MXPA00005814A - Combined hydrocyclone and filter system for treatment of liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for treating liquid from a liquid source and separating particulate matter from the liquid comprising the following steps:providing a liquid source;pumping said liquid source (3) into at least one hydrocyclone system (30) where said liquid source is gas sparged (448);collecting said liquid source (130) and removing flocculated particles (137) from the surface;and filtering said liquid source through at least one filter.

Description

COMBINED HYDROCYCLONIC SYSTEM AND FILTER FOR THE TREATMENT OF LIQUIDS Cross Reference to Related Requests This application is based on a U.S. Provisional Patent Application. No. 60 / 104,175 filed on October 13, 1998 and is a continuation-in-part of the U.S. Patent Application. No. 09 / 243,552, filed on February 2, 1999 with title "Fluid Conditioning System and Method", which is a continuation-in-part of the U.S. Patent Application. Serial No. 09 / 096,254, filed on June 11, 1998 entitled "Fluid Conditioning System and Method" (System and Method for Fluid Conditioning), which in turn is based on the Provisional Patent Application of the U.S.A. No. 60 / 052,626 filed July 15, 1997 entitled "Apparatus and Method for Separating Hydrophobic Particles from a Solution" (Apparatus and Method for Separating Hydrophobic Particles from a Solution), and the Provisional Patent Application of the U.S.A. Serial No. 60 / 073,971 filed on February 6, 1998 with the title "Flotation Tank Apparatus and Method" (Apparatus and Method of Flotation Tank). Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to industrial large-scale filtration and conditioning systems and more specifically to components, methods and systems for liquid conditioning, including membrane filtration technologies for separating particles, gases and components. linked to fluids of flowing currents. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Filtering technologies that are used to separate particulate matter and gases from fluid solutions, such as wastewater, are often compromised with the accumulation of particulate matter in the membranes or filter medium that makes the filter useless and severely interrupts the filtering process. For example, traditional static filtration mechanisms force fluids through membranes or other filtration media until the membrane is plugged or has to be cleaned or replaced. As the filters become embedded, their operational performance becomes severely reduced. The complexity of particles, compounds and microorganisms accumulates on the surface of the filters, slowing the flow of the fluid through the filters and often irreversibly degrading the performance of the filter surface. This requires costly system stops and expensive filter replacement. A way to avoid precipitation and compression ^^ on the surfaces of bulk contaminant filters 5 such as fine mineral clays, cellulose fibers, fats / oils / fats (FOG = fats / oils / greases), microorganisms and colloidal silica, is to change the shape, format and packaging of the filter membranes. For example, for situations with high load of contaminants or sealing agents, tubular filters and hollow fiber technologies have been designed. These filters cover either tubes or hollow fibers with large perforation passages, allowing fluid currents to pass over the surface of the filters at high flow rates without trapped by the support materials and low tangential flow areas that are common in membrane sheets of large flat surface area. Some of these types of tubular and fiber-based filters are mounted on media > of inert supports such as sintered steel or ceramics and achieve a reliable performance under severe chemical and aggressive conditions while avoiding a strong accumulation of sealing agents. While these filters have proven to be efficient, they often result in at least a ten-fold increase in The cost, requiring massive infrastructure and operational support, compared with spiral wound or flat-blade filters, which can pack large filter areas in compact spaces at significantly reduced capital and operational costs. The continuous problem of the compensation between the filter surface area and the resistance of incrustation agents, significantly impedes the implementation of filter technologies. Most applications where filtration technology can provide a valuable service can not support the cost and complexity of the appropriate filtration systems. Filter systems differ and are selective to define class sizes of particles and dissolved compounds. Filter surfaces can reject compounds based on charge and their ability to diffuse through filters. Membrane filters are generally defined in terms of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis filtration, based on the size or molecular weight of the filtering compounds, with microfiltration that rejects the largest compounds and filtration of reverse osmosis, the smallest compounds. Membrane filters are classified based on the flow of clean water through the membrane under defined environmental conditions. The flow expense defined as the flow or fluid transfer expense through a determined membrane of a determined surface area in a unit of time, depends on factors such as the pressure of the retained product (material that is rejected on the surface of the membrane) on the surface of the membrane, the temperature of the fluid, the load of contaminants and the permeability of the membrane. The membranes are deliberately oversized to ensure that there is sufficient capacity for fluid cleaning and filtering, when the membrane surfaces are embedded by the retention product. To ensure and even maximize the flow data through the membrane surfaces, systems are operated at high pressures to overcome the resistance by the incrustation agents and increase the flow rate. However, eventually a membrane will be too impacted by the retention product and will be useless. Regeneration of the membrane for reuse, often requires cleaning with chemical agents to remove the retention product. However, these chemical agents are often corrosive to the membrane filter and degrade it after each cleaning. To meet these fundamental limitations, pre-cleaning or fluid pre-filtering technology is increasingly used to condition fluid currents before filtering through filter systems, in an attempt to reduce fouling agents and contaminants. that interfere with the optimal performance of the filter membranes. Fundamental to the concept of pre-cleaning technologies is the removal of components from the fluid stream, which obstructs the flow of fluid through the filters. Examples of pre-cleaning approaches include clarification and sieving technologies and removal of large particles. Another pre-cleaning device commonly used to treat fluid in applications without a membrane is the use of coagulants and polymeric flocculants. However, the chemical agents used to trap coagulants such as polymeric coagulants, polymeric antifoams and dispersants are generally not compatible with membrane filters. For example, cationic polymers attract negatively charged compounds and are collected on the surface of the filter, interrupting the filtration process. This severely limits the potential utility of polymeric coagulants as effective pre-cleaning agents and is therefore generally avoided. For this reason, many water treatment systems use filter systems in a series to compensate for the lack of efficient pre-cleaning techniques. However, what is required is a system with which polymeric coagulants and other chemical treatment methods can be used, before and in conjunction with the membrane filtration system. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the use of a conditioning chamber in combination with various forms of filtration systems designed to remove particles, including solids, microbial colloids and microscopic gas bubbles in a fluid stream. The combination of pre-treatment fluid with the system • Hydrocyclone before filtering the fluid stream in filtration systems, results in a dramatically more efficient fluid treatment system and at a significantly reduced cost. Various embodiments of the invention are directed to one or more hydrocyclone systems in isolation or in combination with separation tanks in the fluid stream before, or interspersed between, various filtration systems. Preferred modes include systems hydrocyclone that reduce the charge of filter scale components from the fluid stream at various points before the filtration systems. These points include the source of the fluid charge components, where these components are generated, points of collection where different streams are combined and fluid systems that directly feed the filtration system. After particle-bubble aggregates form, they need to be separated from the fluid. The separation tank of the present invention incorporates characteristics that optimize the flotation of bubbles and aggregates of bubbles-particles of the fluid stream and the accumulation of material in the upper part of the surface where they can be defoamed from the surface of the tank. Due to the specific design of the tank for this purpose, this task is achieved in a traction of the space required for other flotation systems. This combination of increased control characteristics of the operational parameters and increased efficiency of the chemical use compared to other treatment systems, allows the repeated treatment of the fluid stream in more compact equipment than the previous filter pre-treatment technologies. Given the component separation and small footprint of the claimed system of the present invention, various different pre-cleaning methods are economical for pre-cleaning the fluid streams before the filter systems. The operational performance of hydrocyclone systems # has shown that these systems remove Total from Suspended Solids (TSS = Total Suspended Solids), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), metals, microorganisms, Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN = Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS = Total Dissolved Solids) at unprecedented levels of fluid flows. When used in combination with polymer filter and pre-filter chemical treatment systems, the versatility and exceptional performance of these systems are uniquely suited to pre-treat fluids before they are passed through the various filtration systems. In addition, due to the optimal performance of the hydrocyclone systems of the present invention, the pre-filter chemical treatment is permissible and greatly improves the operation of the total system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram of the liquid conditioning system, according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of a conditioning chamber and separation tank; Figure 3 is a top plan view of a liquid conditioning chamber; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid conditioning chamber; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a liquid conditioning chamber; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid conditioning chamber; Figure 7 is a partial sectional view of a collecting apparatus; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view on lines 10-10 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the collector apparatus of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view on lines 12-12 of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a defoaming apparatus; Figure 12 is a block diagram of the fluid conditioning system described in Example 1; Figure 13 is a block diagram of the fluid conditioning system described in Example 2; Figure 14 is a block diagram of the fluid conditioning system described in Example 3; Figure 15 is a block diagram of the fluid conditioning system described in Example 4; Figure 16 is a block diagram of the fluid conditioning system described in Example 5; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a hydrocyclone system; and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a hydrocyclone system. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention relates to liquid conditioning systems used to pre-treat fluid streams before filtration systems to reduce the charge of compounds transported in the fluid that impedes the flow of fluid through filters or membranes. As previously described, fouling agents and contaminants that reduce fluid flow through filters reduce efficiency and raise the total cost of fluid treatment systems. If these agents are removed from the fluid stream, the operational parameters of the fluid stream are improved. For example, it has been observed in food processing streams that contain high levels of total suspended solids (TSS) and tallow / oils / fats (FOG = fats / oils / greases), which filters clog and require frequent and intense cleaning. FOGs also prove to be harmful to the filter material directly, irreversibly damaging the filters themselves. Removing these agents from the fluid stream can be achieved at desired levels of contaminant parameters by systems as will be described below. For example, in a plant processing application, where high levels of TSS and FOG are in the fluid stream, a major source of contaminants is found in the canner's effluent. To treat this fluid stream with peak flows of up to 1135.50 1 / min (300 gallons per minute (GPM)), an improved three-step chemical system is appropriate. Each step constitutes the pumping of the effluent from the canner through a hydrocyclone system (defined as a cylinder or chamber in which a fluid stream is directed and subjected to a whirlpool in the inner wall, thus generating centrifugal forces in the fluid) that is sprayed independently and from which the contaminants are floated to the surface of a flotation or separation tank. Flows of this volume are best accommodated by a hydrocyclone with an internal diameter of 15.24 cm (6 inches) (I.D.); however, it is possible to use smaller or larger hydrocyclone systems. In such an example, before the first step, the fluid is pumped from a collector and the pH is adjusted to reduce the surface charges at relative electro-neutrality or near-zero Zeta potential (ZP = Zeta-potential). This commonly requires a pH control loop that automatically adjusts the supply of a strong acid or C02 or 02 tablet to the fluid stream before the hydrocyclone system to bring the zeta potential in solution to zero. The fluid is pumped from the collector source directly onto a coarse screen to remove large solids and debris from the stream. From a collection box of the sieving device, the fluid is pumped to the feed pump of the first hydrocyclone system. At the point of tangential injection where the water is introduced to the hydrocyclone, a cationic polyacrylamide polymer of high charge density, high molecular weight or other cationic reagent is injected at a concentration as required (eg 10-15 ppm C). -498, Cytec Industries). The hydrocyclone effluent is supplied in a separation tank that removes the volume of foam and floc particles associated with it from the water.

Now with reference to Figures 1 and 2, a liquid conditioning system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 30, includes a plurality of modularized components 5 for progressively processing a stream of inlet carrier liquid 32, which originates from a solution source (not shown). The respective modules include a conditioning chamber 36 which may be a hydrocyclone system disposed downstream of the liquid carrier to receive the liquid and create ^ a rich bubble environment for high incidence of bubble-particle collisions and transfer of gas from the liquid to the bubbles. However, the conditioning chamber 36 or hydrocyclone system may be open to the atmosphere at the top and without a gas bubbling system. In addition, the conditioning chamber 36 or the hydrocyclone system can be closed at the top, which results in a > whirlpool closed of liquid creating a partial vacuum or a pressure significantly lower than the atmospheric gas when the liquid is passed. The feeding of the conditioning chamber allows the application of agents to modify the surface chemistry, such as chelating agents, detergents, surfactants, gases, salts, acids and flocculants in 37, to promote coagulation and / or modify the desired zeta potential of the target contaminants, for efficient collection and removal. Placed near the outlet of the conditioning chamber is a separation or flotation tank 130. The above single modularized construction allows efficient particle separation and flotation of gases for a broad spectrum of industries and applications while minimizing the footprint and consequently the total system size. Particulates or particulate matter is defined to include but not be limited to solids, microbes, colloids and microscopic gas bubbles. With continued reference to Figure 1, the feeding of the conditioning chamber or hydrocyclone 36 also allows the supply in 37 of the surface chemistry such as liquid or solid coagulating agents and polymeric compounds or other forms of applied energy (eg electromagnetic, sonic) , ionic and similar) injected into the liquid to break and reverse the attraction of the particles to the water and increase particle-to-particle attractions or hydrophobic interfaces. One form of energy is described in the U.S. patent application. copending Serial No. 08 / 979,405 filed on November 26, 1997 and entitled "Multi-Modal Method and Apparatus for Treating a Solution" (Method and Multi-Modal Apparatus for Treating a Solution), the description of which is expressly incorporated here for reference. Other potential feeds include in-line mixers or static oil interceptors, flock tubes or chemical injection media. The general objective of the added surface chemistry is to change the attraction of natural particles with the liquid to a repulsion to the liquid and attractant to the air bubbles. It is highly desirable to have the particles in the proper state for satisfactory performance of the present invention. The particles can then be extracted from liquid by introducing large amounts of air, or gas bubbles to which the particles have a high probability of connection. Now with reference to Figures 1 to 6, gas bubbles such as air, ozone or chlorine are injected into the liquid by the conditioning chamber 36, which preferably comprises a hydrocyclone with air spray or is referred to only as a hydrocyclone. The hydrocyclone creates a predetermined spectrum of bubble sizes from less than one meter to several hundred microns in very large quantities. The air-to-water ratio created in the chamber is in the range of approximately 2: 1 to 50: 1, with relative velocities of particles and bubbles of approximately one meter per second. These high proportions and velocities ensure that bubbles and particles collide instantly to form an association. This is especially important for small colloidal particles. The relatively large proportion of gas / water and bubbles of small size creates orders of magnitude more surface area for gas transfer of the solution into the bubbles than in DAFs or other sprayed systems. A fundamental principle of hydrocyclone is derived from the centrifugal acceleration of particles, colloidal suspensions, oils and waters in the centrifugal fluid belt on the inner wall of the hydrocyclone tube. This causes classification by relative densities as well as kinetic coalescence of oil-in-water emulsion, forming large aggregates that are separated by the relative density of the water. The other advantage is the bubbling of gases through the porous hydrocyclone walls. This allows large volumes of gas, such as air, to be sheared by the centrifuged fluid layer in bubbles of a wide range of sizes. The speed of the fluid belt determines the size of bubbles within the fluid layer and in combination with surfactants, the size of bubbles can be controlled to optimally adjust the size of the contaminants that need to be removed from the fluid. The hydrocyclone of the present invention offers several advantages over other flotation systems. For example, air to water ratios of 2: 1 - 100: 1 can be used instead of the maximum ^ 0.15: 1 in DAF systems. The bubble size can be adjusted optimally to correspond to the suspension components or particles that require being removed by the fluid stream. Because the centrifugal acceleration can reach approximately one thousand gravity (Gs) and the belt is a fraction of 2.54 cm (one inch) depth, coalescence of bubbles and bubble-particle aggregates and flotation to the bottom surface of the spin belt occurs in milliseconds instead of minutes in traditional flotation systems. The consequence of these advantages is that particle-bubble interactions can happen in an extremely compact and highly controlled environment. Due to the kinetic nature of a tangential injection of the fluid at the top of the hydrocyclone, I this portion of the fluid stream is very effective for Mix and instantly disperse chemical additives, which improve the formation and stability of particle aggregations and bubble formation. The intimacy of the mixing process and a rapid display of the particles to the surfactants, coagulants, flocculants, chelants or agents for pH adjustment ensures an instantaneous reaction and adjustment of the surface chemical forces in the hydrocyclone system. Many applications of the hydrocyclone system do not require chemical improvements such as the use of polymers. However, when chemical improvements are used, sufficient quantities of chemicals to achieve optimum flotation are often achieved at a concentration of 10-30% of those used in DAF or chemical precipitation. This results in savings in operating costs as well as reducing the total chemical load in the fluid treatment system. Referring more particularly to Figures 2-4 and 6, hydrocyclone 36 includes a cylindrical vessel having an open-ended porous tube 40 (Figures 4 and 6) formed of a gas-permeable material. The tube includes an inner wall 42 (Figure 4) defining an interior liquid passage with respective inlet and outlet openings 44 and 46 (Figure 6). An enlarged hollow cylindrical housing 48 is concentrically positioned around the first tube to form an annular chamber 50.

The chamber includes a gas inlet 448 (Figure 6) coupled to a regulated pressure gas source such as air or ozone. As an example, the porous tube 40 can be of porosity having pore sizes within the range of about 20 to 40 microns. The action of water shear with high velocity that passes through the pores, creates bubbles in the range from submicras to several centenariae of microns in size. Referring more particularly to Figures 2 to 5, hydrocyclone 36 further includes an accelerator or solution feeding apparatus 52 mounted on the proximal housing end 48 of the hydrocyclone. The feeding apparatus can take many forms and acts to manipulate and tangentially direct the flow of feed liquid in a helical belt-like stream through the liquid passage 42 to eventually exit to the separation tank 130. Figure 3 illustrates a form of feeding apparatus comprising a fixed restrictor 54, configured to generate a tape with predetermined size of helical flow solution. The restrictor preferably generates an essentially continuous ribbon of solution that swirls around the inner wall of the hydrocyclone. To avoid turbulence, you can interrupt the connection of particles to gas-induced bubbles, it is convenient to avoid tape overlays 56 (Figure 4, in dotted lines) or tape spaces 58 (Figure 5). As previously stated, other embodiments of the hydrocyclone system 36 may be appropriate. For example, in Figure 17, the hydrocyclone 36 may be an open-lid, an induced-air hydrocyclone, wherein the hydrocyclone is not bubbled with gas. In this hydrocyclone system, the generating head 52 opens to the atmosphere (see opening 49) wherein the hydrocyclone system operates on the principle that centrifuged fluid with high gravity load induces very small bubbles dissolved in the fluid to move through the thin layer of the fluid. fluid and contact contaminants of appropriate size in the fluid to form aggregates of bubbles - particles. The accelerator head 52 also has two openings 51 and 53 for inserting chemicals where the openings are normally sealed. While within the hydrocyclone 36, the bubble-particle aggregates spiral down the hydrocyclone section ending in a vortex 55 and exit in a separation tank in a controlled manner so as not to interrupt the bubble-particle aggregates. Once in the separation tanks, the bubble-particle aggregates float to the surface of the separation tank to aggregate more into a large mass where the aggregation can be removed with a defoamer. Alternatively, a hydrocyclone system 36 can be airless, with a closed lid, whereby the accelerator head 52 is completely closed to the atmosphere as illustrated in Figure 18. In this embodiment, there is no gas bubbling. With the accelerator head 52 closed to the atmosphere, air is not allowed in the vortex region 55 (opening 49 is closed by the valve 47). This creates a vacuum within the vortex 55 that also pulls the air-bubble aggregates out of the fluid. When removing air as a requirement in this mode, the energy and maintenance requirements are significantly reduced. The performance of this hydrocyclone system compares favorably with gas-fired hydrocyclone systems. With reference to Figures 7-10, hydrocyclone 36 preferably includes at its outlet a collector apparatus, generally designated 80 for controllably capturing and directing substantially particle-free solution. The collection apparatus 80 includes a conical shaped flared section 82, axially coupled to the outlet of the hydrocyclone by a coupling ring 84 and a coupling cylinder 86 which concentrically link the flared section with the hydrocyclone. The flared section is formed with a plurality of radially spaced flared vectors (not shown) for moving the separated solution in a modified downward directed flow. The flared section can also be formed in a straight cylindrical configuration without any loss in performance. With additional reference to Figure 7, the collection apparatus 80 further includes a toroid-shaped channel 90 (see Figure 8) formed with an annular groove 102 and mounted at the distal end of the flare section 82. The groove includes an edge of coupling or defoaming 101 axially positioned in line with the expected laminar separation between the particle-rich fine foam and the relatively particle-free solution, to skim or defoam the separated particle-free solution flared radially outwardly and downwardly from the conical section. The channel includes a unidirectional solution stop 103 (Figure 8) and an outlet formed in a spout directed downward and projecting outwards 104 to discharge the capture solution as a collected stream. The central portion of the channel defines an exit passage 106, to discharge the particle-rich fine foam on the surface of the separation tank filled with solution 130. Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, separation tank 130 is placed downstream of hydrocyclone 36 and is substantially filled with the hydrocyclone outlet. The separation tank, as envisaged in one embodiment, can take the form of a modified dissolved air flotation tank (DAF = Dissolved Air Flotation) (Figure 2), with an open lid to receive the separate solution and the light foam. of the hydrocyclone. A defoamer of light foam 135 has a plurality of vanes 137 (see Figure 2), is placed on the surface of the tank to push the light or flocculent foam deposited from the surface of the solution into a receptacle area 138. To remove the treated solution from the tank, an effluent outlet 140 is formed near the portion of the tank. tank bottom. In operation, the separation tank 130 is placed downstream from a source of solution that generates an untreated carrier liquid containing one or more varieties of particles or gases. For example, as ^^ illustrated in Figure 12, which illustrates Example 1, untreated carrier liquid originates from four separate sources: a canner source; a tub room fountain, - a source of gas separator tubes and a fountain stoner. In this example, the untreated carrier liquid (untreated wastewater) is first filtered through a coarse screen to remove large solids and then collected in a large tank tank. Untreated waste water can optionally be treated in this point by adding surface chemistry, at 37, to displace the particles to coalescence. The pH of the water can also be adjusted at this point. The water is then pumped to hydrocyclone 36. The feed apparatus to hydrocyclone 52 (see Figure 2) receives the carrier liquid stream and restricts the current to a narrow belt, consequently accelerating the resultant belt flow over the inner passage 42 in Figure 4 of the housing 48. The belt flow is directed tangentially and downwardly, to define a helical shape and create a substantially centrifugal force that acts on the solution. As the solution swirls through the container, in the bubbling gas plenum chamber 448, gas bubbles are injected into the solution stream. The bubbles collide with particles in the solution and gases and the gases dissolve in the water transferring from the higher concentration in the water to the lower concentration in the bubbles. This processed forms a light foam that floats towards the center of the container, as a result of the centrifugal force acting on the solution. The action of the hydrocyclone in the solution creates a non-turbulent flow between the relatively particle-free solution and the particle-rich light foam. It has been discovered that by controlling the tape, a more uniform tape and free of turbulence through the hydrocyclone results. As the tape exits the far end of the hydrocyclone 36, the swirling helical action causes the particle-free solution to flare out for reception in the separation tank 130. Simultaneously, the particle rich light foam deposits on the surface of the separation tank solution for subsequent collection by the light foam defoamer 135. In systems using the optional harvesting apparatus 110 (Figure 11), the outward flared solution is selectively captured by channel 115 and directed through the spigot 117 to supply the body of the separation tank solution. This helps reduce the level of turbulence in the surface of the tank that has been found to impede the performance of the flotation tank. The particle-rich light foam passes through the center of the channel and is deposited on the surface of the tank. The performance of the collection apparatus is substantially improved by employing the optional defoaming apparatus 116 to inject the annular gas stream at a predetermined point between the solution and the light foam. The effluent is then pumped into a volume control tank where the effluent surface is then skimmed or defoamed. The effluent from the collection tank is then pumped into a second hydrocyclone by a second step. In this step, which is treated equal to the flow rate (or slightly higher) compared to the first step, the pH can be adjusted and the cationically treated effluent is divided into a parallel hydrocyclone system, where an anionic polyacrylamide high molecular weight, can be injected (for example 5 ppm A-130 HM, Cytec Industries). The same process that was previously established is repeated. The effluent from these hydrocyclones is supplied to the attached separation tanks where the newly formed floc (a result of the formation of a tight network of newly introduced anionic polymer and residual cationic in the second series of hydrocyclones) is floated away from the water and skimming of the surface. This effluent is then pumped into a second storage tank for volume control. The effluent is then further treated in a series of stages of filtration membrane that includes in sequence bag filtration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis that will be described in greater detail in the examples. Other filtration steps can be included such as disc filtration, sand filtration, cross-membrane filtration and fine screen filtration. These filtration stages remove particles with less than 2 mm in diameter. The treated effluent can then be further treated in activated carbon filters and treatment of chlorine dioxide and ozone. Alternating chemical combinations that those previously established may be appropriate. For example, fluid streams containing petrochemicals and metal contaminants may require alternate coagulants instead of pH adjustment before the first passage through the hydrocyclone system. Inorganic compounds such as aluminum salts or organic coagulants such as polyamines may be more appropriate conditioning agents than pH adjustments. These can be injected in the fluid stream, in front of the hydrocyclones or directly in the hydrocyclones. Other agents that can be used for improved flotation include detergents or surfactants (for example nonionic nonionic phenols or anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate), which reduce the surface tension of the fluid and thus reduce the size of bubbles as the gas is sheared off. the wall of the dew tubes. Hydrocyclones containing only surfactants have been very successful in breaking emulsion of both polar and non-polar oils, found in the food processing and petrochemical industries, respectively. Other claimed combinations may include metal chelating agents that are injected into the first treatment step and then followed by cationic and anionic polymers to remove the chelating agents with the associated metals from the stream, in subsequent treatment steps. These agents can be used where trace amounts of transition metals or heavy metals are found in large volumes of fluid. Combinations of these chemicals have been successful in the removal of cellulose fibers and mineral clays found in U streams as diverse as textile processing and pulp and paper manufacturing. These treatment combinations, due to their custom-fit chemistries and repeated treatment, exceed the performance of other previous treatments in both economic and operational factors. Due to the high proportions of air: water, the small bubble sizes and the dynamic path of the gas bubbles through the fluid, the gas transfer rates are extremely high and the hydrocyclone system of the present invention can used to remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) or light organic compounds. While this may contribute to the removal of components that interfere with membrane systems, it is also an opportunity to introduce reactive gases.

Ozone, chlorine or other gases can be introduced in a previous step to disinfect, sanitize or deactivate microbial organisms. Since the filtration membranes are sensitive to oxidation compounds and should not be exposed to reactive gases such as chlorine or ozone, the gas The initial disinfectant can be extracted or removed in subsequent steps through hydrocyclones bubbled with inert or non-reactive gases such as nitrogen or air. Examples of reactive gas removal rates in non-chemical applications with hydrocyclones are commonly 30-50% per step. Sequential fluid passages through hydrocyclones have removed VOCs and reactive gases to undetectable levels. Other agents that are incompatible with membrane systems can be used in hydrocyclones. For the same reason discussed earlier in the example of reactive gases, agents that interfere with membrane performance are not commonly used upstream of filtration systems. The risk of residual treatment agents circulating through the system can not be guaranteed. However, with the option of repeated treatment and the ability to repeat and thus remove incompatible agents from the stream, the utility of these agents can be exploited. These polishing or self-cleaning treatments can be repeated several times before the current is exposed to the membranes. The removal of these incompatible agents is a novel feature that has not yet been possible due to the size and operational limitations of the previous treatment systems.

An alternative to the above treatment is a non-chemical gas separation or transport current treatment (Example 1). In certain situations, ^^ Chemical modifications of water can be harmful to the production process and non-chemical treatment may be more appropriate. In circumstances where the recycled water passes through a partially or completely closed loop or system, all the current can be passed through the hydrocyclone systems repeatedly. Without However, in general, the average removal of components of ^^ The current by non-chemical means is usually less effective in chemically enhanced streams, the repeated repeated treatment improves the overall current quality and the charge of membrane fouling component. The The advantage of this repeated treatment is that the variability of the current components is reduced while total loads of TSS and associated parameters are commonly reduced as much as 85%. The discharge or spill of this type of current that enters the general effluent stream is much less contaminated with membrane inlay agents. Examples of these transport treatments or gas separators include but are not limited to processing olives, raisins, grapes, lettuce, vegetables, fruits and beets. In some situations these currents will precede ultrafiltration to remove proteinaceous or microbial matter, nanofiltration to remove sugars or organic compounds of low molecular weight or reverse osmosis to remove minerals. ^ Often in these situations, due to the lack of superficial chemical agents that facilitate the connection of particles to bubbles, mechanical energy and large volumes of gas are required to improve the performance of non-chemical systems. For this purpose, the air: water ratios can be adjusted to 7: 1 - 10 10: 1. This introduces more bubbles and opportunities for ^^ particles and microbes are connected and separated by flotation of the system, even if they are less strongly associated than in chemically improved systems. In streams containing free oils or emulsions of oil-in-water, high G forces or acceleration, can also be advantageous. When required, several smaller ID bubble tubes can be run in parallel.

For example, a 5.08 cm (2 inch) ID bubble tube W for a given flow rate, produces an acceleration proportionally higher in the centrifuged fluid tape than a 15.24 cm (6 inch) tube. To increase the processing steps through the system, internal recirculation systems may be appropriate. In these situations, the download of the receiving tank is combined with an untreated effluent entering the system. This combination of the influent with treated effluent increases the flow and volume of the fluid that needs to be passed through the W hydrocyclones. Due to the acceleration of the flow rate of fluid 5 through the hydrocyclone, the resulting volume of fluid has to be pumped through the hydrocyclone at an accelerated rate to allow for the extra volume of fluid in recirculation. Due to the acceleration of the fluid flow expense through the hydrocyclone, the sizes of bubbles sheared or detached from the tube wall "Bubbling is reduced, thus improving the correspondence of the size of bubbles with that of the particles that need to be removed." Another advantage of the adjustments is that the fluid is treated more frequently and increases the probability of successful particle flotation, even in situations where bubble-particle aggregates are only temporary associations. Combined with increased proportions of air: water, »These non-chemical systems can reach frequently removal rates of current components similar to those of chemically improved hydrocyclone treatments. The treatment in volume of all the effluents of plant or process in situations where all the sources are treated for reuse or discharge, can be guaranteed. In these situations, high volume treatments may be necessary. Hydrocyclone systems or modules in general are operated in parallel to process large volumes of effluent as illustrated in the 5 examples. However, hydrocyclone systems can be placed in series arrangements. Systems with a footprint of 15.24 x 30.48 cm (6 x 12 inches) have been used to treat flows exceeding 900 GPM. Given these advantages in flexibility and modularity combined with the adjustments to parameters ^^ operational such as airflow and acceleration costs, allows system design that are appropriate for different streams in many industries and processes. Due to the modularity, small size and ability to selectively enter and then remove agents from the fluid streams, unprecedented pretreatments for membrane filtration systems can be achieved. Some of these systems are Jß illustrate in the Examples shown below. EXAMPLE I Non-Chemical Treatment in Olive Processing Example I, which is illustrated in Figure 12, shows an example of a non-chemical treatment of effluent from various sources in processing olives. Effluents or waste water are collected from various sources such as a canner source 202, a tub room source 204, a source of gas separator tubes 206 and a pitting source 208. Waste water or effluent 5 is then filtered to through thick sieves 210 to remove large solids and debris from the effluent sources. The effluent is then collected in a large 212 storage tank with approximately 3,785 x 106 liters (106 gallons) and the effluent is at a temperature approximate environment of 21.1 - 32.2 ° C (70 ° - 90 ° F). He ^^ effluent is then pumped and divided into a parallel row of three hydrocyclone systems 214A-214C where each hydrocyclone system feeds the effluent into a connected separation tank 30, as illustrated in Figure 2, which removes the volume of the fine foam and the associated aggregates of bubbles-particles by the fine foam skimmer 138. Each hydrocyclone has an internal diameter of 15.24 cm (6 inches) and a length of 71.12.

P cm (28 inches). The average flow of effluent through of each hydrocyclone is approximately 75 to 310 GPM. The pressure of the gas plenum inside the hydrocyclone is in the range from .176 to .422 kg / cm2 (2.5 to 6 psi). Thickness of the helical film is in the range of .635 to 2.54 cm (1/4 inch to 1 inch) and the The air to water ratio is in the range of 2: 1 to 10: 1.

The effluent is then pumped to a second central volume control tank 216, where the resulting fine foam and bubble-particle aggregates are skimmed from the surface of the effluent. The effluent is then pumped to a second trio of parallel hydrocyclones 218A-218C at the same time as the first set. In this step, the flow expense was approximately the same as compared to the first step and the effluent is reintroduced into the parallel hydrocyclones 218A-218C. Again, the effluent is bubbled and collected in three separation tanks where the effluent is skimmed. The effluent is then pumped to another tank for central volume control 220. Results of the pre-membrane or polishing portion of the system without the use of chemical additives are illustrated below. Parameter Range of Reduction in%% Average COD 0% - 20% 10% FOG 0% - 95% 10% TSS 0% - 76% 10% Microbes 5% - 67% 32% The effluent is then pumped through a system bag filter 222 consisting of static (non-cross flow) filtration bags with a pore size of 100 microns (10 bags with approximately .28 m2 (3 square feet) for a total of 2.79 m2 (30 square feet)). The effluent is then pumped to an ultrafiltration system 224 consisting of 6 banks of constant flow variable pressure filters type JX, 20.32 cm (8 inches) manufactured by Osmonics. The membrane consists of spirally wound polyvinylidene difluoride. After the ultrafiltration stage 224, the water is pumped through the volume control tank 226 to a reverse osmosis filtration stage at 228. The reverse osmosis filter consists of an Osmonic filter of the three-phase pressure type AG. variable with constant flow. The effluent was then passed through an activated carbon filter 230 and a disinfection step with chlorine dioxide and ozone 232. Processing of the hydrocyclone system resulted in significant improvement to the effluent stream prior to the bag filter stage 222. The results show that if in the hydrocyclone system stages of 214A-C and 218A-C, the bag filters were required to be changed every 20 minutes to 2 hours. By using hydrocyclone systems 214A-C and 218A-C, the bag filter replacement time was increased to 4-8 hours. The diagram below shows the increase in operating time (defined as time from the start of the first filter bank at the beginning of the last bank, banks are sequentially operated at a minimum flow before switching to the next bank), flow number of banks used to treat the same volume of water and the operating time to turn off. UF BEFORE AFTER Operation Time 2 hours 4 hours Flow 757,000 1 / day 1,324,750 1 / day (200,000 gal / day) (350,000 gal / day) Number of banks 10 treatment employees # ^^ of required water volume 6 banks 4 - 6 banks Operating Time until shut down 8-12 hours 16 hours 15 Reverse Osmosis No change The use of hydrocycling systems of the present invention to treat the fluid flow demonstrates a significant increase in operating time of the 0 ultra-filters with a compound increase (757,000 a 1,324,750 liters (200,000 to 350,000 gallons)) of processed fluid. In this way, the operating time was increased by a factor of two and the flow almost doubled. further, the number of banks required to process this increased amount of water was almost half. Example II Treatment Without Chemicals In Cheese Processing Example II, which is illustrated in Figure 13, illustrates an example of a chemical-free treatment of waste water from cheese processing sources. The object was to remove microbes from a storage tank of 1,324,750 liters (350,000 gallons) and treat up to 1,514,000 liters (400,000 gallons) per day. The wastewater or effluent from the cheese processing source 240 was pumped to a manifold 242 and then pumped to a concentration or volume control tank of 350,000 gallons. The effluent was then pumped to all three. 246 parallel hydrocyclone systems with internal diameters of 15.24 cm (6 inches) and lengths of 68.58 cm (27 inches) each hydrocyclone system was able to process 1,211.20 liters (320 gallons) per minute, with a porous stainless steel tube with a pore size of 40 μm. The gas plenum pressure was in the range of .422 to .492 kg / cm2 (6 to 7 psi) and the air: water ratio averaged 6: 1 and the average water temperature was 53.33 ° C (128 ° C). F). The effluent was supplied through hydrocyclone systems 246 and to the separation tanks 30 as illustrated in Figure 2 which removed fine foam by the fine foam skimmer 138. The water was then recirculated to the original storage tank of 1,324,750 liters (350,000 gallons) to prevent microbes from growing in stored water. The effluent was then pumped and filtered through a nylon fiber screen 248 manufactured by Laikos. The pH of the effluent was then adjusted by additional NaOH to pH 10 with 30% NaOH. The effluent was then heated to 60 ° C (140 ° F) and pumped to oscillating ultrafiltration membranes for further filtration and then finally pumped to oscillating reverse osmosis membrane systems 252 for disposal by land application. The results showed a dramatic reduction of TSS in the hydrocyclone stage of 54.8%. A reduction of 16.1% of COD in the hydrocyclone stage and a microbial reduction of 18-24 times before entering the filtration process. These results were achieved by recirculating water to the tank 244 times 3.8 times over a period of 22.5 hours. Without treatment, the microbes were increased 4 times (from 14 million to 54 million standard plate beads) preventing significant membrane flow. Microbial by-products embedded the membranes in 8-12 hours. With the pretreatment without chemicals, these runs were extended up to 20 hours. Example III Treatment with Chemicals in Cheese Processing In Example III, which is illustrated in Figure 14, it shows an example of wastewater treatment in cheese processing with chemical additives. The objective was to remove the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Chemical Oxygen Demand Compounds (COD) in processing of an approximate amount of 4,542,000 liters (1,200,000 gallons) of fluid per day. The waste water from source 240 was pumped into a collector and then pumped into the volume control or compensation tank of 1,324,750 liters (350,000 gallons) 244. The effluent was then pumped into three 246 parallel hydrocyclone systems with internal diameters of 15.24 cm (6 inches) and lengths of 68.58 cm (27 inches). Each hydrocyclone system was capable of processing 1,211.20 liters (320 gallons) per minute. Each hydrocyclone system had a porous stainless steel tube with a pore size of 40 μm. The gas plenum pressure was in the range of .211 to .352 kg / cm2 (3 to 5 psi), air ratio: water was maintained at 4: 1 and the water temperature averaged 53.33 ° C (128 °). F). Before treatment by the hydrocyclone systems, the pH of the effluent was adjusted by the addition of sulfuric acid to obtain a pH of 6.2. Hydrocyclone polymers of high molecular weight polyacrylamide at 10-20 ppm [Cytec 234GD] were also added before treatment by the hydrocyclone. The effluent was supplied through the hydrocyclone 246 systems and to the separation tanks as illustrated in Figure 2, which remove fine foam by skimmer 138. The water was then pumped to a second volume control tank of 1,324,750 liters (350,000 gallons) 247. The effluent was then pumped and filtered through a 248 nylon fiber screen manufactured by Laikos. The pH of the effluent was adjusted by the addition of NaOH at pH 10.

The effluent was then heated and pumped to oscillating filtration ultrafiltration membranes for further filtration and finally pumped to oscillating reverse osmosis membrane systems 252. The results show a reduction of 96 to 98% TSS and a 28% reduction in COD of Large molecular weight before entry into the filtration stages. This resulted in a greater increase in overall system efficiency by increasing the operating time before system cleaning 8-16 hours (without treatment) to 16-36 hours with treatment. EXAMPLE IV Treatment Without Chemicals Poultry treatment effluent Example IV, illustrated in Figure 15, demonstrates an example of treatment without chemicals from effluent from a bird cooler 302,800 liters (80,000 gallons). The objective was the removal of seals / fats / oils [FOG] to increase flow costs and increase the operating time before the filter failed. The effluent was recirculated through a cooling tower 256 to cool the effluent to less than 4.44 ° C (40 ° F) and then pumped to a series of two 258 hydrocyclones in series each with a 10.4-inch (10.4-inch) long porous high-density polyethylene tube and an internal diameter of 5.08 cm (2 inches). The hydrocyclone systems 258 each have a type of positive displacement blower. The flow rate of the water was in the range of 18.93 to 45.42 liters / minute (5 to 12 GPM). The water was maintained at approximately a temperature of 8.89 ° C (48 ° F) with a ratio of air: water in the range of 4: 1 to 11: 1. After the effluent was passed through the hydrocyclones, the effluent was supplied in the attached separation tanks to remove the fine surface foam. The effluent was then pumped to another hydrocyclone system 260 of the same type previously described and the same process was repeated.

The effluent is then pumped to a compensation tank 262 where the effluent is heated to approximately 48.89 ° C (120 ° F). The effluent is then ^ Pumps to an ultrafiltration system with 5 polysulfone membranes manufactured by Koch with pore sizes of 0.02 μm. The effluent was also pumped to a compensation tank 266 and then pumped to a reverse osmosis system 268 and the effluent was disinfected 270 and then recirculated to the bird cooler 254. 10 The results show that the treatment by ^^ The two sets of hydrocyclone systems 258 and 260 showed a TSS decrease of 54% [433 ppm to 199 ppm], a decrease in CODs of 76% [5525 ppm to 1326 ppm] and a decrease of approximately 85% of FOG . The performance of filters downstream improved and the microfilters showed a capacity to process 189.25 to 227.10 liters (50-60 gallons) of effluent in a range of 32 to 50 minutes up to a range of 90 to 120 minutes. The total flow expense of the ultra filter showed an improvement of 40%. Example V Treatment with Chemicals Effluent of Birds Example V, shown in Figure 16 is similar to Example 4, but uses the addition of cationic and anionic polyacrylamide polymers in the pre-filtration steps. The effluent from a 302,800 liter (80,000 gallon) 254 bird cooler is circulated through a cooling tower 256 to cool the effluent to 4.44 ° C 5 (40 ° F). The effluent was pumped to the first hydrocyclone 258 of the type described in Example IV. However, before the effluent enters the hydrocyclone system 258, a cationic polyacrylamide polymer with medium charge density and high molecular weight was added to the effluent source at a concentration of 20 ppm. When the air bubbling operation was used, the ratio of air: water was in the range of 7: 1 to 4: 1 with an optimum of 4: 1. However, superior running results were obtained without air bubbling (the head of the hydrocyclone open to the atmosphere) induced the air mode and a partial vacuum mode (hydrocyclone head closed to atmosphere and without air bubbling). After passing through the separation tanks 30 for removal of the fine surface foam fß as previously described, the effluent was pumped to a second hydrocyclone 260 identical to the first. However, before entering the second hydrocyclone system, a high molecular weight anionic polyacrylamide polymer was added.

[A-130 HMW Cytec Industries at 5 ppm]. After passing through the hydrocyclone 260 system assembly system, the effluent passed through the attached separation tanks 30 for foam removal. The effluent was then pumped to a compensation tank 262 from where the effluent was then pumped to an ultrafiltration system with polysulfone membranes manufactured by Koch with a pore size of 0.02 μm. The effluent was further pumped to a compensation tank and then further pumped to a reverse osmosis system 268 and finally to a disinfection stage 270 and then recirculated to the bird cooler 254. The results demonstrate an 87% removal of COD [ 4238 ppm reduced to 572 ppm] and a 97% removal of TSS [1033 ppm reduced to 33 ppm] for two sets of hydrocyclone system 258 and 260 before the effluent enters the ultrafiltration stage at 264. The flow rate it was significantly increased in the ultrafiltration step compared to the same step in Example IV. However, the flow fell to where it would have been if there was no treatment with hydrocyclone system in 25 minutes due to residual polymers. This example illustrates the importance of choosing the correct membrane-polymer combination. If the surface chemical treatment properties of the filtration medium are incompatible with the polymers (anionic surfaces such as regenerated cellulose), sulfonated polysulfone or polysulfone) then even very small amounts of polymers will eventually accumulate in the filtration medium degrading their properties. This also demonstrates the disproportional advantage of the non-chemical hydrocyclone, which significantly improves the performance of the filtration media.

Claims (24)

1. A method for conditioning fluid streams, characterized in that it comprises the following step: providing a fluid stream; providing at least one conditioning chamber in communication with the fluid stream; passing the fluid stream through the conditioning chamber to condition the fluid flow; and passing the fluid stream through a filtration system, where the filter particles of the filtration system are less than 2 mm in diameter.

2. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one conditioning chamber includes a hydrocyclone system.

3. The method. according to claim 2, characterized in that the fluid stream passing through the hydrocyclone system is generally configured to pass the liquid in a generally helical form.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fluid flow passes through the conditioning chamber and into a separation tank.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fluid stream is mixed with air by venting a vortex of fluid formed within the hydrocyclone system to a gas source and using the vortex to induce the gas in the fluid stream. ?

6. The method of compliance with the 5 claim 2, characterized in that the fluid stream is bubbled with gas while the fluid stream is in the hydrocyclone system.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the agents that The modified surface chemistry is added to the fluid stream before the fluid flow is passed through the conditioning chamber.

8. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the system 15 hydrocyclone closes to the atmosphere creating a partial vacuum inside the hydrocyclone.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that these agents They include chelating agents, detergents, surfactants, coagulants, gases, polymers, salts, acids and flocculants.

10. A method for treating liquid from a liquid source and separating particulate matter from liquid, comprising the following steps: providing a source of liquid; pump the liquid source when Less in a hydrocyclone system in which the liquid source is bubbled with gas; collect the liquid source and remove flocculated particles from the surface; and filter the liquid source through at least one filter.

The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the liquid source is recycled upon returning the treated liquid to its original source.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the source of liquid is passed in parallel hydrocyclone systems.

The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the liquid is pumped or circulated by gravity from the hydrocyclone system to a volume control tank.

The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the liquid circulates by gravity from the hydrocyclone system to a volume control.

15. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the liquid source is passed to a second set or set of hydrocyclone systems.

16. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the source of liquid passing through the hydrocyclone system is filtered through at least one filter capable of removing particles with a diameter of less than 2 mm.

17. A method for receiving particulate matter separated from a liquid source, characterized in that 5 comprises: providing a source of liquid; moving the liquid from the liquid source to at least one conditioning chamber, the conditioning chamber comprises an inlet adapted to receive liquid and an outlet in communication with a separation tank; pass the liquid through the conditioning chamber as ^ minimum; transfer the liquid to a volume control tank; and pass the liquid through a series of filtration stages.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that 02 or acid gas is added to the liquid before passing the liquid through the conditioning chamber at least.

19. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the acid is added 20 to the liquid before passing the liquid through the conditioning chamber at least.

The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the conditioning chamber comprises a hydrocyclone system.

21. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that agents that modify the surface chemistry are added to the liquid source.

22. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the filtration steps comprise bag filters, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis.

The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the filtration steps include at least one of the following filtration steps: microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis nanofiltration; static filtration, cross-flow membrane filtration; disk filtration; bag filtration; sand filtration and fine sieve filtration.

24. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that in the filtration stages are any filters capable of removing particles with less than 2 mm in diameter.