# US 11,124,431 B2 · System and method for water treatment including granular activated carbon regeneration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,124,431 B2 - Document ID: US11124431B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/698,360 - Filed: 2019-11-27 - Published: 2020-06-04 - Granted: 2021-09-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30 - Assignees: Onvector LLC - Applicants: Onvector LLC - Inventors: Daniel J. Cho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11124431B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes - B01J 20/3416: {of sorbents or filter aids comprising free carbon, e.g. activated carbon} - B01J 20/3441: {Regeneration or reactivation by electric current, ultrasound or irradiation, e.g. electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays, UV, light, microwaves} - B01J 20/3458: {in the gas phase} - B01D 15/203: {Equilibration or regeneration} - C02F 2101/301: {Detergents, surfactants} - C02F 2101/36: containing halogen - C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds} - C02F 2103/06: Contaminated groundwater or leachate - C02F 2209/02: Temperature - C02F 2303/16: Regeneration of sorbents, filters - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A water treatment system includes an adsorption column including granular activated carbon (GAC) that adsorbs contaminants from untreated water onto the GAC, thereby producing treated water, a first electrode disposed at a proximal side of the adsorption column, with a gap between the first electrode and the GAC, a second electrode disposed at a distal side of the adsorption column, a drain outlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for draining water out of the adsorption column, a gas inlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for injecting a displacement gas into the adsorption column, a high voltage power supply electrically connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode for generating a plasma discharge within the GAC, thereby regenerating the GAC within the adsorption column, and a gas outlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for venting waste gas produced by the plasma discharge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water treatment system comprising: an adsorption column including granular activated carbon (GAC) that adsorbs contaminants from untreated water onto the GAC, thereby producing treated water; a first electrode disposed at a proximal side of the adsorption column, with a gap between the first electrode and the GAC; a second electrode disposed at a distal side of the adsorption column; a drain outlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for draining water out of the adsorption column; a gas inlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for injecting a displacement gas into the adsorption column; a high voltage power supply electrically connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode for generating a plasma discharge within the GAC, thereby regenerating the GAC within the adsorption column; and a gas outlet in fluid communication with the adsorption column for venting waste gas produced by the plasma discharge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a high voltage electrode, the second electrode is a ground electrode, and the high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a ground electrode, the second electrode is a high voltage electrode, and the high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the second electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the plasma discharge is an arc plasma discharge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is embedded in the GAC at the distal side of the adsorption column. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the proximal side is a top side and the distal side is a bottom side of the adsorption column. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, further including a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the GAC. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein contaminants include perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the displacement gas is a hydrocarbon gas heavier than air. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The water treatment system of claim 9, wherein the displacement gas is propane, butane, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the gap is in a range of between 0.5 cm and 1 cm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, further including an untreated water inlet into the adsorption column and a treated water outlet out of the adsorption column. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The water treatment system of claim 12, further including a pump in fluid communication with the untreated water inlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The water treatment system of claim 13, wherein the pump includes a variable frequency motor. ### Claim 15 A method of regenerating granular activated carbon (GAC) in a water treatment system, the method comprising: draining water out of an adsorption column containing GAC of a water treatment system; injecting a displacement gas into the adsorption column; generating an electrical voltage between a first electrode disposed at a proximal side of the adsorption column and a second electrode disposed at a distal side of the adsorption column to form a plasma discharge within the GAC, thereby regenerating the GAC within the adsorption column; and venting waste gas produced by the plasma discharge. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is a high voltage electrode, the second electrode is a ground electrode, and a high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further including adjusting output power of the high voltage power supply based on a thermostatic feedback signal from a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the GAC. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is a ground electrode, the second electrode is a high voltage electrode, and a high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the second electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further including adjusting output power of the high voltage power supply based on a thermostatic feedback signal from a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the GAC. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the electrical voltage is generated for a regeneration time that is less than 30 min. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the regeneration time is less than 10 min. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the regeneration time is less than 1 min. ### Claim 23 A method of treating water, the method comprising: flowing untreated water into an adsorption column including granular activated carbon (GAC) that adsorbs contaminants from the water onto the GAC, thereby producing treated water; flowing the treated water out of the adsorption column; draining water out of the adsorption column; injecting a displacement gas into the adsorption column; generating an electrical voltage between a first electrode disposed at a proximal side of the adsorption column and a second electrode disposed at a distal side of the adsorption column to form a plasma discharge within the GAC, thereby regenerating the GAC within the adsorption column; and venting waste gas produced by the plasma discharge. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first electrode is a high voltage electrode, the second electrode is a ground electrode, and a high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further including adjusting output power of the high voltage power supply based on a thermostatic feedback signal from a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the GAC. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first electrode is a ground electrode, the second electrode is a high voltage electrode, and a high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the second electrode. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further including adjusting output power of the high voltage power supply based on a thermostatic feedback signal from a temperature sensor that measures temperature of the GAC. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the electrical voltage is generated for a regeneration time that is less than 30 min. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the regeneration time is less than 10 min. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the regeneration time is less than 1 min.