Process and apparatus for electrocoagulative treatment of industrial waste water

An electrocoagulation system for removing contaminants from waste effluent comprising:

• means for collecting said waste effluent containing said contaminants;
• reactor in fluid flow connection with said collecting means for receiving therein said waste effluent containing said contaminants, said reactor having a plurality of substantially parallel electrolytic plates contained therein, said electrolytic plates having a plurality of positive and negative plates with a plurality of intermediate plates interspersed therebetween;
• voltage source connected to said positive and negative plates for applying a voltage therebetween, said voltage causing said contaminants to react with said electrolytic plates to change from in solution to in suspension in said waste effluent;
• defoam tank for receiving said waste effluent and contaminants from said reactor;
• agitator in said defoam tank for stirring said waste effluent to allow air trapped therein to rise to the surface and escape;
• weir for drawing said waste effluent and contaminants from near a bottom of said defoam tank;
• and
• a clarifier for receiving said waste effluent and said contaminants from said weir, said clarifier separating said contaminants contained in suspension from said waste effluent.

A reactor for use in removing contaminants from a waste effluent, a source of voltage being available for connection to said reactor, said reactor comprising:

• a non-conductive housing;
• parallel slots cut on an inside of first opposing walls of said non-conductive housing;
• electrolytic plates being located in said parallel slots;
• means for connecting a plurality of some of said electrolytic plates to said voltage source to create voltage therebetween, other of said electrolytic plates being isolated from said voltage source and interspersed between said electrolytic plates connected to said voltage sources;
• second of said opposing walls of said non-conductive housing being connectable to said first opposing walls to form a sealed container for said reactor;
• seal being located between each of said second opposing walls and said first opposing walls to form said sealed container;
• inlet for receiving said waste effluent and said contaminants into a first end of said reactor;
• outlet for discharging said waste effluent from a second end of said reactor after said waste effluent has circuitously traveled through said reactor over said electrolytic plates;
• number and spacing of said electrolytic plates being connected to said voltage source and said interspersed isolated electrolytic plates being determined by type of said contaminants contained in said waste affluent, said contaminants reacting with said electrolytic plates to change from in solution to in suspension.

A clarifier for use in removing contaminants from waste affluent, said clarifier comprising:

• containment vessel;
• inlet for receiving said waste affluent and said contaminants into a receiving weir of said containment vessel;
• sloped inlet of said containment vessel in fluid connection with said receiving weir;
• sloped outlet of said containment vessel in fluid connection with an outlet weir, said sloped inlet and said sloped outlet generally forming a V shape;
• clarifier plates of varying depths being suspended from opposing substantially vertical side walls of said containment vessel, said opposing substantially vertical side walls connecting with said sloped inlet and said sloped outlet to form said containment vessel, said clarifier plates terminating just above either said sloped inlet or said sloped outlet;
• passages through said clarifier plates just below the surface of said waste effluent in said containment vessel;
• and
• an outlet connected to said outlet weir for removing said waste effluent from said containment vessel after treatment, said contaminants precipitating out and settling to a bottom of said containment vessel.