SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANALYZING WATER SAMPLES IN A WATER PROCESSING FACILITY

• US 20130335731A1
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearcorp Co.
• Original Assignee: Clearcorp
• Inventors: Jorden, Roger M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,618,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/73
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5209 Regulation methods for flocculation or precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/103 Arsenic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/105 Phosphorus compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/14 Fluorine or fluorine-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/20 Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/003 Downstream control, i.e. outlet monitoring, e.g. to check the treating agents, such as halogens or ozone, leaving the process
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/44 Time
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2035 by deviating part of a fluid stream, e.g. by drawing-off or tapping
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0227 using imaging; using holography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/1012 Suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water

Abstract

A system and method for isolating and analyzing a water sample in a water processing facility are disclosed. The system uses a chamber for receiving and isolating the water sample from the main water treatment process. An optical detector views and characterizes the particles in a region of the chamber. An analyzer coupled to the optical detector compares the characterized suspended particles at a first time and at with the characterized suspended particles at a second time to produce a report showing suspended particle size as a function of time.

Claims

1. A system for isolating and analyzing a water sample in a water processing facility, the system comprising:

a chamber for receiving the water sample wherein the chamber further comprises a closable outlet valve located at the bottom of the chamber and an inlet configured to totally isolate the water sample in the chamber from the water processing facility, whereby the water sample in the chamber can become sufficiently quiescent to allow gravitational settling of suspended particles in the water sample in the chamber;

an optical detector configured to view and characterize the sizes of a plurality of suspended particles in a region of the water sample in the chamber wherein the region protrudes into the chamber; and

an analyzer coupled to the optical detector that compares the characterized suspended particle sizes at a first time with the characterized suspended particle sizes at a second time to produce a report showing suspended particle size as a function of time.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the inlet further comprises a closable valve, the system further comprises a controller, and wherein the controller:

further comprises a processor and software;

communicates a mixer control signal to a mixer at least partially located in the water sample in the chamber; and

is configured to send signals that open and close the inlet valve and the outlet valve.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the analyzer is further configured to process a plurality of time-sequential optical images and recorded times from each image to:

determine a first position of the specific particle in a first time-sequential optical image at a first recorded time wherein the first position further comprises a first vertical position;

track the floc particle from the first time-sequential image to a second time-sequential image at a second recorded time;

determine a second position of the specific particle in the second time-sequential image wherein the second position further comprises a second vertical position;

compute a vertical displacement from the difference between the second vertical position and the first vertical position;

compute a time difference between the first recorded time and the second recorded time; and

compute a gravitational settling velocity in response to the vertical displacement and the time difference.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the mixer control signal further comprises a signal selected from the group of:

an on signal;

an off signal;

a duty-cycle signal;

a power signal; and

/or

a mixing speed signal.

5. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the controller is responsive to the optical sensor; and

the mixer control signal is responsive to a characteristic of a suspended particle in the region.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the inlet is configured to selectively receive the water sample from a location in the water processing facility selected from the group of:

a point downstream from a chemical addition point;

or

a point downstream from a simulation coagulation system

whereby the system can be used to measure the effects of coagulant dosing on suspended particle size as a function of time.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the closable outlet valve is connected to a waste outlet, whereby the output from the chamber does not get mixed with the output from the water processing facility and the batch sample mode testing performed by the system is completely independent of the output from the water processing facility.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein:

the closable outlet valve is connected to a waste outlet, whereby the water sample does not get mixed with the output from the water processing facility; and

the system is configured to receive the water sample from a point downstream of a simulation coagulation system whereby the system can be used to test coagulant dosing under conditions not used in the plant in a manner that does not put the operation of the plant at risk.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the system receives the water sample from a point downstream of a chemical addition point;

the inlet comprises a closable valve;

the chamber is configured to be fully submerged in a tank of the water processing facility; and

the chamber further comprises a vertical tube section.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the region has a lower boundary at least 10% above the bottom of the chamber and the region has an upper boundary no more than 50% above the bottom of the chamber, wherein the 10% and the 50% are measured vertically based on the outlet valve being the bottom of the chamber and the higher of the inlet or the level to which the chamber is normally filled being the top of the chamber.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a mixer whereby the mixer can be turned on or off, wherein the system is configured for operation in all of the following modes:

the inlet and outlet are open and the mixer is turned off, whereby samples can be analyzed directly from a sampling point in the water processing facility;

the inlet and outlet valves are closed and this mixer is turned on, whereby particle size changes of an isolated water sample can be analyzed over time; and

the inlet and the outlet valves are closed and the mixer turned off, whereby the isolated water sample can be studied in quiescent conditions for measuring floc particle gravitational settling velocity.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system can be used for a plurality of water samples and wherein the analyzer compares a suspended particle size as a function of time for a first water sample with a suspended particle size as a function of time for a second sample.

13. A coagulant chemical test simulation system for a processing facility, the system comprising:

a chamber for receiving a sample of liquid wherein the chamber further comprises a closable outlet valve located at the bottom of the chamber and an inlet configured to totally isolate the sample in the chamber from the processing facility, whereby the sample can become sufficiently quiescent to allow gravitational settling of suspended particles;

an optical detector configured to view and characterize the sizes of a plurality of suspended particles in a region of the chamber; and

a computing engine coupled to the optical detector that compares the characterized suspended particle sizes at a first time with the characterized suspended particle sizes at a second time to produce a report showing suspended particle size as a function of time.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the inlet is configured to selectively receive the sample from a location in the processing facility selected from the group of:

a point downstream from a chemical addition point;

or

a point downstream from a simulation coagulation system.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the inlet further comprises a closable valve, the system further comprises a controller, and wherein the controller:

further comprises a processor and software;

communicates a mixer control signal to a mixer located in the chamber; and

is configured to send signals that open and close the inlet valve and the outlet valve.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a mixer whereby the mixer can be turned on or off, wherein the system is configured for operation in all of the following modes:

the inlet and outlet are open and the mixer is turned off, whereby samples can be analyzed directly from a sampling point in the processing facility;

the inlet and outlet valves are closed and this mixer is turned on, whereby particle size changes of an isolated sample can be analyzed over time; and

the inlet and the outlet valves are closed and the mixer turned off, whereby the isolated sample in the chamber can be studied in quiescent conditions for measuring floc particle gravitational settling velocity.

17. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the chamber receives the sample from a point downstream of a chemical addition point;

the inlet comprises a closable valve;

the chamber is configured to be fully submerged in a tank of the processing facility; and

the chamber further comprises a vertical tube section.

18. A method for analyzing flocculation performance for a water treatment facility, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a first water sample containing a first coagulant dose into a chamber whereby the first water sample is isolated from the water treatment facility;

making a first image of suspended particles in a region of the first water sample in the chamber at a first time with an optical camera in an orientation that allows particle size and vertical position to be measurable;

making a second image of suspended particles in the region at a second time with the optical camera in the same position and orientation as was used for the first image;

using a computer to make a first particle size and growth comparison of the suspended particles in response to the first image and the second image;

discharging the first water sample to waste.

19. The method of claim 18, where placing further comprising the step selecting the source of the first water sample from a location chosen from the group of:

a point downstream from a chemical addition point;

or

a point downstream from a simulation coagulation system.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

placing a second water sample containing a second coagulant dose into the chamber whereby the second water sample is isolated from the water treatment facility;

making a third image of suspended particles in the region at a third time with the optical camera in the same position and orientation as was used for the first image;

making a fourth image of suspended particles in the region at a fourth time with the optical camera in the same position and orientation as was used for the first image;

using the computer to make a second particle size and growth comparison of the suspended particles in response to the third image and the fourth image;

discharging the second water sample to waste; and

comparing flocculation performance for the first water sample with flocculation performance for the second water sample.