Treatment of a waste stream through production and utilization of oxyhydrogen gas

• US 9,296,629 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xogen Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xogen Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Van Vliet, David Ritchie, Campbell, Herbert Wallace, Chambers, Stephen Barrie, Alvarez-Vazquez, Hector
• Primary Examiner(s): Prince, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/725,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20130105376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 210/707, 210/748.01, 210/748.17, 210/776, 210/192, 210/252, 210/259, 204/194, 204/554, 204/571, 204/660, 205/633, 205/637
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46 by electrochemical methods
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/465 by electroflotation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/68 by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water medicinal water A61K
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/00 Treatment of sludge; Devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/006 Electrochemical treatment, e.g. electro-oxidation or electro-osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/06 by oxidation incinerators for burning waste liquors, e.g. sulfite liquor from paper-making plant F23G7/04
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/12 by de-watering, drying or thickening
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46133 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46185 only anodic or acidic water, e.g. for oxidizing or sterilizing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/322 Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/343 from the pharmaceutical industry, e.g. containing antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46125 Electrical variables
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4617 DC only
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46175 Electrical pulses
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/00 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage

Abstract

Methods and systems for reducing a redox active contaminant in a waste stream in a waste treatment system involve performing a unit process of the waste treatment system by contacting redox active contaminant in 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.

Claims

1. A system for removing a contaminant from an unclarified waste stream, the unclarified waste stream including a water component, the system comprising:

two coated 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 coated 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 coated 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.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the coated electrodes comprise a coating, the coating being selected from the group consisting of:

Ruthenium Oxide, Iridium Oxide, Platinum, Titanium dioxide, tin oxide, or any combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the coated electrodes comprise a metal doped mixed metal oxide.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the metal doped mixed metal oxide is antimony doped tin oxide.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the coated electrodes comprise titanium electrodes coated with a mixed metal oxide solution of iridium, ruthenium, platinum, rhodium, tantalum, or any combination thereof.