# US 2014/0151296 A1 · Produced water treatment to remove organic compounds > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151296 A1 - Document ID: US20140151296A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/802,961 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Brian Christopher MOORE; Hope MATIS; William Leonard KOSTEDT, IV; David M. POLIZZOTTI; Matthew Alan PETERSEN; Jeffrey Lynn SCHWORM; Anthony Yu-Chung KU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151296A1 ## CPC - C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light - C02F 1/385: {by centrifuging suspensions (centrifuges B04B)} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/463: by electrocoagulation - C02F 1/5236: {using inorganic agents} - C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides} - C02F 1/78: with ozone {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)} - C02F 3/02: Aerobic processes - C02F 3/106: {Carbonaceous materials} - C02F 1/24: by flotation (C02F1/465 takes precedence) - C02F 1/444: {by ultrafiltration or microfiltration} - C02F 1/52: by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities {(C02F1/463 takes precedence)} - C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil - C02F 2305/026: Fenton's reagent - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - 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) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract Systems and methods for removing organic contaminants from water may be used, for example, to treat produced water from a steam assisted heavy oil recovery operation. The treated produced water may be re-used to create steam. Alternatively, the produced water may be a blowdown stream treated to facilitate further treatment in a thermal crystallizer. The treatments may include pH adjustment or separating de-solubilized organics or both. Other treatments may include one or more of oxidation, sorption and biological treatments. The treatments may be used alone or in various combinations. One exemplary combination includes reducing the pH of produced water, separating de-solubilized organics from the produced water, and oxidizing the produced water or contacting the produced water with activated carbon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for removing organics from aqueous media, said method comprising the steps of: (A) treating the aqueous media in a first phase by acidifying the aqueous media to de-solubilize dissolved organics and separating de-solubilized organics from the aqueous media; or, (B) treating the aqueous media in a second phase by one or more of: a) oxidizing the aqueous media, b) contacting the aqueous media with a sorbent, c) treating the aqueous media by ion exchange, and d) treating the aqueous media biologically, or both A) and B). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous media is treated in the second phase by contacting the aqueous media with activated carbon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the activated carbon has at least 50% of its pores by number with a pore diameter range of from about 10 to about 20 Angstroms or a high volume of pores in this range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the activated carbon has at least 50% of its pores by number with a pore diameter in the range from about 12 to about 17 Angstroms or a high volume of pores in this range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the activated carbon has a positively charged surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous media is acidified in the first phase to a pH value of from about 4 to about 6. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the precipitated organics are separated from the aqueous media by flotation, chemical precipitation, electrocoagulation, flocculation, filtration, adsorption or centrifuge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the precipitated organics are separated by filtration, for example by filtration with a ceramic membrane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises contacting the aqueous media with an ion exchange resin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the aqueous media is contacted by the ion exchange resin before and in addition to another phase 2 treatment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising contacting the aqueous media with biological activated carbon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 comprising two stages of activated carbon treatment wherein one of the stages is a biological activated carbon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the biological activated carbon stage is after the activated carbon stage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the biological activated carbon stage is before the activated carbon stage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous media is treated in the second phase by oxidizing the aqueous media. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the aqueous media is oxidized by Fenton's oxidation, ozone, hydrogen peroxide plus ozone, or ultraviolet radiation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the aqueous media is oxidized by Fenton's oxidation and the aqueous media is further treated with electrocoagulation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous media is treated via biological treatment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous media is treated via adsorption. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous media is acidified in the first phase to a pH of from about 3 to about 7. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claims 1 wherein the aqueous media comprises produced water.