Flocculation basin in water treatment process
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsKenji Baba, Shoji Watanabe, Shunsuke Nogita, Mikio Yoda, Akihiro Tanaka, Shunji Mori
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The fluidizing speed of water inside a flocculation basin of a water treatment process plant is adjusted in accordance with the state of flocculation inside the flocculation basin. The state of flocculation is determined by taking a plurality of pictures within a predetermined period by an ITV disposed inside the basin, recognizing a sufficiently large number of flocs from the pictures thus taken, calculating the particle diameters of the flocs and determining the particle diameter distribution from the result of calculation. The judgement signal is used as a signal for adjusting the water fluidizing speed.
Claims14
A flocculating system in a water treatment process comprising:
- a flocculation basin into which water containing coagulants and suspended particles is introduced;
- means for taking a plurality of pictures of a predetermined zone inside said flocculation basin within a predetermined interval of time;
- means for obtaining and storing a particle diameter distribution of flocs shown in each of the pictures;
- means for producing an output signal based on the particle diameter distribution of the flocs;
- flocculater means for mixing the water inside said flocculation basin in such a manner that the flocs impinge against one another and grow to greater flocs;
- and
- flocculater control means for controlling said flocculater means on the basis of the output of said signal producing means and changing the mixing speed of the water inside said flocculation basin.
A floc monitor for use in a water treatment process comprising:
- area defining means for defining a predetermined area within a flocculation basin in a water treatment process to cause water to flow in a substantially predetermined direction inside the predetermined area;
- means for taking a plurality of pictures of the predetermined area within a predetermined interval of time;
- means for obtaining and storing a particle diameter distribution of flocs shown in each of the pictures;
- and
- means for producing an output signal based on the particle diameter distribution of said flocs;
- said signal being representative of the growth state of the flocs, and enabling monitoring of the growth state of the flocs in said flocculation basin.
A floc monitor for use in a water treatment process comprising:
- area defining means for defining a predetermined area inside a flocculation basin in a water treatment process to cause water to flow in a substantially predetermined direction inside the predetermined area;
- baffling means for exhibiting predetermined resistance against at least the flow of water and reducing the flow velocity of the water flowing through the predetermined area;
- imaging means for taking pictures of the predetermined area and producing image information signals thereof;
- and
- signal processing means for producing signals representing the growth state of flocs inside the flocculation basin on the basis of the image information signals, and enabling monitoring the growth state of said flocs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.