Apparatus for oxygenating wastewater

• US 7,008,535 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DynamOx Incorporated, Nextec Environmental Inc., Wayne State University
• Original Assignee: TherOx Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation), DynamOx Incorporated, Wayne State University
• Inventors: Gessert, James, Rydman, Ray, Spears, J. Richard, Myrick, Steve, Crilly, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Chester T.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,530
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 210/188, 210/220, 210/198.1, 210/758, 210/760, 210/761, 210241-2422, 261/76
• US Class Current: 210/220
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/234 Surface aerating
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/454 by injecting a mixture of liquid and gas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/06 Contaminated groundwater or leachate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2203/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/24 using free-fall aeration or spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/26 using pure oxygen or oxygen-rich gas
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

A method and apparatus creates gas-enriched fluid that is used to treat wastewater. In one embodiment, the wastewater is withdrawn from a supply of wastewater to be treated, and the wastewater is delivered in an atomized manner to a vessel pressurized with gas to form gas-enriched wastewater. The gas-enriched wastewater is then delivered to the supply of wastewater to be treated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating a wastewater comprising:

a gas-enrichment assembly adapted to receive the wastewater and a treatment gas, wherein the gas-enrichment assembly is configured to generate a gas-enriched fluid wherein the gas-enriched fluid is gas-supersaturated by the treatment gas; and

a delivery assembly coupled to the gas-enrichment assembly for receiving the gas-enriched fluid firm the gas-enrichment assembly and in fluid communication with the wastewater, the delivery assembly expelling the gas-enriched fluid in a substantially bubble-free manner into the wastewater and capable of raising the concentration of the treatment gas in the wastewater to hyperbaric levels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delivery assembly comprises:

a fluid conduit; and

a nozzle coupled to the fluid conduit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the nozzle comprises:

a plurality of capillaries, each of the capillaries having an inlet fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit and having an outlet for expelling the gas-enriched fluid.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the capillaries have an inner diameter of approximately 150 to 450 microns.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the capillaries are grouped into a plurality of capillary bundles.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the capillary bundles comprise a bonding material disposed about the capillary bundles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delivery assembly is fluidly connected to the wastewater in such a way that allows a transfer of the treatment gas from the gas-enriched fluid to the wastewater.

8. A wastewater treatment facility comprising:

a gas-enrichment assembly adapted to receive a supply of wastewater and a supply of treatment gas, wherein the gas-enrichment assembly is configured to gas-enrich the wastewater to a desired content of the treatment gas in a substantially bubble free manner to generate a gas-enriched wastewater wherein the gas-enriched wastewater is gas-supersaturated by the treatment gas; and

a delivery assembly coupled to the gas-enrichment assembly to receive the gas-enriched wastewater from the gas-enrichment assembly and in fluid communication with untreated wastewater that expels the gas-enriched wastewater into untreated wastewater in a substantially bubble-free manner and capable of raising the concentration of the treatment gas in the untreated wastewater to hyperbaric levels.

9. The facility of claim 8, comprising a mounting assembly configured to support the gas-enrichment assembly and the delivery assembly.

10. The facility of claim 9, wherein the mounting assembly is configured for fixed mounting at a stationary wastewater treatment site.

11. The facility of claim 9, wherein the mounting assembly is configured to be coupled to a mobile deployment system.

12. The facility of claim 11, wherein the mobile deployment comprises a motor driven vehicle.

13. The facility of claim 11, wherein the mobile deployment system comprises a trailer configured for towing behind a motor driven vehicle.

14. The facility of claim 11, wherein the mobile deployment system comprises at least one cart.

15. The wastewater treatment facility of claim 8, wherein the delivery assembly is fluidly connected to the untreated wastewater in such a way that allows a transfer of the treatment gas from the gas-enriched wastewater to the untreated wastewater.

16. An apparatus for treating a wastewater comprising:

a gas-enrichment assembly adapted to receive the wastewater and a treatment gas, wherein the gas-enrichment assembly is configured to generate a gas-enriched fluid; and

a delivery assembly coupled to the gas-enrichment assembly for receiving the gas-enriched fluid from the gas-enrichment assembly, the delivery assembly expelling the gas-enriched fluid in a substantially bubble-free manner, the delivery assembly comprising a fluid conduit and a nozzle coupled to the fluid conduit, wherein the nozzle comprises;

a plurality of capillaries grouped into a plurality of capillary bundles, each of the capillaries having an inlet fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit and having an outlet for expelling the gas-enriched fluid,

wherein the capillary bundles comprise a bonding material disposed about the capillary bundles.

17. An apparatus for treating a wastewater comprising:

a gas-enrichment assembly adapted to receive the wastewater and a treatment gas, wherein the gas-enrichment assembly is configured to generate a gas-enriched fluid; and

a delivery assembly coupled to the gas-enrichment assembly for receiving the gas-enriched fluid from the gas-enrichment assembly and in fluid communication with the wastewater, the delivery assembly expelling the gas-enriched fluid in a substantially bubble-free manner into the wastewater, the delivery assembly comprising a fluid conduit and a nozzle coupled to the fluid conduit, wherein the nozzle comprises;

a plurality of capillaries grouped into a plurality of capillary bundles, each of the capillaries having an inlet fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit and having an outlet for expelling the gas-enriched fluid.