Catalytic water treatment method and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and systems for treating water. The methods, apparatuses and systems reduce solubilized water hardness using various water treatment agents bound to a supporting material. The present invention also includes methods of employing treated water, for example, in cleaning or food processing applications.

1 . An apparatus for treating a water source comprising:
 an inlet for providing the water source to a treatment reservoir;   one or more catalysts positioned inside the treatment reservoir, the catalyst comprising a water treatment agent bound to a supporting material, wherein the water treatment agent is selected from the group consisting of a source of magnesium ions, aluminum ions, zinc ions, titanium ions and mixtures thereof; and   an outlet for providing treated water from the reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting material comprises an ionic resin. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the resin comprises a weak acid cation resin. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the water treatment agent comprises magnesium. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting material comprises beads of resin. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is agitated. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment reservoir comprises a removable cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting material is selected from the group consisting of an acrylic acid polymer, a methacrylic acid polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting material comprises a carboxylic acid polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the water treatment agent is ionically bound to the supporting material. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting material is a resin that binds magnesium ions preferentially over calcium ions. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment reservoir further comprises one or more metal oxides or hydroxides. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from magnesium oxides, aluminum oxides, titanium oxides or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is located in a washing system. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the washing system is an automated washing system. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the automated washing system is selected from the group consisting of an automatic ware washing machine, automatic vehicle washing system, an instrument washer, clean in place system, food processing cleaning system, bottle washer, an automatic laundry washing machine, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is located upstream on a water line feeding a washing machine. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the washing machine is an automatic washing machine selected from the group consisting of an automatic ware washing machine, automatic vehicle washing system, instrument washer, clean in place system, food processing cleaning system, bottle washer, an automatic laundry washing machine, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the treated water from the outlet does not need to be filtered prior to use. 
     
     
         20 . A method of treating a water source comprising:
 contacting the water source with a catalyst, the catalyst comprising a water treatment agent bound to a supporting material, wherein the water treatment agent is selected from the group consisting of a source of magnesium ions, aluminum ions, zinc ions, titanium ions and mixtures thereof, such that the water is treated.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the treated water has a substantially reduced solubilized water hardness. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of contacting comprises passing the water source through the catalyst. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising agitating the catalyst. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the supporting material is an ionic resin. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the supporting material is a weak acid cation resin. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water treatment agent comprises magnesium. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the supporting material comprises beads of resin. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the supporting material is selected from the group consisting of an acrylic acid polymer, a methacrylic acid polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the catalyst is contained in a treatment reservoir. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the treatment reservoir comprises a removable cartridge. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water to be treated is at a temperature of between about 10° C. and about 90° C. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water to be treated has a pH of between about 6 and about 8. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water to be treated has a pH of greater than 8. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the treated water does not need to be filtered after treatment. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the treated water does not have a substantially reduced water hardness level after treatment. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pH of the treated water is substantially similar to the pH of the water source prior to treatment. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the catalyst further comprises one or more oxides or hydroxides of magnesium, aluminum or titanium not bound to the supporting material. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the water contacted with the catalyst forms a precipitate comprising a cation different than the water treatment agent. 
     
     
         39 . A method of using a treated water source to clean an article, the method comprising:
 treating a water source with a catalyst, the catalyst comprising a water treatment agent bound to a supporting material, wherein the water treatment agent is selected from the group consisting of a source of magnesium ions, aluminum ions, zinc ions, titanium ions and mixtures thereof;   forming a use solution with the treated water and a detergent; and   contacting the article with the use solution such that the article is cleaned.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the catalyst further comprises one or more oxides or hydroxides of magnesium, aluminum or titanium. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the detergent is substantially free of a chelant, builder, threshold agent, sequestrant or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of contacting the article with the use solution is performed in an automatic washing machine selected from the group consisting of an automatic ware washing machine, automatic dishwashing vehicle washing system, instrument washer, clean in place system, food processing cleaning system, bottle washer, and an automatic laundry washing machine. 
     
     
         43 . A method for treating a food processing stream comprising:
 contacting the food processing stream with a catalyst, the catalyst comprising a water treatment agent bound to a supporting material, wherein the water treatment agent comprises a source of magnesium ions, such that the food processing stream is treated.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the supporting material comprises a resin. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the resin comprises a weak acid cation resin. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the step of contacting comprises passing the food processing stream through the catalyst. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the food processing stream comprises a whey permeate. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising concentrating the treated food processing stream. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the step of concentrating the food processing stream is selected from the group consisting of passing the treated food processing stream through a reverse osmosis system, passing the treated food processing stream through a nanofiltration system, passing the treated food processing stream through an ultrafiltration system, passing the treated food processing stream through an evaporator, and combinations thereof.