Plant and Method for Water Treatment by Flocculation/Settling Using Ballasted Floc Degritting of the Sludge
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for treating water includes directing untreated water into a mixing zone in a water treatment system and mixing the untreated water with a flocculating agent and a ballast to form a ballast-floc mixture. Thereafter, the ballast-floc mixture is directed to a settling zone where the mixture settles to form sludge. Treated water is discharged from the settling zone and the sludge is directed to a separator. The method further includes separating at least a portion of the ballast from the sludge and directing the separated ballast from the separator to the mixing zone. Finally, the sludge is directed from the separator to a sludge treatment reactor where at least some of the remaining ballast settles from the sludge and substantially ballast-free sludge is discharged from the sludge treatment reactor.
23 Citations
39 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A method for treating water comprising:
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directing untreated water into a mixing zone in a water treatment system; mixing the untreated water with a flocculating agent and a ballast in the mixing zone to form a ballast-floc mixture; directing the ballast-floc mixture from the mixing zone to a settling zone, settling the ballast-floc mixture in the settling zone, and forming sludge and treated water; discharging the treated water from the settling zone; directing the sludge from the settling zone to a separator and separating at least a portion of the ballast from the sludge in the separator; directing the separated ballast from the separator to the mixing zone; directing the sludge from the separator to a sludge treatment reactor; and settling at least some of the remaining ballast from the sludge in the sludge treatment reactor and forming a substantially ballast-free sludge. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A water treatment system comprising:
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a mixing zone having a first inlet through which untreated water passes into the mixing zone; a second and third inlet for directing a flocculating agent and a ballast respectively into the mixing zone to form a ballast-floc mixture; a settling zone disposed downstream from the mixing zone for settling the ballast-floc mixture to form sludge; an outlet through which treated water is discharged from the settling zone; a separator disposed downstream from the settling zone for separating at least a portion of the ballast from the sludge; a sludge treatment system disposed downstream from the separator for settling at least a portion of the remaining ballast from the sludge, the sludge treatment system including a settling tank having a bottom for receiving and holding the ballast, a valve for controlling the flow of settled ballast from the sludge treatment system, and a sludge outlet for discharging substantially ballast-free sludge from the sludge treatment system; and a recirculation line extending from the sludge treatment system to the mixing zone for directing ballast from the sludge treatment system, through the recirculation line and back into the mixing zone. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification