Technical field of the invention. The present invention refers to a mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water in which three types of energy are implemented: photovoltaic, thermosolar and photoluminescent for self-sustainable use. The mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water has three devices for capturing solar energy; a first photovoltaic type system to energize pumps and feed the fluid to the different purification stations as well as energizing a lighting system with LED lamps inside a photocatalytic reactor, a second thermosolar device that allows the water to be heated and a third photoluminescent device that concentrates the light and transmits it through optical fiber to a photocatalytic reactor. Background of the invention.

The invention refers to a mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water capable of integrating three types of energy: photovoltaic, thermosolar and photoluminescent from solar energy, which can supply the energy requirements necessary for the stages of purification integrating the system. The field of application of the invention is oriented for its use in rural areas, where access to conventional electricity is limited and where a strong problem of contamination with semi-metals and heavy metals in bodies of water intended for human consumption has been identified.

At present, different technologies are being developed for the utilization of solar energy and its application in the generation of electricity and heat; said technologies are a great alternative among other renewable energy sources, as the radiation emitted to the earth's surface reaches an average of 1.361 W/m ² .

Different solar concentration systems have been designed, which are capable of adequately capturing the sun's energy; one of these technologies are the central tower systems, which have high investment costs and require large tracts of land. Other similar technologies are parabolic collectors that are used in rural domestic applications, mainly as solar cookers. Finally, parabolic trough collectors (PTCs), which, compared to other systems, require much less space to operate, have more versatile applications, such as electricity production, steam production and water treatment. This last aspect with particular emphasis on photocatalytic systems. Solar energy can be used as an energy supply in water treatment plants due to two important characteristics: its practically inexhaustible energy condition and the fact that it is non-polluting.

The following prior art documents are relevant to this invention: patent application MX/a/2014/012388 describes a photocatalytic reactor comprising a water tank connected to at least one CPC type solar irradiance collector with a geometric concentration ratio greater than 1. The solar collector consists of a specular surface and a photoreceptor tube that receives the irradiance and contains a T1O2 catalyst immobilized on its inner side. The reactor uses solar UV irradiance to activate the catalyst and remove organic molecules from the water, transforming these molecules mainly into carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic acids. The circulation of the treated water through the reactor is based on the thermosiphonic effect.

Patent application PA/a/2006/014285 describes an integrated device for the decontamination of water and production of electrical energy and consisting of a hybrid photocatalytic-photovoltaic system comprising a photocatalytic reactor made of a material at least transparent to visible radiation from the sun and containing a photocatalyst of titanium dioxide, iron (II) or iron (III), superimposed on a photovoltaic panel, both on the same support, capable of tilting at an angle suitable to optically take advantage of incidental radiation. The photocatalytic reactor protects the photovoltaic panel from solar ultraviolet and infrared radiation that are absorbed by the photocatalyst and the water respectively. A recirculation pump, whose power supply is provided by the photovoltaic panel, ensures the flow of water through the photocatalytic reactor that additionally cools the photovoltaic panel. The proposed system is intended for water purification in remote locations. Patent ES2371621B1 describes a tubular photo-reactor for supported photo-catalysts. More specifically, it refers to a tubular type photo-reactor for supported catalysts. This document proposes a photo-reactor comprising an external cylinder (which can be transparent to solar radiation or opaque) and photocatalyst units located inside by means of at least two star polygon-shaped clamping structures, so that the outer vertices of the polygon are in contact with the inner face of the external cylinder, and the catalyst units are subject to two edges of two contiguous structures.

Patent application AR103026 describes a device for purifying drinking water contaminated with nitrates comprising: two columns; where the first column consists of a cation resin exchanged with protons that acidifies the water, and the second column consists of a resin with metals such as Pd, Pt, Sn, Cu and/or In, where the nitrates are exchanged for chloride anions; a pH regulation system, and a controller of the sequential stages carried out by the said drinking water device. The system comprises two columns where the first column comprises a cation resin exchanged with protons that acidifies the water, and the second column comprises a resin with metals such as Pd, Pt, Sn, Cu and/or In, where nitrates are exchanged for chloride anions; it additionally integrates a pH regulation system and a controller of the sequential stages carried out by said drinking water purifying device.

Patent application WO2010/028516A1 describes a method for removing toxic soluble heavy metals from domestic or industrial wastewater using lignocellulosic material of natural origin, such as wood and/or cellulose residues and agro-industry, by-products of forestry industry and grain industry.

It should be noted that none of the above mentioned state of the art documents consider the implementation of the three types of energy in a single system, in the best of cases only two types, nor do they combine the purification stations in their configurations and operation processes of the system such as it is as described in this invention.

Brief description of the invention.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water comprising a photovoltaic system of solar panels with an axis of symmetry that permits movement in the horizontal and vertical planes to adjust the angle of inclination.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water comprising a system of pumps and rechargeable batteries for the supply and storage of energy where the pump system, batteries and control panel are electrically powered by the solar panel system.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water comprising an LED lighting system that is electrically powered by the solar panel system.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water comprising a photothermal system comprising a solar concentrator for heating the internal circulation pipes. Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water comprising a photo thermal system that comprises a solar concentrator consisting of a stainless steel parabolic collector with a copper tube placed on the focal axis, a storage tank, a submersible pump for recirculation from the tank to the parabolic collector and a temperature gauge.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water comprising a photoluminescent system with light emitting means to carry out the oxidation/reduction of heavy metals or semimetals in the influent to be treated. Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water comprising a photo-luminescent system consisting of a series of Fresnel lenses and Moser lamps placed in a stainless steel parabola and a series of optical fibers positioned on the focal axis and which are led to the photocatalyst camera. Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semi-metals in drinking water that includes an adsorption chamber located downstream of the photocatalytic camera that removes the target metal or semimetal.

Another main objective is to provide a self-sustainable mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water comprising an internal recirculation pump in fluid connection with a flow meter, a block valve and a second temperature meter connected to the outlet of the adsorption chamber to control and adjust the control parameters of the system as a whole. Brief description of the figures.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the process.

Figure 2 shows a process flow diagram for the operation of the two purification chambers within the mobile system.

Figure 3 shows a process flow diagram for the operation of a single scrubbing chamber within the mobile system.

Figure 4 shows a general scheme corresponding to the frontal view with one of the sides showing the direction of displacement of the solar panels.

Figure 5 shows a general scheme corresponding to the lateral view with the solar panels protected. Figure 6 shows a general scheme corresponding to the lateral view showing the direction of displacement of the solar panels.

Figure 7 shows a general scheme corresponding to the lateral view with the solar panels unfolded and inclined. Figure 8 shows a general scheme corresponding to the system with the solar panels deployed and directed in a frontal view.

Figure 9 shows a general scheme corresponding to the system with the solar panels deployed and directed in an aerial view.

Figure 10 shows a frontal view of the internal arrangement of valves and piping equipment of the purification system.

Figure 11 shows the internal arrangement of valves and piping equipment of the purification system in a lateral view.

Figure 12 shows the components corresponding to the solar thermal device.

Figure 13 shows the components corresponding to the photoluminescent device.

Detailed description of the invention.

The mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water is described as shown in Figures 1 to 13 and consists of: (1) a support structure of carbon steel, with removable walls and folding doors of transparent acrylic (2) photovoltaic system (solar panels) with an axis allowing the movement in a horizontal and vertical plane to adjust the angle of inclination, to achieve a better incidence of solar irradiation; these solar panels are used for the supply and storage of energy to electrically feed the system of pumps, batteries (39) and a control panel (9). The system includes a pre treatment zone or area which is integrated with a photo-thermal system (3) comprising a solar concentrator for pipe heating with internal recirculation, the photo-thermal device (3) for the heating of the influent to be treated at a maximum temperature of 40°C, including a solar concentrator (40) consisting of a stainless steel parabolic collector (41 ) with a copper tube placed on the focal axis (42), a storage tank (4), a submersible pump (43) for recirculation from the tank to the parabolic collector and a temperature meter, followed by a storage tank (4) where the water storage tank has two purposes: recirculating the water for heating (after entering the purification chambers) and reaching the desired temperature for the metal removal process (40°C) and, if required, keep the recirculation inside the adsorption and/or photocatalysis chambers once the metal removal process has begun; a photo-luminescent device (5), first chamber or purification station (6) (photocatalytic reactor), used for the oxidation of heavy or semi-metals by heterogeneous photocatalysis; the second chamber or purification station (7) (adsorption chamber) is positioned downstream of the first station for separation by adsorption of the target metal/semi-metal, pumping system (8); an energy storage (rechargeable batteries) and a control panel (9). The configuration of the system can be modified so that the order of the purification chambers (6) and (7) can be inverted according to the needs of operation as it will be described later in the description of the preferred modalities for the operation of the system.

The influent is fed by means of a pump to the photo-thermal system particularly towards the solar concentrator (40) where the heating of the water to be treated will be carried out (maximum temperature of 40°C) to make it pass to the storage tank and then send it to the photocatalysis chamber. In the photocatalysis chamber, the oxidation/reduction of metals/semimetals is carried out in order to reduce the toxicity of the metal/semimetals and to promote their removal by the adsorption process, where the photoluminescent device (5) consists of a series of Fresnel lenses (44) and Moser lamps (45) placed in a stainless steel parabola (46), and a series of optical fibers (47) positioned on the focal axis and which are led to the photocatalytic camera (6). The photocatalytic camera (6) in which the photo-metal oxidation consists of a photoluminescent device comprising a LED light source (48) and a stainless steel head (49) in which a series of acrylic tubes (50) through which water is passed for treatment and in which the series of acrylic tubes (50) contains a concentric acrylic rod (51) through which the fiberglass from the photoluminescent device is placed at one end for the internal illumination of the chamber. The series of acrylic tubes (50) have as external light source LED lamps (52) mounted along four sides of the chamber, and the series of acrylic tubes (50) are packed with hollow cylinders (53) with the photocatalyst deposited in thin films. The photocatalyst (53) deposited in thin films is a nanocomposite made of BiVCWTiC in its crystalline monoclinic skelite type phases (m-BiVCM) anatase and rutile without impurities. It is necessary to emphasize that according to previous reports, the best performance of a photocatalytic process is around 40°C requiring therefore a temperature sensor to estimate heat losses from the solar concentrator to the photocatalytic camera. Subsequently, the influent passes through the adsorption chamber where the removal of metals will take place, which is packed with nanofunctionalized adsorbent materials with iron oxides. At the outlet of the adsorption chamber there is a recirculation pump, a flow meter, a block valve, and a temperature measuring medium to adjust the operating conditions. The system is designed in such a way that it allows to exchange the chambers and establish the most suitable arrangement for the maximum removal of heavy metals, according to the characteristics of the water to be treated.

The mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water can be operated in a first preferred embodiment, the technical characteristics and their configuration corresponding to this preferred embodiment are represented in Figure 2, for which Table 1 shows the correspondence of the numerical reference elements, the technical label of the devices and the technical designation of each of the devices present in Figure 2.

Table 1 Table 1 (continues) In the first embodiment, the mobile system is operated for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water using both purification chambers; and where the steps of the operation of the mobile system includes the steps of:

1. Extend and connect the solar panels to charge the 12V rechargeable batteries that power the plant pumps; 2. Carry out the recognition of: valves, pumps, and hydraulic lines, before starting up the plant;

3. Verify the operation of the flow, temperature, and pressure meters;

4. Open valves number (10), (12), (13), and (27). These valves are connected to a line that feeds the pump (33) to supply the influent to the storage tank and the photocaralysis (CF) and adsorption (AC) chambers;

5. Turn on the pump (33) to supply the influent to the storage tank and the photocatalysis (CF) and adsorption (AC) chambers;

6. Start regulating the flows of the photocatalyst system by releasing the air inside the pipes. To release the air, the inlet valve (14) and its outlet valve (20) as well as the inlet valve (19) and its outlet valve (25) of the system are partially opened;

7. Open the remaining CF inlet valves (15), (16), (17), (18), and CF valves (21), (22), (23), (24), respectively, so that the flow circulates through each of the pipes;

8. Repeat the same process (points 6 and 7) to operate the AC (7).

9. The water resulting from the treatment flows into the treated water tank TAA-02 (39); 10. To recirculate the water it is only necessary to start on the pump (34) and open the valves (29), (30) for the flow to be directly discharged in the storage tank.

In another embodiment, the mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water can only operate the photocatalysis chamber, either for the oxidation of metals or organic compounds. In an additional embodiment, the mobile system for the removal of heavy and semi-metals in drinking water can only operate the adsorption chamber for the removal of metals. To operate the system in either of these last two embodiments, a procedure similar to that described in the preferred embodiment is followed. Below is a list of the steps to follow to operate only the photocatalysis chamber within the system (see Figure 3), the procedure is very similar when only the adsorption chamber is required. It should be noted that in the latter mode it is necessary to exchange the order of the heads. a) Extend and connect the solar panels to charge the 12 V rechargeable batteries, which supply the plant's pumps; b) Perform the recognition of: valves, pumps, and hydraulic lines before starting up the plant; c) Verify the operation of the flow, temperature and pressure meters; d) Open the valves (10), (12), (13) and (27). The valves are connected to a line that feeds the pump (33), which is the main supply line; e) Keep valve number (26) closed; f) Turn on the pump (33), to feed the influent to the storage tank and the CF chamber; g) Begin to regulate the flows of the photocatalysis system by releasing the air inside the pipes. To release the air, the inlet valve (14) and its outlet valve (20), as well as the inlet valve (19) and its outlet valve (25) of the system are partially opened; h) Open the remaining inlet valves (15), (16), (17), (18), and outlet valves (21), (22), (23), (24) respectively of CF (6) so that the flow circulates through each of the pipes. i) The treatment culminates with the opening of the valve (27) or sampling valve). j) The valve hose (27) can have a direct connection with another hose to transport the treated water to the treated water tank TAA-02 (39). k) To re-circulate the water, just turn on the pump (34) and open the valves (29) and (30) so that the flow discharges directly to the storage tank.

In an additional embodiment for the mobile system for the removal of heavy metals and semimetals in drinking water, you can reverse the order of operation of the chambers; i.e. , first go through the adsorption chamber and then through the photocatalysis chamber. For this purpose, it is required to exchange the heads to perform and follow the sequence of steps described for the preferred mode. The selection of the embodiment is intimately linked to the characteristics of the water to be treated.

The embodiments and configurations presented above, as well as the descriptions derived from Figures 1 to 13 of this application are merely illustrative and not limiting to the possibility of alternating or switching configurations or elements contained within the system described above and which is claimed in this application.

List of references.

1. Carbon steel support structure 2. Solar panel photovoltaic system

3. Photo-thermal system

4. Photo-luminescent device

5. Storage tank

6. Photocatalytic camera 7. Adsorption chamber

8. Pumping system

9. Control panel

37. Solar panels

38. Charge controllers 39. Batteries

40. Solar concentrator

41. Parabolic collector

42. Tube in the focal axis

43. Submersible pump 44. Fresnel Lenses

45. Moser Lamps

46. Stainless steel parabola

47. Optical fiber series

48. LED light source 49. Flead

50. Acrylic tubes

51. Concentric acrylic rod

52. External LED light source

53. Hollow cylinders with photocatalyst.