Continuous flow electroflocculation water treatment system

摘要

A method is disclosed in which water is pumped continuously into one end of a container, the pollutants are captured and floated to the surface, the treated and cleaned water flows out the other end and the floated pollutants are removed. In one embodiment, the system consists of at least one container that has a set of electrically active plates and a mechanism for capturing and removing the pollutants that are floated to the surface by the electrically active plates. Multiple containers can be connected in series and used for similar or separate purposes to remove the pollutants. In another embodiment, the single container is partitioned into a multiple of chambers. Each chamber can be used for a similar or separate purpose, which purpose depends upon the application. In both embodiments, the primary reaction consists of electroflocculation, in which a low voltage is applied across a set of metal plates. This liberates metal ions and gas bubbles. The metal ions capture the pollutants and the gas bubbles float them to the surface. The whole process is done In a manner In which the floated pollutants form a stable layer on the surface of the flowing water. Different sets of metal plates can be used in separate chambers to remove different pollutants. The voltage to the plates is controlled in such a manner as to provide a known charge dose to the water as It passes through the apparatus at a Known rate. This is controlled by monitoring and controlling both the rate at which the water flows and the rate at which the electric charge Is imparted through the water. In operation water is pumped into the first chamber where ft is treated with the first set of plates. It can then flow into a second chamber, with a barrier mechanism that limits the surface floe from flowing with it. This process can be repeated in other chambers until the water is adequately treated with different sets of plates. The water can then flow into additional chambers in which much of the residual floe and bubbles floats to the surface. Each chamber has a wall over which the floe can flow into a drain mechanism, and a mechanism for getting the floe to flow over the wall. In this manner these continuous flow electroflocculation water treatment systems operate like a membrane free filter or a chemical free dissolved air flotation system.