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AssigneeAlcan International Limited
InventorsJean Luc Bernier, Luc Fortin, Frank M. Kimmerle, Maher I. Boulos, Vijay Kasireddy, Gervais Soucy
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The invention relates to a reactor for the treatment of wastewater solutions containing cyanide and other dissolved organic material, having an elongated tube having an entrance (28) and an exit (32), and an energy source (22) for the tube, preferably positioned adjacent the exit. The energy source generates intense energy such that a cyanide/organic material-containing solution can be treated by passing it through the tube to expose it to said energy so that the solution absorbs sufficient energy from the energy source to degrade the cyanide and/or dissolved organic material contained therein. The source of intense energy is preferably a plasma, e.g. a plasma generated by a plasma torch or a DC electric arc. The invention also relates to a process of treatment of such a wastewater solution by passing it through such a reactor.
A reactor for the treatment of wastewater solutions containing cyanide and/or dissolved organic material, comprising a container for holding a reservoir of wastewater solution having an entrance and an exit, and a plasma torch for directing a jet of plasma energy into the container from an outlet provided in the torch, characterized in that said reactor includes an open-ended tube positioned within said container such that said open-ended tube is submerged, in use, within said reservoir of wastewater solution, the plasma torch being positioned adjacent to an entrance of the open-ended tube, so that said jet of plasma energy from said torch is directed into said open-ended tube, said plasma torch and said entrance of said open-ended tube defining a gap allowing wastewater solution to enter said open-ended tube through said entrance, and thereby enabling recirculation of wastewater from said container through the inside of said open-ended tube, wherein said container comprises head space above the wastewater solution to promote separation of entrained gases from the wastewater solution.
A process of destroying cyanide and/or dissolved organic material contaminants in an aqueous wastewater solution containing said contaminants, which comprises directing a jet of plasma energy into a container provided with an entrance and an exit for said wastewater solution while passing wastewater solution through said container, said plasma energy being sufficient to destroy said contaminants, characterized in that the plasma torch is started and operated while submerged within and contacted by a reservoir of wastewater solution held within said container, wherein said container comprises head space above the wastewater solution to promote separation of entrained gases from the wastewater solution.
A process of destroying cyanide and/or dissolved organic material contaminants in an aqueous wastewater solution containing said contaminants, which comprises directing a jet of plasma energy from a plasma torch into a container containing a reservoir of wastewater solution, said plasma energy being sufficient to destroy said contaminants, characterized in that an elongated open-ended tube is positioned within said reservoir in said container and said jet of plasma energy is directed into said open-ended tube from a position adjacent to an entrance of said open-ended tube, and in that said plasma torch is positioned relative to said entrance of said open-ended tube to define therewith a gap allowing wastewater solution to enter said open-ended tube through said entrance, and thereby enabling recirculation of wastewater from said container through the inside of said open-ended tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.