# US 9,751,784 B2 · Method and apparatus for water treatment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,784 B2 - Document ID: US9751784B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/578,880 - Filed: 2014-12-22 - Published: 2015-04-16 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-17 - Assignees: Burnett Lime Company, Inc. - Applicants: Burnett Lime Company, Inc. - Inventors: Dallas H. Burnett; C. Hugh Burnett; Wade L. Burnett; Tom M. Burnett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751784B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/686: {Devices for dosing liquid additives} - B01F 23/43: using driven stirrers - B01F 25/3141: {with additional mixing means other than injector mixers} - B01F 25/31422: {with a plurality of perforations in the axial direction only} - B01F 27/1152: with separate elements other than discs fixed on the discs, e.g. vanes fixed on the discs - B01F 27/191: with similar elements - B01F 27/50: Pipe mixers, i.e. mixers wherein the materials to be mixed flow continuously through pipes, e.g. column mixers - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) - B01F 2101/305: {Treatment of water, waste water or sewage} - C02F 2209/06: pH - C02F 2209/07: Alkalinity - C02F 2209/11: Turbidity - Y10T 137/0318: Processes - Y10T 137/87652: With means to promote mixing or combining of plural fluids - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method and apparatus for the treatment of water and, more particularly, to the mineralization of water in order to improve pH, hardness, turbidity, and/or alkalinity is described. More particularly, a system is provided for the treatment of water that needs additional hardness, alkalinity, and/or pH adjustment while also meeting turbidity requirements. The use of sodium hydroxide and other methods for avoiding turbidity problems can be eliminated and/or minimized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for treating water, comprising: adding carbonic acid into the water; allowing at least part of the carbonic acid to lower the pH of the water; adding calcium hydroxide to the water after said allowing at least part of the carbonic acid to lower the pH of the water; and decreasing the turbidity of the water by further dissolving at least calcium hydroxide from said adding, said decreasing comprising applying mechanical agitation by positioning at least one impeller within a flow path of the water at a location along the flow path that is after said adding calcium hydroxide, and rotating the at least one impeller with a speed of rotation sufficient to decrease the turbidity of the water. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein said adding carbonic acid comprises placing carbon dioxide into water that is fed into the water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method for treating water as in claim 2, wherein said adding calcium hydroxide comprises: preparing a slurry from calcium hydroxide and water; and feeding the slurry into the water after said adding carbonic acid to the water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein said allowing comprises providing a sufficient length of time between said adding carbonic acid and said adding calcium hydroxide such that at least part of the carbonic acid has time to lower the pH of the water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein said allowing comprises providing a sufficient length of travel of the water between said adding carbonic acid and said adding calcium hydroxide such that at least part of the carbonic acid has lowered the pH of the water before said adding calcium hydroxide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein pH of the water after said allowing is in the range of about 2 to about 6. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein pH of the water after said allowing is in the range of about 3 to about 5. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein after said applying, the water has a turbidity of about 1.0 NTU or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein after said applying, the water has an alkalinity in the range of about 10 ppm to about 80 ppm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein after said decreasing the turbidity, the water has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 9.5. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein after said decreasing the turbidity, the water has a pH in the range of about 7 to about 9.5. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein after said mixing, the water has a hardness in the range of about 10 ppm to about 80 ppm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein said rotating comprises rotating the impeller in the range of about 300 rpm to about 5000 rpm and obtaining a G-value of about 5000 or greater. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for treating water as in claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical agitation comprises rotating a device within the water and calcium hydroxide so as to shear the water at a rate sufficient to lower the turbidity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method for treating water as in claim 14, wherein after said decreasing the turbidity, the water has a hardness in the range of about 10 ppm to about 80 ppm. ### Claim 16 A method for treating water, comprising: adding carbonic acid into the water; allowing at least part of the carbonic acid to lower the pH of the water; adding calcium hydroxide to the water after said allowing at least part of the carbonic acid to lower the pH of the water; and decreasing the turbidity of the water by further dissolving at least calcium hydroxide from said adding, said decreasing comprising applying mechanical agitation by moving a device through the water and calcium hydroxide, or moving the water and calcium hydroxide through the device, so as to shear the water at a rate sufficient to lower the turbidity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein said allowing comprises providing a sufficient length of time between said adding carbonic acid and said adding calcium hydroxide such that at least part of the carbonic acid has time to lower the pH of the water. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein said allowing comprises providing a sufficient length of travel of the water between said adding carbonic acid and said adding calcium hydroxide such that at least part of the carbonic acid has lowered the pH of the water before said adding calcium hydroxide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method for treating water as in claim 18, wherein said adding calcium hydroxide comprises: preparing a slurry from calcium hydroxide and water; and feeding the slurry into the water after said adding carbonic acid to the water. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein pH of the water after said allowing is in the range of about 2 to about 6. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein pH of the water after said allowing is in the range of about 3 to about 5. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein after said applying, the water has a turbidity of about 1.0 NTU or less. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein after said applying, the water has an alkalinity in the range of about 10 ppm to about 80 ppm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein after said decreasing the turbidity, the water has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 9.5. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) A method for treating water as in claim 16, wherein after said decreasing the turbidity, the water has a pH in the range of about 7 to about 9.5. ### Claim 26 A method for water treatment, comprising the steps of: lowering the pH of the water; increasing the pH, hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity of the water after said step of lowering the pH by adding calcium hydroxide to the water; and decreasing the turbidity of the water after said step of increasing, said step of decreasing comprising mechanical agitation of the water with a device that is rotated or moved relative to the water and calcium hydroxide so as to shear the water at a rate sufficient to lower the turbidity, said decreasing step occurring without significantly affecting the pH, hardness, or alkalinity of the water. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A method for water treatment as in claim 26, wherein said lowering the pH comprises adding carbonic acid to the water. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A method for water treatment as in claim 26, wherein said increasing the pH comprises adding calcium hydroxide to the water after said lowering the pH.