Utilizing Sludge Or Floc Blanket Patents (Class 210/715)
  • Patent number: 4954259
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for the flocculation of matter suspended in water. According to the invention, the water is passed through a granular medium in a fluidized bed, without prior saturation of the granular medium in a fixed bed, and flocculated aggregates are collected downstream and subjected to settling or some other liquid/solid separation procedure, in order to obtain an effluent which is partially freed of its pollution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Mornex Limited
    Inventors: Samuel Elmaleh, Alain Grasmick
  • Patent number: 4865734
    Abstract: A coarse media flocculator utilizes buoyant media restrained against upward movement in a vertical chamber whose cross-sectional area increases uniformly in the direction of flow, thereby providing a uniformly tapering velocity gradient. The height of the media restrainer within the chamber can be adjusted, thereby changing the depth and cross-sectional characteristics of the media bed within the tapered chamber. The velocity gradients of the flocculator can thus be changed independent of flow. A washwater piping grid with downwardly pointed jet spray nozzles is positioned within the media bed for cleaning. The height of the media bed can be adjusted by changing the position of the media restrainer or by changing the liquid level within the chamber, thus changing that part of the media bed where the jet spray is concentrated. In one embodiment, the restrainer is disposed within an area of the chamber above the tapered portion having a uniform cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Inventor: Christopher R. Schulz
  • Patent number: 4861493
    Abstract: Process for the removal of metals, in particular heavy metals and strontium, from waste water in the form of their sulfide by mixing the waste water with a water soluble sulfide. According to the invention the metal containing waste water is thoroughly mixed with the water soluble sulfide at a suitable pH in a reactor of the fluidized bed type, which is provided with an appropriate bed material, on which the metal sulfide crystallizes out, whereby the thus obtained bed material provided with crystalline metal sulfide is removed from and new bed material is added to the reactor from time to time. Usually as water soluble sulfide an alkali metal sulfide or alkali metal hydrogen sulfide or ammonium sulfide or FeS is used, whereas the use of sodium sulfide, sodium hydrogen sulfide, potassium sulfide or potassium hydrogen sulfide is preferred. According to the present process a.o. the following metals: Ni, Sr, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ag, Pb, Cd, Hg, Co, Mn, Te, Sn, In, Bi or Sb may be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: DHV Raadgevend Ingenieursbureau BV
    Inventor: Cornelis W. Jansen
  • Patent number: 4793934
    Abstract: A multi-bed filtration system includes an upstream filter bed in series with a downstream filter bed of nonbuoyant media. Also included is a system for periodically backwashing the nonbuoyant filter bed. Coagulant-treated water is passed through the upstream filter bed, followed by the downward flow of water through the downstream filter bed. Thereafter, the downward flow of water through the downstream filter bed is periodically interrupted. During these interruptions, a limited amount of water is introduced upwardly through the downstream filter bed by the backwashing system. Such backwashing frees coagulated solids within the bed, causing the solids to move upwardly through the bed. The solids ultimately collect in a zone above the surface of the bed. When normal filtration recommences, water passes through the deck of solids in the zone prior to entering the nonbuoyant filter bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Signal Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Thompson, Kurt M. Geiser
  • Patent number: 4765912
    Abstract: A process is provided for simultaneously clarifying brine in a geothermal facility and producing silica seed material for use within the facility. A clarifier having an agglomeration zone therein is utilized and unclarified geothermal brine comprising silica solids is introduced into the agglomeration zone and thereafter circulated and mixed with the brine being clarified within the agglomeration zone to cause agglomeration of the particles therein. A circulation rate is maintained within the agglomeration zone to enable agglomerated solids therein to settle toward a lower portion of the agglomeration zone to form a sludge blanket, consisting essentially of silica and compounds of naturally occurring elements in the unclarified brine, while enabling clarified brine, having less solids than the unclarified brine, to pass out of the agglomeration zone for collection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventor: Clay W. Totten
  • Patent number: 4764284
    Abstract: Process for removing Sr and heavy metals from water in particular from waste water by throughly mixing it with a solution of an alkali metal carbonate and/or hydrogen carbonate in a reactor containing a fluidized bed of suitable bed material. The obtained heavy metal carbonate crystals crystallize onto said bed material and the obtained heavy metal carbonate crystals in granular form are removed from the reactor from time to time.The heavy metals which may be removed are Ni, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ag, Pb, Cd or Hg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: DHV Raadgevend Ingenieursbureau B.V.
    Inventor: Cornelis W. Jansen
  • Patent number: 4743376
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for the flocculation of matter suspended in water.According to the invention, the water is passed through a granular medium in a fluidized bed, without prior saturation of the granular medium in a fixed bed, and flocculated aggregates are collected downstream and subjected to settling or some other liquid/solid separation procedure, in order to obtain an effluent which is partially freed of its pollution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Mornex Limited
    Inventors: Samuel Elmaleh, Alain Grasmick
  • Patent number: 4603000
    Abstract: A solid-liquid slurry, particularly sugar juice, is flocculated and clarified in an arrangement including a clarifier tank containing therein a mud bed of concentrated removed solids. A preflocculating vessel extends into the top of the clarifier tank and includes upper and lower chambers. The slurry is introduced into the upper chamber to flow turbulently therein, thereby deaerating the slurry. The slurry is transferred from the upper chamber to the lower chamber while the turbulent flow of the slurry is changed to a laminar flow. A flocculating agent, for example a suitable polymer, is introduced into the slurry, such that solids of the slurry coagulate as flocs in the lower chamber. The thus preflocculated slurry is introduced directly into the clarifier tank at a level beneath the surface of the mud bed therein. The liquid of the slurry percolates upwardly through the mud bed and is filtered, thus forming clarified liquid, and the flocs of solids settle downwardly into and form the mud bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1986
    Assignee: Fabcon Incorporated
    Inventor: John A. Casey
  • Patent number: 4592845
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sludge belt method of clarifying a liquid charged with solid material. After a flocculation additive has been added thereto, the charged liquid is conveyed to the bottom of a sludge belt in a clarification chamber (40) via a plurality of injectors (76) spread out over the area of said chamber. The total flow rate through said injectors is evenly distributed between the injectors by an internal head loss. The clarified liquid is removed via an upper overflow (72). Each injector forms jets diverging from its vertical axis, so that the injected flow spreads out over an expansion zone belonging to said injector and meeting the expansion zones of adjacent injectors. In addition, the jets drive vortices which prevent the formation of a layer of sludge having insufficient permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: Alsthom-Atlantique
    Inventors: Pierre Lejeune, Louis Berthod
  • Patent number: 4389317
    Abstract: Heterogenous nucleation on a seed material is promoted in the removal of phosphate from water by contacting the water with the seed material in a bed of grains of the seed material which bed is fluidized and kept in fluidization by the water stream itself, while the introduction of the reagent or reagents is effected so as to have a substantially complete heterogenous nucleation take place on the seed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: DHV Raadgevend Ingenieursbureau BV
    Inventors: Christiaan C. M. Trentelman, Johannis C. van Dijk, Johannes H. C. M. Oomen
  • Patent number: 4379082
    Abstract: A method of removing ruthenium contamination from a radioactive liquid effluent, consisting in adding to said liquid effluent a reducing agent and copper ions, to form, in said effluent, a cuprous oxide precipitate on which the ruthenium is fixed, and subsequently separating the precipitate thus formed from the effluent, and an apparatus for performing this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1983
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Gauchon
  • Patent number: 4328094
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for the beneficiation, or for the continuous hydraulic elutriation of particulate solids. The apparatus is characterized generally as an elongate vessel, with a width of V-shaped cross-section. The upper side of the vessel is provided with launders, or overflow weirs, suitably arranged in series along the two side walls of the vessel. An elongate upwardly faced compartment is provided at the bottom of the vessel by the converging side walls, and preferably it is compartmented. The vessel is provided at one end with a particulate solids inlet, and the opposite end with a particulate solids outlet; and means are provided at the bottom of the vessel for the introduction of liquid. Pumps are employed to withdraw overflow liquid from the launders, and inject same into the vessel bottom compartment, or compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Inventor: Albert C. Peck
  • Patent number: 4265770
    Abstract: A process for separating suspended clay and sand solids from the slimes of phosphate tailings is described. The suspended solids are rapidly agglomerated and a relatively dense sludge which settles to the bottom of the separation vessel is formed. The sludge may then be discharged into settling ponds for dewatering and compaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Assignee: Amstar Corporation
    Inventor: James P. Thomas