# US 5,433,853 A · Method of clarifying wastestreams

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- Number: US 5,433,853 A
- Document ID: US5433853A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/141,844
- Filed: 1993-10-22
- Granted: 1995-07-18
- Earliest claimed: 1993-10-22
- Assignees: Polybac Corporation
- Inventors: Anthony M. Mamone
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5433853A

## CPC

- C02F 1/56: Macromolecular compounds
- B01D 17/047: {with separation aids}
- B01D 21/0045: {Plurality of essentially parallel plates}
- B01D 21/01: using flocculating agents (for purifying water C02F1/52; for liquid radioactive waste G21F9/10)
- B01D 21/08: provided with flocculating compartments
- B01D 21/2461: {Positive-displacement pumps; Screw feeders; Trough conveyors}
- B01D 21/305: {Control of chemical properties of a component, e.g. control of pH}
- B01D 21/34: Controlling the feed distribution; Controlling the liquid level {; Control of process parameters}
- C02F 1/5245: {using basic salts, e.g. of aluminium and iron}
- C02F 1/5281: {Installations for water purification using chemical agents}
- 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)
- 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

The present invention provides for a novel method of removing emulsified oils, dissolved solids and particulates from a water containing liquid wastestream comprising chemically treating the wastestream with an acid, a coagulant, and a flocculant and subsequently flowing such treated wastestream upwardly through a vertical plate pack chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of removing emulsified oils, dissolved solids and particulates from a water containing liquid wastestream comprising the steps of:
a. adjusting the pH of the wastestream to a pH of about 6;
b. adding a coagulant to precipitate the dissolved solids;
c. further adjusting the pH of the wastestream to a pH of about 6, whereby the coagulant and dissolved solids separate from the liquid phase;
d. adding a flocculant to the wastestream; and
e. flowing the waste stream upward through a vertical plate pack chamber aligned at an angle to the horizontal ranging from about fifty to about sixty degrees whereby the oils and solids substantially settle to the bottom of the chamber and the wastestream, separated from such oils and solids, exits the chamber from the top, wherein said chamber further comprises a tuning fork sensor capable of producing a signal indicating the amount of solids in the bottom of said chamber by changes in the frequency of vibration of the sensor, said signal activating a pump to remove said oils and solids from said chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the coagulant is ferric chloride or aluminum chloride.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the flocculant is a cationic polyacrylamide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the plates of the vertical plate pack chamber are oriented about sixty degrees from the horizontal and spaced about 0.75 inches apart.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of biodegrading the wastestream exiting the vertical plate pack chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the biodegradation uses a fixed biological film.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dewatering the oils and solids from the vertical plate pack chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the oils and solids are dewatered by a filter press.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the wastestream exiting the vertical plate pack chamber is filtered to further remove oils and particulates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the wastestream is from food processing, plating, chemical manufacturing, petroleum production or petroleum refining.