WATER TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS

Field fo the Invention

The present invention relates generally to treating water. In particular applications, the invention is used to control the growth of impurities in water such as algae, and to remove other impurities an ions such as excess chlorine and nitrates from water in swimming pools, fish tanks, ponds and dams. Particular applications of the invention may also be in grey water treatment and recycling. Some embodiments of the invention relate to fertility of soils and regeneration of garden beds.

Background to the Invention

Algae are a common problem in bodies of water such as for example swimming pools, fish tanks, ponds and dams, as are other impurities such as nitrates, phosphates, ammonium ions and phosphate ions. They interfere with and pollute ecosystems and reduce the amount of marine and other life which maybe supported by the body of water. Other biological waste products also build up in grey water tanks associated with houses, caravans, and other mobile accommodation units such as trains, aeroplanes and the like.

It is known to purify water with zeolite including those from the heulandite family, in particular clinoptilolite, which, when placed in water, all act as a filter for various impurities such as ammonium ions and nitrate ions, as well as other harmful impurities. One patent application, publication WO 85/04390, describes beds of zeolite which are used for ion-exchange in sewage which flows over the beds. However, the zeolite quickly becomes exhausted and must be regenerated by the addition of regenerating solution to the beds, in the form of potassium salts. This is expensive and time consuming and also provides the opportunity for potassium salts to contaminate the environment.

After the zeolite becomes completely exhausted in the above-described and other applications, a shovel or other labour intensive device is sometimes used to remove the zeolite so as to replace it with a fresh batch. Using shovels underwater to remove piles of grains is difficult.

Fertilisers are often applied to garden beds and excess fertilising material often runs off into water bodies such as dams and rivers without being used by the plants for which is intended.

The present invention seek to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a water treatment apparatus including: a selected quantity of a zeolite powder or a selected quantity of zeolite grains; and a bag or container inside which the selected quantity of zeolite powder or grains is disposed, the bag or container including walls which are at least partially constructed from filter elements which retain the selected quantity of zeolite powder or grains within the bag or container while being adapted to allow water to pass therethrough when in use.

Preferably the zeolite powder or zeolite grains is selected from the family of heulandite or clinoptilolite so as to facilitate ion exchange between contaminated water 25 within which the bag or container is disposed in use and the heulandite or clinoptilolite.

Preferably the bag or container is a sock or sack made from cotton or nylon or polyester, or a blend of two or more of those materials.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of treating water which comprises the steps of: providing a bag or container which includes walls which are at least partially constructed from filter elements; providing a selected

quantity of zeolite and/or heulandite and/or clinoptilolite; placing the selected quantity of zeolite and/or heulandite and/or clinoptilolite in the bag or container; and placing the bag in a contaminated body of water.

Preferably the method includes directing contaminated water through the bag for greater efficiency of decontamination.

Preferably the method includes sprinkling a supplementary selected quantity of zeolite and/or heulandite and/or clinoptilolite onto a surface of the body of water so as to 10 provide a type of deflocculant, or to facilitate treatment of water in the body of water.

Preferably the water treatment apparatus includes one or more conduits for directing the flow of water, and inside which are disposed one or more bags or containers arranged so that untreated water flows through the bags or containers, so as to be treated.

Preferably, quick release hoses are attached between conduits so that water may be treated by flowing in series from conduit to conduit.

Filters may be provided at an inlet end of the or each conduit, so that unwanted 20 material may be removed from the conduit.

Reservoirs may be provided and in fluid communication with the conduits, and disposed at the inlet end and/or at an outlet end of the each conduit.

Preferably a delivery system is provided which delivers untreated water via pipes or trenches or other means, to the inlet ends of the or each conduit.

Preferably, there is provided a fertilising step which includes the steps of removing or ejecting the zeolite grains or powder from the container or bag and broadcasting or otherwise applying the grains or powder to soil so that the grains or powder may be accessed by a rootsystem of a plant or other vegetation. Once the broadcasting or application or application step has been undertaken, the rootsystems of adjacent plants or

vegetation may access any nutrients which the zeolites have retained while disposed within the container.

The zeolites may be ploughed or otherwise mixed with the soil to minimise losses due to runoff or wind and to facilitate access by roots of the plants. However, runoff losses are generally low even without the ploughing step, because the zeolite is generally in the form of grains which have some mass, and are less likely to runoff.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In order to enable a clearer understanding, the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to drawings and description of a preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water-permeable sack filled with clinoptilolite 15 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a water-pen nieable elongate sock filled with clinoptilolite according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention which is suitable for use in dams; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a grey water treatment apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a water treatment apparatus generally indicated at 10 including a bag or container 12 which has opposed walls 14 and 16 and has stitching 18 which seals ends 15 and 17. The walls 14 and 16 are constructed from filter material 20 in the form of a cotton/nylon blend sack 22. The filter material 20 is adapted to inhibit powder or grains from passing through the walls 14 and 16, but to allow water through the walls 14 and 16.

Zeolite and/or Heulandite and/or Clinoptilolite (not shown) is disposed within the sack 22 before the ends 15 and 17 are sealed. This material is inside the sack 22 so as to

extract ions and other salts and impurities from a body of water into which the water purification apparatus 10 may be installed when in use.

For increased efficiency when in use, the sack 22 should be placed in a flow of water in the contaminated body of water.

The sacks may be any suitable size or shape — they are square in plan view as shown in Figure 1, or elongate as shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 3 there is shown a water treatment apparatus 110 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

One or more bags or containers 112 are constructed from filter material 120 in the form of a cotton/nylon blend sack 122. A conduit 129 is in the form of five bags 112 which are disposed within respective conduit elements 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 so as to facilitate treatment.

A reservoir 140 is provided at an inlet end 142 which retains grey water from, for example, a dwelling. Another reservoir 141 is provided at an outlet end 143 of the 20 apparatus. The reservoirs are in fluid communication with the conduits 130-134.

Each conduit element includes an inlet end 145 and an outlet end 147, and may be from approximately 400mm in length to 20m. An inlet closure 146 is provided, which includes a seal, a threaded cap 148 and a connector 149 for an inlet hosel51. A filter mounting and connector 153 is also provided so that a particulate filter may be connected inside the conduit element 130. A treatment container connector is provided, so that untreated water from the reservoir 140 flows through at least a portion of the zeolite container 112 to facilitate the water treatment.

Each conduit element includes a zeolite bag or container 112 and each conduit element is connected in series (from the outlet of one to the inlet of another).

A meter is provided so as to show the user the flow status of the conduit. The meter may be a pressure gauge attached to a wall of the first conduit element 130, but in the preferred embodiment shown, the meter is a clear window which can show the buildup of impurities in the particulate filter or the bag 112 itself.

Generally speaking, the bag 112 in the first conduit element 130 will be the first to clog up and need replacement.

The bag 112 may then be removed by unscrewing the closure 146, removing the 10 bag 112, slitting the bag and then broadcasting the exhausted zeolite onto or into the garden beds. Rootsystems of plants may then access the nutrients which have built up in the zeolite.

The water treatment system described herein in preferred embodiments is a portable, low- cost apparatus for recycling and capturing impurities which can be used again to feed plants. In operation, after some months, the zeolite loses its ability to remove ions and pollutants from the body of water, a condition known as "exhaustion." When the zeolite is exhausted, the sack may simply be picked up, removed from the body of water and replaced with another sack for continued purification. The water purification apparatus is placed in a flow of water, such as a filter outlet and the like, so as to gain exposure to all the water in a body. Regeneration may occur in a separate, controlled environment if required.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are applied as a quilt on a floor of a body of water, a sausage of apparatus across a weir, or sacks may be piled up like sandbags to provide a barrier to flow, so that the flow must be filtered by the zeolite or clinoptilolite. Preferred embodiments may be placed in spa baths, swimming pools, rainwater tanks, bird baths, grey water treatment plants, and the like.

The clinoptilolite sacks of preferred embodiments of the present invention provide great advantages over the prior art, wherein the powder is not free to move about the body

of water and thus it will not become suspended in solution, clouding the water, nor will it clog filters, become lost in discharge pipes or become lodged in the swimming costumes of water users. The water in spa baths need not be drained after a spa bath, because the zeolite will keep filtering it. This is a great water-saving feature of the present invention. Finally, when the sack becomes exhausted, it is simply picked up, removed and replaced with another one. This occurs once every three months or so, depending on the proportions used (see example below for tested proportions).

EXAMPLE

Test results have shown that the zeolite continues to filter ions from a body of water for three months, provided that efficient ratios are maintained. It has been demonstrated that one (1) kilogram of clinoptilolite powder will treat a body of water 1500 litres for up to three months.

If the body of water includes extremely bad pollution, a method to accelerate the filtering of pollutants is by placing the sack in the water, ensuring the sack is located in a flow of water, as well as sprinkling or broadcasting a secondary amount of clinoptilolite across the surface of the water (the powder will eventually sink to the floor of the water body) so as to provide a kind of deflocculant.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that the generality of the preceding description is not to be superseded by the particularity of the attached drawings. Various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.