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US 10,766,006 B2Granted
Electrokinetic thickening and dewatering method and system
AssigneeBcr Environmental Corporation
InventorsFrederick P. Mussari, Michael Phillip Norris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for using electrokinetic forces for thickening or dewatering municipal biosolids is provided. The method uses chlorine dioxide to accelerate and improve the efficiency of electrokinetic dewatering.
Claims13
A method for separating water from biosolids, the method comprising:
- treating a sludge or biosolids with chlorine dioxide to form a pretreated bio solids;
- and
- subjecting the pretreated biosolids to electro-osmosis to separate water from the pretreated biosolids in an electrokinetic dewatering or thickening device including:
- a first electrode compartment having a first electrode surrounded by filter material, the first electrode and filter material defining a filtrate drain space between the first electrode and the filter material;
- and
- a second electrode compartment having a second electrode, the second electrode compartment spaced apart from and surrounding the first compartment,
- subjecting the pretreated biosolids to electro-osmosis including applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes that causes water to flow from the sludge or biosolids through the filter material and into the filtrate drain space, and then out of the device through a filtrate outlet in fluid communication with the filtrate drain space.
4 more elements
An electrokinetic dewatering or thickening device, comprising:
- an upper portion, including:
- an inlet to receive pretreated biosolids;
- a conduit extending from the inlet;
- a lower portion positioned below the upper portion, the lower portion including:
- a first electrode compartment having a first electrode surrounded by filter material, the first electrode and filter material defining a first filtrate drain space between the first electrode and the filter material;
- and
- a second electrode compartment having a second electrode distal to the filter material, the second electrode and filter material defining a second filtrate drain space between the second electrode and the filter material, the second electrode compartment spaced apart from and surrounding the first compartment;
- a dewatered or thickened pretreated biosolids outlet positioned below the lower portion;
- and
- a filtrate outlet fluidly connected to at least one of the first drain space and the second drain space.
7 more elements
A waste treatment system comprising:
- a source of municipal sludge or biosolids;
- a chlorine dioxide treatment unit fluidly connected downstream of the source of municipal sludge or biosolids and configured to introduce chlorine dioxide into the municipal sludge to produce pretreated biosolids;
- and
- an electrokinetic dewatering or thickening device positioned downstream of the chlorine dioxide treatment unit, the electrokinetic dewatering or thickening device comprising:
- first and second electrode compartments, the first electrode compartment having a first electrode surrounded by filter material, the first electrode and filter material defining a first filtrate drain space between the first electrode and the filter material, the second electrode compartment spaced apart from and surrounding the first compartment;
- and
- a dewatered or thickened pretreated biosolids outlet positioned below the first and second electrode compartments.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.