Patent ID: 6042721
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: B01D,C02F

Abstract:
An effluent treatment apparatus for treating a volume of effluent contained within a holding vessel, the treatment including the forced contacting of the effluent with surface areas of a volume of a molecular filtering material, the effluent treatment apparatus comprising:(a) a plurality of treatment tank units, each having an input port to enable the effluent to enter the tank unit and contact the molecular filtering material that is contained and enclosed therein, and an output port to enable the effluent to exit the tank unit after contacting the molecular filtering material, each tank unit further configured with a movable portion having an open position enabling the molecular filtering material to be placed within or removed from the respective tank unit, and a closed position for conducting treatment of the effluent;(b) a pump unit employable to draw effluent from the holding vessel and effect the delivery of the effluent to at least one of the tank units, and further employable to forcibly drain at least one tank unit to enable servicing of each forcibly drained tank unit;(c) a pre-filter positioned in-line with and before the pump unit so as to filter and remove from the effluent any larger debris material contained therein as the effluent is drawn from the holding vessel and delivered to the treatment tank units via the pump unit;(d) a control module;(e) a manifold and valve assembly structured with a plurality of electronic valves for controlling 3-way fluidic couplings, the manifold and valve assembly responsive to the control module and configurable to enable the delivery of effluent to at least one selected tank unit for a pre-determined temporal interval, even while a second tank unit is open, and is further configurable to enable at least one tank unit to be forcibly drained via the pump unit to remove effluent present therein to facilitate servicing, even while a second tank unit is open;(f) conduit means to fluidically couple the holding vessel, the pre-filter, the pump unit, the manifold and valve assembly, and the tank units;(g) the conduit means and manifold and valve assembly capable of forming closed-loops wherein effluent is drawn from the holding vessel, pre-filtered, delivered to at least one tank unit for treatment via the pump unit, and returned to the holding vessel, repeatedly, for the pre-determined temporal interval, and is further capable of forming closed-loops wherein effluent is forcibly drained from at least one tank unit via the pump unit and returned to the holding vessel; and(h) a pressure regulation and bypass arrangement coupled via the conduit means in a shunting configuration so as to shunt the manifold and valve assembly, and the tanks units, to enable effluent treatment to be effected at or below a pre-selected pressure level, even if the flow of effluent though the tank units is significantly restricted;(i) the treatment apparatus thereby supporting a treatment process including the forced flowing of effluent through at least one tank unit for a sufficient temporal interval, at or below the pre-selected pressure level, to enable the contaminates present in the effluent to be reduced, at least in part, to acceptable levels to possibly enable the treated effluent and associated volumes of molecular filtering material to be discarded in a manner consistent with that of non-toxic waste.