Method and apparatus for removing oxidizable contaminants in water to achieve high purity water for industrial use

Claim 1

A method for removing oxidizable contaminants in recycled water prior to use of the water, wherein the water has been pre-treated to achieve a purity level of approximately 18 megaohms resistivity with dissolved total inorganic solids of 1 part per trillion and dissolved total organic carbon contaminants in the range of approximately 100 parts per billion, comprising: a. inducing cavitation in the water by causing the water to flow through a cavitation critical flow nozzle wherein the hydrodynamic pressure of the water is lower than the vapor pressure of the water causing vapor bubbles to form and then collapse as the pressures equilibrate, imparting a large amplitude shock wave of several hundred atmospheres with local temperatures of many hundred degrees centigrade to thereby create hydroxyl free radicals in the water to act as an oxidizing agent; and b. irradiating the cavitated water containing the hydroxyl free radicals with ultraviolet radiation by causing the cavitated water to flow into an ultraviolet reactor and be irradiated by an ultraviolet lamp; c. whereby the cavitation process which creates the hydroxyl free radicals oxidizes the oxidizable organic contaminants in the water and the irradiation with ultraviolet radiation continues the oxidation process initiated by the hydroxyl free radicals to fully oxidize the oxidizable organic contaminants and thereby decompose the oxidizable organic contaminants contained in the water so that the water is purified to a level of dissolved total organic carbon contaminants in the range of approximately 10 parts per billion.

Claim 2

A method for removing oxidizable contaminants in recycled water prior to use of the water, wherein the water has been pre-treated to achieve a purity level of approximately 18 megaohms resistivity with dissolved total inorganic solids of 1 part per trillion and dissolved total organic carbon contaminants in the range of approximately 100 parts per billion, comprising: a. inducing cavitation in the water by causing the water to flow through a cavitation critical flow nozzle wherein the hydrodynamic pressure of the water is lower than the vapor pressure of the water causing vapor bubbles to form and then collapse as the pressures equilibrate, imparting a large amplitude shock wave of several hundred atmospheres with local temperatures of many hundred degrees centigrade to thereby create hydroxyl free radicals in the water to act as an oxidizing agent; and b. irradiating the cavitated water containing the hydroxyl free radicals with ultraviolet radiation by causing the cavitated water to flow into an ultraviolet reactor and be irradiated by an ultraviolet lamp; c. whereby the cavitation process which creates the hydroxyl free radicals oxidizes the oxidizable organic contaminants in the water and the irradiation with ultraviolet radiation continues the oxidation process initiated by the hydroxyl free radicals to fully oxidize the oxidizable organic contaminants and thereby decompose the oxidizable organic contaminants contained in the water so that the water is purified to a level of dissolved total organic carbon contaminants in the range of approximately 10 parts per billion.