Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic material treatment – Organic
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-08
2001-11-13
Phasge, Arun S. (Department: 1741)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic material treatment
Organic
C205S752000, C205S756000, C204S275100, C204S277000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315887
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a device for the treatment of water. More specifically, it relates to a method and device for the purification of polluted water in order to remove therefrom a large variety of pollutants, especially organic pollutants.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
To carry out the purification/disinfection of water by complete oxidation of organic compounds it is well known in the art to use ozone (O
3
). For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,250,177 and 5,154,895 disclose devices for generating ozone electrolysis and for using the so generated ozone for the purification of water. Ozone may also be produced via U.V. light as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,189,363 (Beitzel) and 4,992,169 (Izumiya).
It is also known to enhance the efficiency of an apparatus using U.V. light to destroy microorganisms, by mixing ozone with the water to be purified (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,215 (Engelhard)).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,252 (Mass), there is disclosed a photochemical reactor for the treatment of a fluid polluted with photoreactants components. This patent suggest to coat the walls of the reactor in the treatment region with a catalyst in order to increase the rate of secondary reactions that occur with the reaction products produced by the initial photochemical reaction.
However, all devices and methods of the prior art fail to achieve with a sufficient efficiency the treatment of water, especially waste water and more particularly when said waste water is contaminated with a large variety of organic contaminants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an efficient and economic method for the purification of polluted water, especially waste water, by either oxidation “in situ” of its organic contaminants and/or combination thereof in a physically removal form. This method also permits to kill contaminating living pollutants such bacteria and virus.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for carrying out the aforesaid method. This device can be used for the purification of polluted water contaminated with a large variety of pollutants such as those found in the effluent of many organic processing plants. Thus, it becomes possible to achieve the treatment of water polluted with organic compounds, especially organic compounds found in the effluent of many polluting industries like petrochemicals, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, or in paper mills and food industries, which generally contain high COD and BOD level.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a reactor in which high oxidizing conditions are generated so as to fully or partially break down organic pollutants and transform them into easily removable oxidation products, especially oxidation products having a low density or gas like for example CO
2
.
Thus, the invention provides a method and a device which permit to purify heavily polluted water. The method and device according to the invention are devised to oxidize the organic contaminants contained in the waste water that is treated and to produce during the treatment at least one catalyst of oxidation reaction in a very activated state.
The device according to the invention is a device for the treatment of water (e.g. the purification of polluted water), comprises:
(a) at least one reactor, said reactor comprising in combination:
a vessel;
at least one inlet means for introducing the water to be purified in the vessel;
at least one outlet means for recovering the treated water from the vessel;
duct means for introducing an ozone-containing gas inside the vessel; and
electrochemical means for promoting conversion, inside the reactor, of at least one catalyst precursor into a catalyst of oxidation reaction, said electrochemical means comprising at least one pair of electrodes including a cathode and an anode;
(b) a supply of ozone-containing gas connected to the duct means;
(c) a power supply connected to the electrodes for generating therebetween a difference of potential and thus causing an electrolysis reaction; and
(d) means for removing oxidation products from water after treatment within the vessel.
Preferably, the anode may comprise at least one element, like a bar or a plate, that is made of an electrically conductive material and is located at least in part inside the vessel. More preferably also, the anode is essentially made of at least one catalyst precursor which is selected to become solubilized in the water to be purified during the electrolysis reaction.
The method according to the invention is devised for the purification of pollutants-containing water by oxidation of the pollutants into oxidation products and removal of the oxidation products. This method comprises the steps of
(i) introducing the pollutants-containing water into a reactor;
(ii) subjecting said water to a treatment with an ozone-containing gas in the presence of at least one metal catalyst of oxidation reaction, said metal catalyst being generated <<in situ >>; and
(iii) removing the oxidation products from the treated water.
More specifically, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of:
(i) processing the pollutants-containing water in a device as defined hereinabove; and
(ii) removing the oxidation products from the treated water.
For the treatment of heavily contaminated water, it may be efficient to successively carry out the aforesaid steps (i) and (ii) more than one time and then to carry out the additional step of (iii) subjecting the purified phase to filtration, decantation and/or flotation to obtain the purified water.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3816276 (1974-06-01), Ichiki et al.
patent: 4189363 (1980-02-01), Beitzel
patent: 4676956 (1987-06-01), Mori
patent: 4971687 (1990-11-01), Anderson
patent: 4992169 (1991-02-01), Izumiya
patent: 5124131 (1992-06-01), Wekhof
patent: 5154895 (1992-10-01), Moon
patent: 5250177 (1993-10-01), Cho
patent: 5258124 (1993-11-01), Bolton et al.
patent: 5258165 (1993-11-01), Olsen
patent: 5262066 (1993-11-01), Van Soye et al.
patent: 5266215 (1993-11-01), Engelhard
patent: 5685994 (1997-11-01), Johnson
patent: 5792336 (1998-08-01), Nikolaevsky et al.
patent: 802196 (1981-02-01), None
Phasge Arun S,.
Robic
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