Apparatus for photocatalytic treatment of liquids
First Claim
1. Apparatus for decontaminating a contaminated fluid by using photocatalytic powder particles comprising:
- a tank holding the contaminated fluid and the photocatalytic powder particles suspended in the contaminated fluid;
means for maintaining the photocatalytic particles in a suspended state substantially uniformly throughout the fluid;
a filter through which the fluid passes and through which the photocatalytic powder particles suspended therein are substantially prevented from passing such that the fluid substantially alone passes through said filter;
means for directing the fluid and the photocatalytic particles suspended therein from said tank to said filter; and
means for removing the photocatalytic powder particles away from said filter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for decontaminating a contaminated fluid by using photocatalytic particles. The apparatus includes a reactor tank for holding a slurry of the contaminated fluid and the photocatalytic particles ultraviolet light irradiates the surface of the slurry, thereby activating the photocatalytic properties of the particles. Stirring blades for continuously agitate the irradiated fluid surface maintaining the particles in a suspended state within the fluid. A cross flow filter is used for separating the fluid from the semiconductor powder after the decomposition reaction is ended. The cross flow filter is occasionally back flushed to remove any caked semiconductor powder. The semiconductor powder may be recirculated back to the tank for reuse, or may be stored for future use. A series of reactor tanks may be used to gradually decompose a chemical in the fluid. The fluid may be pretreated to remove certain metal ions which interfere with the photocatalytic process. Such pretreatment may be accomplished by dispersing semiconductor particles within the fluid, which particles adsorb ions or photodeposit the metal as the free metal or its insoluble oxide or hydroxide, and then removing the semiconductor particles together with the adsorbed metal ions/oxides/hydroxide/free metal from the fluid.
61 Citations
38 Claims
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1. Apparatus for decontaminating a contaminated fluid by using photocatalytic powder particles comprising:
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a tank holding the contaminated fluid and the photocatalytic powder particles suspended in the contaminated fluid; means for maintaining the photocatalytic particles in a suspended state substantially uniformly throughout the fluid; a filter through which the fluid passes and through which the photocatalytic powder particles suspended therein are substantially prevented from passing such that the fluid substantially alone passes through said filter; means for directing the fluid and the photocatalytic particles suspended therein from said tank to said filter; and means for removing the photocatalytic powder particles away from said filter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A reactor for decontaminating a contaminated fluid by using photocatalytic particles, comprising:
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a shallow tank containing a slurry of contaminated fluid and photocatalytic particles, said slurry having a fluid surface; means for illuminating said fluid surface to activate said photocatalytic particles; and agitator means at least partially submerged in said slurry for maintaining said photocatalytic particles in a suspended state substantially throughout the slurry, for creating turbulence and aerating the slurry in a photoactive zone extending from the fluid surface to a predetermined depth where the ultraviolet light is effective to activate said photocatalytic particles and decontaminate the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification