Waste Water Recovery System

Abstract

A waste water recovery system to filter and recirculate waste water to a wash system including a fluid recovery line, a fluid supply line and a fluid backwash line comprising a filter assembly including a water filtering section to receive waste water from the wash system and to recirculate filtered water to the wash system and a filter backwash section to selectively clean the water filtering section when a system condition exists, and a fluid control including a plurality of valve assemblies operatively coupled between the wash system, the water filtering section and the filter backwash section to selectively control the circulation of water through the water filtering section to recirculate the recovery water to the wash system and to periodically

1 . A waste water recovery system for filtering waste water received from a fluid recovery line and returning filtered water to a fluid supply line, comprising:
 at least one filter assembly(s), each of the filter assembly(s) provided with a filter chamber containing a filter element dividing the filter chamber between a filter outlet side provided with a filter outlet and a filter port side provided with a filter port;   a filter inlet valve assembly between the fluid recovery line and the filter port; a backwash outlet valve assembly between the filter port and a fluid backwash line;   a filter outlet valve assembly between the filter port and the fluid supply line operable to open or close a fluid connection between the filter outlet and the fluid supply line;   an air purge inlet on the filter outlet side; and   an air purge outlet coupled to the filter outlet side.   
     
     
         2 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filter assembly(s) is two filter assemblies. 
     
     
         3 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 1 , further including at least one pump between the fluid recovery line and the at least one filter assembly(s). 
     
     
         4 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the air purge outlet is coupled to the fluid backwash line. 
     
     
         5 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 1 , further including a backwash/purge inlet valve assembly between a pressurized air source and the air purge inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 5 , further including a control section operable to control a position of the filter inlet assembly, the backwash outlet valve assembly, the filter outlet valve assembly and the backwash/purge inlet valve assembly of each of the filter assembly(s). 
     
     
         7 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 6 , wherein the waste recovery system is selectively operable via the control section in one of:
 a full filter mode wherein each of the filter assembly(s) filters waste water passing from the fluid recovery line to the fluid supply line; and   a dual filter mode wherein at least one of the filter assembly(s) filters waste water passing from the fluid recovery line to the fluid supply line and at least one of the filter assembly(s) is in a backwash mode.   
     
     
         8 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 5 , wherein the control section sequences the position of the filter inlet assembly, the backwash outlet valve assembly, the filter outlet valve assembly and the backwash/purge inlet valve assembly of each of the filter assembly(s) according to a plurality of predetermined time(s). 
     
     
         9 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the air purge inlet extends into the filter chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A waste water recovery system for filtering waste water received from a fluid recovery line and returning filtered water to a fluid supply line, comprising:
 two filter assembly(s), each of the filter assembly(s) provided with
 a filter chamber containing a filter element dividing the filter chamber between a filter outlet side provided with a filter outlet and a filter port side provided with a filter port; 
 a filter inlet valve assembly between the fluid recovery line and the filter port; 
 a backwash outlet valve assembly between the filter port and a fluid backwash line; 
 a filter outlet valve assembly between the filter port and the fluid supply line operable to open or close a fluid connection between the filter outlet and the fluid supply line; 
 an air purge inlet on the filter outlet side; 
 a backwash/purge inlet valve assembly between a pressurized air source and the air purge inlet; and 
 an air purge outlet located on the filter outlet side of the filter element; and 
   at least one pump coupled between the fluid recovery line and a pump outlet conduit network, the pump outlet conduit network coupled to each filter assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The waste water recovery system of  claim 10 , further including a control section; the control section configurable with a plurality of time periods for sequencing operation of the waste water recovery system. 
     
     
         12 . A method for operating a waste water recovery system to filter and recirculate waste water to a wash system including a fluid recovery line, a fluid supply line and a fluid backwash line, comprising the steps of
 circulating water from the fluid recovery line through a plurality of filters to the fluid supply line during a full filter mode;   upon a system condition initiating a backwash mode for at least one of the filters wherein the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode is isolated from the fluid recovery line and the fluid supply line and coupled to a pressurized air supply in a charge step;   after a charge time coupling the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode to the fluid backwash line in a purge step;   after a purge time, initiating an air purge step wherein the at least one filter(s) in backwash mode has an air purge outlet opened and the fluid recovery line opened to purge air from the at least one filter(s) in the backwash mode; and   returning the at least one of the filter(s) to full filter mode.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the system condition is a preset time period. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the isolation and coupling between the plurality of filters, the fluid recovery line, the fluid supply line and the fluid backwash line is via a plurality of valve assemblies controlled by a control section. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein upon completion of the backwash mode the at least one filter in backwash mode is refilled with water and the charge step and the purge step repeated at least once before returning to full filter mode. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein upon completion of a backwash mode upon at least one of the filter(s), upon a next system condition the backwash mode is initiated with respect to a different group of at least one of the filter(s). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the charge time and the purge time are configurable at the control section. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the control section will continue to alternate the filters between the full filter mode and the backwash mode so long as the wash system is operating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, when the wash system is not operating, the control section will initiate a backwash mode for the filters after a time period.