S P E C I F I C A T I O N

A WATER PURIFYING AND ACTIVATING DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device to purify and activate still or stagnated water such as water in a pond, lake, dam or other stagnated water with possible minimum energy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTON

Recently, making pond water clean or avoiding deterioration of pond water and eliminating bad smell or preventing a pond from algae propagation has been desired but has never been properly realized. While existing methods can be adopted to treat a small amount of water like a garden pond or industrial drainage, no practical method can treat vast amount of water contained in large areas such as big fish ponds, park ponds, dams or lagoons.

For example, in order to prevent deterioration of water in a dam having several hectares in area and tens of meters in depth, it is very essential to cultivate water and generate a vertical water flow that can eliminate the temperature difference between the water surface and the water bottom and at the same time spread oxygen throughout the entire dam. i

No machine and equipment with fluid mechanism has been developed for the above purpose. Any of a pump, water wheel, jet stream type aerator or air blow type aerator requires massive amount of energy to generate effective water flow in large bodies of water like dams.

Aside from dams, many attempts have been made to effectively purify and activate water in garden ponds or agriculture irrigation ponds but to no avail. To effectively purify and cultivate water in large bodies or areas, there is no other viable option than supplying oxygen into the water by splashing, supplying fine bubbles into the water or destroying flocks of micro-organisms in the water by means of strong shock requiring massive electricity.

Flocks of micro-organisms are produced with coagulation of vegetable planktons or animal planktons by means of ultra violet rays from sunlight. These flocks generate oxygen by receiving sunlight and increasing dissolved oxygen in the water. Existing methods to maintain the water condition in a pond tend to destroy these valuable flocks of micro-organisms, which serve as feeds for small fishes, water insects or fry. With the use of existing methods, such flocks of micro-organisms are reduced into small pieces that in turn cause: (a) the spread of various kinds of bacteria; and (b) the washing away of the protective membrane of the outer skin of fishes and shells by ultra sonic vibration. Eventually, these could result in fish death and ecology destruction. Oxygen is to be sufficiently supplied by breeze on the water surface, vegetable planktons and sunlight. Existing methods neglect natural power and splash water forcibly with enormous electric

power. Such methods have distorted the natural mechanism of biological purification.

To avoid the use of enormous electric power in increasing water velocity, the energy in proportion to the third power of velocity increase ratio is theoretically required. Even if massive electric power is consumed, only small portion of the water can be agitated and no water flow can reach the water bottom. As a result, water is still stagnated at the bottom with little oxygen. Hence, the problems of water deterioration and bad smell have never been resolved.

Though enormous expense have been spent for civil works, equipment, electricity and so forth to control pollution and excess nutrition in ponds, lakes, dams or inlets, the desired effect has yet to be attained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to make a breakthrough in solving the problem of massive energy consumption requirement in existing methods, innovation pertaining to effective usage of natural power to purify and activate water in large bodies of water at an actual scale is necessary.

The main reason for the deterioration of water in large bodies is the stagnation of water, particularly at the bottom. If oxygen will not reach the bottom, water will deteriorate. Under such condition, fish will not live as anaerobic bacteria will propagate due to dense food chain. Water will be turbid and will cut off sunlight from

seeping through the bottom. Lack of sunlight causes less photo-synthesis at the water bottom and oxygen supply shortage.

The earth seen from the universe is a round water tank and the water of the earth is like stagnated water in a tank. However, the earth cannot be likened to ponds, lakes, dams or inlets with stagnated and deteriorating water as earth water, in general, is still very clean and transparent after billions of years without deliberate efforts to purify it.

The earth does not do anything. It neither pumps up water to a fountain, splash water by a water wheel nor aerate by a compressor that consumes massive electricity. It never uses additives or antibiotics for sterilization or coagulation. Instead, the earth depends on natural water filtration and bio-reaction.

Deterioration of the sea is prevented by cultivation of the sea with the wind force moves the surface water and induces an up-current flow exposing the bottom water to sunlight and air and returns it back to the bottom to complete a cycle. Sunlight can grow vegetable planktons that could in turn generate oxygen, making such vegetable planktons and fish to thrive and grow underwater. Ammonia and smell from the activity of living creatures are exhaled from the water surface by wind ventilation. Bacteria are eliminated by the effect of ultraviolet rays from sunlight. As a result, water purification is achieved while fishes and shells survive with an ideal food chain. The concept of this invention, a floating water purifying and activating device, is premised on the self-sustaining mechanism of the earth for billions of years.

The fundamental aspect of water purification is the cultivation of water to establish a sustainable environment establishment and a harmonized food chain.

The water of illimitable ocean is naturally cultivated by wind, but enclosed water in lakes, inlets or deep dams must be cultivated artificially. For such artificial cultivation, it is very essential to generate a circulation flow combing the water bottom (1) with small energy, (2) in a vast area and (3) by massive up-current water flow.

This invention can generate water flow in keeping with the above parameters.

Rotation of the radial extended blades floating on the water surface with vertical axis displaces the surface water outward and generates a surface current agitating an up-current in such a way that the bottom water takes the place of the displaced water on the surface. This water circulation with vertical flow cultivates water with small energy.

The effectiveness of this invention is to be evaluated from an energy-saving point of view. The relation between the volume of water circulation "Q" and the volume of water circulation per one watt "η" is as follows:

Q=K (ωR ³ ) (mVrnin.) η = k Cl/(ωR) ³ ) (m ³ /min- w)

"K" and "k" stand for a constant determined by an aspect of the blade.

"R" is the distance between the center of the axis and the outer edge of the blade, meaning the extension of the blade while ω is the angular velocity of the blade.

According to this formula, if "R" is enlarged by extending the blade, the volume of "Q" would increase in proportion to the third power of the increasing ratio of "R." Conversely, the power efficiency of "η" would decrease and more energy is required to cultivate the water.

Therefore, aside from extending the length of the blade, a slower rotation of the blade, that is a smaller value of (ωR), is targeted to obtain higher power efficiency. In other words, with slower rotation and more extended blade, more water can be cultivated with lesser energy consumption.

For example, when "R" is extended up to 1 meter with the slow rotation of 2 revolutions per minute (2RPM), the power efficiency becomes 1.4 (m ³ /min ^• w) and "Q" of the water circulation volume becomes 13 (m ³ /min). In such case, the necessary electric power would only be 9.3 watts (w).

On the contrary, with the conventional type of water splashing device with "R" of 0.23 meters, water splash cannot be obtained unless the wheel is rotated by at least 170 RPM. If the wheel is rotated at such a higher velocity with a smaller "R," the power efficiency drops to 0.0037 (m ³ /min* w) and 380 times more of the electric power, that is 3.5 kw, is consumed. Hence, this invention which allows for extended blades and slower rotation velocity can achieve the desired power saving effect.

Regarding (2) on "vast area," as a key feature of this invention, the water current from the tip of the rotated blade to the water surface is to be flown with angular kinetic energy. When the angular velocity at "R" is "ωO" and that the place "r" from the center of the rotation is "ω," "r" of the extension distance of water flow is shown in the following formula:

r=R (ωO/ω) V ₂

This formula shows that the extension of water flow is increased in proportion to the extension of "R."

This invention, having a blade with R=I.7 meters, rotating at a speed of 3 RPM on 50 watts motor and afloat in a dam 50 meters deep, can cultivate 25 m3/minute of water and make the initial temperature difference of 3 degrees centigrade. The temperature difference is later on eliminated and becomes homogeneous in the entire depth. As a result, the water area covered is about 17,000 m2 and the extension of the water flow reaches 130 m.

Regarding (3) on "massive up-current water flow/' as a key feature of this invention, the combing effect at the water bottom is a direct result of the up-current water from the water bottom. Once up-current movement occurs, the bottom water nearby flows into and fills the vacant space caused by the up-current. The up-current flow or movement is an essential aspect of this method. The water at the bottom of the dam has a high upward pressure from the dam bottom. In spite of the upward pressure, the

bottom water does not go up because of the upper part water covering the bottom water. If the upper part water is removed, the lower part water goes up by itself. Fig. 2 shows the mechanism of this flow pattern. The bell-bottom shaped imaginary resembles a conduit pipe. Fig. 2 shows the up-current in the conduit pipe.

For a deeper understanding of this fluid dynamics, an image experiment could be done in which a bell-bottom shaped conduit pipe is set up in a dam. One end is to be opened to the air and the other is to be opened underwater so as to allow water to flow in or out freely. If the water inside the conduit pipe is removed by a bucket, the water level in the conduit pipe goes down for a moment but returns to the original level immediately. This phenomenon happens because the bottom water flows into the conduit pipe. Displacement of the surface water causes the instantaneous lifting of the bottom water. In other words, if the blade is floated in the conduit pipe and rotated to displace the surface water continuously, the bottom water is lifted automatically by itself.

The bigger volume of water can be moved at a slow current velocity by extending the blade longer, which necessarily increases the diameter of the imaginary conduit pipe. While the difference between the outer pressure and inner pressure of the pipe is enlarged in proportion to the square of the current velocity, the difference must be negligible vis-a-vis a lower current velocity. The negligible difference is due to the wider extension of the blade. No immersion occurs from the outside to the inside of the imaginary conduit pipe via the wall of the conduit pipe; only the bottom water is supposed to be lifted up. With the scale-up of the conduit pipe by means of

extending the blade longer in accordance with the water depth, more water can be moved from a deeper place. Theoretically, there should be no limit to water depth.

No huge electric power is necessary to lift the bottom water. Minimal power is enough for the purpose of displacing surface water. This invention was developed to provide a floating water purifying and activating device to move stagnated water with minimal possible energy.

Fig. 1 shows the water cultivation technology using this invention. This is an example of an actual application of the invented device floating on park pond water which is required to be clean and transparent.

The apparatus is made of a drive mechanism composed of a prime mover, a first hub and at least a pair of float member. Further comprising a second hub rotatable about a support axis and a plurality of blades (4) attached to the second hub extending radially on the surface of the water.

The blade (4) is made to float on the water surface in radial extension, rotated at a low velocity by the prime mover (1) with the floater (3) and generates the surface flow radially from the center of the rotation. Then, the surface flow contacts with air and absorbs oxygen, emits ammonia and smell by the ventilation effect of the water surface wind, changes its direction downward with sufficient sunlight, flows to the starting point of the flow as combing the water bottom and goes up again repeating the circulation flow.

As the blade is afloat on the water, it can move freely. A support structure (6) stationed on a pre-determine point is attached

to the drive mechanism by a tie rod (5) which allows the apparatus to navigate the surface of the water without dissociating. The support structure (6) is loosely attached to an anchor (7) by a connector. The anchor (7) is fixed to the bottom of the body of water to hold the support structure in place.

To make the water transparent, the zooglare bacteria group of a epiphytic type or grape type is propagated in water. Then, floating micro-organisms or suspended substances causing muddiness of the water are coagulated by the slime, adhesive substances secreted from the bacteria. Algae of Ran family, such as water bloom, is not an exception. They are coagulated by slimes and lose their photo-synthesis activity. As a result, they are decomposed as feed for water flea or fish. The zooglare bacteria are a group of micro-organisms that purifies water. They use the oxygen enclosed by the circulation water flow or produced by vegetable planktons, and continue to propagate along with decomposing organic substances in the water. In this process, BOD and COD are reduced and the water is purified gradually. Bubbles as a scenic disadvantage are eliminated too.

By purifying water, micro-organisms increase in number and thicken in layers. Insect and fish eliminate micro-organisms living in the water. If water is exposed to ultra-violet rays, micro-organisms are not affected. As a result, planktons, like rotifer or paramecium, grow and large-sized micro-organisms, like water flea or others, begin to increase and eventually die out as feed for insects or small fishes. This phenomenon is premised on the theory that river fish like

to eat micro-organisms sticking firmly to rocks in rivers during long drought.

In case of a deep dam or lake with water-blooms or bad smell because of the deterioration of the water bottom, transparency is not as important as that in a park pond. The more serious problem to be addressed in deep dams is bad smell. In this case, it is better to set the extended the length of the floating taking into consideration the water depth. With the above said provision, the bell-bottom shaped conduit pipe surrounded by the stream lines is formed in the water and the water goes up through the conduit pipe. The water flow reaches the water bottom and combs the water bottom.

With a more extended blade, the water flows further proportionally and the bad smell or ammonia goes out from the air by the ventilation effect of the wind. When the purified water returns to the water bottom and wash the surface of the sludge piled on the bottom, the surface turns into the membrane of the zooglare bacteria which can then purify the water. If the sludge is covered by a filtration bed made of micro-organisms, the problem of the water deterioration with the bad smell can be resolved. Unwanted bacteria, including colon bacteria, floating in water dislike the ultra-violet rays. They go under the filtration bed and some of them hide in the flock of animal or vegetable planktons. Planktons are formed with coagulation and by ultra-violet rays action and disappear from the water. With lesser occurrence of infectious disease brought about by unwanted bacteria, the breeding environment for fish becomes better.

The flocks with the coagulation formed on the water bottom

are the micro-organisms and planktons purifying the water. Water-soluble organic substances are decomposed through oxidization and the water is purified with glitter gradually.

The planktons produced at the water bottom and the flocks dispersed in the water are the feed for the water insects, fishes or fry. The clean water and the calm environment with no radical vibration can revive life in it. Through the establishment of the ecological system and the smooth food chain, the flocks become feed and decrease in number. The same thing happens to the sludge. As the sludge is diverted by planktons and decomposed as feed for fishes, the activated condition can be sustained forever.

The floating water purifying and activating device of this invention can provide extra-ordinary effects which conventional devices can never attain. Since this is the floating blade type, the diameter can be extended with no limit. If the blade with 8 m in diameter is rotated at 1 RPM by a 9OW electric motor, 85 m3/ minute of water can be lifted and flown at the water bottom by combing it theoretically.

On the contrary, the conventional method of splashing water forcibly does not perform like this. To get the massive water movement without any extension of the blade, a bigger current velocity is required. Then the difference of the outer pressure and inner pressure in the conduit pipe formed in the water increase in proportion to the square of the current velocity. For example, if the diameter of the blade becomes 1/10 of the original diameter of 8 m, 85 m.3/ minute of water volume equivalent to the 8 m blade can be moved by getting 100 times more of the

current velocity than that for the 8m blade. Then the outer pressure to the conduit pipe becomes 10,000 times more. And since water flows into the conduit pipe from the outside, the water does not come up from the bottom. This is the reason why the actual pipe is used to suck up water from deep places.

The problem of using the pipe is the massive electricity required. If the current velocity becomes 100 times more, the electric power consumption becomes 1,000,000 times more in proportion to the third power of the current velocity. To suck up 85 m3/ minute of water through the pipe of 0.8 m in diameter, 90,000 Kw of electric power, which is 1,000,000 times more than 9OW, is required. Many attempts at using sucking pipes have been done to dams, but no significant result with respect to the temperature difference in water has yet to be attained. This invention can cultivate the water and generate the water flow along the water bottom of 30m deep with only a 9OW motor. This water flow can activate the water bottom so much that the surface of the sludge is covered by the layer of aerobic bacteria and the unwanted bacteria/ molds are eliminated with the benefit of huge cost savings for deodorant/ sterilization. This invention provides outstanding results with no damage on the ecological system.

The potential of this invention is limitless. With more extended blade like a raft for a fisherman, the purification for an ocean fish farm can be realized. Many believe that water is polluted by fish farming. This is not true. The more fish farming activities taking place, the more purified the sea water will be. In deep sea farming, which is dependent only on water and feed, the sea bottom

is deteriorated. Hence, fishermen resort to usage of chemicals like formalin or antibiotic. This type of fish farming is not anymore popular. Proper fish farming calls for the cultivation and activation of water, where fishes grow by eating shrimps that are grown by eating propagated planktons.

Technology innovation in fish farming calls for the full use of the food chain provided at the sea bottom by cultivating the water, sunlight and wind.

In case of a pond or lake with a problem of bad smell or sludge caused by the deterioration of the water bottom, 10 units of the invented devices with blade of 3.5 m in diameter with 6Ow motor placed at an interval of 100m can cultivate 280 m3 /minute of water. The water bottom of 80,000 m2 turns into a filtration bed for micro-organisms purifying the water and becomes a farm for producing planktons. Once a foundation for an Elton pyramid is constructed, obstructive sludge/water bloom can be turned into valuable resources of feed for small fishes and fry. The lake, pond or inlet with the problem of too much nutrition can be purified and rehabilitated as an eternal rich fish field. According to this invention, no big expense for civil/ construction work is needed. Because it is a very simple system with floating blade extended widely and rotated at a slow revolution speed.

If the water bottom is cultivated properly, it becomes a farm to produce protein planktons. The production capability on protein in this farm at the water bottom is 200 times more than that of the agriculture compounding protein from soy beans. No such huge

amount of energy is needed as the energy for cultivating soil. With minimal energy for cultivating water, protein can be produced.

With a floating blade of 2m in diameter, rotated at 5 RPM with 5OW motor, 2000 m2 of the water bottom can be cultivated and activated. The production volume of protein in this farm is equivalent to the protein produced in 200 times of 2000 m2, that is 40 Ha, of the agriculture farm land.

For fishery and agriculture, phosphorus and sludge are fertilizers for growing fishes. Instead of utilizing these precious resources, the present measure for the purification of the ponds and lakes is just to spend lots for making demerit by dredging the sludge and removing the phosphorous. Putting an end to this meaningless process, a pond or lake can be a farm for producing protein by purifying the water with this invention. Flowing water is never deteriorated. Flowing water absorbs oxygen and sunlight, prevent the water bottom from deterioration, breeds fishes and micro-organisms, and maintains its clear glitter through the help of living creatures. By studying and utilizing this theory of biological purification, this invention can treat massive water in a vast pond, dam, lake or inlet with a very small energy consumption. This is impossible with the use of existing methods. This invention can provide the best device to purify and activate water at the minimum possible energy by establishing the theory that generating surface flow can induce the water flow from the bottom to the surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view to show an example to implement this invention in a still water area requiring a high transparency.