TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure is directed at a water condensing and filtration system and method for condensing and purifying water for consumption.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Air contains moisture and this moisture can be condensed, collected and filtered to produce drinking water. An overly high amount of humidity in the air may result in a moldy living environment and/or rusty appliances and even cause discomfort to some people. Thus, dehumidifiers are frequently used in housing and other places to remove humidity from the air. In many areas around the world there is a shortage of fresh water, particularly in arid or desert like areas; these dry areas may have high air humidity, therefore, a system that uses humidity in the air to supply drinking water may be helpful in reducing water shortage problems.

[0003] Various conventional systems for condensing water from the air are available.

These systems may further include a water treatment or water purification step to produce purified water meeting world health organization standards for drinking. The process of extracting water from the air is advantageous since it eliminates the need for access to groundwater or seawater and the ambient air is a sustainable and accessible resource.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect, there is provided a water condensing and filtration system comprising: a condensing unit for condensing water from humidified air; a water collecting tank in fluid communication with the condensing unit for collecting condensed water from the condensing unit; a filtration unit in fluid communication with the water collecting tank for filtering the condensed water to produce purified water; a water storage tank in fluid communication with the filtration unit for collecting the purified water; a series of conduits providing a water flow path from the water collecting tank through the filtration unit to the water storage unit; a pump coupled with the water flow path for pumping water along the water flow path; one or more than one load sensor coupled with at least one of the water collecting tank and the water storage tank, the load sensor configured to detect weight of water in the water tank to which it is coupled; and a controller in electrical communication with the load sensor and at least one of the pump and the condensing unit, the controller configured to receive data from the load sensor and control the pump and/or the condensing unit in response to the data received.

[0005] The water collecting tank may be positioned below the condensing unit so that the condensed water falls into the water collecting tank under gravity.

[0006] The system may further comprise a water dispenser coupled with the water storage tank for controllably dispensing the purified water from the water storage tank. [0007] The load sensor may be coupled with the water collecting tank. The controller may be in electrical communication with the condensing unit and configured to turn off the condensing unit when the weight of water in the water collecting tank is above a predetermined maximum weight of water. The controller may be in electrical communication with the pump and configured to turn off the pump when the weight of water in the water collecting tank is below a predetermined minimum weight of water.

[0008] The load sensor may be coupled with the water storage tank and the controller may be in electrical communication with the pump and may be configured to turn off the pump when the weight of water in the water storage tank is above a predetermined maximum weight. [0009] One load sensor may be coupled with the water collecting tank and another load sensor may be coupled with the water storage tank.

[0010] The system may further comprise a three-way valve in the water flow path and a conduit fluidly connecting the water storage unit to the three-way valve. The three-way valve may be electrically communicative with the controller and the controller may be configured to actuate the three-way valve to: open a flow path between the water collecting tank and the filtration unit and close a flow path between the water storage tank and the filtration unit during operation; and close the flow path between the water collecting tank and the filtration unit and open the flow path between the water storage tank and the filtration unit at system shut down. [0011] The condensing unit may comprise an evaporator coated with a ceramic. The ceramic may comprise porcelain.

[0012] According to another aspect, there is provided a method for condensing and purifying water for consumption. The method comprises: flowing humidified air through a condensing unit to condense water from the humidified air; collecting the condensed water in a water collecting tank; actuating a pump to pump the condensed water from the water collecting tank through a filtration unit to a water storage tank, whereby the condensed water is purified in the filtration unit and the purified water collects in the water storage tank; and measuring weight of water in at least one of the water collecting tank and the water storage tank and controlling the pump and/or the condensing unit in response to the weight of water measured.

[0013] The method may further comprise actuating a water dispenser coupled with the water storage tank to dispense the purified water from the water storage tank on demand.

[0014] The weight of water in the water collecting tank may be measured. The condensing unit may be turned off when the weight of water in the water collecting tank is above a predetermined maximum weight of water. The pump may be turned off when the weight of water in the water collecting tank is below a predetermined minimum weight of water.

[0015] The weight of water in the water storage tank may be measured and the pump may be turned off when the weight of water in the water storage tank is above a predetermined maximum weight.

[0016] The weight of water in both the water collecting tank and the water storage tank may be measured.

[0017] The method may further comprise periodically circulating purified water from the water storage tank through the filtration unit and back to the water storage tank at system shut down.

[0018] This summary does not necessarily describe the entire scope of all aspects.

Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments:

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a water condensing and filtration system according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Directional terms such as "top", "bottom", "upwards", "downwards",

"vertically" and "laterally" are used in the following description for the purpose of providing relative reference only, and are not intended to suggest any limitations on how any article is to be positioned during use, or to be mounted in an assembly or relative to an environment.

[0022] The embodiments described herein relate to a water condensing and filtration system and method for condensing and purifying water for consumption. The system condenses water from humidified air and the condensed water is collected and purified by a filtration unit to produce drinking water suitable for consumption. [0023] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a water condensing and filtration system

1 according to an embodiment. The system 1 comprises a condensing unit 2 for condensing water from humidified air and a water collecting tank 3 positioned below the condensing unit

2 for collecting the condensed water. Air is drawn into condensing unit 2 by an air-suction device (not shown) which may include at least one fan driven by a motor, or some other means of drawing air through the condensing unit 2. The condensing unit 2 may be a conventional dehumidifier or water condenser which typically includes a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown) and an evaporator (not shown) with refrigerant circulating therebetween around a closed refrigerant circuit. Humidity-rich air is drawn into the condensing unit 2 by the air-suction device where water vapour in the air is condensed to water droplets on the evaporator. The water droplets accumulate and form larger drops that fall under gravity into the water collecting tank 3 provided below the condensing unit 2.

[0024] A pump 4 is actuated to pump the condensed water from the collecting tank 3 to a filtration unit 6 via condensed water feed conduit 5. The filtration unit 6 comprises a series of sub-units 6a-6e which carry out water filtration/purification steps as the water is pumped through the filtration unit 6. The sub-units of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 include a pre-carbon sub-unit 6a, a sediment sub-unit 6b, a post carbon sub-unit 6c, an ultra fine sub-unit 6d, and an ultraviolet sub-unit 6e. Such filtration units are known in the art and may carry out different filtration/purification steps with more or less sub units depending on the level of contamination of the condensed water. Purified water is pumped from the filtration unit 6 to a water storage tank 8 via a purified water feed conduit 7. The purified water is suitable for drinking and is stored until needed in the storage tank 8 and then dispensed using water dispenser 9. Water dispenser 9 may be a tap or other controllable water dispenser as is known in the art. [0025] The water collecting tank 3 includes a load sensor 10 which senses the load

(weight) of water in the collecting tank 3. A load sensor 1 1 is also provided in the water storage tank 8. The load sensors 10 and 11 are each electrically communicative with a circuit board 13 via electrical leads 12. The pump 4 and condensing unit 12 are also electrically communicative with the circuit board 13 via electrical leads 12. The circuit board 13 includes a processing unit or controller (not shown) and optionally a memory (not shown) having stored thereon program code executable by the controller. The controller receives information from the load sensors 10 and 11, and actuates the pump 4 and condensing unit 2 in response to information received from the load sensors 10 and 1 1 to control operation of the water condensing and filtration system 1 as described below. The circuit board 13 may be electrically communicative with a display and user interface (not shown), with input means for allowing local user control of the water condensing and filtration system 1. The circuit board 13 may additionally or alternatively be electrically communicative with an external control system for wired or wireless communication with the circuit board 13 or with the user interface. The external control system may be, but is not limited to, a local or networked personal computing device, such as system controllers, PLCs, personal computers (PC's) or handheld devices.

[0026] The condensing unit 2 is turned on and water condenses and collects in the collecting tank 3. In one embodiment, when the collecting tank load sensor 10 senses a first predetermined weight of water in the collecting tank 3, the controller actuates pump 4 to pump water from the collecting tank 3 through the filtration unit 6 to the storage tank 8. If the weight of water in the collecting tank 3 goes below a predetermined minimum weight of water, the controller turns off the pump 4 to prevent damage to the pump 4. If the weight of water in the collecting tank 3 goes above a predetermined maximum weight of water, the controller switches off the condensing unit 2 to prevent overfill of the collecting tank 3. In another embodiment the controller actuates the pump 4 continuously unless the weight of water in the collecting tank 3 goes below the predetermined minimum weight of water and the controller actuates the condensing unit 2 continuously unless the weight of water in the collecting tank 3 goes above the predetermined maximum weight of water. When the pump 4 is actuated by the controller, condensed water is pumped from the collecting tank 3 through filtration unit 6 and is purified as described above in more detail. The purified water collects in storage tank 8. When a predetermined maximum weight of water in storage tank 8 is detected by load sensor 11, the controller turns off pump 4 to prevent overfill of the storage tank 8. A user can dispense purified water from the storage tank 8 using water dispenser 9. In one embodiment when the weight of water in the storage tank 8 falls below the predetermined maximum weight, the pump 4 is actuated by the controller, so that more water is filtered/purified and collects in storage tank 8. In another embodiment, the controller is set to actuate the pump 4 only when the weight of water in storage tank 8 falls below a predetermined minimum weight of water. The predetermined weights may be a set weight, which may be stored on the memory and based on the storage capacity of the water tanks 3 and 8, or it may be a weight that varies depending on process or environmental conditions.

[0027] When the weight of water in both the collecting tank 3 and storage tank 8 are at the predetermined maximum weight the controller turns off the condensing unit 2 and pump 4 and there is shut down of the system 1. A three-way valve 14 positioned in the condensed water feed conduit 5 connects the condensed water feed conduit 5 to the storage tank 8 via a purified water circulation conduit 15. The circuit board 13 is electrically communicative with the three-way valve 14 via electrical leads 12. The controller may be programmed to periodically circulate purified water stored in the storage tank 8 through the filtration unit 6 for a predetermined period of time during shut down of the system 1. More specifically, the controller actuates the three-way valve 14 to close the flow path between the water collecting tank 3 and the filtration unit 6, and open the flow path between the water storage tank 8 and the filtration unit 6. The controller then actuates the pump 4 to pump water from the storage tank 8 through the filtration unit 6, so that water contained in the storage tank 8 will be periodically filtered/purified by the filtration unit 6 during shut down of the system 1 to reduce contamination of the water contained in the storage tank 8 during system shut down. The controller may comprise a cyclic timer as are known in the art which may be programmed to periodically circulate the purified water stored in the storage tank 8 through the filtration unit 6 at set time intervals. For example, the cyclic timer may be programmed to circulate the purified water through the filtration unit 6 every hour for a period of 6 minutes. [0028] When a user dispenses purified water using the water dispenser 9 and the weight of water in the storage tank 8 falls below the predetermined maximum weight, the controller actuates the three-way valve 14 to open the flow path between the water collecting tank 3 and the filtration unit 6, and close the flow path between the water storage tank 8 and the filtration unit 6. When the weight of water in the collecting tank 3 falls below the predetermined maximum weight, the controller turns on the condensing unit 2 and water will once again be condensed and collect in the collecting tank 3.

[0029] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the controller controls the pump 4 and/or the condensing unit 2 in response to information received from one or both of the load sensors 10 and 11 to control the amount of water being filtered/purified by the filtration unit 6 and collected in storage tank 8. Different methods of controlling the water condensing and filtration system 1 using information from one or both of the load sensors 10 and 11 may be utilized and would be understood by a person of skill in the art. The speed at which the pump 4 pumps water through the system and the rate at which the condensing unit 2 condenses water from air may also be controlled by the controller in response to information received from one or both of the load sensors 10 and 11. Load sensors 10 and 11 may beneficially be more accurate and dependable than float systems or switches that are commonly used to measure the amount of water in collecting and storage tanks in water condensing and filtration systems. The load sensors 10 and 11 may also be less likely to stick compared to the float systems and there may be less likelihood of overflow of water. [0030] The components of the water condensing and filtration system 1 may be enclosed in a housing (not shown). The system 1 may be installed in a residential or commercial building or a communal building such as a school or hospital. The system 1 may also be installed in a vehicle such as a recreation vehicle, shipping vessel, military vehicle, aircraft or the like. The system 1 can be used in the outdoor environment and the housing may incorporate a stand or support so that the system 1 is free standing. The system 1 can be utilized in any location where there is a need for fresh drinking water and the system 1 may be particularly useful in hot, humid places where there is a short supply of fresh drinking water.

[0031] The compressor of the condensing unit 2 may be a mechanical drive compressor, which is commonly referred to as corkscrew or screw type compressor. Such compressors are well know in the art and are typically run off an internal combustion engine, using regular gasoline or diesel, rather than electricity. The mechanical drive compressor can be run off an auxiliary engine of a vehicle such as a boat, or larger military or recreational land vehicle. The water condensing and filtration system 1 can therefore be used in these types of vehicles to produce drinking water which is useful when the vehicles are a long way from an available drinking water source. Alternatively the compressor may be powered by an electric motor. The evaporator may be coated with a ceramic to reduce metal contamination of the water droplets condensing on the surface of the evaporator. The ceramic may comprise porcelain.

[0032] While particular embodiments have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to the foregoing embodiments, not shown, are possible.