A water treatment method and apparatus is described for generating a supply of activated water containing oxidants, including hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroperoxy radicals, but excluding ozone. The apparatus includes a generator having ultraviolet lamps to which air is exposed to create activated air. To suppress the generation of ozone in the activated air, the air subjected to the ultraviolet lamps is maintained at a relative high humidity. Also, the activated air is generated in the presence of a catalyst and using 254 nm light, both of which are believed to aid in the destruction of any ozone generated by the exposure of the air to other wavelengths of the uv light. The catalyst also provides additional oxidants in the air. The activated air is entrained in the water using an injector to thereby produce the activated water. A mixer can be used to subject the activated water coming from the injector to turbulent flow conditions to thereby further break up the activated air within the water. In one specific application, the activated water is utilized as a part of a method and apparatus for washing laundry. The laundry is agitated in wash water made up from the activated water. The wash water can be continuously recirculated from the chamber containing the wash water and laundry, through the injector where additional activated air is added, then through the mixer, and thereafter back into the chamber.
Water treatment and pretreatment methods and processes for use in a dialysate preparation machine are described. In one aspect, water is passed through a first filter having chlorine removal properties and then passed into a line. Water is removed from the line at a sample location. The removed water is periodically sampled for the presence of chlorine or chloramines. The presence of chlorine or chloramines indicates that the filtration capacity for chlorine of the first filter is substantially exhausted. The method further includes the step of filtering the water downstream from the sample location in a second filter having chlorine removal properties, and replacing the first filter if chlorine or chlorine is detected during the sampling step. Water pretreatment may be provided by mixing hot and cold water from a source with a temperature-controlled mixing valve and passing the water through the first filter, so as to provide warm, filtered water to the dialysate preparation machine.
A household waste water treatment and recycling system comprising a rigid septic tank having a hollow body with a top opening and a lid secured over the top opening to thereby create an enclosed gas chamber, the body having first, second, third, and fourth chambers formed therein, and with the third chamber having a layer of granulated charcoal disposed therein and the fourth chamber having gravel disposed therein, the body further having an input port formed thereon and placed in communication with the first chamber, and a filtering port thereon allowing communication between the third and the fourth chambers, and an output port formed thereon placed in communication with the fourth chamber, the input port securable to a waste water line of a home for allowing waste water to enter the body, and the output port allowing treated water to exit the body, and with the lid having an evacuation outlet formed thereon, the septic tank further having a first channel for allowing communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, a second channel for allowing communication between the second chamber and the third chamber, a third channel for allowing communication between the third chamber and the fourth chamber. |