FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)
Title of invention
Zero Wastage process for production of alkaline water
Applicant
Ion Exchange India Ltd
A company Incorporated in India under the Companies Act, 1956 Having its address at Ion House, Dr E Moses Rd, Mahalakshmi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400011
Preamble to the description
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The present invention relates to a method for producing alkaline water from potable water, more particularly to a process with zero water wastage and the system for production thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] In the recent years, the use of ionized water has increased tremendously as it has been found that ionized water has an excellent effect in weight management, antiaging properties, helps curing acidity, improves chronic health conditions, antiallergic properties and also other skin care activities. An electrolytic cell or ionizer essentially generates alkaline ionized water, and, in the process, it also makes acidic water as a by-product which is generally rejected.
[003] The ratio of alkali ionized water and acidic ionized water is generated in a ratio of 50:50, and the 50% of the acidic ionized water is discarded. Thus, the water wastage in generation of ionized water is very high.
[004] The present invention addresses the wastage of acidic water which is rejected from the alkalizer or alkaline water maker. Thus, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an alkalizer or alkaline water maker that does not waste or throw out the reject acidic ionized water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[005] In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing alkaline water from potable water, said method comprising:
(a) pre-treating the potable water in at least one filter (110), said filter (110) selected from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag,
(b) removing suspended particles in the potable water of step (a) in a sedimentation filter (120),
(c) purifying the potable water of step (b) in a purification unit (130) and obtaining permeate water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet,
(d) storing the permeate water in a storage unit (140),
(e) passing the permeate water of step (d) through an alkalizer (160) to obtain one stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and another stream comprising acidic water,
(f) recycling the stream comprising acidic water through a pH alteration device (150) to the storage unit (140).
[006] In another aspect, the present invention provides a system (100) for
producing alkaline water from potable water, said system (100) comprising:
at least one filter (110) for pre-treating the potable water, said filter (110) selected
from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag,
a sedimentation filter (120) for removing suspended particles in the potable water,

a purification unit (130) for purifying the potable water and obtaining permeate
water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and
ultraviolet,
a storage unit (140) for storing the permeate water,
an alkalizer (160) for treating the permeate water, said alkalizer generating one
stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and another stream
comprising acidic water, and
a pH alteration device (150) to neutralize the acidic water coming from the alkalizer
(160).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[007] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
[008] Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration for the method for producing alkaline water from potable water in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[009] Figure 2 is an embodiment of the schematic illustration of Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[010] The present invention is directed towards a process for producing purified alkaline water and hydrogen water that enables recycling of the acidic water produced in the electrolyzer/alkalizer thus ensuring zero water wastage.
[011] In one aspect, the method for producing alkaline water from potable water comprises the steps of:
(a) pre-treating the potable water in at least one filter (110), said filter (110) selected from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag,
(b) removing suspended particles in the potable water of step (a) in a sedimentation filter (120),
(c) purifying the potable water of step (b) in a purification unit (130) and obtaining permeate water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet,
(d) storing the permeate water in a storage unit (140),
(e) passing the permeate water of step (d) through an alkalizer (160) to obtain one stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and another stream comprising acidic water,
(f) recycling the second stream comprising acidic water through a pH alteration device (150) to the storage unit (140).
[012] In one embodiment, the filter (110) is a combination filter. Said otherwise, the filter (110) is selected from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag. In another embodiment, the filter (110) comprises a combination of sedimentation

filter, activated carbon and filter bag. The filter (110) removes colour, odour, organics, chlorine, and other unwanted particles from potable water.
[013] In an embodiment, the activated carbon is a silver impregnated bacteriostatic activated carbon.
[014] In another embodiment, the pH alteration device (150) comprises salts of metals selected from calcium, sodium, and magnesium. The pH alteration device contains mixture of metallic earth metal in the form of chloride, sulphate, phosphate salts of calcium, magnesium, sodium to increase the pH to near neutral i.e. pH 7.0 and the second stream is then again passed onto the alkalizer (160) without wastage of the reject acidic water. The pH alteration device (150), in addition to neutralizing the acidic water from the alkalizer (160), recycles the acidic water back to the alkalizer (160) through the storage tank (140). Therefore, no wastage of acidic water occurs.
[015] In still another embodiment, the stream comprising acidic water from the pH alteration device (150) is optionally fed to a buffer chamber (170), as show in Figure 2. The buffer chamber (170) keeps the treated water from pH alteration device (150) in excess and then fed to purification unit (140) as and when required. The stream leaving the buffer chamber is then recycled back to the storage unit (140) after passing through the purification unit (130).

[016] In another aspect the invention relates to a system (100) for production of
alkaline water comprising:
A combination of filters (110) comprising activated carbon and/or filter bag which
removes colour, odour, organics, chlorine, and other unwanted particles from the
water;
a sediment filter (120) in order to ensure removal of the smaller, fine particles;
a purification unit (130) comprising a Reverse Osmosis unit, an Ultrafiltration unit,
UV etc.;
a storage unit (140) for storing pure/permeate water received from the water
purification unit;
a pH alteration device (150) to neutralize acidic water coming from alkalizer (160);
an electrolyzer/alkalizer (160) for generating alkaline water.
[017] In yet another aspect, the system (100) for producing alkaline water from
potable water comprises:
at least one filter (110) for pre-treating the potable water, said filter (110) selected
from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag,
a sedimentation filter (120) for removing suspended particles in the potable water,
a purification unit (130) for purifying the potable water and obtaining permeate
water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and
ultraviolet,
a storage unit (140) for storing the permeate water,

an alkalizer (160) for treating the permeate water, said alkalizer generating one
stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and a second stream
comprising acidic water, and
a pH alteration device (150) to neutralize the acidic water coming from the alkalizer
(160).
[018] In another embodiment, the system (100) performs the method disclosed hereinabove.
[019] In yet another embodiment, the system (100) further comprises a buffer chamber (170) for keeping the treated water from pH alteration device (150) in excess and then feeding to purification unit (140) as and when required. The second stream leaving the buffer chamber (170) is then recycled/pumped through purification unit (130).
[020] Advantageously, the present invention provides a method for producing alkaline water characterized by zero water wastage by virtue of recycling of the acidic water generated in the alkalizer (160).
[021] Reference numeral

100 System
110 Filter
120 Sedimentation filter

130 Purification unit
140 Storage unit
150 pH alteration device
160 Alkalizer
170 Buffer chamber
[022] The foregoing description of the invention has been set merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since the modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to the person skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the disclosure.

We claim:
1. A method for producing alkaline water from potable water, said method
comprising:
(a) pre-treating the potable water in at least one filter (110), said filter (110) selected from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and/or filter bag,
(b) removing suspended particles in the potable water of step (a) in a sedimentation filter (120),
(c) purifying the potable water of step (b) in a purification unit (130) and obtaining permeate water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet,
(d) storing the permeate water in a storage unit (140),
(e) passing the permeate water of step (d) through an alkalizer (160) to obtain one stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and another stream comprising acidic water,
(f) recycling the stream comprising acidic water through a pH alteration device (150) to the storage unit (140).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pH alteration device (150) comprises salts of metals selected from calcium, sodium, and magnesium.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the salts of metals are selected from chloride, sulphate, and phosphate.
4. The method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stream comprising acidic water from the pH alteration device (150) is optionally fed to a buffer chamber (170).
5. The method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the activated carbon is a silver impregnated bacteriostatic activated carbon.
6. A system (100) for producing alkaline water from potable water, said system (100) comprising:

at least one filter (110) for pre-treating the potable water, said filter (110)
selected from sedimentation filter, activated carbon and filter bag,
a sedimentation filter (120) for removing suspended particles in the potable
water,
a purification unit (130) for purifying the potable water and obtaining
permeate water, said purification unit (130) selected from reverse osmosis,
ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet,
a storage unit (140) for storing the permeate water,
an alkalizer (160) for treating the permeate water, said alkalizer generating
one stream comprising the alkaline water having pH ≥ 7.0 and another
stream comprising acidic water, and
a pH alteration device (150) to neutralize the acidic water coming from the
alkalizer (160).
7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pH alteration device (150) comprises salts of metals selected from calcium, sodium, and magnesium.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the salts of metals are selected from chloride, sulphate, and phosphate.
9. The system as claimed in one or more of claims 6 to 8 further comprising a buffer chamber (170) for keeping the treated water from pH alteration device (150) in excess and then feeding to purification unit (140).