Treatment of a waste stream through production and utilization of oxyhydrogen gas
First Claim
1. A method for removing a contaminant from an unclarified a waste stream, comprising the steps of:
- submersing two electrodes spaced less than five mm apart in the unclarified waste stream, the unclarified waste stream comprising a water component and one or both of a volatile contaminant or a solid-phase contaminant, the electrodes bordering a vertical interaction zone extending there between, said unclarified waste stream flowing through said vertical interaction zone;
applying a continuously pulsed electrical signal to at least one of the electrodes thereby generating oxyhydrogen-rich gas from the water component, the oxyhydrogen-rich gas forming bubbles in the interaction zone that rise to a surface of the unclarified waste stream;
contacting the volatile contaminant, the solid-phase contaminant or both with at least some of the bubbles as they rise through the unclarified waste stream thereby transporting a portion of the volatile contaminant, a portion of the solid-phase contaminant or both to the surface of the unclarified waste stream;
if the volatile contaminant is present;
trapping a mixture of the oxyhydrogen-rich gas and the volatile contaminant above the unclarified waste stream and transporting the mixture to a secondary process for further treatment;
if the solid-phase contaminant is present, collecting the solid-phase contaminant as a floating layer; and
said method conducted without the addition of any chemicals to said unclarified waste stream.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for treating a waste stream in a waste treatment system involve performing a unit process of the waste treatment system by contacting the waste stream with oxyhydrogen-rich gas generated on-site by an oxyhydrogen gas generator that implements water dissociation technology. The oxyhydrogen gas generator involves applying a pulsed electrical signal to a series of closely-spaced electrodes that are submerged in the waste stream to produce oxyhydrogen-rich gas from a water component of the waste stream. Operation of the oxyhydrogen gas generator in the waste stream may accomplish one or more unit processes for waste treatment, such as oxidation, stripping, floatation, disinfection, conditioning, stabilization, thickening, and dewatering, among others. At least a portion of the oxyhydrogen-rich gas can be conveyed for a second use in the waste treatment system, such as a source of combustible fuel for incineration or power generation, for example.
22 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for removing a contaminant from an unclarified a waste stream, comprising the steps of:
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submersing two electrodes spaced less than five mm apart in the unclarified waste stream, the unclarified waste stream comprising a water component and one or both of a volatile contaminant or a solid-phase contaminant, the electrodes bordering a vertical interaction zone extending there between, said unclarified waste stream flowing through said vertical interaction zone; applying a continuously pulsed electrical signal to at least one of the electrodes thereby generating oxyhydrogen-rich gas from the water component, the oxyhydrogen-rich gas forming bubbles in the interaction zone that rise to a surface of the unclarified waste stream; contacting the volatile contaminant, the solid-phase contaminant or both with at least some of the bubbles as they rise through the unclarified waste stream thereby transporting a portion of the volatile contaminant, a portion of the solid-phase contaminant or both to the surface of the unclarified waste stream; if the volatile contaminant is present;
trapping a mixture of the oxyhydrogen-rich gas and the volatile contaminant above the unclarified waste stream and transporting the mixture to a secondary process for further treatment;if the solid-phase contaminant is present, collecting the solid-phase contaminant as a floating layer; and said method conducted without the addition of any chemicals to said unclarified waste stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for removing a contaminant from an unclarified a waste stream, the unclarified waste stream including a water component, the system comprising:
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two electrodes spaced less than five mm apart to be submersed in the unclarified waste stream, said system not adding chemicals to said unclarified waste stream for the removing of a contaminant, the electrodes defining a vertical interaction zone extending there between, said unclarified waste stream flowing through said vertical interaction zone; a power supply for applying a continuously pulsed electrical signal to at least one of the electrodes to generate from the water component oxyhydrogen-rich gas which will form bubbles in the interaction zone that rise to a surface of the unclarified waste stream; a reaction vessel to contain the bubbles as they rise; a gas containment lid to trap above the unclarified waste stream a mixture of the oxyhydrogen-rich gas and a volatile contaminant of the unclarified waste stream, the mixture formed by those of the bubbles that contact a portion of the volatile contaminant that transport the portion to the surface of the unclarified waste stream as a floating layer; and means for transporting the mixture to means for further treatment. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification