Method and apparatus for dosing a dissolvable chemical to water

Abstract

A method of treating water includes directing a stream of water towards a lateral side of a water treatment substance body contained within a holder. The water stream serves to abrade the water treatment substance body, thereby to dose the water with the water treatment substance. Dosed water is thus formed. The dosed water is allowed to pass through at least one opening in the holder.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of treating water comprising:
 directing a jet of water towards a lateral side of a water treatment substance body, which comprises a bed of water treatment substance tablets contained within a holder, wherein the holder comprises:
 a cylindrical sleeve inside in which the bed of water treatment substance tablets is partly located; and 
 a transverse trough at an operatively lower end of the sleeve, the trough providing a water treatment zone, and wherein the trough has:
 a water access opening provided at one end of the trough to direct water towards a lateral side of the water treatment substance body; and 
 a plurality of dosed water openings provided in side walls of the trough; 
 the water treatment substance body resting in the trough and extending up the sleeve such that the trough contains the lowermost water treatment substance tablets of the water treatment substance body; 
 
 wherein the water jet enters the trough through the water access opening and directly and actively abrades the lowermost of the water treatment substance tablets in the water treatment zone such that the lowermost water treatment substance tablets are consumed cleanly, with exposed surfaces thereof being stripped off by direct hydrodynamic force and with the dosed water openings continually being blasted open by the water jet, and with water treatment substance thereby being released into the water such that dosed water is formed; and 
 wherein the consumed water treatment substance tablets are replaced by fresh water treatment substance tablets that move downwardly into the trough; and 
   allowing the dosed water to pass through the plurality of dosed water openings in the trough.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the directing of the jet of water towards the lateral side of the water treatment substance body is effected below the surface of a body of water, with the holder thus being immersed at least partly in the body of water such that at least the trough is immersed in the body of water, and with the dosed water that passes through the opening in the holder entering the body of water so that the body of water is thereby treated with the water treatment substance. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the body of water is provided on a pan located below the holder, with dosed water that accumulates on the pan then passing through an outlet into another body of water, in a compartment below the pan. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising simultaneously directing jets of water towards a plurality of the holders, with the holders being arranged so that a swirling or rotational movement is thereby indirectly imparted to the body of water. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the direction of the water jet towards the water treatment substance body is horizontal. 
     
     
         21 . A water treatment apparatus comprising:
 a water treatment vessel providing a water treatment zone;   a holder for holding a water treatment substance body that comprises a bed of water treatment tablets, the holder comprising a sleeve having a transverse trough at an operatively lower end of the sleeve, the water treatment substance tablets, in use, being contained in the holder such that the water treatment substance body rests in the trough and extends up the sleeve such that the trough contains the lowermost water treatment substance tablets of the water treatment substance body, the trough having:
 a water access opening at one end thereof through which, in use, a water jet is directed into the trough; and 
 a plurality of dosed water openings in side walls of the trough, through which dosed water can pass from the trough into the vessel; 
   wherein the trough provides the water treatment zone; and   a water jet generating means inside the vessel, for generating the jet of water and directing it into the trough through the water access opening in a direction transverse to a longitudinal or vertical axis of the holder and thus, in use, towards a lateral side of the water treatment substance body, thereby directly and actively to abrade the lowermost of the water treatment substance tablets such that the lowermost water treatment substance tablets are consumed cleanly, with exposed surfaces thereof being stripped off by direct hydrodynamic force and with the dosed water openings continually being blasted open by the water jet, with water treatment substance thereby being released into the water such that dosed water is formed, and with consumed water treatment substance tablets being replaced by fresh water treatment substance tablets that move downwardly into the trough.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the vessel includes a pan located below the holder, and an outlet in the pan through which dosed water which accumulates on the pan can pass into a lower compartment of the vessel. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the water jet generating means comprises a nozzle, with the nozzle being arranged such that, in use, it directs the jet of water in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein a plurality of the holders is provided, with a water jet generating means being provided for each of the holders, and with the holders being arranged such that, in use, a swirling or rotational movement is imparted to a body of water in which they are located. 
     
     
         25 . A water treatment installation comprising:
 a water treatment apparatus according to  claim 21  with its holder containing a water treatment substance body; and   a water conduit connected to the apparatus to feed water into the trough of the holder through the water access opening of the trough.