Water treatment device and methods of use

Abstract

A water treatment device and methods of treating water such as cooling tower water, agricultural water, water used in the production of oil and/or gas, swimming pool water, and hot tub or spa water, are described. The water treatment device utilizes ultraviolet radiation, a magnetic field, and ozone fortified air to treat the water, typically resulting in reduced microbial contamination and reduced alkalinity in cooling tower water. Cooling tower water may consequently be run at higher cycles of concentration while reducing or eliminating deposition of minerals on cooling tower components. Swimming pool water and hot tub water treated with the water treatment device typically requires less chlorine, and chlorine levels are typically more stable than without the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for treating water, comprising:
 a treatment chamber housing, wherein an inner surface of the treatment chamber housing defines an interior volume;   a treatment chamber inlet, wherein the treatment chamber inlet is operable to admit an oxygen-containing gas stream into the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing;   an ultraviolet (UV) radiation source located within the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing, the UV radiation source having an outer surface;   at least one magnet located within the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing, wherein each magnet in the at least one magnet has an outer surface, wherein a minimum distance between the outer surface of each magnet and the inner surface of the treatment chamber housing is smaller than a minimum distance between the outer surface of the UV radiation source and the inner surface of the treatment chamber housing; and   a treatment chamber outlet, wherein the treatment chamber outlet is operable to exhaust the oxygen-containing gas stream from the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein adjacent magnets of the at least one magnet are spaced apart by a distance greater than 0″. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein adjacent magnets of the at least one magnet are spaced apart equally from one another. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arrayed along a line such that a first magnet attracts a second magnet in the line. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arrayed along a line such that a first magnet repels a second magnet in the line. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a common outlet conduit connected to the treatment chamber outlet; and   an injection port connected to the common outlet, wherein the injection port is operable to exhaust the oxygen-containing gas stream into a body of water.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an axis of the UV radiation source and an axis of the at least one magnet are noncollinear. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is positioned proximate to at least one of a first end of the UV radiation source and a second end of the UV radiation source. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 an air pump, wherein an outlet of the air pump provides a flow of air to the treatment chamber inlet; and   one of a source or generator of the oxygen-containing gas stream.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises permanent magnets. 
     
     
         11 . A system for treating water, comprising:
 a treatment chamber housing, wherein the treatment chamber housing has an inner surface and defines an interior volume;   a treatment chamber inlet, wherein the treatment chamber inlet is operable to admit an oxygen-containing gas stream into the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing;   an ultraviolet (UV) radiation source located within the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing, the UV radiation source having a first end and a second end;   at least one magnet located within the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing and located at one of the first end and the second end of the UV radiation source, wherein each magnet of the at least one magnet has an outer surface, wherein a cross-sectional area is formed between the outer surface of each magnet of the at least one magnet and the inner surface of the treatment chamber housing; and   a treatment chamber outlet, wherein the treatment chamber outlet is operable to exhaust the oxygen-containing gas stream from the interior volume of the treatment chamber housing.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein adjacent magnets of the at least one magnet are spaced apart by a distance greater than 0″. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein adjacent magnets of the at least one magnet are spaced apart equally from one another along an axis. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arrayed along a line such that a first magnet attracts a second magnet in the line. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets arrayed along a line such that a first magnet repels a second magnet in the line. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a common outlet conduit connected to the treatment chamber outlet; and   an injection port connected to the common outlet, wherein the injection port is operable to exhaust the oxygen-containing gas stream into a body of water.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the UV radiation source is disposed along a first axis, and the at least one magnet is disposed along a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are noncollinear. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a second cross-sectional area is formed between an outer surface of the UV radiation source and the inner surface of the treatment chamber housing. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:
 an air pump, wherein an outlet of the air pump provides a flow of air to the treatment chamber inlet; and   one of a source or generator of the oxygen-containing gas stream.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises permanent magnets.