High efficiency water-softening process
First Claim
1. A process for removing at least some contaminants selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Cu, Zn, iron, Mn, A1, SiO2, TOC, oil, grease, and TDS and TSS from a contaminated water stream, the process comprising steps of:
- collecting a quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for treatment;
analyzing the composition of the quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for an amount of said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream;
adding at least one of carbonate or bicarbonate to the quantity of the water stream in an amount at least stoichiometrically equivalent to said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream;
adjusting the pH of the quantity of the water stream to a value from about 10.5 to 14;
separating the solids including said contaminants from the quantity of the water stream; and
recovering water containing a reduced contaminant content, wherein the step of separating comprises;
adding at least one of a coagulation or flocculation aid chemical to the quantity of the water stream, except where the water stream comprises an effective amount of aluminum material or caustic soda to effect flocculation or coagulation of solids of the contaminants of the water stream, andand allowing solids formed by the coagulation or flocculation, including said contaminants and carbonate or bicarbonate and hydroxide precipitates in the quantity of the water stream to settle or rise from the water in a settling tank.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high-efficiency water softening process is disclosed. The softening-process is particularly effective for the treatment of water process streams containing a broad array of contaminants, such as Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, iron, aluminum, manganese, copper, zinc, silica, TOC, oil, and grease. The softening-process includes steps of: (a) adding carbonate ions and hydroxide ions to said water process stream until the process stream pH is raised to between at or about 10.5 and at or about 14.0; (b) optionally adding a coagulation aid so as to facilitate the creation of separated solids comprising a substantial portion of the contaminants; (c) optionally adding a polyelectrolyte so as to facilitate the creation of separated solids comprising a substantial portion of the contaminants; and (d) phase-separating the separated solids so as to remove the contaminants and produce a highly purified water process stream.
31 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A process for removing at least some contaminants selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Cu, Zn, iron, Mn, A1, SiO2, TOC, oil, grease, and TDS and TSS from a contaminated water stream, the process comprising steps of:
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collecting a quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for treatment; analyzing the composition of the quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for an amount of said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adding at least one of carbonate or bicarbonate to the quantity of the water stream in an amount at least stoichiometrically equivalent to said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adjusting the pH of the quantity of the water stream to a value from about 10.5 to 14; separating the solids including said contaminants from the quantity of the water stream; and recovering water containing a reduced contaminant content, wherein the step of separating comprises; adding at least one of a coagulation or flocculation aid chemical to the quantity of the water stream, except where the water stream comprises an effective amount of aluminum material or caustic soda to effect flocculation or coagulation of solids of the contaminants of the water stream, and and allowing solids formed by the coagulation or flocculation, including said contaminants and carbonate or bicarbonate and hydroxide precipitates in the quantity of the water stream to settle or rise from the water in a settling tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26)
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17. A process for removing at least some contaminants selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Cu, Zn, iron, Mn, A1, SiO2, TOC, oil, grease, and TDS and TSS from a contaminated water stream, the process comprising steps of:
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analyzing the composition of the quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for an amount of said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adding at least one of carbonate or bicarbonate to the quantity of the water stream in an amount at least stoichiometrically equivalent to said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adjusting the pH of the quantity of the water stream to a value from about 10.5 to 14; separating the solids including said contaminants from the quantity of the water stream; and recovering water containing a reduced contaminant content, wherein the step of separating comprises; adding at least one of a coagulation or flocculation aid chemical to the quantity of the water stream, except where the water stream comprises an effective amount of aluminum material or caustic soda to effect flocculation or coagulation of solids of the contaminants of the water stream, and and allowing solids formed by the coagulation or flocculation, including said contaminants and carbonate or bicarbonate and hydroxide precipitates in the quantity of the water stream to settle or rise from the water in a settling tank. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A process for removing one or more contaminants from a contaminated water stream, at least one of which one or more contaminants is selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Cu, Zn, iron, Mn, A1, SiO2, TOC, oil, grease, and TDS and TSS, the process comprising steps of:
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analyzing the composition of the quantity of the water stream containing said contaminants for an amount of said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adding at least one of carbonate or bicarbonate to the quantity of the water stream in an amount at least stoichiometrically equivalent to said contaminants in the quantity of the water stream; adjusting the pH of the quantity of the water stream to a value from about 10.5 to 14; separating the solids including said contaminants from the quantity of the water stream; and recovering water containing a reduced contaminant content, wherein the step of separating comprises; adding at least one of a coagulation or flocculation aid chemical to the quantity of the water stream, except where the water stream comprises an effective amount of aluminum material or caustic soda to effect flocculation or coagulation of solids of the contaminants of the water stream, and and allowing solids formed by the coagulation or flocculation, including said contaminants and carbonate or bicarbonate and hydroxide precipitates in the quantity of the water stream to settle or rise from the water in a settling tank.
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Specification