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AssigneeInstitut Francais De Recherche Pour L'exploitation De La Mer (Ifremer)
InventorArmand LeJeune
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The invention relates to apparatus for treating water by skimming, the apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber (8); injector means (4) for delivering the water for treatment via an injection orifice into the reaction chamber; means (20) for forming microbubbles of gas in the water to be treated; and condensation means (10) for collecting the resulting foam, the apparatus being characterized by the fact that the microbubbles are injected into the reaction chamber (8) together with the water for treatment. The invention also provides a method of treating water by skimming, in which: the water for treatment is injected into a reaction chamber (8); microbubbles of gas are formed in the water for treatment; and the foam that is produced is separated from the water for treatment, the method being characterized by the fact that the microbubbles are injected into the reaction chamber (8) together with the water for treatment.
1/ Apparatus for treating water by skimming, the apparatus comprising:
2/ Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the injector means (4) create cyclonic circulation of the water in the reaction chamber (8).
3/ Apparatus according to either preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the means (20) for forming microbubbles comprise a motor-driven propeller and a decompression chamber fed with gas.
4/ Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the gas is selected from the list comprising:
5/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the reaction chamber (8) is circularly cylindrical about a vertical axis.
6/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that it includes flotation means (6).
7/ Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the reaction chamber (8) has at least one water flow orifice (14) for discharging water from the reaction chamber (8) into the water in which the apparatus (1) is floating.
8/ Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that, in projection onto a horizontal plane, the center of a flow orifice (14) and the center of the injection orifice (32) are separated by an angle (α) lying in the range 50° to 70°, and preferably equal to 62°.
9/ Apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized by the fact that it presents four flow orifices (14) separated by an angle (γ) lying in the range 10° to 20°, and preferably equal to 14°, said angle (γ) having its vertex on a vertical axis situated in the center of the reaction chamber.
10/ Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized by the fact that the injector means (4) generate a pressure such that regardless of the density of the water, the water level inside the vessel (38) is maintained in the range 10 cm to 20 cm, and preferably 15 cm±2 cm above the level of the water (40) in which the apparatus (1) is floating.
11/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the injector means (4) inject water into the reaction chamber (8) at an angle (β) greater than 20°, and preferably greater than 25°, corresponding to the angle as projected onto a horizontal plane between the direction in which the water for treatment is injected into the reaction chamber (8) and the normal to the inside surface of said reaction chamber (8) at the injection orifice (32).
12/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the injector means (4) inject the water into the reaction chamber (8) at an angle relative to a horizontal plane that lies in the range 2° to 15°, and more preferably in the range 5° to 10°.
13/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the reaction chamber (8) is surmounted by a condensation chamber (10), these two chambers (8, 10) being separated by a cone (26) provided with at least one opening.
14/ Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that the cone (26) separating the reaction chamber (8) from the condensation chamber (10) is adjustable in height.
15/ Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that it includes means (260, 262) suitable for holding the cone (26) stationary in a selected position.
16/ Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that it includes a chimney (28) that is adjustable in height so as to control condensation of the foam.
17/ A method of treating water by skimming, in which:
18/ A method according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that cyclonic circulation of the water is established inside the reaction chamber (8).
19/ A method according to claim 17 or claim 18, characterized by the fact that the reaction chamber (8) is caused to float.