Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Liquid/liquid solvent or colloidal extraction or diffusing...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-14
2001-04-17
Fortuna, Ana (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Liquid/liquid solvent or colloidal extraction or diffusing...
C210S650000, C210S321690, C210S791000, C210S652000, C137S583000, C137S211000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217770
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for treatment of water.
This application is related to U.S. applications Ser. Nos. 08/655,744 filed May 31, 1996 and 08/762668 filed Dec. 9, 1996, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. These applications corresponds to PCT International Application No. PCT/CA97/00378 which was published on Dec. 11
th
, 1997 under publication No. WO 97/46305.
The above application discloses a method of treatment of water which includes: providing a housing having a first port and a second port; providing in the housing at least one separator element arranged within the housing including a water permeable membrane with a characteristic of preventing contaminants in the raw water from passing therethrough, a product water conducting layer arranged adjacent the water permeable layer for receiving water passing through the water permeable layer, and a product water carrier duct connected to the water conducting layer for receiving water therefrom; communicating the raw water from the water supply to the first port to pass over the membrane such that product water passes through the membrane leaving contaminants in the raw water to form a concentrated contaminated water stream and passing the stream to the second port; providing a product water outlet port in the housing connected to the carrier duct for receiving product water therefrom; extracting contaminants from the concentrated contaminant water stream to form a return stream; and returning at least some of the return stream to the housing at said one of the first and second ports to pass again over the element.
This arrangement has shown considerable commercial success. However improvements to the system are always necessary to enhance operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention, therefore to provide an improved water treatment method of the above type in which the operation of the separation membrane and the contaminant separation operation is enhanced.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating raw contaminated water from a water supply comprising:
providing a housing having a first port and a second port;
providing in the housing at least one separator element arranged within the housing including a water permeable membrane with a characteristic of preventing contaminants in the raw water from passing therethrough, a product water conducting layer arranged adjacent the water permeable layer for receiving water passing through the water permeable layer, and a product water carrier duct connected to the water conducting layer for receiving water therefrom;
communicating the raw water from the water supply to the first port to pass over the membrane such that product water passes through the membrane leaving contaminants in the raw water to form a concentrated contaminated water stream and passing the stream to the second port;
providing a product water outlet port in the housing connected to the carrier duct for receiving product water therefrom;
extracting contaminants from the concentrated contaminated water stream in a concentration chamber to form a return stream;
returning at least some of the return stream to the housing at said one of the first and second ports to pass again over the element;
and injecting gas into the water at a position in the system such that the concentrated contaminant water stream when it enters the concentration contains injected gas.
Preferably the gas is at least primarily air.
Preferably the gas is injected at a position where the water is under pressure from the pump.
Preferably the contaminants are extracted by feeding the concentrated contaminated water stream from said other of the first and second ports to a concentration chamber which is configured to reduce the velocity of the stream to cause by the velocity change deposition of some of the contaminants therefrom so as to settle in and collect in the concentration chamber, the concentration chamber being arranged such that the stream when extracted therefrom leaves the deposited contaminants in the chamber.
Preferably the injected water from the element passes into the concentration chamber where excess gas above saturation from the water collects as a cap in the chamber.
Preferably pressure in the cap is periodically released to cause expansion of the cap to effect purging of the chamber.
Preferably there is provided a main pump for pumping the raw water from the source to an increased operating pressure and wherein the air is injected downstream of the main pump.
Preferably the amount of gas injected is arranged such that oxidizing agents in the gas are substantially wholly consumed in oxidizing contaminants in the water so that the return stream of water is saturated with low reactivity gases such as nitrogen.
Preferably the bubbles in the gas produced by the venturi increase the flocculation of particulate contaminants such that the flocculated contaminants collect in the chamber.
Preferably the gas injection causes fine crystallization of low molecular weight organics.
Preferably the injected gas is arranged to displace more volatile, less soluble contaminant gases such as methane or hydrogen sulfide and including extracting the volatile contaminant gases.
Preferably the volatile contaminant gases are collected in an air cap in the concentration chamber.
Preferably the air cap is maintained at a predetermined volume by a gas release valve having a discharge opening at a predetermined intended water level.
Preferably the gas release valve includes a slow discharge opening for continuous slow release of the gas.
Preferably the membrane surface is scrubbed by the gas as gas dissolved in the water is released by the pressure drop across the membrane.
Preferably the air is injected by a venturi.
Preferably the venturi comprises:
a tubular member arranged for connection to a first pipe at a first end and a second pipe at a second end;
the tubular member defining an interior bore and having an abutment shoulder within the bore;
the tubular member having an opening in one side;
and an insert member with a cylindrical body arranged for insertion into the interior bore and a head at one end defining a flange at said one end for engaging said abutment shoulder;
the insert member having a venturi duct passing through the body from said one end to the opposite end at the second sleeve;
the insert member having an air injection bore at right angles to the venturi duct and communicating with the opening.
Preferably the tubular member comprises a T-fitting with a first pipe receptacle at the first end, a second pipe receptacle at the second end and a third pipe receptacle at the opening at the side and wherein the shoulder is defined by an end abutment of the first receptacle.
Preferably the tubular member comprises a tubular pipe having a cylindrical interior bore and at least one collar attached to the interior bore with one side face of the collar defining said abutment shoulder.
Preferably the tubular pipe has a first collar attached to the interior bore with one side face of the collar defining said abutment shoulder and a second collar spaced longitudinally of the first collar, the second collar having an inner diameter less than that of the first collar and the cylindrical body of the insert member having a stepped portion of reduced diameter engaging into the second collar.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a venturi for attachment to two pipe portions for injecting a second fluid into a first fluid flowing through the pipe portions comprising:
a tubular member arranged for connection to a first pipe portion at a first end and a second pipe portion at a second end;
the tubular member defining an interior bore and having an abutment shoulder within the bore;
the tubular member having an opening in one side;
and an insert member with a cylindrical body arranged for insertion into the interior bore and a head at one end defining a flange at said one en
Haney Harold Ernest
Mogourian Viktor
ATP International
Fortuna Ana
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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