow chamber (4) comprises an inlet pipe (10) followed by an inlet cone (12) which as a part of the flow chamber (4) increases the cross section of the channel from the inlet pipe (10) to a cross section of the longitudinal flow chamber (4) of UV reactor (2), said UV reactor (2) having at least one longitudinal UV-lamp (20) parallel to but not coinciding with the longitudinal center axis (22), and where the UV-lamp (20) is arranged such that fluid can flow along a flow path from the input (6) to the output (8) via the flow chamber (4), and so that fluid flowing along the flow path can be exposed to UV radiation as it flows from the input (6) to the output (8) to receive a UV dose, which is characterized in, that the fluid applied to the UV reactor (2) via the input (6) of the flow chamber (4), when passing the inlet cone (12), is applied a uniform helical flow path in an extent that all the fluid applied to the UV reactor (2), within the operation range of the current UV reactor (2), at least passes at least one UV lamp (20) at a distance to receive at least a prescribed UV dose related to the current UV reactor (2), during passing of the fluid inside the UV reactor.

Claims

1. A method for improving the efficiency of treating fluids applied to a UV reactor comprising a longitudinal flow chamber having a longitudinal center axis, an input for entry of fluid in the flow chamber, and an output for fluid to exit the flow chamber, where at least the input of the flow chamber comprises an inlet pipe followed by an inlet cone which as a part of the flow chamber increases the cross section of the channel from the inlet pipe to a cross section of the longitudinal flow chamber of UV reactor, said UV reactor having at least one longitudinal UV-lamp parallel to but not coinciding with the longitudinal center axis, and where the UV-lamp is arranged such that fluid can flow along a flow path from the input to the output via the flow chamber , and so that fluid flowing along the flow path can be exposed to UV-radiation as it flows from the input to the output to receive a Reduction UV dose, wherein the fluid applied to the UV reactor via the input of the flow chamber, when passing the inlet cone in combination with a flow guide located in said inlet cone, is applied a uniform helical flow path in an extent that all the fluid applied to the UV reactor, within the operation range of the current UV reactor, at least passes at least one UV-lamp at a distance to receive at least a prescribed Reduction UV radiation dose related to the current UV reactor, during passing of the fluid inside the UV reactor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed Reduction UV dose is defined as the dose distribution of fluid applied to the UV reactor, having passed the UV reactor, has received at least 50% of the Average Equivalent Reduction UV dose.

3. A UV reactor for treating fluids for use in practicing the method according to claim 1, comprising a longitudinal flow chamber having a longitudinal center axis, an input for entry of fluid in the flow chamber, and an output for fluid to exit the flow chamber, where at least the input of the flow chamber comprises an inlet pipe followed by an inlet cone which as a part of the flow chamber increases the cross section of the channel from the inlet pipe to a cross section of the flow chamber of the UV reactor, said UV reactor having at least one longitudinal UV-lamp parallel to, but not coinciding with the longitudinal center axis, and where the UV-lamp is arranged such that fluid can flow along a flow path from the input to the output via the flow chamber, and so that fluid flowing along the flow path can be exposed to UV-radiation as the fluid flows from the input to the output, wherein the inlet cone has a flow guide comprising a number of radial protruding equally curved turbine blade shaped guide plates on the reverse side relative to the inlet pipe, said curving turbine blade shaped guide plates being equally distributed over the circular surface of the cone, said guide plates extending between the inlet of the cone and the cone end.

4. The UV reactor according to claim 3, wherein the curving turbine blade shaped guide plates is attached to the inner wall of the cone.

5. The UV reactor according to claim 3, wherein the inlet cone has a flow guide comprising a first plate shaped ring with a number of radial protruding equally curved turbine blade shaped guide plates on the reverse side relative to the inlet pipe, where a plurality of said curving turbine blade shaped guide plates being equally distributed over the circular surface of the first plate shaped ring and the cone, said guide plates extending between the first plate shaped ring at the inlet of the cone and the cone end.

6. The UV reactor according to claim 5, wherein the flow guide is releasably fixed in position in the cone.

7. The UV reactor according to claim 5, wherein the flow guide at the end of the inlet cone closest to the flow chamber comprises a second support ring supporting the radial protruding equally curved, turbine blade shaped guide plates.

8. The UV reactor according to claim 5, wherein the flow guide further comprises a third support ring located between the first plate shaped ring and the second support ring closest to the flow chamber, supporting the radial protruding equally curved turbine blade shaped guide plates.

9. The UV reactor according to claim 3, wherein the inlet pipe comprises a flow rectifier comprising of at least one plate shaped body located in the inlet pipe.

10. The UV reactor according to claim 9, wherein the flow rectifier comprises a first tube located in the longitudinal center axis of the inner periphery of the inlet tube, and from the outer periphery of which first tube, one or more plate shaped bodies extends to the inner wall of the inlet tube, said plate shaped bodies being equally mutually angled around the first tube, and being attached to the inner wall of the inlet tube.

11. The UV reactor according to claim 9, wherein the first plate shaped ring is releasably attached to the flow rectifier.

12. The UV reactor according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plate shaped bodies of the flow rectifier comprises a protrusion at the against the first plate shaped ring adjacent side, extending in direction of the first plate shaped ring, said protrusion cooperating with a take out in the first plate shaped ring, for positioning of the flow guide relative to the flow rectifier.

13. The UV reactor according to claim 5, wherein the first plate shaped ring of the flow guide via some of the curved turbine blade shaped guide plates are connected to a treaded bush cooperating with a treaded bolt lead through the first pipe, said treaded bolt having a head which is in abutment with the reverse end of the said first pipe.

14. The UV reactor according to claim 9, wherein the flow rectifier consists of one or more plate shaped bodies oriented transverse to the longitudinal center axis of the UV reactor and the inlet pipe, said plates having one or more take outs for passing fluid into the UV reactor.

15. The UV reactor according to claim 3, wherein the UV reactor comprises a plurality of UV-lamps.

16. The UV-reactor according to claim 3, wherein the UV-lamps are arranged at different distances from the longitudinal center axis of the flow chamber.

17. A method for improving the efficiency of treating fluids applied to a UV reactor comprising a longitudinal flow chamber having a longitudinal center axis, an input for entry of fluid in the flow chamber, and an output for fluid to exit the flow chamber, where at least the input of the flow chamber comprises a channel having an increasing cross section from an inlet pipe to the longitudinal flow chamber of the UV reactor, the UV reactor having at least one longitudinal UV-lamp, and where the UV-lamp is arranged such that fluid can flow along a flow path from the input to the output via the flow chamber, and so that fluid flowing along the flow path can be exposed to UV-radiation as it flows from the input to the output to receive a Reduction UV dose, wherein the fluid applied to the UV reactor via the input of the flow chamber is applied a uniform helical flow path in an extent that all the fluid applied to the UV reactor, within an operation range of the UV reactor, at least passes at least one UV-lamp at a distance to receive at least a prescribed Reduction UV radiation dose related to the UV reactor, during passing of the fluid inside the UV reactor.

18. A UV reactor for treating fluids, comprising a longitudinal flow chamber having a longitudinal center axis, an input for entry of fluid in the flow chamber, and an output for fluid to exit the flow chamber, where the input of the flow chamber comprises an inlet pipe followed by an inlet channel having an increasing cross sectional area from the inlet pipe to the flow chamber of the UV reactor, the UV reactor having at least one longitudinal UV-lamp wherein the UV-lamp is arranged such that fluid can flow along a flow path from the input to the output via the flow chamber, and so that fluid flowing along the flow path can be exposed to UV-radiation as the fluid flows from the input to the output, wherein the inlet channel has a flow guide comprising a number of radial protruding equally curved turbine blade shaped guide plates on a reverse side relative to the inlet pipe, said curving turbine blade shaped guide plates being equally distributed over a surface of the channel, wherein the inlet pipe comprises a flow rectifier comprising of at least one plate-shaped body located in the inlet pipe.

Description

[0052] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a UV reactor with piping according to the invention,

[0054] FIG. 2 shows the same as in FIG. 1, where the piping and the shell of the UV reactor is transparent,

[0055] FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of the inlet of the UV reactor according to the invention,

[0056] FIG. 4 is an end view of the UV reactor according to the invention shown from the inlet pipe side,

[0057] FIG. 5 is an end view of the UV reactor according to the invention shown from the side of the flow chamber,

[0058] FIG. 6 is a perspective view seen from the inlet pipe side, of the flow rectifier and the flow guide belonging to the UV reactor according to the invention,

[0059] FIG. 7 is a perspective view seen from the flow chamber side, of the flow rectifier and the flow guide belonging to the UV reactor according to the invention,

[0060] FIG. 8 is a section side view of the flow rectifier in the inlet pipe and the flow guide the cone between the inlet pipe and the reaction flow camber belonging to the UV reactor according to the invention,

[0061] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the UV reactor according to the invention showing the flow pattern of the fluid applied to the UV reactor, inside the inlet piping, the flow rectifier, the flow guide in the inlet cone, and in the flow chamber, and

[0062] FIG. 10 shows distribution profiles of doses received by each volume element passing a reactor according to the present invention compared to a typical competing reactor.

[0063] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an UV reactor 2 according to the invention comprising a longitudinal flow chamber 4, an input 6 for entry of fluid into the flow chamber 4, an output 8 to exit the fluid from the flow chamber 4. The input 6 comprises an inlet pipe 10, connected with an inlet cone 12, which as a part of the flow chamber increases the cross section of the channel from the inlet pipe 10 to the cross section of the flow chamber 4. The inlet pipe 10 is connected to piping 14 for leading the fluid to the UV reactor, and the piping 14 shown comprises a bend 16 and a straight pipe 18, and may of course comprise further elements which is not shown here.

[0064] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 shows the UV reactor 2 in FIG. 1, where the piping 14, the input 6, the flow chamber 4 and the output 8 has been made transparent.

[0065] The flow chamber 4 comprises a number of oblong UV-lamps 20 extending parallel to the center axis 22 of the UV reactor 2, but in different distances from the center axis, as it clear appears in FIG. 5. The center axis 22 of the UV reactor 2 is also center axis for the inlet cone 12 and the inlet pipe 10.

[0066] At the inside of the inlet cone 12 is located a flow guide 24, and in the inlet pipe 10 is located a flow rectifier 26.

[0067] FIG. 4 is an end view of the input 6, seen from side of the inlet pipe 10 and shows the flow guide 24 and the flow rectifier 26. The flow guide 24 comprises a number of radial protruding curved turbine blade shaped guide plates 28 (in the following pronounced turbine blades 28) equally distributed over the circular surface of the cone 12, cf. also FIG. 3. The turbine blades 28 are in the shown embodiment of the UV reactor according to the invention, attached to a first plate shaped ring 30 located closest to the inlet pipe 10 and some of the turbine blades 28 (every second) are further attached to a treaded bush 32 the center axis of which are coinciding with the center axis 22 of the UV reactor 2 and thus for the inlet cone and the inlet pipe 10.

[0068] The flow rectifier 26 consists of a first tube 34 the center axis coincides with the center axis of the inlet tube 10. In the shown embodiment of the UV reactor 2 according to the invention, the outer periphery 36 of the first tube 34 comprises 4 plate shaped bodies 38 extending to abutment with the inner wall of the inlet tube 10. Said plate shaped bodies 38 are equally mutually angled around the first tube 34, and having a mutual angle on 90° Cf. FIG. 3 and more clear FIG. 6.

[0069] FIG. 5 is an end view of the UV reactor 2 according to the invention shown from the side of the flow chamber 4, wherein the wall of the flow chamber is hidden. As it clearly appears, the UV oblong UV-lamps 20 are arranged in different distances from the center axis 22 of the longitudinal flow chamber 4. Further is shown a second support ring 40, located at the end of the inlet cone 12, closest to the flow chamber 4, said support ring supporting the turbine blades 28. The second support ring 40 also appears in FIG. 3 and more clearly in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a perspective view seen from the side of the inlet pipe 10, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view seen from the flow chamber side, of the flow rectifier 26 and the flow guide 24 belonging to the UV reactor 2 according to the invention.

[0071] As it appears from FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the flow guide 24 comprises a third support ring 42, located between the first plate shaped ring 30, and the second support ring 40. The third support ring 42 serves to increase the stability of the turbine blades 28 of the flow guide 24.

[0072] As it also appears from FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the flow rectifier 26 comprises a first tube 34 located in the longitudinal axis 22 of the inner periphery of the inlet pipe 10 cg. FIG. 2, from the outer periphery 36 of said first tube 34, one or more plate shaped bodies 38 extends to the inner wall 44 of the inlet pipe 10 (c.f. FIG. 3), said plate shaped bodies 38 being equally mutually angled around the first tube 34, and being attached to the inner wall 44 of the inlet pipe 10.

[0073] As it further appears from FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 the first plate shaped ring 30 of the flow guide 24 is via some of the turbine blades 28 connected to the treaded bush 32 cooperating with a treaded bolt 46 lead through the first tube 34, said bolt 46 having a head 48 which is in abutment with the reverse end 50 of the said first tube 34. Thus, the flow guide 24 and the flow rectifier are mutually connected to each other.

[0074] FIG. 8 which is a side section view of the flow rectifier 26, in the inlet pipe 10, and the flow guide 24 in the inlet cone 12, between the inlet pipe 10 and the flow camber 4 belonging to the UV reactor according to the invention, discloses an embodiment of the connection between the flow guide 24 and the flow rectifier 26. As it appears, the treaded bush 32 is provided with a cap 52 at the end closest to the flow rectifier 26.

[0075] FIG. 8 also discloses that one of the plate shaped bodies 38 of the flow rectifier 26 comprises a protrusion 54 at the against the first plate shaped ring 30 adjacent side, extending in direction of the first plate shaped ring 30. Said protrusion is cooperating with a track 56 in the first plate shaped ring 30, for positioning of the flow guide 24 relative to the flow rectifier 26.

[0076] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the UV reactor 2 according to the invention showing a computer calculated flow pattern 58 of the fluid applied to the UV reactor according to the invention, inside the inlet piping 16, 10, the flow rectifier 26, the flow guide 24 in the inlet cone 12, and in the flow chamber 4.

[0077] As it appears, the flow pattern in the fluid having passed the bend 16 is turbulent, however, the turbulence in the fluid is dampened having passed the flow rectifier 26, and having passed the flow guide 24 in the inlet cone 12, the flow pattern in the fluid has become uniform and helical. This will enable a more uniform UV-radiation of the bacteria and microorganisms or other particles in the fluid, and enable for a lower consumption of energy per treated m.sup.3 fluid.

[0078] FIG. 10 shows distribution profiles of doses received by each volume element passing a reactor according to the present invention (curve A) compared to a competing reactor (curve B). Both systems have the same average doses of 400 J/m2. Due to the invention, the distribution of the new system has a more narrow profile and results in more volume elements receiving close to 400 J/m2 compared to a competing system, where turbulence or lack of exposure of some volume elements due to direct passage through a lower intensity area of the chamber causes a wider distribution in the received doses. FIG. 10 shows the same dose curves adjusted according to the response curves of a biodosemeter (Bacillus subtilis).

[0079] The exponential relationship between dose and actual bacteria reduction results in the effect that doses delivered to volume elements of the traditional systems is further below average compared to those of the present invention has a negative impact on the combined REF and thereby the system performance.

[0080] It should be noticed, that the inventor has realized, that the UV reactor according to the invention may take other designs and embodiments than the embodiment disclosed in the drawings and as specified above, for example could the flow rectifier consist of one or more plate shaped bodies, oriented transverse to the longitudinal center axis of the UV reactor and the inlet pipe, said plates having one or more take outs for passing fluid into the UV reactor. The attachments of the flow guide in the inlet cone and the connection between the flow guide and the flow rectifier could also take other designs.

LIST OF POSITION NUMBERS

[0081] 2 UV reactor [0082] 4 longitudinal flow chamber [0083] 6 input [0084] 8 output [0085] 10 inlet pipe [0086] 12 inlet cone [0087] 14 piping [0088] 16 bend (pipe) [0089] 18 straight pipe [0090] 20 oblong UV-lamps [0091] 22 longitudinal center axis of the UV reactor [0092] 24 flow guide [0093] 26 flow rectifier [0094] 28 radial protruding curved turbine shaped guide plates (turbine plates) [0095] 30 first plate shaped ring [0096] 32 treaded bush [0097] 34 first tube [0098] 36 outer periphery of 34 [0099] 38 plate shaped bodies (of 26) [0100] 40 second support ring for 24 [0101] 42 third support ring for 24 [0102] 44 inner wall of 10 [0103] 46 treaded bolt [0104] 48 head of 46 [0105] 50 reverse end of 34 [0106] 52 cap on 46 [0107] 54 protrusion on 38 [0108] 56 take out in 30 [0109] 58 flow pattern for the applied fluid in the inlet pipe 10 [0110] 60 flow pattern for the applied fluid after the flow rectifier 26 [0111] 62 flow pattern for the applied fluid after the flow guide 24 [0112] A distribution profile of dose received by each volume element passing the UV reactor according to invention [0113] B distribution profile of dose received by each volume element passing a competing UV reactor