METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING A FLUID
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a heat transfer fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- collecting a heat transfer fluid in a sump of a cooling tower;
pumping the heat transfer fluid to an application heat exchanger whereat the heat transfer fluid takes on heat;
returning the heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower;
collecting only a portion of the heat transfer fluid in the sump of the cooling tower;
adding make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower from a make-up fluid source;
treating the make-up heat transfer fluid with an electrical treatment prior to the step of adding the make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower; and
passing the make-up heat transfer fluid through a membrane system prior to the step of adding the make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower.
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Abstract
A fluid treatment system is disclosed wherein a fluid is passed through a membrane and is treated with an electrical treatment device. The electrical treatment device may include a wire wrapped about a fluid conduit and a control unit. The electrical treatment device may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a control unit. The first electrode and the second electrode may be in contact with the fluid.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of treating a heat transfer fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
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collecting a heat transfer fluid in a sump of a cooling tower; pumping the heat transfer fluid to an application heat exchanger whereat the heat transfer fluid takes on heat; returning the heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower; collecting only a portion of the heat transfer fluid in the sump of the cooling tower; adding make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower from a make-up fluid source; treating the make-up heat transfer fluid with an electrical treatment prior to the step of adding the make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower; and passing the make-up heat transfer fluid through a membrane system prior to the step of adding the make-up heat transfer fluid to the cooling tower. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fluid treatment device for treating a water based fluid, the fluid treatment device comprising:
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a housing having at least one fluid inlet and at least two fluid outlets; a membrane positioned within the housing, the membrane receiving the water based fluid from the at least one fluid inlet through a first end surface of the membrane, the membrane separating the water based fluid into a permeate portion and a fluid waste portion, the permeate portion being communicated to at least a first fluid outlet of the at least two fluid outlets and the fluid waste portion exiting a second end surface of the membrane opposite from the first end surface of the membrane and being communicated to at least a second fluid outlet of the at least two fluid outlets; a first electrode positioned within the housing; a second electrode positioned within the housing; and a control unit coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, the control unit providing an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for treating a fluid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a feed stream of a fluid to a membrane, the feed stream being pressure driven and entering the membrane through a first end face; collecting a first portion of the feed stream which passes through the membrane as a permeate stream; collecting a second portion of the feed stream from a second end face of the membrane as a fluid waste stream; and treating the fluid by placing a first electrode and a second electrode in contact with the fluid and applying an alternating potential difference to the first electrode and the second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A fluid treatment system for treating a water based fluid, the fluid treatment system comprising:
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a membrane unit including at least one fluid inlet, at least two fluid outlets, and a membrane, the membrane receives the water based fluid from the at least one fluid inlet and separates the water based fluid into a permeate portion and a fluid waste portion; a first fluid conduit in fluid communication with the at least one fluid inlet of the membrane unit, the first fluid conduit providing the water based fluid to the membrane unit; a second fluid conduit in fluid communication with a first fluid outlet, the second fluid conduit receiving the permeate portion; a third fluid conduit in fluid communication with a second fluid outlet, the third fluid conduit receiving the fluid waste portion; a fourth fluid conduit in fluid communication with the first fluid conduit at a first location and with the third fluid conduit, the fourth fluid conduit providing at least a portion of the fluid waste portion to the first fluid conduit at the first location; and an electrical treatment device including at least one wire and a control unit coupled to the at least one wire and providing an alternating potential over the at least one wire, the at least one wire being wrapped around a portion of the first fluid conduit to treat the water based fluid prior to entering the membrane unit, the portion of the first fluid conduit being between the first location and the membrane unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A fluid treatment system for treating a water based fluid, the fluid treatment system comprising:
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a membrane unit including at least one fluid inlet, at least two fluid outlets, and a membrane, the membrane receives the water based fluid from the at least one fluid inlet and separates the water based fluid into a permeate portion and a fluid waste portion; a first fluid conduit in fluid communication with the at least one fluid inlet of the membrane unit, the first fluid conduit providing the water based fluid to the membrane unit; a second fluid conduit in fluid communication with a first fluid outlet, the second fluid conduit receiving the permeate portion; a third fluid conduit in fluid communication with a second fluid outlet, the third fluid conduit receiving the fluid waste portion; a fourth fluid conduit in fluid communication with the first fluid conduit at a first location and with the third fluid conduit, the fourth fluid conduit providing at least a portion of the fluid waste portion to the first fluid conduit at the first location; and an electrical treatment device including at least two wires and at least one control unit coupled to the at least two wires, the at least one control unit providing an alternating potential over a first wire of the at least two wires and over a second wire of the at least two wires, the first wire being wrapped around a portion of the first fluid conduit to treat the water based fluid prior to entering the membrane unit, the portion of the first fluid conduit being prior to the first location, and the second wire being wrapped around a portion of fourth fluid conduit. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A fluid treatment device for treating a water based fluid, comprising:
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at least two electrodes placed in direct contact with the water based fluid; a control unit coupled to the at least two electrodes to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a reverse osmosis membrane positioned between the at least two electrodes, wherein an outer fluid conduit is the first electrode, an inner fluid conduit is the second electrode, and the reverse osmosis membrane is positioned between the outer fluid conduit and the inner fluid conduit, a portion of the water based fluid flowing from the reverse osmosis membrane into the inner fluid conduit through openings in the second electrode, the portion of the water based fluid being collected as a permeate stream of fluid. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification