Method of cleaning and recycling glycol-tainted water from de-icing operations at airports

Abstract

The invention disclosed and claimed herein relates to treatment of water contaminated with glycol to be recycled for further effective use of the cleaned water resulting therefrom, especially at airports. More specifically, this invention relates to improved techniques for efficiently and reliably generating continuous flows of cleaned water as well as a continuous flow of recyclable glycol water of controlled concentration.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for removing water from glycol-containing water, comprising:
 (a) a forced circulation MVR evaporator having an input conduit and an output conduit, said input conduit adapted to direct relatively low-glycol water to said forced circulation MVR evaporator so as to evaporate water in the form of steam from said relatively low-glycol water so as to produce relatively high-glycol water, said forced circulation MVR evaporator adapted to contain said relatively high-glycol water;   (b) a monitor adapted to determine the concentration of glycol in said relatively high-glycol water in said forced circulation MVR evaporator, and to issue a control signal in response to said determination;   (c) a liquid output conduit, adapted to conduct a flow of said high-glycol water from said forced circulation MVR evaporator; and   (d) a flow controller adapted to control the flow of said high-glycol water from said forced circulation MVR evaporator in response to said control signal.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein flow controller adapted to control the flow of said high-glycol water from said forced circulation MVR evaporator such that the concentration of glycol in said high-glycol water is in the range of from about 35% to about 45%. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , additionally comprising a steam outlet conduit, adapted to conduct said steam from said forced circulation MVR evaporator, and a bubbler adapted to remove glycol from said steam. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , additionally comprising a steam outlet conduit, adapted to conduct said steam from said forced circulation MVR evaporator, and a stacked media column adapted to remove glycol from said steam.