PROCESS FOR TREATING WATER

• US 3,823,767 A
• Filed: 02/29/1972
• Issued: 07/16/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minor E. Mclaughlin
• Original Assignee: Minor E. Mclaughlin
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Minor E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaharna, Samih N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castel, Benoit
• Application Number:
  US05/230,424
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 61/1R,18 210/14,15,49,219 165/1,2,45 60/95R
• US Class Current: 210/758
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/00 Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage C02F3/00 - C02F9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/12 Activated sludge processes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1284 Mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 1/003 Mechanically induced gas or liquid streams in seas, lakes or water-courses for forming weirs or breakwaters; making or keeping water surfaces free from ice, aerating or circulating water, e.g. screens of air-bubbles against sludge formation or salt water entry, pump-assisted water circulation moving sediments E02B3/023; for ice breakers B63B35/08; aerating or circulating water in fish-tanks A01K63/042; purification of waste water with addition of air C02F; distributing gases in liquids in general B01F23/20
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 35/00 Pumps producing waves in liquids, i.e. wave-producers for bath tubs A47K3/10
• CPC Class Codes: F28C 3/06 the heat-exchange media being a liquid and a gas or vapour temperators for cooling steam F22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

A process for treating a body of water to cool and to increase the dissolved oxygen content of the water which involves producing controlled translatory waves in the body of water. The process includes storing water in a reservoir at a selected height above the level of the body of water, periodically releasing specified quantities of water from the reservoir at a point below the level and in an upward direction toward the surface and into the body of water. The upward direction of the released water is accomplished by releasing the water against a deflector located near the base of the reservoir. The released water forms a translatory wave in the body of water and as it moves away from the reservoir, it breaks causing effective mixing of air and water, cooling the water and increasing the oxygen content of the water. The translatory wave produced is referred to as a plunger breaker type. In this type of wave, the waves curl over in breaking enclosing an air pocket which explodes during the breaking process. This action accomplishes excellent mixing of air and water and where solid particles are present, breaking and pulverizing of the particles. The process may be used in conjunction with natural or artificial bodies of water and provisions are made with artificial bodies for removal of water at a point remote from the point of wave formation at a rate substantially equal to the average rate of addition of water from the reservoir. The invention pertains to cooling water effluent from power generation stations to prevent thermal pollution of natural bodies of water. The invention in another embodiment pertains to a more efficient method of aerating and treating sewage.

Claims

1. Feeding and storing the warm water effluent from the power station in a reservoir at a temperature of 100* to 200*F and at a predetermined level (20 to 25 feet) above the normal quiescent level of the water in said body of water to provide a hydraulic head of stored water of 15 to 25 feet, said reservoir being separate from said body of water and comprising discharge means for releasing a controllable amount of said stored water from the reservoir to said body of water;

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cool withdrawn water is fed into a natural body of water and water from the natural body is taken and fed to the steam-electric power station.

3. Directing each controllable amount of said released water against a deflector (so) such that the released water flows diagonally upward toward the surface of said body of water to form a translatory wave of the spiller breaker type 4 to 6 feet in height and a movement of water in the downstream direction, said water flowing at a linear velocity over said bottom surface at a rate of 300 to 500 feet per minute, and withdrawing water from the downstream area at a temperature substantially lower than in the reservoir of 50* to 150*F and at about the same rate as the water fed to the reservoir.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the cool withdrawn water is recycled to the reservoir.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the warm water feed contains 0 to 3 ppm dissolved oxygen and the cool water withdrawn from the downstream area contains 5 to 12 ppm dissolved oxygen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the warm water effluent from the power generating station feed to the reservoir contains 0 to 2 ppm dissolved oxygen and the cooled water withdrawn from the downstream area contains 6 to 10 ppm dissolved oxygen.