Device for clarifying a charged liquid by flotation

• US 6,174,435 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roumen Kaltchev
• Original Assignee: Roumen Kaltchev
• Inventors: Kaltchev, Roumen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lithgow, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/237,068
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 210/221.2, 210/221.1, 210/521, 210/522, 210/519, 210/525
• US Class Current: 210/221.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0205 by gas bubbles or moving solids
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0211 with baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0027 Floating sedimentation devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0045 Plurality of essentially parallel plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0057 with counter-current flow direction of liquid and solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/006 with co-current flow direction of liquid and solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/24 Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2405 Feed mechanisms for settling tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2427 The feed or discharge opening located at a distant position from the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2433 Discharge mechanisms for floating particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2444 Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/24 by flotation C02F1/465 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for clarifying by flotation a liquid charged with a solid material that includes a tank for holding a quantity of liquid to be clarified. A plurality of U-shaped components are mounted in said tank below the level of the liquid in a relationship so each component is spaced apart a given distance from an adjacent component. Collectors are mounted in the base of each component to either introduce or remove liquid from the component to establish both a concurrent and countercurrent flow about the walls of the components.

Claims

1. Apparatus for clarifying by flotation a liquid charged with a solid material that includes:

a tank for holding a quantity of liquid to be clarified,

a plurality of U-shaped elements each having a pair of side walls, each of said elements being mounted in said tank at an angle so that each element has a lower end and an upper end;

an end wall that extends laterally between the side walls of each element for closing the lower end of each of said elements;

said elements being mounted in said tank in a relationship so that a side wall of one element is spaced apart from a side wall of an adjacent element a given distance,

distribution means for introducing the liquid to be clarified into said tank outside said elements;

collector means mounted in the lower closed end of each element for removing clarified liquid from said element so that a co-current flow of clarified liquid and liquid containing solid material is established along the side walls of adjacent element and a counter-flow of clarified liquid and liquid containing solid materials is established by the side walls of each element as clarified liquid is removed from the elements by said collector means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side walls of the U-shaped elements are inclined with regard to a horizontal plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side walls of the U-shaped elements are parallelly aligned in a vertical column, one above the other.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side walls of the U-shaped elements are inclined upwardly in parallel alignment in a vertical column within said tank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side walls of said U-shaped elements are mounted in parallel alignment in a horizontal column within said tank.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the space between the side walls of each element is about equal to the space between the side walls of adjacent components.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each element is a box having enclosing side walls and end walls and being open at the top.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped elements are fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, ceramics, cloth or a mixture of these materials.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 that further includes one or more plates that are mounted inside the elements between the side walls of the elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 that further includes one or more plates that are mounted in the spaces between adjacent U-shaped components.