Electrocoagulation reactor

Abstract

An electrocoagulation reactor is provided for treating waste water and removing contaminants therefrom. The reactor is typically a six sided rectangular water tight housing which has an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe. There are a multiplicity of charged plates located parallel to one another within the housing. Adjacent plates are typically oppositely charged and water will pass between the plates as it flows through the reactor. The electric field between the plates will help encourage coagulation of waste matter which then may be removed from the waste water downstream of the electrocoagulation reactor.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for treating water, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electrocoagulation reactor having an intake pipe, the intake pipe having a first pump engaged therewith and an intake port and a discharge pipe and a discharge port, the electrocoagulation reactor including a recirculation loop with a recirculation pump engaged therewith;    transporting a quantity of water from a distant location to the intake port of the electrocoagulation reactor via the intake pipe and the first pump;    subjecting the water in the reactor to an electric field;    moving the water through the electrocoagulation reactor;    discharging the water from the electrocoagulation reactor to the discharge pipe; and,    pumping a portion of the discharged water through the recirculation loop and the recirculation pump back into the electrocoagulation reactor upstream thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of: 
 defoaming the water discharged from the electrocoagulation reactor.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of: 
 clarifying the water discharged from the electrocoagulation reactor.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of: 
 providing a settling tank and allowing the water discharged from the electrocoagulation reactor to reside in the settling tank so that any particulate matter may settle out from the water.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including the steps of providing a sludge thickener downstream of the electrocoagulation reactor and residing the water discharged from the electrocoagulation reactor in the sludge thickener for thickening any sludge contained therein.  
     
     
         6 . A device for treating water, the device including: 
 an electrocoagulation reactor having an intake pipe engaged with a first pump, an intake port, an outlet pipe and an outlet port; and    a recirculation loop having a recirculation pump for taking a portion of the water in the outlet pipe and reintroducing it to the inlet pipe.    
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the recirculation loop includes a pipe for joining the outlet pipe and for joining the inlet pipe downstream of the first pump.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the first pump is a positive displacement pump.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the recirculation pump of the recirculation loop is a positive displacement pump.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the electrocoagulation reactor has a multiplicity of plates arranged for the series flow of water there between.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the electrocoagulation reactor has a multiplicity of plates therein for the parallel flow of water there-between.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the electrocoagulation reactor includes sealed walls for maintaining positive pressure therein.  
     
     
         13 . A method for treating wastewater in an electrocoagulation reactor having a first pump upstream of the electrocoagulation reactor and a recirculation loop including a recirculation pump, the recirculation loop for recirculating wastewater discharged from the electrocoagulation reactor back upstream thereof and downstream of the first pump, the method including the steps of: 
 selecting a net wastewater flow rate;    determining an efficient electrocoagulation reactor flow rate;    setting the first pump to establish the net waste water flow rate there-through;    and setting a recirculation pump to establish in the recirculation loop, a flow rate equal to approximately the difference between the electrocoagulation reactor flow rate and the net wastewater flow rate.    
     
     
         14 . A device for treating water to alter the characteristics thereof, the device comprising: 
 a first cell tank; 
 a first multiplicity of paired steel plates, dimensioned for receipt within the first cell tank;  
 means to mount the first multiplicity of steel plates within the first cell tank in parallel, spaced apart arrangement;  
 first inlet means for bringing water into the first cell tank; and  
 first outlet port for removing water from the first cell tank, wherein means for mounting the first multiplicity of paired steel plates, the first inlet means and the first outlet port, are adapted to cause each molecule of water entering the cell tank to pass between only a single pair of the first multiplicity of paired steel plates.  
   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a second cell tank;  
 a second multiplicity of paired steel plates dimensioned for receipt within the second cell tank;  
 means to mount the second multiplicity of paired steel plates into the second cell tank in parallel, spaced apart arrangement;  
 second inlet means for bringing water into the second cell tank;  
 connecting tube for carrying water from the first outlet port to the second inlet means;  
 second outlet port for removing water from the second cell tank;  
 wherein means for mounting the second multiplicity of paired steel plates, the second inlet means and the second outlet port are adapted to allow each molecule of water entering the second cell tank to pass between only one pair of the second multiplicity of paired steel plates.  
 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the first cell tank includes a sump and wherein means to mount the first multiplicity of steel plates includes a cartridge for mounting the plates thereto, the cartridge having an open bottom and an open top, the mounting means engaging the first cell tank so that the open bottom is above the sump and wherein the first inlet means is located in the sump.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the first cell tank includes a sump, the sump having tapered walls and having a drain at the bottom thereof, for removal of sediment collected in the sump therefrom.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14  wherein means to mount the first multiplicity of steel plates includes a cartridge having slotted walls for engaging the plates and walls for resting against an interior of the first cell tank to maintain the position of mounting means within the first cell tank.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14  wherein means to mount the first multiplicity of steel plates includes a pair of spaced apart, plate engaging side walls, one of the pair being lower than the other and spaced apart within the first cell tank so as to create a spillover chamber, such that water passing between the plates will spill over the lower of the side walls into the spillover chamber of the device and wherein the first outlet port is engaged to the walls defining the spillover chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the first cell tank has an open top and wherein means for mounting includes a cartridge having slotted walls for engaging the plates and walls for resting against an interior of the cell tank to maintain the position of the mounting means within the first cell tank, such that it may be lifted out of the open top of the first cell tank.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the means to mount the first multiplicity of steel plates includes a cartridge having slotted walls for engaging the plates and having walls for resting against an interior of the first cell tank to maintain the position of the mounting means within the cell tank.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the plates of the first multiplicity of plates have no cutouts.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the plates of the first multiplicity of plates have cutouts.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 14  further comprising a dissolved air flotation cell downstream of the first outlet port and in fluid communication therewith.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24  wherein the dissolved air flotation cell includes a main chamber having bottom walls and having a tapered upper portion, the upper portion having inwardly converging walls culminating at an opening, the main chamber having an inlet port for receipt of a fluid from the first cell tank and an outlet port for removing fluid therefrom.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25  wherein the dissolved air flotation cell further includes a fluid discharge valve connected to the outlet port for controlling the fluid level in the upper portion of the main chamber.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26  wherein the dissolved air floatation cell further includes means for injecting a dissolved gas into the fluid residing in the main chamber.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 24  further including a fluid discharge line connected to the outlet port, wherein said fluid discharge line is in fluid communication with a level control pipe wherein the level of fluid will be the same as in the main chamber to control the level of fluid in the main chamber.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 14  further including a recirculation pump downstream of the first outlet port for pumping a portion of the water received therefrom to a point upstream of the first inlet means for recirculation of the flow through the first cell tank.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 15  further including a recirculation pump downstream of the second outlet port for pumping a portion of the water received therefrom to a point upstream of the first inlet means for recirculation through the first cell tank.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 15  further including a recirculation pump downstream of the second outlet port for pumping a portion of the water received therefrom to a point between the two cell tanks for recirculation of some of the fluid through the second cell tank.  
     
     
         32 . A dissolved gas flotation device for separating solids from liquids in a slurry comprising: 
 a main chamber having a lower entry channel from which the slurry may enter the main chamber and having a tapered upper portion terminating in an open apex, the open apex having an upper pipe attached thereto to receive consolidated particles which have floated to the top of the liquid or bubbles attached to the solids, the upper pipe having a removed end;    a fluid discharge pipe;    means to control the level of liquid in the main chamber; and    airjets for engagement with the main chamber above the level of fluid for driving the solids floated atop the liquid out through the removed end of the upper pipe.    
     
     
         33 . The flotation device of  claim 32  wherein the main chamber includes a tapered lower portion for the collection of sediment therein, the tapered lower portion including a drain valve.  
     
     
         34 . The flotation device of  claim 32  wherein the level control means includes a standing pipe in fluid engagement with the fluid discharge pipe.  
     
     
         35 . The floatation device of  claim 32  further including a degas vent upstream of said lower entry channel.  
     
     
         36 . The flotation device of  claim 32  further including a stilling chamber adapted to receive the slurry from the lower entry channel and means to support the stilling chamber above the bottom wall of the main chamber.  
     
     
         37 . The flotation device of  claim 36  wherein the lower entry channel includes an open end terminating in the stilling chamber and angled to induce a smooth slow flow of slurry in the stilling chamber and further including means to inject dissolved gas including an airpump connected to a tube having an open end terminating in the stilling chamber, for introduction of dissolved gas below the open end of the lower channel.  
     
     
         38 . The flotation device of  claim 36  wherein the stilling chamber includes baffles.  
     
     
         39 . The flotation device of  claim 36  wherein the stilling chamber is open at the bottom.  
     
     
         40 . The flotation device of  claim 32  wherein the fluid discharge pipe includes a multiplicity of branches spaced apart and opening to the main chamber near the bottom thereof.  
     
     
         41 . The flotation device of  claim 36  wherein the means to support the stilling chamber includes a multiplicity of support vanes.