Apparatus and process for removing metallic particles from effluent liquid waste

Apparatus for separating metallic particles from liquid effluent flowing from a source thereof, including two or more surge tanks coupled in parallel to a source of such effluent, for collecting a quantity of effluent containing such metallic particles;

• and two or more sedimentary deposit tanks associated with the surge tanks for receiving the liquid effluent and separating it by sedimentary deposit into a collected solid waste component and an out-flowing fluid flowing to an exit conduit from which such collected solid waste has been separated;
• comprising
• (a) a source of controlled pressure differential (e.g. an auxiliary effluent pump) creating a pressure differential between the surge tank inlet and the sedimentary deposit tank outlets for causing liquid to flow from the surge tank through the sedimentary deposit tanks to the outlets thereof in response to the pressure differential;
• (b) a bypass conduit connecting the surge tank inlet to the exit conduit;
• (c) a source of controlled vacuum pressure (e.g. a suction pump with one or more valves or regulators) between the effluent source and the exit conduit, for causing liquid to flow from the effluent source into the surge tank under suction, and air to flow from the effluent source into the exit conduit via the surge tank inlet;
• (d) a pressure balancing valve at the surge tank inlet port that facilitates maintenance of the vacuum pressure;
• (e) each said sedimentary deposit tank comprising a series of baffle chambers separated by baffle chamber walls, one or more of said baffle chambers containing baffles inclined in one or two dimensions for facilitating deposit of solid particles, the series of baffle chambers being structured and arranged so that the first (inlet) baffle chamber receives the liquid effluent, and the liquid effluent passes in sequence through the baffle chambers and exits the final (outlet) baffle chamber as said outflowing fluid.

Apparatus for separating particles from liquid effluent containing such particles, the liquid effluent flowing from an effluent source to an effluent destination such as a sewer or drain, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a surge tank for receiving the liquid effluent, the surge tank having a surge tank inlet for connecting to the effluent source and a surge tank effluent outlet;
• (b) a sedimentary deposit tank having a sedimentary deposit tank inlet connected to the surge tank effluent outlet for receiving effluent from the surge tank, and a sedimentary deposit tank outlet for connecting to the effluent destination, and within which sedimentary deposit tank the particles settle out from the liquid effluent, the portion of the particles that settle out being inversely related to the flow rate of the liquid effluent through the sedimentary deposit tank, in that the higher the flow rate the smaller the portion of the particles that settle out;
• (c) means for receiving and applying a pressure differential between the surge tank and the sedimentary deposit tank outlet so as to cause the surge tank interior to be at a higher pressure than the sedimentary deposit tank outlet;
• and
• (d) means for inhibiting the flow of liquid effluent in its passage from the inlet of the surge tank through to the effluent destination thereby to control the flow rate of effluent through the sedimentary deposit tank;
• wherein when the surge tank contains liquid effluent and the pressure differential is applied between the surge tank and the sedimentary deposit tank outlet, the pressure differential and flow inhibiting means cause the liquid effluent to flow at a slow flow rate through the sedimentary deposit tank, the slow flow rate facilitating settling of the particles within the sedimentary deposit tank.