Back to results
US 5,876,606 AGranted
Treatment of contaminated water
AssigneeUniversity of Waterloo
InventorsDavid William Blowes, Carol Jane Ptacek, Michael John Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The metal oxide media includes oxides and hydroxides of iron, and other metals. The material is derived from basic-oxygen steel-making process, and includes a high calcium content. The oxide surfaces facilitate the adsorption of phosphorus, and the increased pH facilitates the precipitation of calcium and other phosphates. The oxides are a catalyst for converting organic phosphorus to inorganic form. Limestone may be added to the oxides, to ensure a long-term source of calcium, and to maintain high pH for long periods.
Claims39
Apparatus for treating contaminated water, wherein:
- the apparatus includes a treatment bed comprising a permeable body of particles of treatment material;
- the apparatus includes a means for passing the contaminated water through the treatment bed;
- the treatment material is material which, when the contaminated water is passed therethrough, causes a reduction in the concentration of the contaminants in water emerging from the treatment material;
- the permeability of the treatment material is such that, when the contaminated water is passed therethrough, the material provides a velocity of through-passage of the water such that a residence time of the contaminants in the treatment material is enough to reduce the concentration of the contaminants down to a predetermined release standard;
- the treatment material in the treatment bed includes particles of metal oxides, and the particles of metal oxides have a weight of Wmetox weight units, the weight Wmetox being a fraction of the total weight Wtremat of the treatment material;
- the weight Wmetox of the particles of metal oxides includes a weight WCaFeOx of particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide, the weight WCaFeOx being a fraction of the total weight Wmetox of the particles of metal oxides;
- the particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide are composite integrated particles, in that the oxide phases are physically integrated with each other in the particles;
- the body of treatment material includes the integrated particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide;
- the integrated particles are included as a dispersed mixture through the body of treatment material;
- the weight WCaFeOx of calcium oxide and iron oxide includes, on a mass analysis, a weight WCa of calcium, and includes a weight WFe of iron;
- the weight WCa is at least five percent of the weight Wmetox, and the weight WFe is at least fifteen percent of the weight Wmetox.
8 more elements
Procedure for treating contaminated water, wherein:
- the procedure includes the step of providing a treatment bed comprising a permeable body of solid particles of treatment material;
- the procedure includes the step of passing the contaminated water through the treatment bed;
- the treatment material is material which, when the contaminated water is passed therethrough, causes a reduction in the concentration of the contaminants in water emerging from the treatment material;
- the permeability of the treatment material is such that, when the contaminated water is passed therethrough, the material provides a velocity of through-passage of the water such that a residence time of the contaminants in the treatment material is enough to reduce the concentration of the contaminants down to a predetermined release standard;
- the treatment material in the treatment bed includes particles of metal oxides, and the particles of metal oxides have a weight of Wmetox weight units, the weight Wmetox being a fraction of the total weight Wtremat of the treatment material;
- the weight Wmetox of the particles of metal oxides includes a weight WCaFeOx of particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide, the weight WCaFeOx being a fraction of the total weight Wmetox of the particles of metal oxides;
- the particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide are composite integrated particles, in that the oxide phases are physically integrated with each other in the particles;
- the body of treatment material includes the integrated particles of calcium oxide and iron oxide;
- the integrated particles are included as a dispersed mixture through the body of treatment material;
- the weight WCaFeOx of calcium oxide and iron oxide includes, on a mass analysis, a weight WCa of calcium, and includes a weight WFe of iron;
- the weight WCa is at least five percent of the weight Wmetox, and the weight WFe is at least fifteen percent of the weight Wmetox.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.