Method for Treating Wastewater or Produced Water

• US 20080135478A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
• Original Assignee: OTV SA SA
• Inventors: Nagghappan, LNSP, Zuback, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/638
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2317/025 Permeate series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/026 comprising multiple reverse osmosis steps
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/20 by degassing, i.e. liberation of dissolved gases degasification of liquids in general B01D19/00; arrangement of degassing apparatus in boiler feed supply F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5236 using inorganic agents
• 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 2103/10 from quarries or from mining activities
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/365 from petrochemical industry (e.g. refineries)
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/06 using calcium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis

Abstract

A method or process for treating wastewater containing high organics, silica, boron, hardness, and suspended and dissolved solids. The method includes degasifying the wastewater for the removal of dissolved gases and thereafter chemically softening the wastewater. After the chemical softening step, the wastewater is directed through a media filter or membrane which removes additional solids and precipitants. Thereafter the wastewater is directed through a sodium ion exchange that further softens the wastewater. The effluent from the ion exchange is directed through a cartridge filter and the effluent from the cartridge filter is directed through one or more reverse osmosis units. At a selected phase of the process, prior to the wastewater reaching the reverse osmosis unit or units, the pH of the wastewater is raised and maintained such that the pH of the wastewater reaching a reverse osmosis unit is at a pH greater than 10.5.

Claims

1. A method for treating produced water derived from an oil recovery operation and containing contaminants such as organics, silica, boron, hardness, dissolved solids, and suspended solids, the method comprising:

a. chemically softening the produced water in a series of reactors by;

i. in one reactor mixing a coagulant with the produced water and destabilizing solids contained within the produced water;

ii. in one reactor mixing lime with the produced water, and converting carbon dioxide to bicarbonate ions and neutralizing bicarbonate alkalinity;

iii. in one reactor mixing a caustic with the produced water and wherein the lime and caustic cause the pH of the produced water to be raised above 10.5;

iv. in one reactor mixing a polymer with the produced water to facilitate separation of solids in the produced water;

v. clarifying the produced water by separating sludge from the produced water; and

,

vi. directing at least a portion of the sludge to at least one reactor and mixing the sludge with the produced water;

b. after chemically softening, filtering the produced water with a multimedia filtration unit to further separate contaminants from the produced water to produce filtered produced water and a first waste stream;

c. recycling at least a portion of first waste stream to at least one of the reactors;

d. after filtering the produced water with the multimedia filter, further softening the produced water by directing the produced water through an ion exchange softening unit wherein calcium and magnesium ions are displaced by sodium ions supplied by an added chemical, producing further softened produced water and a second waste stream;

e. recycling at least a portion of the second waste stream;

f. after ion exchange softening, directing the produced water though a cartridge filtration unit to further separate contaminants from the produced water; and

g. directing produced water from the cartridge filtration unit to at least one reverse osmosis unit and removing organics, boron, silica and dissolved solids from the produced water and producing product water.

2. The method of claim 1 including degasifying the produced water prior to chemically softening the produced water.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein softening the produced water by ion exchange filtration includes directing the produced water through two ion exchange filtration units in series.

4. The method of claim 1 including directing the produced water through two reverse osmosis units in series.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the coagulant, the caustic, and the polymer are each mixed with the produced water in separate reactors.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the coagulant, caustic, and polymer are each sequentially mixed with the produced water, with the coagulant being mixed first, the caustic being mixed next, and the polymer being mixed next.

8. The method of claim 1 including mixing magnesium oxide or soda ash with the produced water in one or more of the reactors.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH is increased to at least 11 or more during chemical softening.

12. The method of claim 1 including after ion exchange softening, adding an antiscaling or dispersant.

7. The method of claim l wherein chemical softening includes a phase in which the produced water is mixed utilizing a draft tube type mixer giving rise to crystallization and densification of solids contained in the produced water.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the polymer is injected and mixed in a reactor having the draft tube type mixer disposed therein.

11. The method of claim I wherein a second coagulant is injected into the produced water after the produced water has been clarified and before the produced water is subjected to multimedia filtration.

13. A method for treating produced water derived from an oil recovery operation and containing contaminants such as organics, silica, boron, hardness, dissolved solids, and suspended solids comprising:

a. chemically softening the produced water by;

i. mixing a coagulant, at least one alkaline reagent, and a flocculant with the produced water;

ii. raising the pH of the produced water to greater than 10.5;

iii. clarifying the produced water by separating sludge which includes suspended solids and precipitants from the produced water; and

iv. returning at least a portion of the sludge and mixing it with the produced water;

b. after chemically softening the produced water, subjecting the produced water to filtration and further removing solids;

c. after chemically softening the produced water, subjecting the produced water to ion exchange and further softening the produced water; and

d. after filtering and further softening, directing the produced water through at least one reverse osmosis unit and removing boron, silica, organics and dissolved solids and generating product water.

14. The method of claim 13 including degasifying the produced water prior to chemically softening the produced water.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein ion exchange softening includes directing the produced water to more than one ion exchange softening units connected in series.

16. The method of claim 13 including directing the produced water through more than one reverse osmosis units in series.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein a second coagulant is injected into the produced water after the produced water has been clarified and before filtration and further softening.

18. The method of claim 13 including mixing the flocculent with the produced water with a vertical tube mixer by directing the produced water through a vertical tube disposed in a reactor and continuously circulating the produced water vertically through the tube.

19. The method of claim 18 including dispersing the flocculant from an annular ring disposed adjacent the tube.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the tube includes an inlet end and wherein the annular ring that disperses the flocculant is disposed adjacent the inlet end of the tube.

21. The method of claim 18 including a mixer disposed internally within the tube and wherein the mixer induces the produced water to flow vertically through the tube.

22. A method of softening wastewater and conditioning the wastewater for further treatment, comprising:

a. chemically softening the wastewater by directing the wastewater through a chemical softening system having a series of reactors and a clarifier;

b. mixing a coagulant with the wastewater in one of the reactors and destabilizing solids in the wastewater;

c. mixing at least two alkaline reagents in the wastewater in one or more of the reactors to precipitate contaminants that give rise to hardness in the wastewater and to raise the pH of the wastewater to above 10.5;

d. mixing a flocculent with the wastewater in one or more of the reactors;

e. clarifying the wastewater in the clarifier to produce a clarified effluent and sludge;

f. recycling at least a portion of the sludge to at least a portion of the chemical softening system;

g. directing the clarified effluent from the chemical softening system to a filtering unit and filtering the clarified effluent; and

h. directing the effluent from the filter unit to at least one ion exchange unit and softening the effluent from the filter unit.

23. The method of claim 22 including directing the effluent from the ion exchange unit to a second filter unit for further filtering the wastewater.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the two alkaline reagents are taken from the group comprising, lime, caustic, magnesium oxide, and soda ash.

25. The method of claim 22 including reducing the concentration of total hardness in the wastewater to less than 55 mg/l as CaCO3 during treatment in the chemical softening system.

26. The method of claim 22 including mixing the flocculant with the wastewater with a vertical tube mixer by directing the wastewater through a vertical tube disposed in a reactor and continuously circulating the wastewater vertically through the tube.

27. The method of claim 26 including dispersing the flocculant from an annular ring disposed adjacent the tube.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the tube includes an inlet end and wherein the annular ring that disperses the flocculant is disposed adjacent the inlet end of the tube.

29. The method of claim 26 including a mixer disposed internally within the tube and wherein the mixer induces the wastewater to flow vertically through the tube.

30. The method of claim 22 including directing the clarified effluent to a membrane filter and filtering the clarified effluent with the membrane filter.

31. A method for treating wastewater containing contaminants such as organics, silica, boron, hardness, dissolved solids, and suspended solids, the method comprising:

a. chemically softening the wastewater in a series of reactors by;

i. in one reactor mixing a coagulant with the wastewater and destabilizing solids contained within the wastewater;

ii. in one reactor mixing lime with the wastewater, and converting carbon dioxide to bicarbonate ions and neutralizing bicarbonate alkalinity;

iii. in one reactor mixing a caustic with the wastewater and wherein the lime and caustic cause the pH of the wastewater to be raised above 10.5;

iv. in one reactor mixing a polymer with the wastewater to facilitate separation of solids in the wastewater;

v. clarifying the produced water by separating sludge from the wastewater; and

,

vi. directing at least a portion of the sludge to at least one reactor and mixing the sludge with the wastewater;

b. after chemically softening, filtering the wastewater with a multimedia filtration unit to further separate contaminants from the wastewater to produce filtered wastewater and a first waste stream;

c. recycling at least a portion of first waste stream to at least one of the reactors;

d. after filtering the wastewater with the multimedia filter, further softening the wastewater by directing the wastewater through an ion exchange softening unit wherein calcium and magnesium ions are displaced by sodium ions supplied by an added chemical, producing further softened wastewater and a second waste stream;

e. recycling at least a portion of the second waste stream;

f. after ion exchange softening, directing the wastewater though a cartridge filtration unit to further separate contaminants from the wastewater; and

g. directing wastewater from the cartridge filtration unit to at least one reverse osmosis unit and removing organics, boron, silica and dissolved solids from the wastewater and producing product water.

32. The method of claim 31 including degasifying the wastewater prior to chemically softening the wastewater.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein softening the wastewater by ion exchange filtration includes directing the wastewater through two ion exchange filtration units in series.

34. The method of claim 31 including directing the wastewater through two reverse osmosis units in series.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the coagulant, the caustic, and the polymer are each mixed with the wastewater in separate reactors.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the coagulant, caustic, and polymer are each sequentially mixed with the wastewater, with the coagulant being mixed first, the caustic being mixed next, and the polymer being mixed next.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein chemical softening includes a phase in which the wastewater is mixed utilizing a draft tube type mixer giving rise to crystallization and densification of solids contained in the wastewater.

38. The method of claim 31 including mixing magnesium oxide or soda ash with the wastewater in one or more of the reactors.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the polymer is injected and mixed in a reactor having the draft tube type mixer disposed therein.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein the pH is increased to at least 11 or more during chemical softening.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein a second coagulant is injected into the wastewater after the wastewater has been clarified and before the wastewater is subjected to multimedia filtration

42. The method of claim 31 including mixing the flocculent with the wastewater with a vertical tube mixer by directing the wastewater through a vertical tube disposed in a reactor and continuously circulating the wastewater vertically through the tube.

43. The method of claim 42 including dispersing the flocculant from an annular ring disposed adjacent the tube.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the tube includes an inlet end and wherein the annular ring that disperses the flocculant is disposed adjacent the inlet end of the tube.

45. The method of claim 42 including a mixer disposed internally within the tube and wherein the mixer induces the wastewater to flow vertically through the tube.