US 5,851,407 A · Process and apparatus for oxidation of contaminants in water

Abstract

Oxidizable contaminants in water are destroyed quickly and efficiently by exposing a contaminated water flow to oxidizing conditions under pressure. Specifically, ozone generated from oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are injected into the water flow in at least one, and preferably more than one, high intensity mixing/reaction stage. The ozone and hydrogen peroxide are injected at velocities and directions approximately matching those of the contaminated water flow. High intensity mixing under pressure facilitates rapid and complete oxidation of the contaminants with minimal stripping of volatile contaminants and waste of undissolved ozone. Residual ozone levels after high intensity mixing are carefully monitored and minimized by adjusting the injection of hydrogen peroxide and ozone in order to suppress the formation of bromate.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A water decontamination process, comprising the sequence of steps of:

injecting a pressurized flow of ozone and a pressurized flow of hydrogen peroxide into a flow of contaminated water such that the velocity and direction of the injected hydrogen peroxide and ozone approximately match the velocity and direction of the contaminated water flow, said contaminated water comprising oxidizable contaminants and having an inlet pressure greater than 5 psig;
mixing said hydrogen peroxide and ozone with the contaminated water flow at approximately said inlet pressure to produce a mixture at least 99% homogeneous;
oxidizing said contaminants while maintaining the mixture at approximately said inlet pressure and forming less than 20 ppb of bromate.

A high intensity mixing/reaction stage for decontaminating water comprising:

at least one injection port receiving a flow of contaminated water having an inlet pressure of greater than 5 psig, the injection port including
an ozone sparge tube projecting into the interior of the injection port for receiving a pressurized flow of ozone gas, the ozone sparge tube defining at least one ozone orifice facing downstream of the flow of the contaminated water, and
a hydrogen peroxide sparge tube projecting into the interior of the injection port for receiving a pressurized flow of hydrogen peroxide from a hydrogen peroxide source, the hydrogen peroxide sparge tube defining at least one hydrogen peroxide orifice facing downstream of the flow of the contaminated water, a high intensity mixing/reaction zone receiving
a flow of contaminated water, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide at approximately the first pressure from the injection port, the high intensity mixing reaction/zone including a high intensity mixer that creates a uniform mixture of the water, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide while maintaining the pressure at approximately the first pressure, and
an ozone adjusting means monitoring the level of residual ozone downstream from the high intensity mixer and adjusting the flow of ozone and hydrogen peroxide into the injection port.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and apparatus for oxidation of contaminants in water

Life of this patent

Process and apparatus for oxidation of contaminants in water

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8