US 6,887,344 B1Granted

Compact wastewater cleaning apparatus

OwnerRaymond E. VanKouwenberginventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A compact, self-contained apparatus for treating wastewater containing as impurities and pollutants various non-volatile (at water boiling points) fluids such as greases, oils and soaps, a vessel for collecting the wastewater, a heating chamber including electric heating elements and a heat transfer liquid such as mineral oil to heat the wastewater admixture to boil off the water and to reduce the volume of liquid for disposal, and a wastewater supply tank positioned under the apparatus. The apparatus may further include a disposable liner to isolate the wastewater from the vessel itself and facilitate rapid and clean removal and disposal of waste material after evaporation of the water, and thermally-activated sensors to maintain a desired temperature differential between the heating elements and the heat transfer liquid contained in the apparatus.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A compact, self-contained and moveable apparatus for treating wastewater containing a substantial volume of water and substantially less amounts of, at water boiling points, non-volatile contaminants, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a fluid vessel to collect wastewater and having a bottom wall, side walls and at least a partially open top,
(b) means for delivering wastewater to the fluid vessel,
(c) a heating vessel surrounding and spaced from at least the side walls and the bottom wall of the fluid vessel to form with the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall an interior heating chamber between the heating vessel and the fluid vessel comprising a bottom space extending across the bottom wall of the fluid vessel and side spaces extending the height of the side walls of the fluid vessel,
(d) a heat transfer liquid having a boiling point substantially in excess of the boiling point of the collected wastewater and filling at least the bottom space and a substantial portion of the side spaces of the heating chamber around the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall,
(e) heating means positioned in the heating chamber for generating heat sufficient to vaporize substantially entirely the wastewater and form water vapor, the heating means immersed in the heat transfer liquid by which heat generated by the heating means is transferred to the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall to heat the collected wastewater until substantially entirely vaporized and leaving a dry residue of the contaminants in the fluid vessel,
(f) means connected to the heating element for activating the heating means to heat the heat transfer liquid,
(g) an outer jacket substantially surrounding the heating vessel and spaced from the heating vessel to define an insulating space between the jacket and heating vessel,
(h) vapor exhaust means for expelling the water vapor from the fluid vessel, and
(i) the apparatus further comprising control means for maintaining the temperature of the heat transfer liquid within a predetermined range as the collected wastewater is being vaporized.

6 more elements

A compact, self-contained and moveable apparatus for treating wastewater containing a substantial volume of water and substantially lesser amounts of, at water boiling points, non-volatile contaminants, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a fluid vessel to collect wastewater and having a bottom wall side walls and at least a partially open top,
(b) means for delivering wastewater to the fluid vessel,
(c) a heating vessel surrounding and spaced from at least the side walls and the bottom wall of the fluid vessel to form with the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall an interior heating chamber between the heating vessel and the fluid vessel comprising a bottom space extending across the bottom wall of the fluid vessel and side spaces extending the height of the side walls of the fluid vessel,
(d) a heat transfer liquid having a boiling point substantially in excess of the boiling point of the collected wastewater and filling at least the bottom space and a substantial portion of the side spaces of the heating chamber around the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall,
(e) a heating element positioned in the heating chamber to generate heat sufficient to vaporize the wastewater and form water vapor, the heating element immersed in the heat transfer liquid by which heat generated by the heating element is transferred to the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall to heat the collected wastewater until it is vaporized,
(f) means connected to the heating element for activating the heating element to heat the heat transfer liquid,
(g) an outer jacket substantially surrounding the heating vessel and spaced from the heating vessel to define an insulating space between the jacket and heating vessel, and
(h) vapor exhaust means for expelling the water vapor from the fluid vessel,
(i) wherein the delivery means, the heating element and the vapor exhaust means are electrically operated, and further comprising electrical circuit means for providing electrical power and a switch box accessible to an operator and containing electrical switches to set the operating temperature of the heat transfer liquid and the time of operation of the heating element and vapor exhaust means.

6 more elements

(a) a fluid vessel to collect wastewater and having a bottom wall side walls and at least a partially open top,
(b) means for delivering wastewater to the fluid vessel,
(c) a heating vessel surrounding and spaced from at least the side walls and the bottom wall of the fluid vessel to form with the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall an interior heating chamber between the heating vessel and the fluid vessel comprising a bottom space extending across the bottom wall of the fluid vessel and side spaces extending the height of the side walls of the fluid vessel,
(d) a heat transfer liquid having a boiling point substantially in excess of the boiling point of the collected wastewater and filling at least the bottom space and a substantial portion of the side spaces of the heating chamber around the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall,
(e) a heating element positioned in the heating chamber to generate heat sufficient to vaporize the wastewater and form water vapor, the heating element immersed in the heat transfer liquid by which heat generated by the heating element is transferred to the fluid vessel side walls and bottom wall to heat the collected wastewater until it is vaporized,
(f) means connected to the heating element for activating the heating element to heat the heat transfer liquid,
(g) an outer jacket substantially surrounding the heating vessel and spaced from the heating vessel to define an insulating space between the jacket and heating vessel, and
(h) vapor exhaust means for expelling the water vapor from the fluid vessel,
(i) the apparatus further comprising control means for maintaining the temperatures of the heat transfer liquid and the heating element within a predetermined range of values as the collected wastewater is being heated by activating the heating element when the temperature of the heating element exceeds the temperature of the heat transfer liquid by less than a preset value and deactivating the heating element when the temperature difference is greater than the preset value.

6 more elements

(a) a fluid vessel to collect wastewater and having at least a partially open top wall, side walls and a bottom wall,
(b) means for delivering wastewater to the fluid vessel,
(c) a heating vessel surrounding and spaced from at least the side walls and the bottom wall to form an interior heating chamber between the heating vessel and the fluid vessel,
(d) a heating element positioned in the heating chamber to generate heat sufficient to vaporize the wastewater and form water vapor,
(e) a heat transfer liquid having a boiling point substantially in excess of the boiling point of the collected wastewater and filling at least a substantial portion of the heating chamber and immersing the heating element to transfer heat generated by the heating element to the fluid vessel walls to heat the collected wastewater until it is vaporized,
(f) an outer jacket substantially surrounding the heating vessel and spaced from the heating vessel to define an insulating space between the jacket and heating vessel,
(g) vapor exhaust means for expelling the water vapor from the fluid vessel, and
(h) control means for maintaining the temperatures of the heat transfer liquid and the heating element within a predetermined range of values as the collected wastewater is being heated by activating the heating element when the temperature of the heating element exceeds the temperature of the heat transfer liquid by less than a preset value, the control means comprising at least a first temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the heating element, and means responsive to the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensors for activating the heating of the heating element when the difference in the temperatures of the heat transfer liquid and the heating element is less than the preset value and deactivating the heating element when the temperature difference is greater than the preset value, the first temperature sensor being suspended in the heat transfer liquid and spaced from the heating element and the walls defining the heating chamber, and the second temperature sensor being in contact with the heating element.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/630,900Filed 2 Aug 2000 · us provisional application
Priority: 6 Aug 1999
Granted: 3 May 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

C02F 1/048
By distillation or evaporation: purification of waste water by evaporation
B01D 1/0017
Heating features: use of electrical or wave energy
B01D 1/0052
Use of fluids: use of a liquid transfer medium or intermediate fluid, e.g. bain-marie
B01D 1/30
Evaporating: accessories for evaporators ; Constructional details thereof