Closed chemically enhanced treatment system

• US 5,904,855 A
• Filed: 02/27/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Proteus Environmental Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: David H. Manz
• Inventors: Gattinger, Vern John, Manz, David Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Hruskoci, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US08/807,623
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 210/709, 210/710, 210/727, 210/738, 210/745, 210/748, 210/721, 210/760, 210/96.1, 210/109, 210/112, 210/143, 210/173, 210/202, 210/205, 210/206, 210/257.1, 210/523 , 210/199, 210/253
• US Class Current: 210/709
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0003 Making of sedimentation devices, structural details thereof, e.g. prefabricated parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/01 using flocculating agents for purifying water C02F1/52; for liquid radioactive waste G21F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/08 provided with flocculating compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2405 Feed mechanisms for settling tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2416 Liquid distributors with a plurality of feed points
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2427 The feed or discharge opening located at a distant position from the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2444 Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/245 Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2461 Positive-displacement pumps; Screw feeders; Trough conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5281 Installations for water purification using chemical agents

Abstract

The invention relates to a solids and liquids effluent chemically enhanced treatment system comprising: (a) a pump for grinding solids and pumping ground solids and liquid effluent; (b) an inlet for introducing flocculant and coagulants into the solids and liquid effluent and mixing the flocculant with the solids and liquid effluent; (c) a mixing chamber having an inlet connected to an outlet of the pump, the mixing chamber having sufficient length to enable the flocculant and coagulants to fully mix with the solids and liquids effluent and form flocs which settle from the liquid effluent; (d) a settling chamber connected to an outlet of the mixing chamber, the settling chamber promoting laminar flow to the solids and liquid effluent and having sufficient length to enable the flocs in the liquid effluent to settle from the effluent; (e) a mechanical propulsion device for moving the solids and liquid effluent through the length of the settling chamber; and (f) a clarifier chamber connected to an outlet of the settling chamber, the clarifier chamber separating flocs from the liquid effluent.

Claims

1. A solids and liquids effluent chemically treatment system comprising:

(a) a pump with an inlet and an outlet for receiving solids and liquid effluent and for grinding and pumping the ground solids and liquid effluent through a pump outlet;

(b) an inlet for introducing flocculent and coagulants into the ground solids and liquid effluent;

(c) a first baffle-free unobstructed mixing chamber having a slope of between about 1 percent to about 10 percent in a downstream direction between an inlet connected to the outlet of the pump and an outlet at an end opposite the inlet to produce a solids and liquids effluent flow rate;

(d) a second baffle-free unobstructed mixing chamber having a slope between about 1 percent and about 10 percent in a downstream direction between an inlet connected to the outlet of the first mixing chamber and an outlet at an end opposite the inlet of the second mixing chamber to produce a solids and liquids effluent flow rate, the first and second mixing chambers having sufficient length to enable the flocculent and coagulants to fully mix with the solids and liquids effluent and form flocs which are capable of settling from the liquid effluent;

(e) a horizontal settling chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the outlet of the second mixing chamber, the settling chamber being of a dimension to produce a horizontal solids and liquids effluent flow rate which is slower in the settling chamber than the solids and liquids effluent flow rate of the first and second mixing chambers, the settling chamber promoting laminar flow in the solids and liquid effluent and having sufficient length to enable the flocs in the liquid effluent to settle from the liquid effluent;

(f) a mechanical propulsion device for moving the solids and liquid effluent through the length of the settling chamber; and

(g) a vertical clarifier chamber connected to the outlet of the settling chamber, the clarifier chamber being of a dimension to produce a vertical solids and liquids effluent flow rate in the clarifier chamber which is slower than the solids and liquids effluent flow rate in the settling chamber and thereby enabling the flocs to separate from the liquid effluent.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 including a sludge vessel connected to a solids outlet of the clarifier chamber for collecting solids and liquid effluent.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 including a decoupling vessel connected with the sludge vessel, the decoupling vessel withdrawing liquid effluent from the sludge vessel.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the sludge vessel is operated at above atmospheric pressure and the decoupling vessel is operated at atmospheric pressure.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the decoupling vessel holds liquid effluent taken from the clarifier chamber and the sludge vessel for a period of time before the liquid effluent is transported to a liquid effluent filter.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the propulsion device in the settling chamber is an auger.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second mixing chambers and the settling chamber are tubular, the first and second mixing chambers having the same diameter and the settling chamber having a diameter which is greater than the diameter of each of the first and second mixing chambers.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the outlet of the settling chamber increases in diameter as it connects with the inlet of the clarifier chamber and thereby reduces the velocity of effluent therein, and encourages the solids to separate from the liquid effluent.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the clarifier chamber is tubular and is positioned vertically, the diameter of the tubular clarifier chamber being greater than the diameter of the settling tube.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the bottom of the clarifier chamber has a downwardly tapering hollow cone which collects and draws solids from the liquid effluent in the clarifier chamber.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 including a valve associated with the hollow cone, the valve opening periodically to enable settled solids to be evacuated from the hollow cone.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 including an optical sensing device which senses when the solids have been evacuated from the hollow cone of the clarifier chamber.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settling chamber is tubular and elongated and has positioned in the interior thereof a rotating auger, the flights of said auger having one or more openings disposed therein.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1 including a pair of settling chambers with respective inlets connected to an outlet of the second mixing chamber.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is operated at a pressure of 8 to 20 psig.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 including a flow control valve between the grinder pump and the first mixing chamber inlet, and a mixing valve between the pump and the mixing tube inlet for mixing flocculant and coagulant with the solids and liquid effluent.

17. A system as claimed in claim 1 including at least one filter which processes liquid effluent drawn from the clarifier chamber.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 including an ultraviolet treatment unit for radiating liquid effluent obtained from the filter.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17 including an ozone treating unit which enables ozone gas to be injected into the liquid effluent to sterilize the effluent.

20. A system as claimed in claim 1 including sensors located at the first and second mixing chambers, the settling chamber and the clarifying chamber, and the sensors are monitored and controlled by software operated and controlled by a central computer.

21. A method of treating a solids containing liquid effluent in a chemical enhanced treatment system comprising:

(a) grinding the solids in the liquid effluent;

(b) adding a flocculent to the ground solids and liquid effluent and mixing the flocculent and the ground solids;

(c) pumping the solids containing liquid effluent and mixed flocculent into an inlet of a first baffle-free unobstructed mixing chamber, transporting the solids and liquid effluent from the first mixing chamber to a second baffle-free unobstructed mixing chamber which has an effluent flow rate identical to an effluent flow rate of the first mixing chamber;

(d) transporting the flocculent treated effluent from an outlet of the second mixing chamber to an inlet of a horizontal settling chamber which has a horizontal effluent flow rate slower than the flow rate of the second mixing chamber and settling the solids;

(e) transporting the solids containing liquid effluent from an outlet of the settling chamber to an inlet of a vertical clarifying chamber which, has a vertical effluent flow rate slower than the flow rate of the settling chamber, and separating the solids from the liquid effluent;

(f) transporting the separated solids from a solids outlet of the clarifier chamber to a sludge vessel and further settling the solids;

(g) transporting liquid effluent from a liquid outlet of the clarifier chamber to a decoupling vessel; and

(h) transporting liquid effluent from a liquid outlet of the sludge vessel to the decoupling vessel.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 including transporting the solids and liquid effluent through the settling chamber with an auger with openings in flights thereof, the rate of rotation of the auger being coordinated with the flow rate of effluent through the settling chamber.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein flow rate through the system is coordinated with pressure of the system.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the flocculant and solids containing effluent are fully mixed by the time the outlet of the second mixing chamber is reached and the flow of the mixed effluent through the settling chamber is non-turbulent.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein retention time of solids containing effluent in the mixing chamber is between about 510 seconds at 15 US gal./min. and 840 seconds at 25 US gal./min.