Fluid treatment system

Abstract

A fluid treatment system having an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid treatment zone therebetween. The zone has an array of rows of radiation source assemblies. Each radiation source assembly has a longitudinal axis disposed at an oblique angle with respect to a direction of fluid flow. Each row has a plurality of radiation source assemblies in spaced relation in a direction transverse to the direction of fluid flow, to define a gap through which fluid may flow between an adjacent pair of assemblies. Preferably, all rows in the array are staggered with respect to one another in a direction orthogonal to the direction of fluid flow, such that the gap between an adjacent pair of radiation source assemblies in an upstream row of assemblies is partially or completely obstructed in the direction of fluid flow by a serially disposed radiation source assembly in at least one downstream row.

1 . Fluid treatment apparatus configured to be installed in an open channel fluid treatment system, the apparatus comprising:
 a first module including at least a first row of radiation sources coupled to a first module element, longitudinal axes of the first row of radiation sources being substantially parallel with each other and disposed at an oblique angle in a range from about 35 degrees to about 60 degrees with respect to a direction of fluid flow through the open channel; and   a second module including at least a second row of radiation sources coupled to a second module element, longitudinal axes of the second row of radiation sources being substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel; and   wherein a spacing between the longitudinal axes of the radiation sources in the first row is equal to X, wherein a spacing between the longitudinal axes of the radiation sources in the second row is also equal to X, wherein an axial spacing between a longitudinal axis of a radiation source in the first module and a longitudinal axis of a radiation source in the second module is equal to T, and wherein X is less than T.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a spacing between (i) a radiation source at one end of the first row and (ii) an adjacent radiation source, is equal to Y, and wherein Y is less than X. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first module element has (i) a proximal end configured to protrude above a water level in the open channel fluid treatment system, and (ii) a distal end configured to be disposed toward a bottom of in the open channel fluid treatment system, and wherein the second module element has (i) a proximal end configured to protrude above the water level in the open channel fluid treatment system, and (ii) a distal end configured to be disposed toward the bottom of in the open channel fluid treatment system, and wherein the first module element proximal end is disposed vertically above the second module element distal end. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first module comprises at least two rows of radiation sources coupled to the first module element, and wherein the second module comprises at least two rows of radiation sources coupled to the second module element. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two rows of radiation sources coupled to the first module element are staggered with respect to each other in the direction of fluid flow. 
     
     
         7 . Fluid treatment apparatus configured to be installed in an open channel fluid treatment system, the apparatus comprising:
 a first row of at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at an oblique angle in a range from about 35 degrees to about 60 degrees with respect to a direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the first row being equal to X;   a second row of at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the second row being equal to X;   a third row of at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the third row being equal to X; and   a fourth row of at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the fourth row being equal to X;   wherein a spacing between the first row of radiation sources and the second row of radiation sources is equal to V, wherein a spacing between the third row of radiation sources and the fourth row of radiation sources is equal to V, and wherein a spacing between the second row of radiation sources and the fourth row of radiation sources is equal to Z which is greater than V.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the first row of radiation sources and the second row of radiation sources are coupled to a first module support element, and wherein the third row of radiation sources and the fourth row of radiation sources are coupled to a second module support element. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the first module support element has (i) a proximal end configured to protrude above a water level in the open channel fluid treatment system, and (ii) a distal end configured to be disposed toward a bottom of in the open channel fluid treatment system, and wherein the second module support element has (i) a proximal end configured to protrude above the water level in the open channel fluid treatment system, and (ii) a distal end configured to be disposed toward the bottom of in the open channel fluid treatment system, and wherein the first module support element proximal end is disposed vertically above the second module support element distal end. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the rows of radiation sources coupled to the first module element are staggered with respect to each other in the direction of fluid flow, and wherein the rows of radiation sources coupled to the second module element are staggered with respect to each other in the direction of fluid flow. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein, when viewed from above the open channel fluid treatment system, (i) a radiation source from the first row, (ii) an adjacent radiation source from the second row, (iii) an adjacent radiation source from the third row, and (iv) an adjacent radiation source from the fourth row, together form a parallelogram having two sides longer than the other two sides. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein there number of radiation sources in the first row is different than the number of radiation sources in the second row. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further combining cleaning structure configured to clean an outside surface of each radiation source. 
     
     
         14 . Fluid treatment apparatus configured to be installed in an open channel fluid treatment system, the apparatus comprising:
 a first module coupling together first and second rows of radiation sources, the first module having a module element having a proximal end configured to protrude above a fluid level in the open channel fluid treatment system;
 the first row of radiation sources having at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at an oblique angle in a range from about 35 degrees to about 60 degrees with respect to a direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the first row being equal to X; 
 the second row of radiation sources having at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the second row being equal to X; 
   a second module coupling together third and fourth rows of radiation sources, the second module having a module element having a proximal end configured to protrude above the fluid level in the open channel fluid treatment system;
 the third row of radiation sources having at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the third row being equal to X; and 
 the fourth row of radiation sources having at least four radiation sources having longitudinal axes substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel, a spacing between adjacent radiation sources of the fourth row being equal to X; 
   wherein a spacing between the first row of radiation sources and the second row of radiation sources is equal to V, wherein a spacing between the third row of radiation sources and the fourth row of radiation sources is equal to V, and wherein a spacing between the first module and the second module is equal to T which is greater than V.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the radiation sources in the first row are in substantial alignment with the radiation sources of the third row in the direction of fluid flow, wherein the radiation sources in the second row are in substantial alignment with the radiation sources of the fourth row in the direction of fluid flow, and wherein the radiation sources of the first row are staggered with respect to the radiation sources of the second row in the direction of fluid flow. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein a portion of the first module element is disposed vertically above a portion of the second module. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of cleaning sleeves, each cleaning sleeve movably mounted so as to clean an outer surface of a respective one of the radiation sources; and   moving structure configured to move at least two of the cleaning sleeves axially with respect to their respective radiation sources.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein a radiation source disposed at the left end of the first row is configured to be disposed at a first distance from a side wall of the open channel fluid treatment system, wherein a radiation source disposed at the left end of the second row is configured to be disposed at a second distance from the side wall of the open channel fluid treatment system, and wherein the first distance is different from the second distance. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the configuration of the radiation sources in the first module is substantially identical to the configuration of the radiation sources in the second module. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein, when viewed from above the open channel fluid treatment system, (i) a left end radiation source of the first row, (ii) a left end radiation source of the second row, (iii) a left end radiation source of the third row, (iv) a left end radiation source of the fourth row, together form a parallelogram having two sides longer than the other two sides. 
     
     
         21 . A method of treating a fluid in an open channel fluid treatment system, comprising:
 disposing in the open channel a first module including at least a first row of radiation sources coupled to a first module element, longitudinal axes of the first row of radiation sources being substantially parallel with each other and disposed at an oblique angle in a range from about 35 degrees to about 60 degrees with respect to a direction of fluid flow through the open channel;   disposing in the open channel a second module including at least a second row of radiation sources coupled to a second module element, longitudinal axes of the second row of radiation sources being substantially parallel with each other and disposed at the oblique angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the open channel;   wherein a spacing between the radiation sources in the first row is equal to X, wherein a spacing between the radiation sources in the second row is also equal to X, wherein an axial spacing between the longitudinal axis of a radiation source in the first module and the longitudinal axis of a radiation source in the second module is equal to T, and wherein X is less than T; and   energizing the radiation sources as fluid flows through the open channel to treat the flowing fluid.