Automated effluence conditioning and treatment
AssigneeUltra Fine, Inc.
InventorsReginald A. Wiemers, Michael J. R. Costello, Alfred R. Simmons, Gerald L. Sealey
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Abstract
Automated process, conditioning and treatment apparatus and methods are disclosed that are particularly well adapted for closed loop systems using or producing aqueous effluence with varying amounts of suspended solids therein, the apparatus and methods directed to separation of the solids from the effluence and thus cleaning of the centrate. The apparatus includes a mass flow rate meter, liquid polymer injector and control means for receiving the monitored rate from the meter and performing analysis to optimize the rate of injection of liquid polymer. The injector is monitored to further optimize the injection rate.
Claims13
A method for liquid polymer conditioning of an aqueous effluence having varying amounts of suspended solids therein to prepare the effluence for treatment to remove the solids, said method comprising the steps of:
- conducting a flow of the aqueous effluence;
- monitoring the conducted flow and indicating mass flow rate of the conducted flow of the aqueous effluence;
- determining likely mass flow rate of the suspended solids in the conducted flow from the indicated mass flow rate of the conducted flow of the aqueous effluence;
- generating a control signal indicative of a desired rate of liquid polymer injection into the conducted flow based at least in part on the determined likely mass flow rate of the suspended solids;
- and
- utilizing the generated control signal to drive a mechanism for injecting liquid polymer into the conducted flow at the desired injection rate.
A method for liquid polymer conditioning of an aqueous effluence having varying amounts of suspended solids therein to prepare the effluence for treatment to remove the solids, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing numerical values indicative of preferred treatment ratios of various types of liquid polymer to suspended solids in aqueous effluence;
- conducting a flow of the aqueous effluence;
- monitoring the conducted flow and indicating mass flow rate of the conducted flow of the aqueous effluence;
- determining, based on the indicated mass flow rate of the conducted flow of the aqueous effluence, mass flow rate of the suspended solids in the conducted flow;
- generating a control signal indicative of a desired rate of liquid polymer injection into the conducted flow based at least in part on likely mass flow rate of suspended solids in the conducted flow and a selected one of said stored values;
- continuing to monitor the conducted flow, indicate the mass flow rate of the conducted flow, and likely mass flow rate of suspended solids in the conducted flow to continually adjust the control signal;
- and
- utilizing the generated control signal to drive a mechanism for injecting liquid polymer into the conducted flow at the desired injection rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.