Vibratory mixer

Abstract

A treatment system including a vibratory mixer is disclosed. The vibratory mixer comprises a vibrating element to facilitate the dissolution of a treating agent that facilitates separation of solids from liquids in water and wastewater streams. Vibratory mixing energy that effects mixing is generated by utilizing magnetostrictive or piezoelectric materials.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A method of treating water comprising:
 introducing a treating agent into a mixer containing an aqueous solvent;   actuating a vibratory element in the mixer to create a treating agent mixture; and   introducing the treating agent mixture into water to be treated.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of actuating the vibratory element comprises applying a magnetic field on a magnetostrictive material. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of actuating the vibratory element comprises applying an electric field on a piezoelectric material. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of introducing the treating agent mixture and the water to be treated into a separator to produce a liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising measuring at least one characteristic of the liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising modulating a vibrating frequency of the vibratory element based at least partially on at least one characteristic of the liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising regulating a rate of introduction of the treating agent into the mixing chamber based at least partially on at least one characteristic of the liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the characteristic is any of turbidity, conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential, and streaming current. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a concentration of the treating agent in the treating agent mixture is less than about 1 wt %. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of actuating the vibratory element in the mixing chamber creates vibrational energy with a frequency of less than about 2500 Hz. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising modulating the frequency based at least partially on at least one characteristic of any of the water to be treated and the treating agent. 
   
   
       20 . A method of preparing a mixture comprising:
 introducing solvent and a species into a mixing chamber; and   actuating a transducer coupled to a non-rotating element configured to introduce vibratory energy into the mixing chamber to prepare the mixture.   
   
   
       21 . A method of treating water comprising:
 introducing a treating agent into a mixer;   introducing a solvent into the mixer;   actuating a non-rotatable vibratory element in the mixer, the vibratory element comprising one of a piezoelectric material and a magnetostrictive material to create a treating agent mixture;   introducing the treating agent mixture into water to be treated; and   separating a solid fraction from a liquid fraction of the water with the treating agent mixture in a separator to produce a liquid-rich stream.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising applying a magnetic field that configurationally changes the vibratory element. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the treating agent comprises at least one of a flocculant and a coagulant. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising measuring at least one characteristic of a liquid stream discharged from the separator to obtain a measured signal. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising regulating a rate of flow of the treating agent introduced into the mixer based on the measured signal. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein actuating comprises delivering mixing energy to a mixing chamber of the mixer after the treating agent has been disposed into the mixing chamber. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising delivering vibrational energy with a frequency of less than 20 kHz generated by actuation of the non-rotatable vibratory element. 
   
   
       28 . A method of treating water comprising:
 introducing a source of a treating agent into a mixer;   actuating a transducer coupled to a non-rotatable vibratory element configured to introduce sonic energy into the mixer; and   controlling vibration of the vibratory element at at least one frequency.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising separating a solid fraction from a liquid fraction of the water to be treated in a separator to produce a liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising measuring at least one characteristic of a liquid-rich stream discharged from the separator. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising regulating a flow of the treating agent based at least partially on at least one characteristic of the liquid-rich stream. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising measuring a characteristic of the treating agent mixture. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising modulating the frequency of the vibratory element based at least partially on at least one characteristic of the liquid-rich stream.