Method and system of destruction of volatile compounds in wastewater

• US 7,455,781 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elcon Recycling Center (2003) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Elcon Recycling Center (2003) Ltd.
• Inventors: Levin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US11/073,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20060196358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 952/63, 952/53, 210/749
• US Class Current: 210/749
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/343 the substance being a gas

Abstract

The invention proposes a method of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater, this method includes following stages: stripping the aforementioned volatile compounds in a stripping-chemisorption column; preliminary heating the gaseous medium containing these volatile compounds in a first heat regenerator; thermal, flare or thermo-catalytic oxidation of the volatile compounds in circulating gaseous medium; cooling the gaseous medium in a second heat regenerator; chemisorption of acidic gases from the gaseous medium in the stripping-chemisorption column with stripping at the same time additional amount of the volatile compounds from the wastewater. After specific period, direction of the gaseous medium flow is alternated. The proposed method can be executed at elevated temperature. The invention includes as well systems realizing the proposed method.

Claims

1. A method of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater consisting of following steps, which occur consecutively or simultaneously:

adjustment of temperature and pH of said wastewater;

circulating said wastewater by a pumping means via a stripping-chemisorption column;

circulating a gaseous medium via a circulation circuit, which includes following elements and some features of their operation;

said stripping-chemisorption column;

two heat regeneration means;

a blowing means; and

a thermal oxidation means, said two heat regeneration means serve alternatively one—

for preheating said gaseous medium before oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said thermal oxidation means and the other—

for cooling said gaseous medium before its introduction into said stripping-chemisorption column;

supply of oxygen into said gaseous medium during the course of said thermal oxidation, said supply is performed in such rate that it ensures safety and complete oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds;

chemisorption of products of said thermal oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said stripping-chemisorption column by said wastewater;

alternation of flow direction of said gaseous medium with alternating the roles of said two heat regeneration means, said alternation is performed in accordance with change of temperatures in said heat regeneration means;

said alternation it is executed by said blowing means or by a system of shutting means installed on said circulation circuit.

5. A system for performing the method of destruction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system comprises the following main elements and units

a tank that is filled with said wastewater in such a way, that there is free space at the upper internal space of said tank intended for circulation of a gaseous medium;

said tank is provided with outlet connections, at least one inlet connection, a heat exchanging module, two tubular connectors with flanges;

two stripping-chemisorption columns, which are installed on said flanges of said tank, each said stripping-chemisorption column comprises demisters installed in their upper sections;

a circulation pump which performs circulation of said wastewater via said stripping- chemisorption columns;

two fans are installed on upper flanges of said stripping-chemisorption columns, said fans are actuated alternatively;

two heat regenerators with packings are joined with the upper sections of their associated stripping-chemisorption columns;

a module for thermo oxidation, said module is communicated with said heat regenerators;

one of said unit is provided with an inlet connection for oxygen delivery and the other—

with an outlet connection for purging said entire system.

7. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 5, wherein there are two connecting branches installed on said flanges of said tank;

each said connecting branch is provided with two lateral tees;

two tubular branches are installed as well on said flanges of said tank, said tubular branches are immersed into said wastewater preventing bypass flow of said gaseous medium through the upper space of said tank;

the lateral tees of said connecting branches are joined by two joints;

there are a demister, fan and a back draft shutter, which are installed in each joints;

the upper flanges of said connecting branches serve for installation of said stripping-chemisorption columns.

8. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 7, wherein said heat regenerators and said module of thermal oxidation are constructed as a combined module in the form of a refractory tube with a packing, the middle section of said refractory tube is provided with a heater and its extreme sections serves as said heat regenerators.

15. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said system is provided with sensors for measuring concentration of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds and/or temperatures in different places of said system.

17. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said volatile organic compounds are partially insoluble in said wastewater and said tank is provided with means of emulsification of said volatile organic compounds, in said wastewater.

2. A method of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater consisting of following steps, which occur consecutively or simultaneously:

adjustment of temperature and pH of said wastewater;

circulating said wastewater by a pumping means via a stripping-chemisorption column;

circulating a gaseous medium via a circulation circuit, which includes following elements and some features of their operation;

said stripping-chemisorption column;

two heat regeneration means;

a blowing means; and

a flare oxidation means, said two heat regeneration means serve alternatively one—

for preheating said gaseous medium before oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said flare oxidation means and the other—

for cooling said gaseous medium before its introduction into said stripping-chemisorption column;

supply of oxygen into said gaseous medium during the course of said flare oxidation, said supply is performed in such rate that it ensures safety and complete oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds;

chemisorption of products of said flare oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said stripping-chemisorption column by said wastewater;

alternation of flow direction of said gaseous medium with alternating the roles of said two heat regeneration means, said alternation is performed in accordance with change of temperatures in said heat regeneration means;

said alternation it is executed by said blowing means or by a system of shutting means installed on said circulation circuit.

6. A system for performing the method of destruction as claimed in claim 2, wherein said system comprises the following main elements and units

a tank that is filled with said wastewater in such a way, that there is free space at the upper internal space of said tank intended for circulation of a gaseous medium;

said tank is provided with outlet connections, at least one inlet connection, a heat exchanging module, two tubular connectors with flanges;

two stripping-chemisorption columns, which are installed on said flanges of said tank, each said stripping-chemisorption column comprises demisters installed in their upper sections;

a circulation pump which performs circulation of said wastewater via said stripping- chemisorption columns;

two fans are installed on upper flanges of said stripping-chemisorption columns, said fans are actuated alternatively;

two heat regenerators with packings are joined with the upper sections of their associated stripping-chemisorption columns;

a module for flare oxidation, said module is communicated with said heat regenerators;

one of said unit is provided with an inlet connection for oxygen delivery and the other—

with an outlet connection for purging said entire system.

16. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 6, wherein said system is provided with sensors for measuring concentration of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds and/or temperatures in different places of said system.

18. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 6, wherein said volatile organic compounds are partially insoluble in said wastewater and said tank is provided with means of emulsification of said volatile organic compounds, in said wastewater.

3. A method of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater

consisting of following steps, which occur consecutively or simultaneously;

adjustment of temperature and pH of said wastewater;

circulating said wastewater by a pumping means via a stripping-chemisorption column;

circulating a gaseous medium via a circulation circuit, which includes following elements and some features of their operation;

said stripping-chemisorption column;

two heat regeneration means;

a blowing means; and

a thermo-catalytic oxidation means, said two heat regeneration means serve alternatively one—

for preheating said gaseous medium before oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said thermo-catalytic oxidation means and the other—

for cooling said gaseous medium before its introduction into said stripping-chemisorption column;

supply of oxygen into said gaseous medium during the course of said thermo-catalytic oxidation, said supply is performed in such rate that it ensures safety and complete oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds;

chemisorption of products of said thermo-catalytic oxidation of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds'"'"' vapors in said stripping-chemisorption column by said wastewater;

alternation of flow direction of said gaseous medium with alternating the roles of said two heat regeneration means, said alternation is performed in accordance with change of temperatures in said heat regeneration means;

said alternation it is executed by said blowing means or by a system of shutting means installed on said circulation circuit.

4. A system for performing the method of destruction as claimed in claim 3, wherein said system comprises the following main elements and units

a tank that is filled with said wastewater in such a way, that there is free space at the upper internal space of said tank intended for circulation of a gaseous medium;

said tank is provided with outlet connections, at least one inlet connection, a heat exchanging module, two tubular connectors with flanges;

two stripping-chemisorption columns, which are installed on said flanges of said tank, each said stripping-chemisorption column comprises demisters installed in their upper sections;

a circulation pump which performs circulation of said wastewater via said stripping-chemisorption columns;

two fans are installed on upper flanges of said stripping-chemisorption columns, said fans are actuated alternatively;

two heat regenerators with packings are joined with the upper sections of their associated stripping-chemisorption columns;

a module for thermo-catalytic oxidation, which consists of two sub-modules of ultimate heating and a catalytic packed bed said module is communicated with said heat regenerators;

one of said unit is provided with an inlet connection for oxygen delivery and the other—

with an outlet connection for purging said entire system.

9. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claims 4, wherein said system is provided with sensors for measuring concentration of said volatile organic and inorganic compounds and/or temperatures in different places of said system.

10. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 9, wherein said sensors are connected with a regulation unit intended to adjust some parameters of functioning said system as:

rate of oxygen delivery into said system, temperature in said tank.

11. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claims 4, wherein said volatile organic compounds are partially insoluble in said wastewater and said tank is provided with means of emulsification of said volatile organic compounds, in said wastewater.

12. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 4, said tank is provided with one flange, which serves for installation of a connecting branch provided with a lateral tee;

the upper flange of said connecting branch serves in turn for installation of a stripping-chemisorption column;

said lateral tee of said connecting branch is joined with the proximal edge of a gas duct;

the distal edge of said gas duct is joined with the upper flange of said stripping-chemisorption column;

the proximal section of said gas duct is provided with a demister and fan which operates continuously;

there is a first additional gas duct, which communicates the proximal and distal sections of said gas duct, said heat regenerators and said module of thermo-catalytic oxidation are installed in-line on a second additional gas duct communicating said first additional gas duct with said gas duct;

in addition, there are two pair of dampers, which are installed in said gas duct and said first additional gas duct from both sides with respect to said second additional gas duct;

alternative shutting and opening said diagonally situated dampers alternates periodically direction of said gaseous medium flow via said heat regenerators and said module of thermo-catalytic oxidation installed in said second additional gas duct.

13. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater, wherein said system operates continuously and it constitutes two or more sub-units connected in-line;

each said sub-unit is constructed as a system claimed in claims 4, delivery of said wastewater into said first sub-unit is performed in continuous way and each said sub-unit is provided with a valve(s), which determines ratio between amounts of said wastewater supplied into its operating stripping-chemisorption column and into following sub-unit, or between amounts of said wastewater supplied into its operating chemisorption column and rejected from said system in the case of latter said latter sub-unit;

delivery of oxygen into each said sub-unit is performed independently.

14. A system of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater as claimed in claim 12, wherein said wastewater contains volatile organic and/or inorganic compounds;

said system includes two tanks;

a first one, which should be filled with said wastewater;

said first tank comprises;

outlet connections, an inlet connection, a flange and a built-in heat exchanging module;

said flange serves for installation of a first connecting branch with a first lateral tee;

a stripping column is installed on the upper flange of said first connecting branch;

there is a first circulation pump, which performs circulation said wastewater via said stripping column;

there is a second tank which filled with alkaline solution, said second tank comprises;

outlet connections, an inlet connection, a second flange and a second built-in heat-exchanging module;

said second flange serves for installation of a second connecting branch with a second lateral tee;

a chemisorption column is installed on the upper flange of said second connecting branch;

a second circulation pump performs circulation said alkaline solution via said chemisorption column;

said second lateral tee of said second connecting branch is connected with said first lateral tee of said first connecting branch by a first gas duct;

there is a fan, the inlet flange of said fan is installed on the upper flange of said stripping column;

the upper flange of said chemisorption column and the outlet flange said fan are communicated by a second gas duct which is branched in two parallel gas sub-ducts;

said parallel gas sub-ducts include two T-pieces;

the central branches of said T- pieces are communicated via a third gas duct, which incorporates a first heat regenerating bed, an electrical heater and a second heat regenerating bed;

which units are positioned sequentially;

two pairs of dampers are installed on the said gas sub-ducts from the both sides of said central branches of said T-pieces.