Method and apparatus for purification

• US 3,904,521 A
• Filed: 10/11/1973
• Issued: 09/09/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karel Stopka
• Original Assignee: Karel Stopka
• Inventors: Stopka, Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spitzer, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US05/405,848
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 210/15,44,47,63,192,199,218,219,220,221 261/91,92,112,115,DIG.42 21/74A,12R
• US Class Current: 210/704
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/234 Surface aerating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/463 by electrocoagulation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/465 by electroflotation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/08 Treatment of wastewater in the sewer, e.g. to reduce grease, odour
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/24 using free-fall aeration or spraying
• 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: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for purifying flowing water containing waste utilizing ozone wherein the water is propelled into an ozone containing atmosphere in the form of droplets and to provide a film of the water on the walls of the treatment chamber; efficient contact between ozone and waste is obtained in a short period; the water may additionally be treated to remove suspended particles by flotation of the particles with hydrogen bubbles formed by electrolysis and removal of the floating sludge.

Claims

1. A METHOD OF PURIFYING FLOWING WATER CONTAINING WASTE COMPRISING:

I. PROVIDING A CHAMBER FOR SAID WATER TO PASS THROUGH, II. FLOWING WATER CONTAINING WASTE THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND PROVIDING AN OZONE CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE ABOVE SAID WATER IN SAID CHAMBER, III. AGIATING THE BODY OF WATER AS IT FLOWS THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND PROPELLING SAID WATER UPWARDLY INTO SAID OZONE CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE AND AGAINST THE CHAMBER WALLS TO PRODUCE A FLIM OF SAID CHAMBER WALLS AND SMALL DROPLETS OF SAID WATER IN SAID ATMOSPHERE OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO AVOID THE FORMATION OF A HUMID ATMOSPHERE OF SUSPENDED DROPLETS, IV. ALLOWING SAID SMALL DROPLETS AND SAID FILM TO CONTACT SAID OZONE CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE WITH CONSEQUENT OXIDATION OF SAID WASTE, AND V. RECOVERING PURIFIED WATER.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said agitating and propelling is from a plurality of spaced apart points.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the water recovered from step (iv) is passed into a second chamber where the purification method is repeated.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said water is passed through successive chambers in each of which steps (ii) to (v) are repeated.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said ozone containing atmosphere comprises a mixture of ozone and oxygen.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said ozone containing atmosphere comprises ozone in oxygen, said ozone being present in a concentration of about 20 ppm.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said atmosphere is at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.6 p.s.i. in excess of atmospheric pressure.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said flowing water is flowing through a pipe, and said chamber is defined in said pipe.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said chamber is defined by and between means for agitating and propelling said water into said atmosphere in the form of said droplets, said means including an upstream propelling means and a downstream propelling means, said upstream propelling means propelling said water in a downstream direction.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein prior to flowing said water into said chamber, silt is recovered from the water.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said droplets are propelled into said atmosphere a distance such that the contact time of the droplets and the ozone is substantially instantaneous.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said droplets are propelled into said atmosphere a distance such that the contact time of the droplets and the ozone is of the order of 12 seconds.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said droplets are of a size in the range from about 5 to about 50 microns.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein water is additionally subjected to a treatment to remove suspended matter by flotation.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said treatment comprises:

i. electrolysing a body of said water to produce bubbles of hydrogen, ii. allowing said bubbles to ascend to an upper surface of the water carrying the suspended matter to form a floating sludge, iii. continuously removing said sludge from said upper surface, and iv. recovering clarified water from a lower part of said body of water.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said treatment is carried out on said purified water recovered from (v).

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said treatment is carried out on said water prior to flowing said water into said ozone containing chamber.

18. APPARATUS FOER PURIFYING FLOWING WATER CONTAINING WATER COMPRISING A. A CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET AND OUTLET THROUGH WHICH WATER MAY CONTINUOUSLY FLOW, B. A SOURCE OF OZONE CNTAINING ATMOSPHERE, SAID CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET PORT CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCE, SAID CHAMBER HAVING AN OUTLET PORT FOR SAID ATMOSPHERE, SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS BEIGN AT AN ELEVATION ABOVE THE ELEVATION OF SAID CHAMBER INLET AND OUTLET FOR WATER, C. AGIATING AND PROPELLING MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER FOR PROPELLING WATER IN THE CHAMBER INTO AN OZONE CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE IN SAID CHAMBER AND AGAINST THE CHAMBER WALLS TO PRODUCE A FILM OF WATER ON SAID CHAMBER WALLS AND SMALL DROPLETS OF SAID WATER IN SAID ATMOSPHERE OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO AVOID THE FORMATION OF A HUMID ATMOSPHERE OF SUSPENDED DEOPLETS. D. AT LEAST ONE UPSTANDING CONDUIT HAVING A DISCHARGE NOZZLE AT ITS UPPER END FOR DISCHARGING WATER INTO SAID ATMOSPHERE, THE OTHER END OF SAID CONDUIT BEGIN CONNECTED TO SAID AGITATING AND PROPELLING MEANS FOR RECEIVING WATER THEREFROM, E. SAID AGITATING AND PROPELLING MEAND HAVING AN INLET AT AN ELEVATION SO THAT IT WILL BE IMMERSED IN THE BODY OF WATER BELOW THE SURFACE LEVEL THEREOF, AND F. WHEREBY WATER FLOWING THROUGH SAID CHAMBER WILL BE AGITATED AND PROPELLED THROUGH SAID CONDUIT INTO SAID ATMOSPHERE AND RETURN TO THE BODY OF WATER IN SAID CHAMBER.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 including means for maintaining said chamber at a pressure slightly in excess of atmospheric pressure.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18 comprising a plurality of said agitating and propelling means spaced apart.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20 comprising a plurality of said chambers for serial treatment of said water, the outlet of a first chamber being connected by a conduit to the inlet of an adjacent chamber.

22. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein two or more of said agitating and propelling means are located at different positions in said chamber.

23. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said chamber is defined in a pipe between a pair of spaced apart agitating and propelling means.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18 in combination with flotation means for treating water to remove suspended matter by flotation.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said flotation means comprises a container for said water and electrodes adapted to be submerged in said water to produce electrolysis of said water, means on an upper portion of said container for removing sludge floating on the water and an outlet connected to a lower portion of the tank for removing clarified water.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said container comprises an inner compartment and an outer compartment defined by an inner shell and an outer shell, said electrodes being mounted in said inner compartment, an inlet for said water being connected to said inner compartment;

and in which said means for removing sludge comprises a reciprocating skimming blade adapted to skim said sludge into said outer compartment and including a conduit connected to a lower portion of said outer compartment for removal of said sludge.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said inlet for water is connected to said outlet in said chamber.