Method in treating aqueous waste feedstream for improving the flux rates, cleaning and the useful life of filter media

A process for removing and destroying organic foulants and inorganic foulants in a reduced oxidative state, applied in utilization upstream of filtration membranes, for increasing flux rates and prolonging the useful life of filter membranes, said process and system comprising:

• (a) directing and channeling an aqueous feedstream from a site waste water area to a dissolving area;
• (b) generating an ozone mixture having at least O3 and O2, and dissolving the mixture into the aqueous feedstream under a pressure gradient having an alpha pressure, such that the mixture having at least O3 and O2 is dissolved and miscible within the aqueous feedstream at a level below saturation point and the ozone mixture and the aqueous feedstream are solubilized to produce a substantially homogeneous single phase mixture;
• (c) channeling the aqueous feedstream to a contact-surfacing enhancement area;
• (d) contacting and surfacing the aqueous feedstream by slowing the aqueous feedstream and providing additional surface area for the occurrence of further oxidation reactions and destruction of organic and other substrates detrimental to filter membranes;
• (e) directing the aqueous feedstream from the contact-surfacing enhancement area and measuring ozone activity of the aqueous feedstream;
• (f) conveying the aqueous feedstream to a back pressure valve and maintaining pressure;
• (g) transporting the aqueous feedstream to a recycle tank area, and concentrating and collecting solids at a bottom portion thereof;
• (h) moving the aqueous feedstream into a pumping area;
• (i) repressurizing the aqueous feedstream to the alpha pressure and pumping the aqueous feedstream to a filter membrane area having a filter media, an inflow portion and an outflow portion, respectively, in front of and beyond the filter media;
• (j) marshaling an effluent portion of the aqueous feedstream passing through the filter membrane area to the outflow portion and advancing and measuring the effluent portion for ozone activity and volume amount;
• and
• (k) advancing the effluent portion to a preselected site.

A method for cleaning a filter installation, where the filter is in an installed position on line and used for environmental filtering of a wastestream, and respective volumes thereof from respective source areas of the wastestream, having fluid contaminants generated by at least one of respective manufacturing and nuclear work facilities;

• wherein said fluid contaminants having at least one of respective organic and inorganic pollutants, contaminants and foulants, and hazardous and contaminating chemicals, substances or matter;
• and comprising a system of conveyance, under continuing, monitored pressure, for forward and frontal entry and passage through the filter installation to be cleaned of a homogeneous cleaning fluid or portions thereof;
• said method further comprising the steps of directing the wastestream, and the respective volume thereof, from the respective source area of the wastestream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;
• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the wastestream under a pressure gradient, such that the wastestream becomes the homogeneous cleaning fluid, said cleaning fluid being a substantially single phase fluid;
• verifiably measuring the ozone activity in the cleaning fluid after leaving the processing area, proximate to at least one point of respective points extending to and beyond the filter to be cleaned;
• and selectively making adjustments to the pressure exerted in the processing area and the ozone gas volume supplied to the processing area during an on-going cycle, and recycling and adjusting wastestream volumes and any volumes of the cleaning fluid not passing through the filter to be cleaned back to the processing area, thereby reducing ozone bubbles and white water therefrom in the wastestream and cleaning fluid as it is directed in the system of conveyance from within the processing area to the filter installation to be cleaned.

A method for processing organic and inorganic fluid contaminants in an aqueous feedstream and cleaning an environmentally efficacious filter media installation, serving at least one of respective municipal, manufacturing and nuclear facilities generating the fluid contaminants in the feedstream, comprising the steps of conveying the feedstream to a dissolving area;

• generating an ozone volume having O sub. 3 and O sub. 2, and homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone volume into the feedstream under a pressure gradient to affect the feedstream by forming a single phase ozone-feedstream mixture volume therewithin;
• communicating the feedstream to a contact-surfacing enhancement area;
• measuring ozone activity;
• selectively making adjustments to the feedstream;
• conveying the feedstream through the filter media installation and generating an effluent portion volume;
• and advancing and measuring ozone activity of the effluent portion volume, and the volume and amount of the effluent portion volume.

A method of cleaning a filter installation, where the filter installation is in position and used for environmentally filtering organic and inorganic wastestreams, and respective wastestream volumes thereof, generated by at least one of respective manufacturing and nuclear activities and facilities, and respective wastestream sources thereof, comprising providing a system of conveyance to the filter installation of a volume of a substantially homogenized cleaning fluid and frontal entry and passage through said filter installation of a portion of the volume of the substantially homogenized cleaning fluid, thereby cleaning said filter, said cleaning fluid containing an oxidizing ozone gas volume having O3 and O2 and the wastestream volume;

• maintaining the ozone gas volume under verifiably tested pressure and amount within the cleaning fluid such that it is so maintained throughout the system, with the wastestream, to the filter installation and the frontal entry and passage through said filter installation of the portion of the cleaning fluid;
• wherein, said filter installation is selected from a group of units consisting of:
• cross flow and tubular filtration units, ultrafiltration membrane systems, filters used for radioactive liquids, precoat filters, septum filters, flatbed filters, centrifugal filters, etched disk filters, deep-bed filters, clam shell filters, magnetic filters, sand filters and other filters specifically related to cleaning wastestream products as a result of manufacturing or radiation activities;
• regularly and systematically testing the cleaning fluid for ORP, and adjusting the pressure and amount of the ozone gas volume in accordance with the ORP readings such that the cleaning fluid is maintained in conveyance within the system in a sufficiently oxidized state for cleaning the filter installation upon said frontal entry and passage through the filter installation of the portion of the cleaning fluid;
• and
• conveying the cleaning fluid to the filter installation and generating an effluent portion volume from the portion of the cleaning fluid being so conveyed by the frontal entry and passage through said filter installation.

A method for processing fluid contaminants containing organic and inorganic pollutants and foulants or other contaminants in an aqueous feedstream, comprising the steps of directing the feedstream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;

• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the feedstream, such that the feedstream becomes a substantially single phase fluid;
• measuring ozone activity in the feedstream after leaving the processing area;
• selectively and optionally making adjustments to the feedstream based on the results of the measuring step;
• delivering the feedstream to a filtration area for direct passage therethrough;
• and marshaling an effluent portion volume of the feedstream passing through the filtration area to an outflow portion subarea, and advancing and measuring ozone activity of the effluent portion volume, and the volume and amount of the effluent portion volume.

A method for processing fluid contaminants containing organic and inorganic pollutants and foulants or other contaminants in an aqueous feedstream, comprising the steps of directing the feedstream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;

• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the feedstream, such that the feedstream becomes a substantially single phase fluid;
• measuring ozone activity in the feedstream after leaving the processing area;
• selectively and optionally making adjustments to the feedstream based on the results of the measuring step;
• delivering the feedstream to a filtration area for direct passage therethrough;
• and marshaling a reject portion volume of the feedstream not passing through the filtration area, proximal to a inflow portion subarea of the filtration area, and advancing the reject portion volume to a recycle line for return to the processing area.

A method for processing fluid contaminants containing organic and inorganic pollutants and foulants or other contaminants in an aqueous feedstream, comprising the steps of directing the feedstream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;

• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the feedstream, such that the feedstream becomes a substantially single phase fluid;
• measuring ozone activity in the feedstream after leaving the processing area;
• and selectively and optionally making adjustments to the feedstream based on the results of the measuring step;
• delivering the feedstream to a filtration area for direct passage therethrough;
• marshaling a reject portion volume of the feedstream not passing through the filtration area, proximal to a inflow portion subarea of the filtration area, and advancing the reject portion volume to a recycle line for return to the processing area;
• and, after advancing the reject portion volume to a recycle line, and before reaching the processing area, measuring ozone activity of the reject portion volume.

A method for processing fluid contaminants containing organic and inorganic pollutants and foulants or other contaminants in an aqueous feedstream, comprising the steps of directing the feedstream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;

• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the feedstream, such that the feedstream becomes a substantially single phase fluid;
• measuring ozone activity in the feedstream after leaving the processing area;
• and selectively and optionally making adjustments to the feedstream based on the results of the measuring step;
• delivering the feedstream to a filtration area for direct passage therethrough;
• marshaling a reject portion volume of the feedstream not passing through the filtration area, proximal to a inflow portion subarea of the filtration area, and advancing the reject portion volume to a recycle line for return to the processing area;
• and channeling the reject portion volume to the processing area, and adding a further aqueous feedstream volume equal in volume and amount to that of the effluent portion volume;
• thereby, forming a new aqueous feedstream volume.

A method of accomplishing an upstream efficiency-enhancing treatment and cleaning of a filter installation by providing for direct passage through said filter installation of a single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, comprising an ozone gas volume having O3 and O2, and a wastewater volume, having contaminants;

• each solubilized and miscible, one with the other, such that the wastewater volume is oxidized;
• and further comprising the steps of:
• directing the wastewater volume, having organic contaminants, from a source to a processing area for ozone mixture and oxidation,
• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone gas volume into the wastewater volume under a pressure gradient to form the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution,
• directing the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, while maintaining the pressure gradient, to the filter installation for passage therethrough and direct cleaning thereof, and
• producing an effluent portion volume, after passage of part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution through the filter installation, and a reject portion volume of that part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution not passing through the filter installation.

A method of accomplishing an upstream efficiency-enhancing treatment and cleaning of a filter installation by providing for direct passage through said filter installation of a single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, comprising an ozone gas volume having O3 and O2, and a wastewater volume, having contaminants;

• each solubilized and miscible, one with the other, such that the wastewater volume is oxidized;
• and further comprising the steps of:
• directing the wastewater volume, having organic contaminants, from a source to a processing area for ozone mixture and oxidation,
• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone gas volume into the wastewater volume under a pressure gradient to form the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, and
• directing the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, while maintaining the pressure gradient, to the filter installation for passage therethrough and direct cleaning thereof,
• producing an effluent portion volume, after passage of part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution through the filter installation, and a reject portion volume of that part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution not passing through the filter installation, and
• measuring the amount of the effluent portion volume;
• and directing the reject portion volume to the processing area.

A method of accomplishing an upstream efficiency-enhancing treatment and cleaning of a filter installation by providing for direct passage through said filter installation of a single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, comprising an ozone gas volume having O3 and O2, and a wastewater volume, having contaminants;

• each solubilized and miscible, one with the other, such that the wastewater volume is oxidized;
• and further comprising the steps of:
• (a) directing the wastewater volume, having organic contaminants, from a source to a processing area for ozone mixture and oxidation,
• (b) homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone gas volume into the wastewater volume under a pressure gradient to form the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution,
• (c) directing the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, while maintaining the pressure gradient, to the filter installation for passage therethrough and direct cleaning thereof,
• (d) producing an effluent portion volume, after passage of part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution through the filter installation, and a reject portion volume of that part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution not passing through the filter installation,
• (e) measuring the amount of the effluent portion volume;
• and directing the reject portion volume to the processing area, and
• (f) adding an amount of additional wastewater volume from the source, proportional to the amount of the effluent portion volume;
• and repeating steps (a), (b) and (c).

A method of accomplishing an upstream efficiency-enhancing treatment and cleaning of a filter installation by providing for direct passage through said filter installation of a single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, comprising an ozone gas volume having O3 and O2, and a wastewater volume, having contaminants;

• each solubilized and miscible, one with the other, such that the wastewater volume is oxidized;
• and further comprising the steps of:
• (a) directing the wastewater volume, having organic contaminants, from a source to a processing area for ozone mixture and oxidation,
• (b) homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone gas volume into the wastewater volume under a pressure gradient to form the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, and
• (c) directing the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, while maintaining the pressure gradient, to the filter installation for passage therethrough and direct cleaning thereof,
• (d) producing an effluent portion volume, after passage of part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution through the filter installation, and a reject portion volume of that part of the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution not passing through the filter installation;
• and
• (e) adding an amount of additional wastewater volume in step (a), proportional to the amount of effluent portion volume.

A method of accomplishing an upstream efficiency-enhancing treatment and cleaning of a filter installation by providing for direct passage through said filter installation of a single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution, comprising an ozone gas volume having O3 and O2, and a wastewater volume, having contaminants;

• each solubilized and miscible, one with the other, such that the wastewater volume is oxidized;
• and further comprising the steps of:
• conveying the wastewater volume from a source to a dissolving area;
• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing the ozone volume with the wastewater volume, in said dissolving area, under a pressure gradient,
• directing the wastewater volume, so treated, to a reactor area for providing structurally and positionally disposed surfacing to expose the wastewater volume to increased surfacing, positioning and exposure of various internal and external volume portions thereof, for greater oxidation by the ozone volume dissolved and solutionized in the wastewater volume;
• thereby forming the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution,
• selectively and optionally moving the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution to a recycle tank area for concentrating any solid and particulate contaminants, when existing and forming a part thereof, and making the solid and particulate contaminants available for removal at a preselected time from the recycle tank area, and
• directing the single-phase homogenized ozoneaqueous solution to the filter installation for passage therethrough.

A method of cleaning a filter installation, where the filter installation is in position and used for environmentally filtering a wastestream, said wastestream having at least one of respective organic and inorganic pollutants, contaminants, foulants and hazardous chemicals or substances, and a respective wastestream volume thereof, generated by at least one of respective manufacturing and nuclear activities and facilities;

• comprising:
• providing a system of conveyance to the filter installation of a volume of a substantially homogenized cleaning fluid and frontal entry and passage through said filter installation of a portion of the volume of the substantially homogenized cleaning fluid, thereby cleaning said filter, said cleaning fluid containing an oxidizing ozone gas volume having O3 and O2 and the wastestream;
• maintaining the ozone gas volume under verifiably tested pressure and amount within the cleaning fluid such that it is so maintained throughout the system, with the wastestream, to the filter installation and the frontal entry and passage through said filter installation of the portion of the cleaning fluid;
• wherein, said filter installation is selected from a group of units consisting of:
• cross flow and tubular filtration units, ultrafiltration membrane systems, filters used for radioactive liquids, precoat filters, septum filters, flatbed filters, centrifugal filters, etched disk filters, deep-bed filters, clam shell filters, magnetic filters, sand filters and other filters specifically related to cleaning wastestream products as a result of manufacturing or radiation activities;
• regularly conducting at least one of respective measurements or samplings of ozone content of the cleaning fluid and readings and testings of the cleaning fluid for ORP;
• and adjusting the pressure and amount of the ozone gas volume in accordance with the at least one of the respective measurements of ozone content and readings for ORP such that the cleaning fluid is maintained in conveyance within the system in a sufficiently oxidized state for cleaning the filter installation upon said frontal entry and passage through the filter installation of the portion of the cleaning fluid;
• and
• conveying the cleaning fluid to the filter installation and generating an effluent portion volume from the portion of the cleaning fluid being so conveyed by the frontal entry and passage through said filter installation;
• and
• wherein a necessary item of equipment, or system utilized to facilitate the steps of said method are sized and adjusted with regard to its specifications or limits of structural makeup and functional use, so as to be able to accommodate the magnitude, volume and nature of said wastestream and said oxidizing ozone gas volume.

A method for processing fluid contaminants containing organic and inorganic pollutants and foulants or other contaminants in an aqueous feedstream, comprising the steps of directing the feedstream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;

• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the feedstream, such that the feedstream becomes a substantially single phase fluid;
• measuring ozone activity in the feedstream after leaving the processing area;
• selectively and optionally making adjustments to the feedstream based on the results of the measuring step;
• conveying the single phase fluid through a filter media installation and generating an effluent portion volume;
• and advancing and measuring ozone activity of the effluent portion volume, and the volume and amount of the effluent portion volume.

A method for cleaning a filter installation, where the filter is in an installed position on line and used for environmental filtering of a wastestream, and respective volumes thereof from respective source areas of the wastestream, having fluid contaminants generated by at least one of respective manufacturing and nuclear work facilities, and comprising a system of conveyance, under continuing, monitored pressure, for forward and frontal entry and passage through the filter installation to be cleaned of a homogeneous cleaning fluid or portions thereof;

• said method further comprising the steps of directing the wastestream, and the respective volume thereof, from the respective source area of the wastestream to a processing area for oxidation of the fluid contaminants;
• homogeneously dissolving and solutionizing an ozone gas volume into the wastestream under pressure, such that the wastestream becomes the homogeneous cleaning fluid, said cleaning fluid being a substantially single phase fluid;
• verifiably measuring the ozone activity in the cleaning fluid after leaving the processing area, proximate to at least one point of respective points extending to and beyond the filter to be cleaned;
• and selectively making adjustments to the pressure exerted in the processing area and the ozone gas volume supplied to the processing area during an on-going cycle, and recycling and adjusting wastestream volumes and any volumes of the cleaning fluid not passing through the filter to be cleaned back to the processing area, thereby reducing ozone bubbles and white water therefrom in the wastestream and cleaning fluid as it is directed in the system of conveyance from within the processing area to the filter installation to be cleaned;
• wherein said method further comprises generating an effluent portion volume after the forward entry and passage through the filter installation to be cleaned of the homogeneous cleaning fluid, said effluent portion volume being equal to from about 25 percent to about 30 percent of the respective volume of the waste stream from the respective source area of the wastestream.