Patent ID: 6607670
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: C02F

Abstract:
A method of rapid removal of colloidal suspensions formed in reactor water during high energy waterjet cutting with particulate material which produces colloidal particles in the reactor water from fractured cutting particulate material and cut metal fines from the reactor comprising the steps of:feeding the reactor water to a multi step process at a flow rate in the range of 1,000 gallons per minute; adding a chemical coagulant to the reactor water to coagulate said colloidal particles; adding a smectite clay material to the reactor water for providing alkalinity and added coagulation of said colloidal particles; adding a flocculant material to the reactor water to provide charge neutralization and flocculation of said colloidal particles; and filtering the reactor water through a stainless steel mesh filter of approximately 20-25 micron mesh size to remove the flocculated colloidal particles.