Method for treating wastewater
First Claim
1. A method of treating water or wastewater in a system including a reactor, a vertical flow channel disposed in the reactor, and a separator, comprising:
- a. adding a flocculant to the water or wastewater;
b. directing the water or wastewater into an open upper end of the flow channel immersed in the water or wastewater in the reactor, down through the flow channel, out a lower end of the flow channel and upwardly outside of the flow channel and through the reactor;
c. continuously recycling the water or wastewater by directing the water or wastewater into the upper open end of the flow channel, downwardly through the flow channel, out the lower end of the flow channel, upwardly outside of the flow channel and through the reactor, and back into the open upper end of the flow channel;
d. mixing the flocculant and water or wastewater as the water or wastewater passes downwardly through the flow channel and wherein the mixing of the flocculant with the water or wastewater forms a flocculated mixture including flocs; and
e directing at least some of the flocculated mixture to the separator and separating clarified effluent from sludge which contains the flocs.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for treating wastewater. The apparatus comprises a reactor having a flow channel generally centrally located in a reactor and immersed in the water or wastewater in the reactor. An agitator is disposed within the flow channel and induces water or wastewater to enter the open upper end thereof and to move downwardly through the flow channel where the water or wastewater is discharged via a flow divider. A reagent is injected into the water or wastewater and the agitator within the flow channel serves to mix the reagent with the water or wastewater passing therethrough and in the process causes at least a slightly turbulent and downward axial flow through the flow channel.
34 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of treating water or wastewater in a system including a reactor, a vertical flow channel disposed in the reactor, and a separator, comprising:
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a. adding a flocculant to the water or wastewater; b. directing the water or wastewater into an open upper end of the flow channel immersed in the water or wastewater in the reactor, down through the flow channel, out a lower end of the flow channel and upwardly outside of the flow channel and through the reactor; c. continuously recycling the water or wastewater by directing the water or wastewater into the upper open end of the flow channel, downwardly through the flow channel, out the lower end of the flow channel, upwardly outside of the flow channel and through the reactor, and back into the open upper end of the flow channel; d. mixing the flocculant and water or wastewater as the water or wastewater passes downwardly through the flow channel and wherein the mixing of the flocculant with the water or wastewater forms a flocculated mixture including flocs; and e directing at least some of the flocculated mixture to the separator and separating clarified effluent from sludge which contains the flocs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32)
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26. A method of mixing a flocculant with water or wastewater in a water or wastewater treatment system including a reactor and a vertical flow channel disposed in the reactor, comprising:
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a. adding a flocculant to the water or wastewater; b. directing the water or wastewater into an open upper end of the flow channel immersed in the water or wastewater in the reactor and moving the water or wastewater downwardly through the flow channel, out the lower end of the flow channel, and upwardly outside the flow channel and through the reactor; c. as the water or wastewater moves downwardly through the flow channel, mixing the flocculant with the water or wastewater; d. wherein an agitator is disposed in the flow channel between the upper and lower ends thereof, and the method includes driving the agitator and causing water or wastewater from the reactor to be induced into the open upper end of the flow channel and to be moved downwardly therethrough such that the water or wastewater is mixed with the flocculant to form a water or wastewater mixture as the water or wastewater moves downwardly through the flow channel; and e. directing at least some of the water or wastewater mixture to a separator and clarifying the water or wastewater mixture. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of treating water or wastewater in a system including a reactor, a vertical flow channel disposed in the reactor, and a separator, comprising:
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a. adding a flocculant to the water or wastewater; b. directing the water or wastewater into an open upper end of the flow channel immersed in the water or wastewater in the reactor, down through the flow channel, out a lower end of the flow channel and upwardly outside of the flow channel and through the reactor; c. mixing the flocculant and water or wastewater as the water or wastewater passes downwardly through the flow channel and wherein the mixing of the flocculant with the water or wastewater forms a flocculated mixture including flocs; d. agitating the water or wastewater as the water or wastewater flows downwardly through the flow channel such that the flow of the water or wastewater through the flow channel is relatively more turbulent than the flow of water or wastewater outside of the flow channel, and engaging the water or wastewater in the vicinity of the lower end of the flow channel with a structure that causes the flow of water or wastewater leaving the flow channel and moving upwardly in the reactor to be less turbulent than in the flow channel, and recirculating the water or wastewater from the reactor into and downwardly through the flow channel; and e. directing at least some of the flocculated mixture to the separator and separating clarified effluent from sludge which contains the flocs. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification