Visual quality indicator for aqueous streams
AssigneeMycelx Technologies Corporation
InventorHal Alper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A visual indicator device and method for determining the presence of oily contaminants in an aqueous stream are provided. The device includes a filtration status chamber for receiving and discharging the aqueous stream, and a transparent wall enabling viewing of the chamber interior. A fluid-pervious filtration media within the chamber is infused with an absorption composition at which the contaminant on contact with the media is immobilized. The media has a surface viewable through a transparent wall of the filtration status chamber, and the stream flow path causes the stream to impinge at the media via the surface, whereby the contaminants collect selectively at the media surface and are highly visible through the transparent wall.
Claims7
A system for exchanging heat content in a process between an aqueous process stream containing oily contaminants and a normally oil-free aqueous stream, said system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of heat exchangers;
- (b) means for dividing the aqueous process stream into a plurality of first sub streams and means for dividing the normally oil-free aqueous stream into a plurality of second substreams;
- (c) means for passing one of each of said first and second substreams through one each of the plurality of heat exchangers where heat transfer can occur;
- (d) means for reuniting the plurality of first sub streams downstream of said heat exchangers and returning the reunited aqueous process stream to the process, and means for reuniting the plurality of second sub streams downstream of said heat exchangers and returning the reunited normally oil-free aqueous stream for recirculation to said heat exchangers;
- and
- (e) a visual quality indicator (VQI) device adapted for determining the presence of oily contaminants in an aqueous stream, being positioned downstream of each of said heat exchangers to receive at least a portion of the respective second substream having passed through the heat exchanger, whereby direct visual inspection of each of said devices can enable identification of any of the heat exchangers at which oil leakage may have occurred between the first and the second substreams;
- (f) said device comprising:
- (i) a filtration status chamber having an inlet and an outlet for receiving and discharging said aqueous stream, and a transparent wall enabling viewing of the chamber interior;
- (ii) a fluid-pervious filtration media within said chamber, which has been infused with an absorption composition comprising a homogeneous thermal reaction product of an oil component selected from the group consisting of glycerides, fatty acids, alkenes, and alkynes, and a methacrylate or acrylate polymer component, the contaminants on contact with said media being thereby immobilized;
- and
- (iii) said media having a surface viewable through said transparent wall, the said chamber providing a stream flow path to cause the aqueous stream to impinge at said media via said surface, whereby said contaminants collect selectively at said surface and are highly visible through said transparent wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.