Patent ID: 7048854
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: C02F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for removing high concentrations of heavy metals from acidic wastewater comprising: (a) a chemical storage tank containing a 50% solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH); (b) a first conditioning tank connected to said chemical storage tank to receive said sodium hydroxide and then mix said sodium hydroxide with said acidic wastewater to increase a pH level of said acidic wastewater to a range of approximately 2–4 resulting in a minimal formation of metal hydroxyl compounds within said acidic wastewater; (c) a first serpentine pipe connected to said first conditioning tank to receive said acidic wastewater, said first serpentine tank adding a cationic polymer to said acidic wastewater resulting in a formation of flocculate organic matters within said acidic wastewater; (d) a floatation tank connected to said first serpentine pipe to receive said acidic wastewater, said floatation tank including an air-sparged hydrocyclone flotation device, said air-sparged hydrocyclone (ASH) flotation device providing air bubbles into said acidic wastewater separating said metal hydroxyl compounds and said formation of flocculate organic matters from said acidic wastewater to form sludge within an upper portion of said flotation tank, wherein said sludge is removed by a skimmer from said flotation tank; (e) a second conditioning tank connected to said flotation tank to receive said acidic wastewater having said sludge removed therefrom, said second conditioning tank being connected to said chemical storage tank to receive said sodium hydroxide and then mix said sodium hydroxide with said acidic wastewater to increase said ph level of said acidic wastewater to a range of approximately 5.5–6.5 resulting in a significant formation of copper hydroxyl compound flocs and a minimal formation of nickel and zinc hydroxyl compound flocs; (f) a second serpentine pipe connected to said second conditioning tank to receive said acidic wastewater, said second serpentine tank adding said cationic polymer to said acidic wastewater resulting in a first formation of flocculate hydroxyl matters within said acidic wastewater; (g) a first settler connected to said second serpentine pipe to receive said acidic wastewater, said first settler separating and removing said first formation of flocculate hydroxyl matters, said significant formation of copper hydroxyl compound flocs and said minimal formation of nickel and zinc hydroxyl compound flocs from said acidic WASTEWATER; (h) a third conditioning tank connected to said first settler to receive said acidic wastewater having said first formation of flocculate hydroxyl matters, said significant formation of copper hydroxyl compound flocs and said minimal formation of nickel hydroxyl compound flocs removed therefrom, said third conditioning tank being connected to said chemical storage tank to receive said sodium hydroxide and then mix said sodium hydroxide with said acidic wastewater to increase said pH level of said acidic wastewater to approximately 7.5–9 resulting in a significant formation of residual heavy metal flocs within said acidic wastewater; (i) a third serpentine pipe connected to said third conditioning tank to receive said acidic wastewater, said third serpentine pipe adding said cationic polymer to said acidic wastewater and an anionic polymer to said acidic wastewater resulting in a second formation of flocculate hydroxyl matters within said acidic wastewater; and (j) a second settler connected to said third serpentine pipe to receive said acidic wasterwater, said second settler separating and removing said second formation of flocculate organic matters and said significant formation of residual heavy metal flocs from said acidic wastewater resulting in substantially clean water exiting said second settler.