Patent ID: 11905187
Assignee: AQUA-AEROBIC SYSTEMS, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method for removing contaminants from water comprising the steps of:
1) providing a pressurized sorption reactor which is in fluid communication with an influent line accepting an influent flow of water to be treated and a sub-micron powdered activated carbon (SPAC) feed line in fluid communication with the influent line;
2) adding 0.5 to 2.0 grams of carbon/liter (i.e. 500 to 2,000 mg of carbon/liter) of sub-micron powdered activated carbon (SPAC) to an influent flow of water to be treated in the influent line;
3) combining the SPAC with the water to be treated, equating to 500 to 2,000 mg of carbon/liter of a volume of the pressurized sorption reactor;
4) introducing a SPAC and water mixture into the pressurized sorption reactor for treatment, the pressurized sorption reactor having at least one horizontal baffle;
5) permitting the mixture to remain in the pressurized sorption reactor for a maximum 30 to 60 minute retention time for the SPAC to adsorb contaminants in the water; and
6) a slurry effluent line in communication with a discharge of the sorption reactor and a recycle pump in the slurry effluent line;
7) transferring the mixture from the pressurized sorption reactor using the slurry effluent line and recycle pump to a ceramic membrane filter unit operating in cross-flow filtration wherein the treated water is discharged as permeate and the SPAC is returned to the pressurized sorption reactor as retentate;
8) a permeate line in fluid communication with the ceramic membrane filter for removing the treated water as permeate;
9) a permeate tank;
10) a retentate line in fluid communication with the ceramic membrane filter and the sorption reactor to return the SPAC to the influent line;
11) a concentrate line for removing SPAC;
12) periodically backwashing the ceramic membrane filter using a backwash line in fluid communication with a backwash pump, a backwash valve, a backwash tank, the permeate tank and the permeate line;
13) removing the SPAC and adsorbed contaminant concentrate from the ceramic membrane filter via the concentrate line upon the SPAC losing its capacity of adsorbing contaminants; and
14) adding new SPAC to the influent flow of water to continue contaminant removal.