Electro-coalescence/magnetic separation (ECMS) system and components for removal of contaminants from water streams, including desalinization

An electro-coalescing/magnetic separation system for removing pollutants from a water stream by nonchemical coagulation and filtration of coagulated pollutants, comprising:

• means for mixing ionized pollutant-coagulating species with the water stream;
• means for exposing said water stream having been mixed with said ionized pollutant-coagulating species to electric and magnetic fields;
• and
• means for filtering coagulated pollutants from said water stream, comprising:
• a tank, having at least one inlet port in communication with substantially an uppermost portion of an internal volume thereof, and at least one outlet port;
• piping means connecting said at least one inlet port to a source of said water stream;
• a quantity of a polarizable filtration medium comprising finely-divided particles of glass, polarizable ceramics, or mixtures thereof, filling substantially a lower half of the internal volume of said tank;
• a conductive underdrain assembly extending over substantially the lowermost portion of the internal volume of said tank, and comprising means defining a plurality of small-dimension openings in communication with conduit means, such that water filtered by said medium passes through said small-dimension openings into said conduit means, said medium being excluded by said small-dimension openings from said conduit means;
• a power supply for applying DC power to said underdrain assembly, for polarizing said medium;
• and
• further piping means connecting said conduit means to said at least one outlet port.

A polishing filter for removal of particles of greater than substantially 0.1 micron mean diameter from a water stream, comprising:

• a filter assembly defining a closed tubular member enclosed within a sealed container said container comprising an inlet in communication with a side of said filter assembly exposed to influent water in normal use, and an outlet in communication with a side of said filter assembly exposed to effluent water in normal use, said filter assembly comprising a filter member comprising a continuous porous filter element supported by continuous relatively flexible screen members on opposite sides, one side being exposed to influent water and the other side to effluent water in ordinary use, said filter assembly being creased at regular intervals along creasing lines parallel to its axis of curvature, defining a corrugated cylindrical filter assembly, and
• relatively rigid perforated support members contacting said relatively flexible screen members on said inner and outer surfaces thereof,
• said polishing filter being connected to control valve means for controlling flow of influent and backwash water to said filter assembly, such that during backwash the side of said assembly exposed to influent water in normal use is exposed to backwash water, and filtered contaminants and backwash water are removed from the side of said assembly exposed to influent water in normal use.

A system for desalinization of a stream of water, comprising:

• means for exposing said stream of water to an electric field, to encourage oxidation and reduction of contaminants therein, and to promote nucleation thereof;
• means for mixing a stream of air including a substantial proportion of ionized coagulant-promoting gas atoms with said stream of water after exposure thereof to said electric field, to further coagulate contaminants therein;
• filtration means for removing particles of substantially 1.0 micron and greater mean diameter from said stream;
• and
• polishing filter means for removing particles of substantially 0.1 micron and greater mean diameter from said stream, said secondary polishing filter means comprising a filter assembly fitting within a housing to define interior and exterior surfaces separated from one another, said filter assembly comprising:
• a layer of a medium passing water but separating molecules of substantially 0.1 micron and greater mean diameter from said stream of water,
• first and second relatively flexible support members on either side of said layer of medium, and
• first and second relatively rigid support members on either side of said first and second relatively flexible support members, both said flexible and rigid support members permitting flow of said stream of water therethrough,
• said filter assembly being formed of a precursor assembly of said layer of a medium passing water and said first and second relatively flexible support members on either side of said layer of medium, said precursor assembly being creased along a series of parallel spaced creasing lines to define a corrugated assembly for being supported between said first and second relatively rigid support members.