Water Remediation and Biosolids Collection System and Associated Methods

Abstract

A system and method for remediating a body of water and collecting suspended and dissolved solids therefrom are provided. The system includes a water-impervious lining positionable in a depression in or adjacent a body of water. The lining and depression define a treatment vessel, which includes a treatment portion, an outlet portion for containing treated water, and an outflow weir between the treatment portion and the outlet portion. Water to be treated is transported from the water body to the treatment portion. An entrapment element is delivered and mixed into the transported water, the entrapment element for capturing suspended and dissolved solids in the transported water and effecting a separation between the captured solids and water cleansed therefrom. The captured solids can be removed from the treatment basin, and the cleansed water can move through a channel in the outflow weir into the outlet portion.

1 . A water remediation system comprising:
 a body of water to be treated;   a treatment vessel operable with the body of water and having a water-impervious surface therein, the treatment vessel including a treatment portion for receiving water to be treated from the body of water and an outlet portion for containing treated water;   an outflow weir between the treatment portion and the outlet portion, the outflow well extending at a top end above a water surface, and extending across the treatment vessel to sides of the treatment vessel;   means for transporting water to be treated from the body of water to the treatment portion inlet;   an entrapment element operable in the treatment portion for mixing the entrapment element with transported water carried therein, the entrapment element capturing suspended and dissolved solids in the transported water and effecting a separation between the captured solids and water cleansed therefrom;   means for removing the captured solids from the water in the treatment portion, wherein cleansed water is movable through a channel in the outflow weir into the outlet portion; and   means for transporting the cleaned water into the body of water.   
     
     
         2 . A dissolved air floatation system for remediating a body of water and collecting suspended and dissolved solids therefrom, the system comprising:
 a depression having a water-impervious surface, the depression defining at least a portion of a treatment vessel, the vessel comprising a treatment portion having an inlet for receiving water to be treated, an outlet portion for containing treated water, and an outflow weir between the treatment portion and the outlet portion, the outflow weir extending to a top end higher than a water surface, and extending across the vessel to side edges sealed against the opposed sides of the vessel;   a conduit for transporting water to be treated from a body of water to the treatment portion inlet;   means for delivering a stream of bubbles into the transported water upstream an outlet end of the conduit;   means for mixing the bubbles with the transported water, the bubbles capturing suspended and dissolved solids in the transported water, effecting a separation between the captured solids and water cleansed therefrom, and carrying the captured solids to the water surface; and   means for removing the captured solids from the treatment portion, the cleansed water movable through a channel in the outflow weir into the outlet portion.   
     
     
         3 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising an effluent pump having an inlet within the outflow portion and a float switch for activating the effluent pump when effluent in the outflow portion has reached a predetermined depth. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the mixing means comprises a cracking valve and a saturation tube upstream of the cracking valve and downstream the bubble delivering means. 
     
     
         5 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a source of at least one of a coagulant and a flocculant, and means for injecting the at least one of the coagulant and the flocculant into the transported water upstream the means for delivering a stream of bubbles. 
     
     
         6 . The system recited in  claim 5 , wherein the mixing means comprises a serpentine flow pathway upstream of the treatment portion. 
     
     
         7 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a flexible sheeting forming the water-impervious surface of the depression. 
     
     
         8 . The system recited in  claim 7 , wherein the flexible sheeting comprises a geo-textile material. 
     
     
         9 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the water-impervious depression in a depression in soil adjacent a body of water to be treated, the depression sloping downward in the treatment basin toward the inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the depression further has a pit therein adjacent the inlet for collecting precipitated solids therein. 
     
     
         11 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a cover extending above the depression. 
     
     
         12 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a blower operably forming an air current moving the bubbles and thus captured solid downstream to the means for removing the capture solids. 
     
     
         13 . the system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the means for removing the captured solids from the treatment portion comprises a ramp and conveyor. 
     
     
         14 . A dissolved air floatation method for remediating a body of water and collecting suspended and dissolved solids therefrom, the method comprising:
 transporting water from the body of water to an inlet of a treatment vessel, the treatment vessel being generally water-impervious;   delivering a stream of bubbles into the transported water upstream a treatment portion of the treatment vessel;   mixing the bubbles with the transported water, the bubbles capturing suspended and dissolved solids in the transported water, effecting a separation between the captured solids and water cleansed therefrom, and carrying the captured solids to a surface of the water;   channeling the mixed water and bubbles to the treatment portion;   removing the captured solids from the treatment portion; and   moving the cleansed water into an outlet portion of the treatment vessel.   
     
     
         15 . The method recited in  claim 14 , wherein the mixing step comprises channeling the water and bubbles to a saturation tube and thence to a cracking valve. 
     
     
         16 . The method recited in  claim 14 , further comprising injecting at least one of a coagulant and a flocculant into the transported water. 
     
     
         17 . The method recited in  claim 16 , wherein the mixing step comprises channeling the water into a serpentine flow pathway upstream the treatment portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method recited in  claim 14 , further comprising forming a depression in soil adjacent the body of water, and sloping a lower surface of the depression downward toward the inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The method recited in  claim 18 , further comprising positioning a flexible sheeting in the depression for providing the water-impervious treatment vessel. 
     
     
         20 . A method for constructing a water-remediation and solids-collection system comprising:
 positioning a treatment vessel for operation with a body of water to be remediated and from which body of water solids are to be collected, wherein the treatment vessel is water-impervious;   positioning an outflow weir proximate an outlet end of the treatment vessel and extending to a top end at least as high as an intended level of water in the treatment vessel and across the vessel to side edges thereof, the outflow weir and an outlet portion of treatment vessel sides containing the outlet end defining an outflow portion;   transporting water to be treated from the body of water to a region of the treatment vessel;   delivering and mixing a stream of bubbles into the water and being transported upstream, the bubbles capturing suspended and dissolved solids in the transported water, effecting a separation between the captured solids and water cleansed therefrom, and carrying the captured solids to a water surface;   removing the bubbles and captured suspended solids from the treatment vessel; and   channeling the cleansed water out from the treatment vessel.