Settling device, purifier comprising a settling device and methods for anaerobic or aerobic purification of waste water

• US 8,728,318 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paques I.P. B.V.
• Original Assignee: Paques I.P. B.V.
• Inventors: Vellinga, Sjoerd Hubertus Jozef, Jorna, Antonius Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Prince, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/120,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 210/603, 210/605, 210/608, 210/621, 210/513, 210/515, 210/521, 210/532.1, 210/188
• US Class Current: 210/603
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0045 Plurality of essentially parallel plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0057 with counter-current flow direction of liquid and solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0084 Enhancing liquid-particle separation using the flotation principle flotation in general B03D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2427 The feed or discharge opening located at a distant position from the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2444 Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/245 Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2494 provided with means for the removal of gas, e.g. noxious gas, air
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/2846 using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket [UASB] reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/04 for producing gas, e.g. biogas digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/36 Means for collection or storage of gas; Gas holders
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/20 Baffles; Ribs; Ribbons; Auger vanes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/02 Separating microorganisms from the culture medium; Concentration of biomass separating microorganisms from their culture media C12N1/02

Abstract

A three phase separator or settling device (2) or a digester (1) including the settling device. The settling device can receive a fluid containing liquid, gas and particulate material. The settling device includes a settling chamber to be filled with this fluid. The device can also include a liquid-discharge (5) for discharging liquid from the settling chamber and fitted close to the liquid level (30), a fluid inlet (6) for supplying the fluid into the settling chamber (3), a particulate material separation device (7) and a sludge outlet (8). A flow of fluid is provided into and out of the settling device and settling chamber. The inlet includes a gas separation device (4) for separating gas from the fluid including channels, the inlet positioned close to the fluid level. The inlet and transition (75) into the settling chamber is arranged to create a pre-separated flow pattern including a generally laminar liquid flow.

Claims

1. Settling device (2) for a fluid containing liquid, gas and particulate material, comprising:

a settling chamber (3) configured to be filled with the fluid;

a liquid-discharge (5) configured to discharge liquid from the settling chamber, the liquid discharge (5) being arranged so as to be at the liquid level (30) when in operation;

a fluid inlet (6) configured to supply the fluid into the settling chamber (3) and arranged at essentially the same level as the liquid-discharge (5);

a particulate material separation device (7) positioned between the settling chamber (3) and the liquid discharge (5); and

a sludge outlet (8) from the settling chamber (3)

wherein the inlet (6) comprises a gas separation device (4) arranged to separate gas from the fluid, the gas separation device (4) comprising a row of oblique plates (13) extending below the level where fluid is introduced in the gas separation device, the plates (13) being disposed in overlapping and parallel arrangement with their longitudinal axes at an angle to the horizontal.

2. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the gas separation device (4) comprises an inlet (6) at the fluid level (30, H1) and an outlet (75) positioned in the settling chamber (3) at a lower level (H2).

3. Settling device according to claim 2, wherein the oblique plates (13) of the inlet device (4) are arranged to create a semi-laminar flow of the fluid into the setting chamber (3).

4. Settling device according to claim 2, wherein the particulate material separation device (7) comprises a row of oblique parallel plates (14).

5. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the oblique plates (13) of the inlet device (4) are arranged to create a semi-laminar flow of the fluid into the setting chamber (3).

6. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the particulate material separation device (7) comprises a row of oblique parallel plates (14).

7. Settling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the oblique parallel plates (13) of the gas separation device (4) and the oblique parallel plates (14) of the particulate material separation device (7) are constructed and arranged to cause a flow in the downward direction from the inlet (6) to the settling chamber (3) and a flow in the upward direction from the settling chamber (3) to the liquid discharge (5).

8. Settling device according to claim 6, wherein the particulate material separation device (7) and gas separation device (4) are separated by a separation plate (77).

9. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the oblique parallel plates (13,14) have a length of 50 to 200 cm.

10. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the gas separation device (4) and particulate material separation device (7) are adjacently positioned above and connected with the settling chamber (3).

11. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the sludge outlet (8) is fitted near a bottom of the settling chamber (3) and is formed by a slit (15).

12. Settling device according claim 11, wherein the sludge outlet (8) can be positioned at least in and out of the flow path of fluid entering the settling chamber (3) through the inlet (4,6).

13. Settling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oblique plates of the gas separation device (4) extend downward from the inlet (6) to the gas separation device outlet (11) so that the exit liquid flow from the gas separation device (4) is directed downward.

14. Settling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an oblique plate of the gas separation device (4) comprises a baffle (66) positioned vertically so as to guide the flow generally downward.

15. Purifier (1) for the aerobic or anaerobic purification of waste water, comprising:

a reaction chamber (24) comprising a process chamber (25),

a settling device (2) according to claim 1, which is fitted above the process chamber (25),

a degassing compartment (50) connected to an inlet (4,6) of the settling device (2) positioned near the fluid level (30).

16. Purifier (1) of claim 15, wherein the process chamber (25) is a fermentation chamber.

17. Method for the aerobic or anaerobic purification of a fluid of waste water using a settling device (2) as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising:

supplying the fluid supplied through the inlet (6) and causing the fluid to flow obliquely downward;

causing gas bubbles (34) and/or light particles contained in the liquid to collect at an underside of a plate (13), to flow in an upward direction and to exit the gas separation device (4) from the inlet (6);

causing the remainder of the fluid to continue flowing in a downward direction into the settling chamber (3).

18. Settling device according to claim 1, wherein the oblique parallel plates (13,14) have a length of 80 to 140 cm.

19. Method for the aerobic or anaerobic purification of a fluid of waste water using a settling device (2) having a settling chamber (3) for containing the fluid and a particulate material separation device (7) positioned between the settling chamber (3) and a liquid discharge (5),

wherein a flow of a fluid containing liquid, gas and particulate material is provided into and out of the settling device (2) through the settling chamber (3),

wherein gas and particulate material are separated from the fluid in the settling device (2),

wherein liquid is discharged from the settling device (2) as effluent via the liquid discharge (5), the fluid flowing into the settling device (2) being provided near a liquid level of the fluid,

wherein gas is separated from the fluid in the inlet, upstream from the settling chamber (3) by a row of oblique plates (13) extending below the level where fluid is introduced in the gas separation device, the plates (13) being disposed in overlapping and parallel arrangement with their longitudinal axes at an angle to the horizontal such that fluid supplied through the inlet (6) is caused to flow obliquely downward along the oblique plates (13).

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein the flow into the settling chamber (3) and a discharge flow out of the settling chamber (3) through the material separation device (7) towards the effluent discharge (26) are adjacent and generally oppositely directed.