Effluent Treatment System

Abstract

A dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, and methods of making and using such a dispersion, whereby the dispersion includes an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; wherein the dispersion is generated by combining an amount of gas with the amount of polymer and the aqueous solvent, the amount of gas effective to substantially uniformly disperse the amount of polymer within the aqueous solvent.

1 . A dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, said dispersion comprising:
 an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent;   wherein said dispersion is generated by combining an amount of gas with said amount of polymer and said aqueous solvent, said amount of gas effective to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said aqueous solvent.   
     
     
         2 . The dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of polymer is in a range of between about 0.1% to about 50% of said dispersion by weight. 
     
     
         3 . The dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said aqueous solvent comprises water. 
     
     
         4 . The dispersion of  claim 3 , wherein said gas comprises air. 
     
     
         5 . The dispersion of  claim 4 , wherein said air is in the form of air bubbles. 
     
     
         6 . The dispersion of  claim 5 , wherein said air bubbles generate mixing forces which relatively gently mix said amount of polymer and said water to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said water to provide said dispersion. 
     
     
         7 . The dispersion of  claim 6 , wherein said amount of polymer is substantially uniformly dispersed within said water to provide a generally homogenous polymer-water mixture. 
     
     
         8 . The dispersion of  claim 6 , wherein said amount of polymer and said water are mixed by forces consisting of said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles, which are effective to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said water to provide said dispersion. 
     
     
         9 . The dispersion of  claim 6 , wherein upon application of said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles, the molecular weight of polymeric molecules which comprise said polymer remains unchanged. 
     
     
         10 . The dispersion of  claim 9 , wherein said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles comprise non-shearing mixing forces. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a dispersion for use with an effluent treatment system, said method comprising:
 combining an amount of gas with an amount of polymer and an aqueous solvent;   wherein said amount of gas is effective to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said aqueous solvent.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing said amount of polymer in a range of between about 0.1% to about 50% of said dispersion by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing said aqueous solvent as water. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing said gas as air. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing said air as air bubbles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising firstly combining said amount of air with said water to provide an entrained air-water mixture; and
 subsequently combining said entrained air-water mixture with said amount of polymer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said air bubbles generate mixing forces which relatively gently mix said amount of polymer and said water to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said water to provide said dispersion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising substantially uniformly dispersing said amount of polymer within said water to provide a generally homogenous polymer-water mixture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising mixing said amount of polymer and said water by applying forces consisting of said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles, which are effective to substantially uniformly disperse said amount of polymer within said water to provide said dispersion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein upon application of said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles, the molecular weight of polymeric molecules which comprise said polymer remains unchanged. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said mixing forces generated by said air bubbles comprise non-shearing mixing forces. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing said polymer in fluid form. 
     
     
         23 . A method of recovering tallow from effluent, said method comprising:
 providing a dispersion comprising an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; and   combining said dispersion with said effluent within a dissolved air flotation system to generate a float comprising solids, water, and a mixture of fats, oils, and greases.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising heating said float. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising separating said solids and said water from said mixture of fats, oils, and greases to provide said tallow. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising separating a first amount of said solids from a second amount of said solids, said water, and said mixture of fats, oils, and greases. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising achieving separation of said first amount of said solids from said second amount of said solids, said water, and said mixture of fats, oils, and greases with a two-phase centrifugation system. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising separating said second amount of said solids and said water from said mixture of fats, oils, and greases to provide said tallow. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising achieving separation of said second amount of said solids and said water from said mixture of fats, oils, and greases with a three-phase centrifugation system. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , further comprising metering said tallow to provide metered tallow. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein the quality tolerances of said tallow corresponds to Inedible Bleachable Packer Tallow. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a titer minimum of at least about 40 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said tallow has a titer minimum of at least about 41 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a free fatty acid maximum of less than about 5% oleic acid. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said tallow has a free fatty acid maximum of less than about 1.7% oleic acid. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has an M.I.U. maximum of less than about 1%. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said tallow has an M.I.U. maximum of less than about 0.97%. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a moisture maximum of less than about 2%. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a moisture maximum selected from the group consisting of: of less than about 2%; less than about 1.75%; less than about 1.5%; less than about 1.25%; less than about 1%; less than about 0.9%; and less than about 0.8%. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a moisture maximum of less than about 0.8%. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said float is separated to generate said tallow in a time period of less than about four minutes. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said float is separated to generate said tallow in a time period of less than about 3.8 minutes. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 25  or  claim 28 , wherein said tallow has a temperature of greater than 90 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         44 . A portable effluent treatment system for recovering tallow from effluent, said portable effluent treatment system comprising:
 a mixing chamber in which a dispersion is generated, said dispersion comprising an amount of polymer substantially uniformly dispersed within an aqueous solvent; and   a dissolved air flotation system in fluidic communication with said mixing chamber;   wherein in said dissolved air flotation system, said dispersion is combined with said effluent to generate a float comprising solids, water, and a mixture of fats, oils, and greases.   
     
     
         45 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 44 , wherein said mixing chamber comprises first, second, and third mixing chambers;
 wherein each of said first and third mixing chambers is in fluidic communication with said second mixing chamber.   
     
     
         46 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 44 , further comprising a heater in fluidic communication with said dissolved air flotation system;
 wherein in said heater, said float is heated to provide heated float.   
     
     
         47 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 46 , further comprising a separation system in fluidic communication with said heater;
 wherein in said separation system, said solids and said water are separated from said mixture of fats, oils, and greases to provide said tallow.   
     
     
         48 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 47 , wherein said separation system comprises a two-phase centrifugation system in fluidic communication with said heater; and
 wherein in said two-phase centrifugation system, a first amount of said solids is separated from a second amount of said solids, said water, and said mixture of fats, oils, and greases.   
     
     
         49 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 48 , wherein said separation system further comprises a three-phase centrifugation system in fluidic communication with said two-phase centrifugation system; and
 wherein in said three-phase centrifugation system, said second amount of said solids and said water is separated from said mixture of fats, oils, and greases to provide said tallow.   
     
     
         50 . The portable effluent treatment system of  claim 49 , further comprising a meter in fluidic communication with said three-phase centrifugation system;
 wherein in said meter, said tallow is metered to provide metered tallow.