Mobile flowback water treatment system

• US 8,318,027 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brisben Water Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Ecosphere Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: McGuire, Dennis, Jakhete, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US13/100,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20110233143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 210/748.01, 210/748.02, 210/748.03, 210/638, 210/151, 210/721, 210/669, 210/748.16, 210/749, 210/758, 210/764, 210/767, 210/790, 210/106, 210/798, 210/195.1, 210/130, 210/770, 210/186, 210/186.04, 210/186.07, 422/20, 422/128, 422/186, 422/186.04, 422/186.07, 204627-640, 204516-544, 204/554, 204/557, 204/571, 204/660, 204/661, 204/157.15, 204/194
• US Class Current: 210/748.02
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/004 using large scale industrial sized filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/38 by centrifugal separation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/10 from quarries or from mining activities
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/784 Diffusers or nozzles for ozonation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/42 Liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/08 Multistage treatments, e.g. repetition of the same process step under different conditions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for reclamation of waste fluids. A conditioning container is employed for receipt of waste material on a continuous flow for treatment within the container by immersible transducers producing ultrasonic acoustic waves in combination with a high level of injected ozone. The invention discloses a cost efficient and environmentally friendly process and apparatus for cleaning and recycling of flowback, or frac water, which has been used to stimulate gas production from shale formations. The apparatus is mobile and containerized and suitable for installation at the well site.

Claims

1. A process for treating flowback water including the steps of;

fluidly connecting to a source of flowback water;

filtering said flowback water;

separating said filtered flowback water into a first flow path and a second flow path;

directing said first flow path of filtered flowback water to an ozone contact tank and directing said second flow path of filtered flowback water to a reactor tank;

introducing ozone into said ozone contacting tank whereby said filtered flowback water conveyed by the first flow path is exposed to ozone;

conveying the ozonated filtered flowback water from the ozone contacting tank to a manifold configured to cause hydrodynamic cavitations of said ozonated filtered flowback water, positioning ultrasonic transducers within said reactor tank to create acoustic cavitations;

directing said first flow path of filtered ozonated flowback water and said second flow path of filtered flowback water through said reactor tank for contact with the acoustic cavitations;

wherein said filtered flowback waters treated with cavitations;

wherein said filtered flowback waters treated with ozone, hydrodynamic cavitations and acoustic cavitations is available for reinjection.

2. A process for treating flowback water as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of:

creating a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure within said reactor tank.

3. A process for treating flowback water as set forth in claim 1 wherein equipment for performing the process of treating filtering flowback water with ozone, hydrodynamic cavitations and acoustic cavitations for reinjection acoustic cavitations;

wherein said equipment is installed within a standard container that can be moved from one well site to another by truck, rail or ship.