MULTISTAGE PROCESS FOR TREATING WATER UTILIZING IN ONE STAGE MAGNETIC SEED TO SORB DISSOLVED CONTAMINANTS, AND IN ANOTHER STAGE UTILIZING MAGNETIC SEED TO CLARIFY THE WATER

• US 20080073271A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cheryl J. Cort
• Original Assignee: Cheryl J. Cort
• Inventors: Cort, Steven L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,686,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/631
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/015 by chemical treatment imparting magnetic properties to the material to be separated, e.g. roasting, reduction, oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/18 Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/02 by heating methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/26 by extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/281 using inorganic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/48 with magnetic or electric fields C02F1/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/56 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/16 Regeneration of sorbents, filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/00 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/006 takes precedence

Abstract

A multi-stage process for removing dissolved contaminants and suspended solids from water employing a magnetic separation technique. The process includes two tanks and magnetic seed. In the first tank, water is clarified by magnetic technologies and in the second tank dissolved solutes are sorbed on magnetic seed.

Claims

1. A process for removing dissolved contaminants and suspended solids from water utilizing magnetic seed and magnetic separation comprising:

a. in a first tank, removing suspended solids by mixing water with magnetic seed and a flocculant to produce magnetic floc;

b. collecting magnetic floc on a magnetic collector;

c. in a second tank, removing dissolved contaminants by mixing magnetic seed with water, wherein the magnetic seed is coated with a polymer, activated carbon or biofilm, to form a magnetic particle;

d. removing dissolved contaminants from the water by sorbing the dissolved contaminants on the magnetic particle; and

e. collecting the magnetic particle on a magnetic collector.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the suspended solids are removed from water prior to the dissolved contaminants being sorbed onto the magnetic particle.

3. The process of claim 1 including separating the sorbed contaminants from the magnetic seed by biological treatment, thermal treatment, oxidation, pH adjustment, or solvent extraction.

4. The process of claim 3 including recycling magnetic particles and discharging the separated contaminants from the process.

5. The process of claim 1 including directing the magnetic floc to a shearing device, shearing the magnetic floc to yield magnetic seed and sludge, and recycling the magnetic seed and discharging the sludge.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the magnetic seed in the second tank is coated with polydimethylsiloxane.

7. The process of claim 1 including directing clarified water from the first tank and generally preventing the magnetic seed from being discharged from the first tank.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the magnetic seed is any polymer that includes an affinity for sorbing dissolved solutes.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the magnetic seed is magnetite, zerovalant iron, or a ferromagnetic material.

8. A multi-stage process for treating water utilizing, in one stage, magnetic seed to remove dissolved contaminants from the water and utilizing, in another stage, magnetic seed to clarify the water, the method comprising:

In a first stage

directing water into a first tank;

mixing magnetic seed and a flocculant with the water in the first tank, giving rise to the formation of magnetic floc, where the magnetic floc includes the magnetic seed and suspended solids agglomerated around the magnetic seed;

collecting magnetic floc on a magnetic collector;

removing magnetic floc from the magnetic collector;

In a second stage

directing water into a second tank;

mixing magnetic seed with the water in the second tank;

sorbing the dissolved contaminants in the water onto the magnetic seed;

collecting magnetic seed with the sorbed contaminants thereon on a magnetic collector.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the process of the first stage precedes the process of the second stage.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the process of the second stage precedes the process of the first stage.

11. The process of claim 8 including utilizing coated magnetic seed in the second stage wherein the magnetic seed is coated with a polymer, activated carbon or biofilm.

12. The process of claim 8 wherein the water in the second tank includes dissolved contaminants and the process includes sorbing the dissolved contaminants onto the magnetic seed.

13. The process of claim 8 wherein the water in the second tank includes dissolved contaminants and the magnetic seed is coated with a polymer, activated carbon, or biofilm, and the process includes sorbing dissolved contaminants onto the magnetic seed.

17. The process of claim 8 wherein the magnetic seed in the second stage is any magnetic material capable of sorbing dissolved solutes from water.

18. The process of claim 8 wherein the magnetic seed utilized in the second tank includes any ferromagnetic material capable of sorbing dissolved solutes from the water.

14. A process for removing dissolved contaminants and suspended solids from water utilizing magnetic seed and magnetic separation comprising:

a. in a first tank, removing suspended solids by mixing water with magnetic seed and a flocculant to produce magnetic floc;

b. collecting magnetic floc on a magnetic collector;

c. in a second tank, removing dissolved contaminants by mixing magnetic seed with water, wherein the magnetic seed is an effective sorbant;

d. removing dissolved contaminants from the water by sorbing the dissolved contaminants on the magnetic particle; and

e. collecting the magnetic particle on a magnetic collector.