# (12) United States Patent Duesel, Jr. et al. US008585869B1



# US 8,585,869 B1 Nov. 19, 2013 (10) Patent N0.: 

## (45) Date of Patent:

(54)

(71)

(72)

(73)

(*)

(21)
(22)

(51)

(52)

(58) MULTI-STAGE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM


### Applicant: Heartland Technology Partners LLC, St Louis, MO (US)

Inventors: Bernard F. Duesel, Jr., Goshen, NY 

### (US); Craig Clerkin, Stoughton, WI 

## (Us)
Assignee: Heartland Technology Partners LLC, St Louis, MO (US)

Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis patent is extended or adjusted under 35 

### U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

Appl. No.: 13/762,004

Filed: Feb. 7, 2013

Int. Cl. 

### B01D 3/00 (2006.01) B01D 1/14 (2006.01) 

### C02F 1/04 (2006.01) C02F 1/16 (2006.01) C02F 9/00 (2006.01)
U.s. c1. USPC

........... .. 203/12; 202/233; 202/235; 202/162; 

### 203/79; 159/16.1;159/29; 159/38; 159/473; 210/805; 210/167.32; 210/180; 210/194; 261/151; 261/77; 261/120; 261/121.1 Field of Classi?cation Search USPC

........... 159/16.1, 16.2, 29, 32, 38, 47.1, 47.3; 

### 202/163, 167, 233, 235; 203/10, 12, 203/79; 210/774, 805, 167.01, 167.32, 180, 210/194; 261/138, 140.1, 151, 159, 77, 

### 261/120, 121.1; 95/160, 161, 165; 96/234, 96/242 

### See application ?le for complete searchhistory. (56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,372,846 A 4/1945 Frederick et a1. 2,387,818 A 10/1945 Wethly 2,468,455 A 4/1949 MetZiger 2,560,226 A 7/1951 Joos et 31. 2,619,421 A 11/1952 Green?eld 2,651,647 A 9/1953 Green?eld 2,658,349 A 11/1953 Keller 

## (Continued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

CL 757-2004 5/2007 DE 556 455 C 8/1932 

## (Continued) OTHER PUBLICATIONS

“Gas AtomiZedVenturi Scrubbers,” Bionomic Industries, copyright 

### 2008, printed from wwwbionomicindcom <http://WWW. bionomicind.com> on May 25, 2011. 

## (Continued)
Primary Examiner * Nina Bhat Assistant Examiner * Jonathan Miller (74) Attorney,Agent, orFirm * Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP 

### (57) ABSTRACT Methods, systems, and/orapparatuses fortreatingWasteWater produced at a thermoelectric poWer plant, other industrial plants, and/or other industrial sources are disclosed. The WasteWater is directed through a WasteWater concentrator including a direct contact adiabatic concentration system. A stream ofhot feed gases is directed through the WasteWater concentrator. TheWasteWater concentratormixes thehot feed 

### gases directlyWiththeWasteWaterandevaporatesWatervapor from the WasteWater. The WasteWater concentrator separates the Water vapor from remaining concentrated WasteWater. A 

### contained air-Water interface liquid evaporator may be arranged to pre-process the WasteWater before being treated by the WasteWater concentrator. 

### 19 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets

Exhaust Vapor 14 6O



### Evaporation Zone

Solids to Disosal

## US 8,585,869 B1 Page2

(56) References Cited 4,198,198 A 4/1980 StraitZ,III 4,227,897 A 10/1980 Reed U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,230,536 A 10/1980 Sech 4,257,746 A 3/1981 wells 2,658,735 A 11/1953 Ybarrondo 4,259,185 A 3/1981 Mixon 2,721,065 A 10/1955 Ingram 4,264,826 A * 4/1981 Ullmann

......................... .. 290/2 2790 506 A 4/1957 Vactor 4,270,974 A 6/1981 Green?eldet a1. 2,867,972 A 1/1959 Hokderreedet 31, 4,276,115 A 6/1981 Green?eldet a1. 238793838 A 3/1959 plynt et a1‘ 4,285,578 A 8/1981 Yamashitaetal. 2,890,166 A 6/1959 Heinze 4,300,924 A 11/1981 C9y1e 2,911,421 A 11/1959 Green?eld 4,306,858 A 12/1981 $101911 2,911,423 A 11/1959 Green?eld 4,336,101 A 6/1982 Green?eldetal. 2,979,408 A 4/1961 Green?eld 4,346,660 A 8/1982 M96111 2,981,250 A 4/1961 Steward RE31,185 E 3/1983 Green?eldetal. 3,060,921 A 10/1962 Luring et a1. 4,430,046 A 2/1984 C1rr_1t9 3,076,715 A 2/1963 Green?eld 4,432,914 A 2/1984 schlfftner 3,203,875 A 8/1965 Sturtevant 4,440,098 A 4/1984 Adams 3,211,538 A 10/1965 Gross etal. 4445464 A 5/1984 Gerstmann etal 3,212,235 A 10/1965 Markant 4,445,842 A 5/1984 Syska 3,251,398 A 5/1966 Green?eld 4,450,901 A 5/1984 Janssen 3,268,443 A g/1966 Cann 4,485,746 A 12/1984 Erlandsson 3,284,064 A 11/1966 Kolm et a1. 4,496,314 A 1/1985 Clarke 3,299,651 A 1/1967 McGrath 4,518,458 A 5/1985 Green?eldetal. 3,304,991 A 2/1967 Green?eld 4,538,982 A 9/1985 McGillet 31. 3,306,039 A 2/1967 Peterson 4583936 A 4/1986 Krleger 3,323,575 A 6/1967 Green?eld 4,608,120 A 8/1986 Green?eldet a1. 3405 918 A 10/1968 calaeeto etal, 4,613,409 A * 9/1986 Volland

......................... .. 203/10 33432399 A 3/1969 Schutt 4,648,973 A 3/1987 Hultholmetal. 3,539,549 A 11/1970 Green?eld 4,652,233 A 3/1987 Hamazakl er 91 3,578,892 A 5/1971 Wilkinson 4,658,736 A 4/1987 Walter 3,601,374 A g/1971 Wheeler 4,683,062 A 7/1987 Krovaket a1. 3,638,924 A 2/1972 Calaceto et a1. 4,689,156 A 8/1987 Zlbnda 3,704,570 A 12/1972 Gardenier 4,693,304 A * 9/1987 Volland

......................... .. 165/88 3,713,786 A 1/1973 Umstead 4,771,708 A 9/1988 Douglass, Jr. 3,716,458 A 2/1973 Green?eld et a1. 4,863,644 A 9/1989 Harrlngwn etal 3,730,673 A 5/1973 Straitz, 111 4,882,009 A * 11/1989 Santolenetal.

............. .. 159/42 3743 483 A 7/1973 Shah 4,890,672 A M990 Hall 3,754,869 A g/1973 Van Raden 4,909,730 A 3/1990 Roussakis etal. {756380 A 9/1973 Dunn 4,913,065 A 4/1990 Hemsath 337563893 A 9/1973 Smith 4,938,899 A 7/1990 Orosetal. 3,762,893 A 10/1973 Larsen ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,, 48/127,1 4,952,137 A 8/1990 Schwartz et a1 3,782,300 A 1/1974 White et a1. 4,961,703 A 10/1990 Morgan 3,789,902 A 2/1974 Shahetal‘ 5,009,511 A 4/1991 Sarko etal. 3,826,096 A 7/1974 Hrusch 5,028,298 A 7/1991 Babaet a1. 3,838,974 A 10/1974 Hemsath et a1. 5,030,428 A 7/1991 Dorr er 91 3,838,975 A 10/1974 Tabak 5,032,230 A 7/1991 Shepherd 3,840,002 A 10/1974 Douglas etal. 5,068,092 A 11/1991 Aschauer 3,855,079 A 12/1974 Green?eldetal‘ 5,076,895 A 12/1991 Green?eldet a1. 3,870,585 A 3/1975 Kearns et a1. 5,132,090 A 7/1992 vqn?nd 3876 490 A 4/1975 Tsuruta 5,154,898 A 10/1992 Ajlnkyaetal. 3,880,756 A 4/1975 Rainerietal, 5,176,798 A * 1/1993 Rodden

....................... .. 202/159 3898134 A 8/l975 Green?eldetal, 5,183,563 A * 2/1993 Rodden

....................... .. 210/180 3’901’643 A @975 Reed 5,227,017 A 7/1993 Tanakaet a1. 

### 3,915,620 A 10/1975 Reed 5,238,580 A 8/1993 Singhvi 3,917,508 A 11/1975 Green?eld et a1. 5,279,356 A V1994 Bl'llhIl 3925148 A 12/1975 Erwin 5,279,646 A 1/1994 Schwab 3’944’215 A 3/1976 Beck 5,336,284 A 8/1994 sohif?ner 3,945,331 A 3/1976 Drake etal. 5342482 A 8/1994 DueseLJr. 3,947,215 A 3/1976 Peterson et a1. 133501838 5 9/1994 Johnson 3,947,327 A 3/1976 Green?eld et al. 5347958 A 9/1994 Gordonilr 3,950,230 A 4/1976 Green?eld et a1. 5423979 A 6/1995 Allen 3,994,671 A 11/1976 Straitz, 111 5,460,511 A 10/1995 Grahn 4,001,077 A 1/1977 Kemper 5,484,471 A 1/1996 Schwab 4,007,094 A 2/1977 Green?eld et a1. 5,512,085 A 4/1996 Schwab 4,012,191 A 3/1977 Lisankie etal. 5,527,984 A 6/1996 Stu1tzeta1. 

### 4,013,516 A 3/1977 Green?eldetal. 5,585,005 A 12/1996 smlth eta1~__ 4026 682 A 5/1977 Pausch 5,630,913 A 5/1997 Tajer-Ardeblll 4,036,576 A 7/1977 Mccracken 5,632,864 A * 5/1997 Enneper

...................... .. 202/197 40703423 A 1/1978 Pierce 5,636,623 A 6/1997 Panz et a1. 4,079,585 A 3/197g Helleur 5,648,048 A 7/1997 Kuroda et a1. 4,080,883 A 3/1978 Zinket 31, 5,656,155 A 8/1997 Norcross et 31. 4,092,908 A 6/1978 Straitz, 111 5,662,802 A 9/1997 Heins et a1. 4,118,173 A 10/1978 Shakiba 5,695,614 A 12/1997 Hording etal. 4,119,538 A 10/1978 Yamauchietal. 5,695,643 A * 12/1997 Brandt etal.

............... .. 210/652 4,140,471 A 2/1979 Straitz, 111 5,735,680 A 4/1998 Henkelmann 4,154,570 A 5/1979 Schwartz 5,749,719 A 5/1998 Rajewski 4,157,239 A 6/1979 Reed 5,759,233 A 6/1998 Schwab 4,181,173 A 1/1980 Pringle 5,810,578 A 9/1998 Hystadet a1. 4,185,685 A 1/1980 Giberson 5,865,618 A 2/1999 Hieben

## US 8,585,869 B1 Page 3

(56) References Cited 2004/0045682 A1 3/2004 Liprie 2004/0079491 A1 4/2004 Harris et al. US PATENT DOCUMENTS 2005/0022989 A1 2/2005 Heins 2005/0074712 A1 4/2005 Brookshire et al. 5,879,563 A 3/1999 Garbutt 2005/0230238 A1* 10/2005 Klausneret a1.

.............. .. 203/10 5,925,223 A * 7/1999 Simpson 6131.

.............. .. 203/11 2005/0242036 A1 11/2005 Hams 5,934,207 A 8/1999 Echols e131, 2005/0279500 A1 12/2005 Heins 5,951,743 A 9/1999 Hsieh etal‘ 2006/0000355 A1 1/2006 Oguraet a1. 5,958,110 A 9/1999 Harris et a1‘ 2006/0032630 A1 2/2006 Heins 5,968,320 A 10/1999 Spmgue 2007/0051513 A1 3/2007 Heins 5,968,352 A 10/1999 Ditzler 2007/0114683 A1* 5/2007 Duesel et al.

............ .. 261/121.1 6,007,055 A 12/1999 schifftner 2007/0175189 A1 8/2007 Gomiciaga-Peredaet al. 6,119,458 A 90000 Harris et a1‘ 2007/0251650 A1 11/2007 Dueseletal. 6,149,137 A 11/2000 Johnsonetal. Zoos/0110417 A1 5/2008 Sm“? 6,250,916 B1 6/2001 Philippe et a1‘ 2008/0115361 A1 5/2008 Sant1n1etal. 6,276,872 B1 g/ZOOI Schmitt 2008/0173176 A1* 7/2008 Duesel et al.

................. .. 95/226 6,293,277 B1 9/2001 Pm et a1‘ 2008/0173590 A1* 7/2008 Dueseletal. 210/767 6,332,949 B1 l2/2001 Beckhaus et a1‘ 2008/0174033 A1* 7/2008 Duesel et al.

............ .. 261/121.1 6,345,495 B1 2/2002 Cummings 2008/0213137 A1 9/2008 Frisch et al. 6,383,260 B1 5/2002 Schwab 2008/0265446 A1* 10/2008 Dueseletal.

............... .. 261/136 6,391,100 B1 5/2002 Hogan 2008/0272506 A1* 11/2008 Duesel et al.

............... .. 261/136 6,391,149 B1 5/2002 calfee et a1‘ 2008/0277262 A1 11/2008 Harris 6,402,816 B1 6/2002 Trivettetal. 2009/0078416 A1 3/2009 Heins 6,435,860 B1 8/2002 Brookshire etal. 2009/0127091 A1 5/2009 Helns

_ 6,468,389 B1 10/2002 Harris et a1‘ 2009/0294074 A1 12/2009 Forstmanls 6,485,548 B1 11/2002 Hogan 2010/0095763 A1 4/2010 Harris 6,500,216 B1 12/2002 Takayasu 2010/0126931 A1 5/2010 Capeauetal. 6,616,733 B1 9/2003 pellegrin 2010/0139871 A1 6/2010 Rasmussen etal. 6,632,083 B1 10/2003 Bussman et a1‘ 2010/0176042 A1 7/2010 Duesel, Jr. et al. 6,719,829 B1 4/2004 Schwab 2010/0224364 A1 9/2010 Heins 6,733,636 B1 5/2004 Heins 2010/0236724 A1 9/2010 Duesel, Jr. et al. 6,742,337 B1 6/2004 Hays et a1‘ 2011/0147195 A1* 6/2011 Shapiro et al.

................ .. 203/10 6,752,920 B2 6/2004 Harris et a1‘ 2011/0168646 A1* 7/2011 Tafoya

........................ .. 210/774 6,913,671 B2* 7/2005 Bolton @131.

.............. .. 159/16.2 2011/0180470 A1 7/2011 Hams 6,919,000 B2* 7/2005 Klausneretal.

.............. .. 203/10 loll/0240540 A1 10/2011 Hams 6,926,757 B2 8/2005 Kalliokoskietal. 2012/0211441 A1 8/2012 Hams 6,936,140 B2 8/2005 Paxton et a1. 7,037,434 B2 5/2006 Myers et a1. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 7,069,991 B2 7/2006 Gudmestad et al. 7,073,337 B2 7/2006 Mangin DE 1 173 429 B 7/1964 7,074,339 B1 7/2006 Mims EP 0047 044 A1 3/1982 7,077,201 B2 7/2006 Heins FR 2441317 A1 6/19g0 7,111,673 B2 9/2006 Hugill GB 333570 A 11/1932 7,142,298 B2 11/2006 Nuspliger GB 463770 A 4/1937 7,144,555 B1 12/2006 Squires etal. JP 60257301 A * 12/19g5 7,150,320 B2 12/2006 Heins JP 62121687 A * 6/19g7 7,156,985 B1 V2007 Frisch JP 2003/021471 A 1/2003 7,166,188 B2 1/2007 Kedem etal. W0 WO_96/10544 A2 4/1996 7,225,620 B2* 6/2007 Klausner etal.

........... .. 60/641.1 W0 WO_2004/022487 A2 3/2004 7,288,186 B2 10/2007 Harris WO W0-2005/110608 A1 11/2005 7,332,010 B2 2/2008 Steiner WO W0-2008/112793 A1 9/2008 7,402,247 B2 7/2008 Sutton WO WO-2009/071763 A1 6/2009 7,416,172 B2* 8/2008 Dueseletal.

................. .. 261/77 W0 w()_2()1()/092265 A1 g/2010 7,416,177 B2 8/2008 Suzuki etal. WO W0-2011/042693 A2 4/2011 7,424,999 B2 9/2008 Xu etal, W0 W0-2011/050317 A2 4/2011 7,428,926 B2 9/2008 Heins 7,438,129 B2 10/2008 Heins OTHER PUBLICATIONS 7,442,035 B2 10/2008 Duesel, Jr. et al. 7,459,135 B2 12/2008 pifftefse et 61 “Waste Heat Recovery Systems,” Bionomic Industries, copyright 

### i?flillilcitgtl'al‘ 2008, printed from WWW.bionomicind.com <http://WWW.
Bl ll/2009 Prick b1OI1OII11C1I1C1.COII1> On May 25, 2011. 7,661,662 B2 2/2010 Forstmanis Alabovskij eta1., “Evaporation Des EauX De Lavage De Chaudieres 7,681,643 B2 3/2010 Heins Dans Des Appareils A Combustion Immergee,” Promyshl. Energet, 7,717,174 B2 5/2010 Heins 438-39 (1975), 7,758,819 B2 7/2010 Nagelhout Bachand et al., “Denitri?cation in Constructed Free-Water Surface 7,832,714 B2 * 11/2010 Duesel et a1‘ """"""""" " 261/77 Wetlands: 11. Effects of Vegetation and Temperature,” Ecological 7,955,419 B2 6/2011 Casella Engineering, 141762 (2000)‘ 8,066,845 B2 11/2011 Duesel, Jr. et al. B “

. . . . . . 8,114,287 B2 20012 Harris arrett et al., The Industrlal Potentlal and Econom1c V1al31l1ty of 8,136,797 B2 4 W012 Duesel e131‘ “““““““““““H 261/77 spouted 139d Processes, Chemecfl 85, paper 1349, The Thlrteenth 2001/0013666 A1 8/2001 NomuIa et a1‘ Australaslan Conference on Chem1cal Eng1neer1ng, Perth, Australla, 2002/0069838 A1 6/2002 Rautenbach e131. PP~401'405(1985)~ 2003/010477g A1 6/2003 Liu Bennett et al., “Design ofa SoftWareApplication forthe Simulation 2003/0127226 A1 7/2003 Heins and Control of Continuous and Batch CrystalliZer Circuits,” 2004/0000515 A1 1/2004 Harris et a1, Advances in Engineering Software, 33:365-374 (2002). 2004/0031424 A1 2/2004 Pope Berg, “The Development of the Controlled Buoyancy System for 2004/0040671 A1 3/2004 Duesel et al. Installation of Submerged Pipelines,” JournalAWWA, Water Tech 2004/0045681 A1 3/2004 Bolton et al. nology/Qualily, pp. 214-218 (1977).

## US 8,585,869 B1 Page 4

(56) References Cited

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Brandt et al., “Treatment Process for Waste Water Disposal of the “Morcinek” MineUsing CoalbedMethane,” Conference on Coalbed Methane Utilization, Oct. 5-7, 1994. Cherednichenko et al., “Disposal of Saline Wastes From Petroleum Re?neries, All-Union Scienti?c-Research and Planning-Design Institute of the Petroleum Re?ning and Petrochemical Industry,” 

### Khimiya I Tekhnologiya ToplivIMasel, 9:37-39 (1974). Translated. Cla?in et al., “The Use of Spouted Beds for the Heat Treatment of Grains,” Chemeca 81, The 9thAustralasian Conference on Chemical 

### Engineering, Christchurch, New Zealand, 4:65-72 (1981). Cla?in, “Intraparticle Conduction Effects on the Temperature Pro ?les in Spouted Beds,” Chemeca 85, paper D9b, The Thirteenth Australasian Conference on Chemical Engineering, Perth, Australia, pp. 471-475 (1985). Cross et al., “Leachate EvaporationbyUsing Land?ll Gas,” Proceed ings Sardinia 97, Sixth Land?ll Symposium, S. Margherita di Pula, 

### Cagliari, Italy, pp. 413-422 (1997). Dunn, “Incineration’s Role inUltimate Disposal ofProcessWastes,” ChemicalEngineering, Deskbooklssue, pp. 141-150 (1975). Durkee et al., “FieldTests ofSalt Recovery System for Spent Pickle 

### Brine,” Journal ofFoodService, 38:507-511 (1973). EnglishtranslationofChinese First Of?ceAction forApplicationNo. 2010800120677, dated Oct. 12,2012. English translation of Chinese Search Report for Application No. 2010800120677, dated Sep. 12, 2012. English-language translation ofHage, H., “The MeMon Experiment: 

### A Step towards Large-Scale Processing of Manure,” Applied Sci
ence, 4 (1988). EtZensperger et al., “Phenol Degradation in a Three-Phase Bio?lm FluidiZed Sand Bed Reactor,” Bioprocess Engineering, 4:175-181 

### (1989). EVRASiEvaporative Reduction and Solidi?cation Systems; Bro chure forWeb. Believed to bepublically available as early as Mar. 5, 2010. Fan et al., “Some Remarks on Hydrodynamic Behavior of a Draft 

### Tube Gas-Liquid-Solid FluidiZed Bed,” AIChE Symposium Series, 

### No. 234(80):91-97 (1985). Final Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,002, dated May 26, 2010. Final Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,022, dated Jan. 24, 201 1. Final Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,024, dated Dec. 8, 2010. FoX et al., “Control Mechanisms of FlulidiZed Solids Circulation 

### Between Adjacent Vessels,” AIChE Journal, 35(12):1933-1941 

### (1989). Genck, “Guidelines for CrystalliZer Selection and Operation,” CEP, pp. 26-32 (2004). www.cepmagazineorg. German KurZ, Tauchbrenner, OI U. Gasfeuerung, 18(3): 171-180 

### (1973). Hattori eta1., “Fluid and Solids FlowAffectingthe Solids Circulation Rate in Spouted Beds with a Draft Tube,” Journal of Chemical 

### Engineering ofJapan, 37(9): 1085-1091 (2004). Hill et al., “Produced Water and Process heat Combined Provide Opportunities for Shell CO2”; EVRAS; Facilities 2000: Facilities Engineering in the Next Millennium. Hocevar et al., “The In?uence ofDraft-Tube Pressure Pulsations on The Cavitation-Vortex Dynamics in a Francis Turbine,” Journal of MechanicalEngineering, 49:484-498 (2003). International Preliminary Report on Patentability andWritten Opin ion issued for International Patent application No. PCT/US2011/ 

### 021811, datedAug. 14, 2012. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2006/015803, dated Nov. 13, 2007. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2006/028515, dated Jan. 22, 2008. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2007/001487, dated Jul. 21, 2009. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2007/001632, dated Jul. 21, 2009. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2007/001633, dated Jul. 21, 2009. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2007/001634, dated Jul. 21, 2009. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2008/056702, dated Sep. 15, 2009. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2010/043647, dated Feb. 9, 2012. International PreliminaryReportonPatentabilityforApplicationNo. PCT/US2010/043648, dated Feb. 9, 2012. International SearchReportandWritten Opinion forApplicationNo. PCT/US08/56702, dated Jun. 10, 2008. International SearchReportandWritten Opinion forApplicationNo. PCT/US10/043647, datedApr. 27, 2011. International SearchReportandWritten Opinion forApplicationNo. PCT/US10/043648, datedApr. 27, 2011. International SearchReportandWritten Opinion forApplicationNo. PCT/US2006/015803, dated Oct. 30, 2007. International SearchReportandWritten Opinion forApplicationNo. PCT/US2010/024143, dated Oct. 12, 2010. International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application PCT/US2011/021811, dated Mar. 21, 2011. International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US2006/ 028515, dated Nov. 14, 2006. International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US2012/ 021897, dated Oct. 8, 2012. Intevras Technologies, LLCiInnovative solutions for water puri? cation, remediation and process improvement; Power Point Presen tation, Oct. 2009. Jones, “Liquid Circulation in aDraft-Tube Bubble Column,” Chemi 

### calEngineering Science, 40(3):449-462 (1985). Layne Evaporative Reduction and Solidi?cation System Brochure 

### (2010). MikroPul, “Wet Scrubbers,” (2009). www.mikropul.com. Miyake et al., “Performance Characteristics of High Speed-Type Cross Flow Turbine,” 83-0047:2575-2583 (1993). Mueller et al., “Rotating Disk Looks Promising for Plant Wastes,” 

### (2007). Mussatti, Daniel, Section 6, Particulate Matter Controls. Chapter 2 Wet Scrubbers for Particulate Matter. Innovative Strategies and Eco nomics Group. Unisted States Environmental ProtectionAgency. Jul. 2002. Notice of Allowance for US. Appl. No. 11/625,159, dated Jul. 9, 2010. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,002, dated Jan. 6, 2010. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,022, dated Jun. 22, 2010. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,024, dated Jun. 18, 2010. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 11/625,024, dated Nov. 27, 2009. Of?ce Action issued for US. Appl. No. 12/705,462, dated Nov. 6, 2012. Of?ce Action issued for US. Appl. No. 12/846,257, dated Nov. 16, 2012. Padial etal., “Three-Dimensional Simulation ofaThree-Phase Draft Tube Bubble Column,” Chemical Engineering Science, 55:3261 3273 (2000). Rule 62 EPC Communication issued fromthe European PatentOf?ce forApplication No. 107418287, dated Jan. 31, 2013. Rule 62 EPC Communication issued fromthe European PatentOf?ce forApplication No. 108050261, dated Feb. 27, 2013. Rule 62 EPC Communication issued fromthe European PatentOf?ce forApplication No. 108050279, dated Feb. 5, 2013. Sathyanarayana et al., Circular C.W. Intake SystemiA Research Opinion, Seventh Technical Conference ofthe British Pump Manu facturer’s Association, paper 21, pp. 293-3 13, 1981. Schone, “Die Entolung des Abdampfes und der Kondensate von 

### Kolbendampfmaschinen,”Braunkohle, 31:82-92 (1932). Screen shots fromvideo on LFGwebsite taken Jan. 18, 2011 (http:// 

### www.shawgrp.com/markets/envservices/envsolidwaste/swlfg). Shaw LFG Specialties, LCC “Waste Heat Leachate Evaporator Sys tem” (2011). Shaw LFG Specialties, LLC, 2006 Product Catalog.

## US 8,585,869 B1 Page 5

(56) References Cited

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

ShimiZu et al., “Filtration Characteristics of Hollow Fiber Micro?ltration Membranes Used in Membrane Bioreactor for Domestic WasteWater Treatment,” Wat. Res., 30(10):2385-2392 

### (1996). Smith, “Sludge-U-Like,Asthe Banon SeaDisposal ofSewageWaste Looms, Technologies That Can Deliver Cleaner, Thicker and More 

### Farmer-Friendly Sludges are Gaining Popularity,” Water Bulletin, 708 (1996). St. Onge et al., “Start-Up, Testing, and Performance of the First Bulb-Type Hydroelectric Project in The USA,” IEEE Transactions
on PowerApparatus Systems, PAS-101(6):1313-1321 (1982). SWaminathan et a1., “SomeAerodynamicAspects ofSpoutedBeds of 

### Grains,” Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 

### Montreal, Quebec, Canada, pp. 197-204 (2007). Talbert etal., “The ElecrospoutedBed,” IEEE Transactions on Indus tryApplications, vol. 1A-20, No. 5, pp. 1220-1223 (1984). US. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 12/530,484, dated Apr. 16, 2013. US. Of?ce Action for US. Appl. No. 12/846,337, dated Apr. 17, 2013. Williams et al., “Aspects of Submerged Combustion as a Heat 

### Exchange Method,” Trans IChemE, 71(A):308-309 (1993). Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2010/024143, dated Oct. 12, 2010. Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2012/021897, dated Sep. 28, 2012. Ye etal., “Removal andDistribution ofIron, Manganese, Cobalt, and Nickel Within a Pennsylvania Constructed Wetland Treating Coal Combustion By-Product Leachate,”J'. Environ. Qual., 30: 1464- 1473 

### (2001). Yeh et al., “Double-Pass Heat or Mass Transfer Through a Parallel Plate Channel With Recycle,” InternationalJournal of Hat andMass 

### Transfer, 43:487-491 (2000). Yoshino etal., “Removal andRecoveryofPhosphate andAmmonium
as Struvite from Supernatant inAnaerobic Digestion,” Water Science 

### and Technology, 48(1): 171-178 (2003).

* cited by examiner

# US. Patent Nov. 19, 2013 Sheet 2 of7 US 8,585,869 B1

Hot Gas Exhaust 

## Vapor 19 58 14 6O 

# / l 

# I [\ 17 , / 

# Waste \ Evaporation Entrainment] 22 (20 Water I , Zone Separator J |/ 16 ‘ LM-HT Concentrator



## Solid/Liquid 26



## Separator 8O



# FIG. 2

# US. Patent Nov. 19, 2013 Sheet 4 of7 US 8,585,869 B1



# FIG. 4

# US. Patent Nov. 19, 2013 Sheet 5 of7 US 8,585,869 B1

# US. Patent Nov. 19, 2013 Sheet 6 of7 US 8,585,869 B1



# FIG. 6

# US. Patent Nov. 19, 2013 Sheet 7 of7 US 8,585,869 B1

## US 8,585,869 B1 1
MULTI-STAGE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION


### The present invention relates generally to methods, sys tems, and/or apparatuses for treating WasteWater including a 

### plurality ofprocessing stages.

BACKGROUND 

### ThermoelectricpoWerplants, includinghydrocarbon-?red poWerplants, such as coal, oil, and/ornatural gas-?redpoWer 

### plants, and nuclear poWer plants, and other heavy industrial processes use very large amounts of Water for performing 

### variousprocesses andforprovidingancillary function. Often, the Water is WithdraWn from the surrounding environment, such as a nearby stream or lake, and the Water is eventually returned to the stream or lake.



### A problem is that the Water often becomes contaminated With chemicals and/or other Waste products from the indus 

### trial process, thereby forming WasteWater. It is, therefore, often necessary to process this WasteWater to remove some or 

### all ofthe contaminantspriorto returning theWasteWaterto the environment.

One particular source of WasteWater often generated in a 

### hydrocarbon-?redthermoelectric poWerplant is ?ue gas des ulfuriZation (“FGD”) purge Water, or “bloWdoWn”. FGD purge Water is a WasteWater or slurry containing sulfur and/or other chemicals removed from a stream of ?ue gases, i.e., exhaust gases from a boiler or other hydrocarbon-fuel com bustionprocess. FGD purge Water is abyproduct ofa ?ue gas 

### desulfuriZation system, in Which sulfur and other contami nants are removed from a ?oW of ?ue gases, usually in a component called an absorber. In the absorber, sulfur and/or other contaminants are removed from the ?ue gases, usually 

### by spraying a stream of ?ue gases With a Water-based slurry 

### carrying various chemicals designed to help remove the sul fur and/or other contaminants from the gases. The slurry is 

### collected after being sprayed into the stream of ?ue gas and 

### typically is recycled many times through the absorber. FGD purge Water is a WasteWater stream that is draWn off of the 

### slurry as the buildup of sulfur and/or other contaminants in 

### the slurry increases, for example, to maintain the total dis solved solids (“TDS”) in the slurry Within some preselected range or under some preselected upper limit.

Another source ofWasteWater often generated in electrical 

### poWer plants and other industrial plants is cooling toWer purgeWater, or “bloWdoWn.” Similarto the FGDpurge Water, 

### cooling toWerpurgeWater isWasteWater containing dissolved solids that is draWn offofa supply ofWater used for cooling 

### exhaust gases, usually to maintain the TDS in the cooling Water Within or under some preselected range or limits.

A further source of WasteWater often generated in poWer 

### plants is service Water, Which is used to cool various heat exchangers or coolers in thepoWerhouse or elseWhere, other than the main condenser. As With the FGD purge Water and the cooling toWerpurgeWater, the serviceWaterusually accu 

### mulates dissolved solids, the levels ofWhich usually need to be controlled.



### The service Water, FGD purge Water, and cooling toWer purge Water usually need to be treated to remove some or all 

### ofthe dissolved solids before being returned to the environ ment or recycled for further use Within the industrial plant.

SUMMARY
According to some aspects, one ormoremethods, systems, and/or apparatuses are disclosed for treating WasteWater at a 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 2 thermoelectric poWer plant With a WasteWater concentrator including a direct contact adiabatic concentration system 

### priorto returning theWaterto the surrounding environment or recycling theWaterfor furtheruseWithinthepoWerplant. The 

### methods, systems, and apparatuses may be applied to other processes that produce a stream of WasteWater containing sulfuror other sourgas, forexample, petrochemical re?neries 

### and/or natural gas processing plants.

According to otheraspects, one ormoremethods, systems, and/or apparatus are disclosed for treating WasteWater in a multi-stage treatment system, Wherein a ?rst stage includes a 

### liquidevaporatoroperativelydisposed inareservoirofWaste Water, and a second stage includes a WasteWater concentrator operatively connected to the reservoir to receive WasteWater from the reservoir. The multi-stage treatment system can be used as part ofthe systems for treating WasteWater at a ther moelectric poWer plant, but is not limited to use in the ther 

### moelectric poWerplant.

According to one exemplary aspect, a WasteWater treat ment system for a thermoelectric poWer plant includes a stream of WasteWater generated in a thermoelectric poWer plant that is directed through a WasteWater concentrator implementing a direct contact adiabatic WasteWater concen 

### trator system. A stream ofhot feed gases is simultaneously directed through the WasteWater concentrator. The WasteWa ter concentrator mixes the hot feed gases directly With the WasteWater and evaporatesWater fromtheWasteWaterto form Water vapor and concentrated WasteWater. The WasteWater concentrator separates the Watervapor from the concentrated WasteWater. The WasteWater concentrator exhausts discharge gases, including the Water vapor and some or all of the feed 

### gases. The discharge gases may be exhausted to atmosphere

or to another component for further processing, recovery, or use. The remaining concentrated WasteWater, or discharge 

### brine, may be recycled through the WasteWater concentrator for further concentrating and/or directed for further process 

### ing, recovery, and/ordisposal.

According to another exemplary aspect, a method ofpro cessing WasteWater from a thermoelectric poWerplant With a WasteWater concentrator implementing a direct contact adia batic WasteWater concentrator system is disclosed. ThepoWer plant includes a source ofWasteWater and a source ofhot feed gases. Themethod includes the steps ofreceiving a stream of 

### thehot feed gases into theWasteWaterconcentrator, receiving feed WasteWater including the WasteWater through a conduit from the thermoelectric poWerplant into the WasteWater con 

### centrator, mixing the hot feed gases directly With the feed WasteWater in the WasteWater concentratorto evaporate Water 

### vapor from the feed WasteWater, separating the Water vapor from the feed WasteWater in the WasteWater concentrator to 

### form concentrated discharge brine and discharge gases, and exhausting the discharge gases from the WasteWater concen trator.

According to a further exemplary aspect, a thermoelectric poWer plant includes thermoelectric generator, such as a boiler for generating steam to turn a turbine operatively con nected to a generator for producing electricity and/or a gas turbine, a WasteWater concentrator having a direct contact adiabatic WasteWater concentrator system, a source ofWaste Wateroperatively connectedto theWasteWaterconcentratorto supply feedWasteWater to the WasteWater concentrator, and a source ofhot feed gases operatively connected to the Waste Water concentrator to supply the hot feed gases to the Waste Water concentrator. The WasteWater concentrator mixes the 

### hot feed gases directly With the feed WasteWater, evaporates Water vapor from the feed WasteWater, separates the Water 

### vapor from the feed WasteWater thereby forming discharge

## US 8,585,869 B1 3 brine and discharge gases, exhausts the discharge gases to 

### atmosphere and/oranotherprocess component, andprovides 

### the discharge brine for further processing and/or disposal separate from the discharge gases.

In further accordance With any one or more of the forego 

### ing exemplary aspects, a system, apparatus, and/or method for treating poWer plant WasteWater and/or a multi-stage WasteWater treatment system further optionally may include any one or more ofthe folloWing preferred forms.

In some preferred forms, the WasteWater includes purge 

### Water, serviceWater, leachate, and/orholding reservoirWater from the poWer plant. The purge Water may include ?ue gas desulfuriZationpurge Water from the ?ue gas desulfuriZation system and/or purge Water from a cooling toWer.



### In some preferred forms, the thermoelectric poWer plant includes a boiler having a hydrocarbon ?red combustion heater forgenerating the steam, a ?rst stream of ?ue gas from the combustionheater, and a ?ue gas desulfuriZation system. 

### The ?ue gas desulfuriZation system may be operatively con nected to the ?rst stream of ?ue gas from the combustion 

### heater. The ?ue gas desulfuriZation system may be arranged to remove sulfur and/or other contaminants from the ?ue gas, such as With an absorber, and to generate ?ue gas desulfur 

### iZationpurgeWater. The combustionheatermaybehydrocar 

### bon-?red, for example, With coal, oil, and/ornatural gas. The WasteWater concentratormay be operatively connected to the ?ue gas desulfuriZation system to receive feed WasteWater including the ?ue gas desulfuriZation purge Water. In some 

### forms, the thermoelectric poWerplant includes othertypes of thermoelectric generators, such as a gas turbine. The gas 

### turbine maybe used, for example, alone as aprimary electric 

### generation plant and/or as a peak shaving or backup electric 

### generation plant in combination With other types ofthermo electric generators.

In some forms, the thermoelectric poWer plant includes a 

### coolingtoWer. The cooling toWergenerates the cooling toWer purgeWater. TheWasteWater concentratormay be operatively connected to the cooling toWer to receive feed WasteWater 

### including the cooling toWer purge Water.

In some forms, the thermoelectric poWer plant generates service Water. The WasteWater concentrator may be opera tively connected to a source of the service Water to receive feed WasteWater including the service Water for concentra tion.

In some forms, the WasteWater concentratormay be opera tively connected With a source ofpoWer plant leachate such 

### that the poWer plant leachate is supplied to the WasteWater concentrator for concentration.

In somepreferred forms, the WasteWater concentratormay 

### be operatively connected With a holding reservoir such that Water fromtheholdingreservoir is suppliedto theWasteWater concentrator for concentration.



### In some preferred forms, the hot feed gases include hot exhaust gases or other Waste heat from one or more other 

### processes Within the poWerplant. The hot feed gases may be draWn from the ?rst stream of ?ue gas, such as With a slip 

### stream, from heated air from a combustion airpre-heater for the combustion heater, and/or include other hot gas streams. The hot feed gases may be pulled from the ?rst stream at a 

### temperature ofbetWeen approximately 150° F. and approxi mately 800° F. The slip streammay draW from the ?rst stream after the ?rst stream has passed through a combustion air 

### pre-heater for pre-heating combustion air for a burner. The slip stream may draW from the ?rst stream before the ?rst stream reaches the ?ue gas desulfuriZation system. The com bustion heater may include any one or more of a coal-?red 

### boiler, an internal combustion engine, a turbine stack, and 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 4 other combustiondevices. Theboilermay include a boiler for producing feed steam for a turbine for an electric generator.

In somepreferred forms, thehot feedgases are draWn from 

### heated air produced by the combustion air pre-heater. The heatedair from the combustion airpre-heater optionallymay be furtherheatedbeforebeingprovided as hot feed gases, for example, With a ?are or a burner.

In somepreferred forms, the hot feed gases are direct ?red by a ?are or burner. The ?are or burner may be dedicated for 

### heating the hot feed gases to be provided to the WasteWater concentrator.

In somepreferred forms, thehot feedgases are draWn from 

### standby generation equipment, such as a standby gas turbine,


### or otherpeak shaving generation devices.

In somepreferred forms, thehot feedgases are draWn from
aplurality ofdifferent sources ofheatedair, including any one
or more of the sources described herein.

In some preferred forms, the WasteWater concentrator includes a device that mixes and evaporates the WasteWater directly into the hot exhaust gases, such as a venturi evapo ration device or draft tube evaporation. The WasteWater con centrator may include any one or any combination of cross 

### ?oW gas-liquid separators, cyclonic gas-liquid separators, or Wet electrostatic precipitators. The WasteWater concentrator 

### may be permanently installed in the electrical poWer plant. The WasteWater concentrator may be portable and tempo 

### rarily installed in the electrical poWerplant.

In somepreferred forms that formamulti-stageWasteWater treatment system the WasteWater may be pre-processed at a 

### ?rst stageby additionalWasteWaterprocessing systemsprior to being provided for processing as feed WasteWater in the WasteWater concentrator at a second stage. The pre-process 

### ingmay include a liquid evaporator operatively disposed in a reservoir ofWasteWater to evaporate at least someWater from theWasteWaterpriortoprovidingtheWasteWaterto theWaste Water concentrator. The reservoir may receive WasteWater fromthepoWerplant, suchas by one ormore supply conduits. Thereservoirmaybeoperatively connectedto theWasteWater concentrator by one or more additional discharge conduits. TheWasteWatermay ?oW into the reservoir from one ormore 

### processes in the poWer plant via the supply conduits. The WasteWater may ?oW from the reservoir to the WasteWater 

### concentrator via the discharge conduits. The liquid evapora tor is preferably connected to a source of forced air and vigorously mixes a discontinuous gas phase With a continu
ous phase of WasteWater inside a partially enclosed vessel, suchas by formingbubbles ofair inamass oftheWasteWater. 

### The forced air may be heated, for example, by Waste heat
sources Within the poWer plant, such ?ue gas or other Waste 

### heat sources. The liquid evaporator may pre-process the WasteWater to provide a more concentrated feed WasteWater to theWasteWater concentratorthanby simply theWasteWater 

### directly from thevarious processes in thepoWerplant as feed WasteWater. The combination ofa liquid evaporatorused at a ?rst stage to pre-process feed WasteWater for the WasteWater concentrator at a second stage may be implemented in other

use environments in addition to the thermoelectric poWer 

### plant ofthe examples.

In some preferred forms, the concentrated discharge brine 

### produced by the WasteWater concentrator is post-processed 

### by additional processing systems and/or methods. The dis charge brine may be de-Watered in a post-treatment process. 

### Liquid removed from the discharge brine in the post-treat mentprocessmay be recycledto theWasteWater concentrator 

### to be processed again.

In some preferred forms, an electrostatic precipitator 

### (ESP), Wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP), and/or a bag

## US 8,585,869 B1 5 ?lter is operatively connected to the ?rst stream of ?ue gas or 

### the slip stream of?ue gas. The ESP, WESP, orbag ?ltermay be arranged to remove ?y ash and/or other contaminates from the ?ue gas before the ?ue gas enters the WasteWater concen trator.



### In some preferred forms, the discharge gases exhausted from the WasteWater concentrator are conducted to one or more additional emissions control systems for further pro 

### cessing prior to release to atmosphere. The discharge gases from the WasteWater concentratormay be heated or re-heated 

### before returning to the plant’s exhaust stream. The discharge gases may be heated or re-heated With any, or any combina tion of burners, electric heaters, or other streams of heated 

### gases. The discharge gases may be heated above an acid-gas 

### condensation temperature. The discharge gases may be returnedto the ?ue gas desulfuriZation system. The discharge gases may also oralternativelybe exhausteddirectly to atmo 

### sphere Without further processing or recapture.

Other aspects and forms Will become apparent upon con 

### siderationofthe folloWingdetaileddescriptionand invieW of 

### the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



### FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram ofan exemplary hydrocar 

### bon-?red thermoelectric poWer plant including a system for 

### treatingWasteWatergeneratedby theplant according to some 

### aspects ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram ofan exemplary system for 

### treatingplantWasteWaterusable inthepoWerplant ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram ofthe exemplary system of 

### FIG. 2 With additional optional features shoWn;

FIG. 4 is an isometric partial cut-aWay vieW of an exem plary WasteWater concentrator adaptable foruse in any one of 

### the systems ofFIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional vieW ofpre-processing equip 

### ment in accordance With teachings ofthe present disclosure 

### including a liquid evaporator operatively disposed in a reser 

### voir;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional vieW ofpre-processing equip 

### ment in accordance With teachings ofthe present disclosure 

### including another liquid evaporatoroperatively disposed in a reservoir; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevationvieW ofanother liquid evaporator usable in a reservoir as pre-processing equipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Turning noW to the draWings, FIG. 1 shoWs an exemplary 

### WasteWater treatment system 10 for treating poWer plant WasteWaterat a thermoelectric poWerplant 12. The system 10 includes a WasteWater concentrator 14. The WasteWater con centrator 14 is operatively connected, such as through a con duit 16, to a stream ofWasteWater produced by one or more processes Within the thermoelectric poWer plant 12 at a ?rst inlet 17. The WasteWater concentrator 14 is also operatively connected, such as through a conduit 18, to a stream ofhot feed gases at a second inlet 19. The WasteWater concentrator 14 includes a direct contact adiabatic concentration system, Wherein theWasteWater concentrator 14 mixes a stream ofthe hot feed gases from the conduit 18 directly With a stream of the WasteWater from the conduit 16 and evaporates Water from the WasteWater to form Water vapor and concentrated WasteWater. The WasteWater concentrator 14 separates the Water vapor from remaining concentrated WasteWater from the feed WasteWater. The WasteWater concentrator 14 

### exhausts discharge gases, including theWatervaporand some 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 6

or all of the noW-cooled feed gases, in a stream of exhaust vapor, such as through a conduit 20, from an exhaust outlet 

### 22. The discharge gases may be exhausted to atmosphere, to the plant exhaust system, such as through a gas ?ue exhaust 

### stack 40, or to another component (not shoWn) for further processing, recovery, oruse. The WasteWater concentrator 14 

### discharges a discharge brine of the concentrated WasteWater 

### through a brine discharge outlet 24 that is preferably opera tively connected With a conduit 25 arranged to transport the discharge brine aWay from the WasteWater concentrator 14. 

### The conduit 25 optionally operatively connects the discharge brine outlet 24 to a post-processing system 26 for further 

### processing of the discharge brine and/or disposal. In some arrangements, thebrine discharge outlet 24 is also or altema tively operatively connectedto the ?rst inlet 17 ora third inlet 

### (not shoWn) tore-cyclethedischargebrinethroughtheWaste Water concentrator 14 for further processing and concentra tion.

In a preferred arrangement, the system 10 results in Zero 

### liquid discharge from the thermoelectric poWer plant 12. In this arrangement, discharge brine from the WasteWater con centrator 14 mayberecycledthrough theWasteWater concen trator 14 until the dischargebrine reaches a saturation level of TDS or even a super saturation level of TDS. The discharge 

### brine may then be further processed by the post processing system 26, With one or more additional deWatering systems, and/or other Water and/or solids removal systems, for 

### exampleusing a compression-type de-Watering system, until all or substantially all oftheWaterhasbeen separated fromthe 

### solids.As theWateris separated from solids and continuously returned to the WasteWater concentrator this mode of opera 

### tion alloWs Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) as the remaining solids can be disposed of in any desirable and appropriate

manner.



### The thermoelectric poWer plant 12 may be any type of poWerplant, such as a nuclearpoWer plant or a hydrocarbon 

### ?redpoWerplant. Inthe exemplary arrangement shoWn inthe draWings, the thermoelectric poWer plant 12 is a hydrocar 

### bon-?red poWer plant. The thermoelectric poWer plant 12 includes one ormore combustion heaters 30, such as boilers, for heating boiler feed Water 31 into steam 33 to turn a 

### generator turbine (not shoWn). The boiler 30 discharges a main stream 32 of hot ?ue gases that passes sequentially 

### throughan economiZer 34 operatively connected to theboiler 

### 30, an air pre-heater 36 for pre-heating boiler combustion feed air, a ?ue gas desulfuriZation system (“FGD”) 38 for removing ?y ash and sulfur dioxide from the ?ue gas, and a ?ue gas exhaust stack 40 for exhausting the ?ue gas to atmo 

### sphere. The boilers 30 may be coal-?red, gas-?red, and/or oil-?red.



### In some optional arrangements, the exemplary FGD sys tem 38 includes a ?y ashremoval device 42, suchas fabricbag 

### ?lter, electrostatic precipitator (“ESP”) or Wet electrostatic 

### precipitator (“WESP”), operatively connected to the airpre heater 36, a Wet scrubber 44 operatively connected to the ?y 

### ash removal device 42, and an absorber 46 for removing sulfuroxides operatively connectedto theWet scrubber 44.As is Well understood in the art, a sorbent slurry, such as a slurry 

### containing poWder limestone, is circulated through the absorber 46 and mixedWith the ?ue gas to draW andprecipi tate sulfur oxides (SOX) and/or other contaminants out ofthe 

### ?ue gas. As the slurry is re-circulated through the absorber, the TDS in the slurry increases. To maintainthe slurry Within

a preselected range or under a preselected maximum TDS 

### concentration, a small amount of the slurry With high TDS concentration is draWn out of the absorber While fresh 

### makeup sorbent slurry 48 With loWer TDS concentration is

## US 8,585,869 B1 7 provided into the absorber 46 to maintain the desired TDS 

### concentration of the slurry being circulated through the absorber 46.Aproductofthe SO,Cprecipitate, gypsum 49, can be draWn out fromthe absorber 46 for subsequentuse, sale, or 

## disposal.

The thermoelectricpoWerplant 12 and the FGD system 38 described herein are meant only to provide su?icient exem 

### plary background for understanding hoW the WasteWater treatment system 10 canbe integrated into the thermoelectric 

### poWerplant 12 to treat the WasteWaterproduced therein. It is 

### understood that the thermoelectric poWer plant 12 and the FGD system 38 may include additional and/or alternative components in amannerWell understood inthe art andnot the 

### further subject ofthis application.

The high TDS concentration slurry draWn from the absorber 46, called ?ue gas desulfuriZation (FGD) purge Water, or “bloWdoWn,” is operatively conducted via one or more conduits 16 to the inlet 17 to be supplied as feed Waste Water to the WasteWater concentrator 14. Hot feed gases are also supplied to the inlet 19 by one or more conduits 18 for directmixing With the feedWasteWater inside the WasteWater 

### concentrator 14. Preferably, both the hot feed gases and the feed WasteWater are supplied to the WasteWater concentrator 

### 14 continuously and simultaneously to promote continuous 

### direct mixing and evaporation.

In an optional multi-stage system, the FGD purge Water 

### optionally undergoes some pre-processing before entering the WasteWater concentrator 14. For example, the conduit 16 

### optionally operatively connects the absorber46 andapiece of pre-processing equipment 50 to deliver the FGD purge Water 

### to thepre-processing equipment 50 forming a ?rst stage. The 

### conduit 16 operatively connects the pre-processing equip ment 50 and the inlet 17 to deliver the feed WasteWater to the WasteWater concentrator 14 after processing in the pre-pro 

### cessing equipment 50, thereby forming a second stage. The pre-processingequipment 50maybe anytype ofpre-process ing systemthat is not incompatibleWiththe eventualprocess ing ofthe feedWasteWater in the WasteWater concentrator 14. 

### In other arrangements, the feedWasteWater is not pretreated, 

### inWhich case thepre-processing equipment 50 is omittedand the conduit 16 connects directly to theWasteWater concentra tor 14.



### In some optional arrangements, cooling toWerpurge Water 

### additionally or alternatively is draWn from cooling Water from a cooling toWer 52 and supplied in the feed WasteWater to the WasteWater concentrator 14. For example, a conduit 54 

### operatively connects the cooling toWer 52 to the inlet 17 by 

### operatively connecting With the conduit 16 or directly to the inlet 17. The conduit 54 optionally is operatively connectedto 

### thepre-processing equipment 50 to conductthe cooling toWer purge Water to and through the pre-processing equipment 50 before the cooling toWerpurge Water is suppliedto the Waste Water concentrator 14 as part of the feed WasteWater.

In some optional arrangements, service Water from other 

### variousprocesses andequipmentadditionally oralternatively is supplied in the feed WasteWater to the WasteWater concen trator 14. For example, a conduit 56 operatively connects service Water, Which is collected at various locations and/or 

### otherequipmentWithintheplant shoWngenerallyat 57, to the WasteWater concentrator 14. The conduit 56 optionally is 

### operatively connected to the conduit 16, the pre-processing equipment 50 topre-processthe serviceWaterbefore entering the WasteWater concentrator 14, and/or directly to the feed 

### WasteWater entering the inlet 17. Thus, service Water from 

### throughouttheplantmaybeadditionally oralternatively sup pliedto theWasteWaterconcentrator 14 ina similarmanner. In 

### anotherexample, thethermoelectricpoWerplant 12 may gen 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 8
erate poWer plant leachate, such as leachate or runoff from a Waste disposal area, such as a land?ll area, Where solid or 

### semi-solid Waste products, such as gypsum, ?y ash, and/or other Waste products, are held. In such case, the WasteWater concentrator 14 in some arrangements can be operatively connectedWith a source ofthepoWerplant leachate such that the poWer plant leachate is supplied to the WasteWater con 

### centrator 14 forprocessing. In a further example, the thermo electric poWer plant may include one or more holding reser voirs formixed Water and Waste materials, such as a holding 

### pond, evaporation pond, settling pond, or open-topped set tling tank, Whichholds Water that may include various Waste materials. In such case, the WasteWater concentrator 14 may 

### be operatively connectedWith theholding reservoir suchthat Water fromtheholdingreservoir is suppliedto theWasteWater concentrator 14 for processing. The sources ofpoWer plant 

### leachate andtheholding reservoirmay also be schematically identi?ed at 57. Thus, it is understood that the feed WasteWa ter supplied to the WasteWater concentrator 14 may include
any one or more of the exemplary sources of WasteWater describedherein and/ormay include other types ofWasteWa ter that may be produced or found at a poWer plant.

The hot feed gases in some optional arrangements are heated With Waste heat from other processes in the poWer 

### plant 12 and/or by a dedicated heating system. In the exem plary arrangement shoWn in FIG. 1, the hot feed gases are heated either directly or indirectly With a slip stream of ?ue gases diverted from the main stream 32 of ?ue gases, such as 

### along the conduit 18. The slip streammaybepulled from one
or more different locations along the main stream 32. In the 

### exemplary arrangement, the conduit 18 is operatively con nected to the main stream 32 to draW off hot ?ue gases 

### betWeen the economiZer 34 and the air pre-heater 36. HoW ever, the conduit 18 may also or alternatively be operatively connected to the main stream 32 to draW off hot ?ue gases 

### betWeen theboiler 30 and the economiZer 34, betWeen the air 

### pre-heater 36 and the ?y ash removal device 42, betWeen the ?y ash removal device 42 and the Wet scrubber 44, and/or betWeentheWet scrubber 44 andtheabsorber 46. Thehot feed gasesmayhave atemperature ofbetWeenapproximately l 500 

### F. and approximately 800° F. depending on Where the slip stream is connected to the main stream 32 and Whether the 

### heating arrangement for the hot gas is direct or indirect. The 

### hot ?ue gases may be provided directly into the WasteWater concentrator 14 and/ormaybeusedto indirectlyheat clean or 

### cleaner gases/air, such as through a heat exchanger. Other
sources ofWaste heat inside thepoWerplant 12, such as from 

### ?ares, burners, steam condensers, and engines, may also or alternativelybe usedtoheat thehot feed gases suppliedto the WasteWater concentrator 14 at the inlet 19. In one arrange ment, the hot feed gases are draWn from heated airproduced 

### by the combustion air pre-heater 36, as shoWn at optional 

### conduit 18" operatively connecting the combustion air pre heater 36 With the WasteWater concentrator 14. Theheated air 

### from the combustion air pre-heater 36 optionally may be further heated before being provided as hot feed gases, for example, With a ?are or a burner 18a operatively disposed 

### along the conduit 18". The conduit 18" may connect directly to the inlet 19 ormay be operatively connected to the inlet 19 

### through, for example, a connection With the conduit 18. In addition oralternatively, thehot feedgasesmaybedirect ?red 

### by a ?are or burner, Which may be dedicated for heating the 

### feed gases, prior to being supplied to the inlet 19. In another arrangement, the WasteWater concentrator 14 is operatively 

### connected to a piece of standby electrical generation equip ment, such as a standby gas turbine or other peak shaving 

### electrical generation device (not shoWn), such that hot Waste

## US 8,585,869 B1 9
gases orheated air generatedby the equipment is supplied to the WasteWater concentrator 14 forheating the feedWasteWa ter in a similar manner as describedherein. It is also contem 

### plated that, in some arrangements, the WasteWater generator 14 is operatively connected to a plurality of different Waste heat sources, such as any one or more of the Waste heat

sources described herein or other Waste heat sources, so as to 

### provide hot feed gases to the inlet 19 for heating the feed WasteWater. An advantage of using Waste heat from other processes in the poWerplant 12, such as thehot ?ue gas from the boiler 30, may be gainingmore ef?ciencies and/orreduc 

### ing negative environmental impact by reducing the loss of unused Waste heat to the atmosphere.

As seen diagrammatically in FIG. 2, the WasteWater con centrator 14 incorporates a direct contact adiabatic concen tration system. The WasteWater concentrator 14 includes the WasteWater feed inlet 17, the hot feed gas inlet 19, a direct 

### contact evaporative section 58, a gas-liquid separator 60, the gas discharge outlet 22, andthebrine discharge outlet 24. The WasteWater feed inlet 17 and the hot feed gas inlet 19 open 

### into the direct contact evaporative section 58. In the direct 

### contact evaporative section 58, hot feed gas and feed Waste Water are directly contactedWith eachother, such as by direct intermixing, to form a high-surface area gas-Water interface from Which Water from the feed WasteWater evaporates into 

### the feedgasesWithoutrequiring theadditionofdedicatedheat energy, such as from aburner, to achieve rapid evaporation of 

### the Water into the feed gases. Rather, rapid evaporation is 

### achievedby formingthehigh surfaceareagas-Water interface by, forexample, rapidmixing ofa continuousairvolumeWith

a discontinuous Water volume, such as through a venturi 

### device as shoWn and described in any ofU8. Patent Appli 

### cation Publication No. 2013/0037223, U.S. Patent Applica tion Publication No. 2010/0236724, and Us. Patent Appli 

### cationNo. 61/673,967, ?ledJul. 20, 2012, orbyrapidmixing of a continuous Water volume With a discontinuous air vol ume, such as in a submerged gas evaporator With a draft tube
as described in Us. Pat. No. 7,416,172. In one preferred arrangement, the WasteWater concentrator 14 includes one or more aspects ofthe LM-HT® WasteWater evaporator, offered 

### by Heartland Technology Partners, LLC, of 9870 Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis, Mo. The WasteWater concentrator 14 may include any one ormore aspects and features disclosed in the 

### above-indicated patents and patent applications, each of 

### Which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety. The direct contact evaporative section 58 is operatively connected to the gas-liquid separator 60, for example With a conduit and/or opening, to alloW the mixed gases, Which includes the 

### feedgas andWatervaporevaporated fromtheWasteWater, and the WasteWater entrained therein to travel into the gas-liquid separator 60. The WasteWater entrained in the mixed gases 

### exiting the direct contact evaporative section 58 is separated from the mixed gases in the gas-liquid separator 60. The gas-liquid separator 60 may be a cross-?oW gas-liquid sepa rator, Wherein a stream of the mixed gases and entrained liquids is forced through one or more demister panels to 

### separate the entrained liquids from the gases. Alternatively, the gas-Water separator 60 maybe a cyclonic gas-liquid sepa rator, or a combination ofcross-?oW and cyclonic gas-liquid 

### separators. Within cyclonic gas-liquid separators, a stream of 

### gases andentrained liquids is forcedthrougha cyclone cham ber to separate entrained liquids from the gases. In one arrangement, the WasteWater concentrator 14 is siZed to have


### a processing through rate of approximately 30 gallons per minute (gpm) of feedWasteWater, including neW WasteWater 

### and recycled WasteWater from the discharge brine, and/or 

### produces a discharge brine having betWeen approximately 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 10 30% and 60% TDS. In other arrangements, the WasteWater concentrator 14 may be siZed to have a higher processing 

### through rate, for example of 60 gpm, 100 gpm, 200 gpm, or 

### more, a loWerprocessing throughrate, forexample of30 gpm or less, and any processing through rate Within these ranges. 

### The WasteWater concentrator 14 is preferably permanently 

### installed in the thermoelectric poWer plant 12.Alternatively, the WasteWater concentrator 14 is portable and may be tem 

### porarily installed in the thermoelectric poWer plant 12.

FIG. 4 shoWs one exemplary arrangement ofthe WasteWa terconcentrator 14 that incorporates a direct contact adiabatic 

### concentration system, Wherein the direct contact evaporative section 58 includes a venturi device 62 and the gas-liquid separator 60 includes a cross ?oW gas-liquid separator 64. The conduit 18 is connected to the inlet 19, Which opens into the venturi device 62 to supply hot feed gases into the Waste Waterconcentrator 14. The conduit 16 is connectedto the inlet 

### 17, Which opens into the venturi device 62 to supply feed WasteWater into the WasteWater concentrator 14. The hot feed gases and the feed WasteWater are forced through a narroWed 

### throat ofa venturi, Which increases velocity compared to the 

### velocity ofgases through the conduit 18, Where the hot feed gases and the feedWasteWater are thoroughlymixed together to cause rapid evaporation ofWatervapor. From the throat of the venturi device 62, the mixed WasteWater and gases are directed through a conduit 66 into the cross ?oW gas-liquid 

### separator 64. The cross ?oW gas-liquid 64 separator includes

an outer shell 68 forming an interior space, an inlet port 70 into the interior space, and an outletport 72 out ofthe interior 

### space, and a plurality of demister panels 74 disposed in the interior spacebetWeen the inletport 70 and the outletport 72. 

### Thedemisterpanels 74 arevertically suspendedat 900 to, and
across the gas ?oW path betWeen the inlet port 70 and the 

### outletport 72 arrangedto collectentrainedWasteWatercarried 

### bythegases ?oWingthroughtheinteriorspaceanddepositthe collectedWasteWater in a sump 76 atthebottom ofthe interior 

### space. The conduit 20 is connected to the outlet port 72, and
a fan 78 is optionally operatively connected to the conduit 20 to impart anegativepressure across the interior space to draW the gases through the WasteWater concentrator 14.Additional 

### details regarding this exemplary WasteWater concentrator 14
are found in the Us. Patent Application Publication No. 

### 2010/0236724 mentionedpreviously herein.

With reference again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in an exemplary 

### method, WasteWater produced by various processes in the thermoelectric poWer plant 12, such as purge Water from the 

### FGD system 38 and/or the cooling toWer 52 and/or service Water, is processed Within the WasteWater concentrator 14 

### accordingtothe folloWingpreferredexemplaryprocess steps. A stream of hot feed gases is provided to the WasteWater concentrator 14 With the conduit 18 operatively connected to 

### the inlet 19. Preferably, the conduit 18 is operatively con nectedto themain ?ue gas stream 32 so that thehot feedgases areheatedWithWasteheat fromtheboiler 30.A stream offeed WasteWater, including one ormore ofthe purge Waters and/or service Water, is provided to the WasteWater concentrator 14 throughone ormore conduits 16 operatively connectedto one
ormore inlets 17. The conduit 16 is operatively connected to

one ormore sources ofthe purge Waters and/or service Water. The hot feed gases are mixed directly With the feed WasteWa ter insidetheWasteWater concentrator 14, such as inthe direct 

### contact evaporative section 58, to evaporateWatervapor from the feed WasteWater. Preferably, the hot feed gases and the feed WasteWater are mixed by being directed through a ven turi device. TheWatervaporandgases arethen separated from entrained concentratedWasteWater in theWasteWater concen 

### trator 14, such as inside the gas-liquid separator 60, thereby

## US 8,585,869 B1 11 forming a concentrated discharge brine and discharge gases. The discharge brine includes the concentrated WasteWater 

### separated from the Water vapor and the gases. The discharge gases include the gases and the Water vapor. Thereafter, the discharge gases are exhausted from the WasteWater concen 

### trator 14, such as through the exhaust outlet 22 and through 

### the conduit 20. The dischargebrine is discharged, eitherperi odically or continuously, from the WasteWater concentrator 

### 14 through the discharge outlet 24.

In one option, the discharge brine is supplied to the post 

### processing equipment 26, including a solid-liquid separator. The solid-liquid separator separates solids and liquids in the brine. The liquids are returned, for example With a return 

### conduit 80 operatively connecting the solid-liquid separator to one ofthe inlets 17, forreprocessing through the WasteWa ter concentrator 14. The solids are removed from the solid 

### liquid separator for further processing, repurposing, and/or 

## disposal.

Turningto FIG. 3, inadditionto theprocess steps described 

### previously, additional and alternative optional exemplary processing steps are shoWn for processing the WasteWater from the thermoelectric poWer plant 12 With the WasteWater 

### concentrator 14. In this exemplary arrangement, the conduit 

### 16 is operatively connected to the FGD system 38 to supply FGD purge Water as part ofthe feed WasteWater supplied to the inlet 17 of the WasteWater concentrator 14. The FGD 

### purge Water is pre-treated, such as by the pre-processing 

### equipment 50 operatively disposed along the conduit 16, prior to entering theWasteWater concentrator 14. The conduit 18 is operatively connected to the main ?ue gas stream 32.A 

### ?yashremoval device 82, suchas anESP, WESP, or ?lterbag, 

### is preferably operatively disposed along the conduit 18 to
remove and/or reduce ?y ash and/or other particulates from the ?ue gas prior to entering the WasteWater concentrator 14. 

### Alternatively oradditionally,hot ?uegases fromthemain ?ue may be provided to the WasteWater concentrator 14 Without 

### being treated, such as by a conduit 18' having a ?rst end operatively connected to the main ?ue gas stream 32 and a second end operatively connected to the inlet 19 oftheWaste Water concentrator 14. In some arrangements, a controlled 

### amount of ?y ash may be provided into the feed WasteWater, 

### eitherby reintroduction into or incomplete removal from, the stream of feed WasteWater. The conduit 20 is operatively 

### connected With additional emission control equipment, such

as a reheater 84. The discharge gases are conducted to the reheater 84 via the conduit 20. The reheater 84 heats or re-heats the discharge gases from the WasteWater concentra tor 14, suchas With a ?are, burner, or another stream ofheated gases, preferably to a temperature above an acid-gas conden 

### sation temperature appropriate for the makeup of the dis charge gases. Thereafter, the re-heated discharge gases are returned to the plant exhaust system, such as to the exhaust stack 40, and/or are returned for re-use in other equipment 

### Within the plant, such as the FGD system 38. Further, solids 

### removed from the solid-liquid separator 26 are directed, such
as by a conduit 86, to additional post-processing equipment 26' for further treatment. The solids are removed from the 

### post-processing equipment 26' and transported aWay for dis posal, such as sale, repurposing, land?lling, etc.

Turning to FIG. 5, in some preferred arrangements, the 

### pre-processing equipment 50 shoWn in FIGS. 1 and 3 includes one or more contained air-Water interface liquid 

### evaporators, such as liquid evaporators 90, 90', and/or 90", operatively disposed in a reservoir 92 ofWasteWaterobtained from one or more ofthe processes Within the poWer plant 12. The reservoir 92 may be a tank or a pond open to the envi ronment, for example. At least one ormore sources ofWaste 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 12
Water from the poWer plant 12, such as the conduits 16, 54, and/or 56, are operatively connected to one ormore inlets 9411 into the reservoir 92 to provide WasteWater from the poWer 

### plant 12 into the reservoir 92. Anotherportion ofthe conduit 16 operatively connects one or more outlets 94b ofthe reser voir 92 to the inlet 17 of the WasteWater concentrator 14 to transfer the WasteWater from the reservoir 92 to the WasteWa ter concentrator 14. The WasteWater may include FGD purge 

### Water, cooling toWerpurge Water, service Water, poWerplant 

### leachate, and/or holding reservoir Water, as described previ 

### ously herein. The liquid evaporator 90 is also operatively connected to a source of forced air, such as a fan 93. The forced air optionally is heated by one or more sources of Waste heat in the poWer plant in a manner as described else 

### Where herein. Preferably, the fan 93 is operatively connected by a conduit 95 to bloW the air into the liquid evaporator. The 

### fan 93 maybe, for example, any type ofbloWer su?icient and arranged to force the hot gases the air into the liquid evapo rator 90 so as to achieve vigorous air-Water mixing as 

### described in more detail beloW. The liquid evaporator 90 

### pre-treats the poWer plant WasteWater by evaporating some Water out of the WasteWater, thereby providing a more con centrated stream of the WasteWater to be supplied into the 

### WasteWaterconcentrator 14. Thus,usingthe liquidevaporator 90 as part ofapre-treatment step at thepre-processing equip ment 50 can improve the output ofthe WasteWater concentra 

### tor 14 by reducing the treatment time to obtain the desired 

### degree ofconcentration forbrine discharged from the Waste Water concentrator 14. Further, heating the air forced into the 

### liquid evaporator 90, for example, With Waste heat from the 

### poWer plant, improves the effectiveness ofthe liquid evapo rator 90. Ifthe air is heated from Waste heat produced in the 

### poWerplant 12, the liquid evaporator 90may further improve the energy ef?ciency ofthepoWerplant 12. In addition, other 

### exemplary contained air-Water interface liquid evaporators, such as the liquid evaporators 90' and/or 90" as shoWn in 

### FIGS. 6 and 7, may additionally or alternatively be opera 

### tively disposed in the reservoir 92 to pre-treat the WasteWater 

### at the pre-processing equipment 50. Although described in relation to use in the environment ofthe poWerplant 12, any 

### one of the liquid evaporator 90, 90', 90" may be used to 

### pre-process WasteWater prior to being provided for process ing in the WasteWater concentrator 14 as part ofa WasteWater treatment system inother industrial settings, eitheralone or in combination With other devices. Thus, the combination of a 

### liquidevaporator90, 90', or 90" as apre-processing device for 

### WasteWater being processed by the WasteWater concentrator 14 is not limited to use in thepoWerplant 12.Abriefdescrip 

### tion ofeach ofthe exemplary liquid evaporators 90, 90', and 90" is providedherein.Additional detailed description ofthe 

### liquid evaporators 90, 90', and 90" may be found in Us. 

### PatentApplicationNo. 61/614,601, Which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.



### In the exemplary arrangement ofFIG. 5, the liquid evapo rator 90has abody de?ning apartially enclosedvessel 96 that ?oats or is otherWisemaintained in aposition in the reservoir 92 ofWasteWater suchthat the top surface oftheWasteWateris 

### locatedbetWeenatopportionofthevesseldisposedabovethe WasteWater and abottomportion ofthevessel disposed in the WasteWater. The vessel 96 de?nes an interior space 98 that is 

### con?nedby theWalls ofthevessel.Anopening 100 through a submergedportion ofthevessel 96 alloWs WasteWaterto enter 

### into the bottom portion of the interior space 98 con?ned Within the vessel 96. Thebottomportion ofthe interior space 98 is in ?uid communication With the upper portion of the interior space 98 such that Water vapor may travel from the 

### bottom portion into the top portion. The top portion of the

## US 8,585,869 B1 13 interior space 98 at leastpartlyde?nes an exhaustpathA from the top surface oftheWasteWater inside thevessel 96 to one or more exhaustports 102 to the surrounding environment. The exhaust ports 102 are operatively located above the top sur face ofthe WasteWater. An air doWncomer 104 is arranged to be connectedto anair supply line, suchas the conduit 95. The 

### airdoWncomer 104has adischarge outlet 106 disposed inside 

### the bottom portion of the interior space 98. The discharge outlet 106 may include an open bottom end 10611 of the air 

### doWncomer 104. Thedischargeoutlet 106 includes aplurality 

### of sparge ports 10619 through the sideWall of the air doWn
comer 104 adjacent the open bottom end 10611. The area 

### Where the discharge outlet 106 is located inside the bottom portion of the con?ned space 98 forms an air entrainment 

### chamber 108 during operation of the liquid evaporator. In operation, an airpump, such as the fan 93, forces air through 

### the air doWncomer 104 into the air entrainment chamber 108, 

### Where the air displaces WasteWater causing WasteWater to How upWards into thebottom open end 100 ofthe air entrain 

### ment chamber 108 and throughthe interior space 98, thereby 

### establishing vigorous mixing ofthe air With the WasteWater. The air-Watermixture thenmoves naturally to the top surface oftheWasteWater inside the con?ned interior space 98, Where 

### the air and Water vapor separates from the WasteWater, for 

### example, bybubbling. Fromthetop surface oftheWasteWater inside the interior space 98, the air and Water vapor travels 

### through the exhaust pathWay A to be exhausted out of the vessel 96 through the exhaust ports 102 as moist exhaust air containing Water vapor, While concentrated WasteWater and contaminants are trappedWithinthe vessel 96 andreturned to the WasteWater. In this manner, Water is evaporated and sepa 

### rated out from the contaminants Without allowing uncon trolled dispersion of the WasteWater mist or spray into the 

### surrounding environment. The liquid evaporator 90 may be maintained in the operative position at the top surface ofthe WasteWater inthereservoir 92by any convenientmechanism, such as support legs, a suspension structure, and/or ?otation.

In one optional arrangement, the interior space 98 of the vessel 96 includes an upper chamber 110, a middle chamber 112, and a loWer chamber 114, Which are in ?uid communi cation With each other. An open bottom end of the loWer 

### chamber 114 de?nes the opening 100.An open top end ofthe loWer chamber 114 connects With an opening at thebottom of 

### the middle chamber 112. In the operative position, the top level ofthe WasteWater extends through the middle chamber 112, such that the loWer chamber 114 and a loWerportion of the middle chamber 112 are disposed in the WasteWater, and 

### the upper chamber 110 and the upper portion of the middle chamber 112 are disposed above the WasteWater. The air entrainment chamber 108 is de?ned inside the loWerchamber 114. Flotationdevices 116 carriedby thevessel 96 are located
so as to maintain the liquid evaporator 90 in the operative 

### position. The exhaust ports 102 are directed doWnWardly toWardthetop surface oftheWasteWater. ThedoWncomer 104 

### extends doWn through the top of the vessel 96, into and through theupper chamber 110 and themiddle chamber 112, and into the loWer chamber 114. The discharge outlet 106 is spaced above the opening 100 a space su?icient to ensure that 

### air discharged through the discharge outlet 106 does not exit 

### through the opening 100 undernormal operating conditions. A baf?e 118 separates the upper chamber 110 from the 

### middle chamber 112. Openings 120 through the baffle 118 alloW Watervaporto pass from themiddle chamber 112 to the upper chamber 110. Demisting structures 122 are disposed in theupper chamber in and/or across the exhaustpathAto form


### a tortuous path from the openings 120 to the exhaust ports 

### 102. Liquiddischargetubes 124a, 1241) extenddoWn fromthe 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 14 middle chamber 112 on opposite sides ofthe loWer chamber 

### 114. The liquid discharge tubes 124a, 1241) merge into a single discharge riser 124c beloW the vessel 96. An air vent tube 124dis locatedatthetop ofthedischargeriser 1240atthe 

### junction ofthe discharge pipes 124a and 12419. The air vent 

### tube 124d is substantially smaller than the liquid discharge tubes 124a, 1241) or discharge riser 1240. The discharge riser 124c extends doWnWardly toWard the bottom ofthe reservoir 

### 92. As air is pumped through the doWncomer 104 into the loWer chamber 114, the Water circulates upWardly in the air entrainment chamber 108 to the middle chamber 112, moves 

### radially outWardly inthemiddle chamber 112, and thentrav 

### els from the middle doWnWardly into the liquid discharge tubes 124a, 1241). The Water is discharged back into the reservoir 92 out ofone ormore openings inthe dischargeriser 

### 1240.The liquidevaporator90 ispreferably fabricatedalmost 

### entirely fromplastics, suchaspolyvinyl chloride,polypropy 

### lene, orhigh density polyethylene.

In the exemplary arrangement ofFIG. 6, the liquid evapo rator 90' is adapted for use in a multi-stage system that uses the evaporator 90' as an intermediate in-line unit With a con nection for transferring the exhaust Water vapor to another 

### processing step, such as another liquid evaporator 90, 90', or 90", orto a remote exhaust location. The liquid evaporator 90' 

### is substantially similar to the liquid evaporator 90 With the 

### exception that, inthe upper chamber 110, the liquid evapora tor 90' has only a single exhaust port 102 for connection to 

### anothertransfer conduit instead ofaplurality ofexhaustports 

### 102, and the liquid evaporator 90' has a single bustle 130 instead ofthebaffles 122. Thevessel 96, the doWncomer 104, 

### and the exhaustpathA arepreferably arranged radially sym metrically about avertical axis Z, andthe exhaust port 102 is non-symmetrically arranged about the vertical axis Z at a single location on one side ofthe top chamber 110. All other portions ofthe evaporator 90' are preferably the same as the 

### corresponding portions on the evaporator 90 and Will not be 

### described again for the sake of brevity. The bustle 130 is 

### arrangedto alloW thenon-symmetrically located exhaustport 102 to draW off air and Water vapor from inside the top chamber 110 so as to maintain radially symmetrical How of 

### air upWardly from the sparge ports 10619 and through the 

### loWer and middle chambers 114 and 112, by for example, causing uniform radial mass How ofair at all circumferential locations aroundthebustle 130 fromaregion inside thebustle 

### 130 radially outWardly to aregionoutside ofthebustle 130 to the exhaust port 102. The bustle 130 is formed of a circum 

### ferential Wall 132, preferably a cylindrical Wall, extending upWardly from thebaffle 118 partWay to the top interiorWall of the upper chamber 110. The circumferential Wall 132 is 

### spacedradiallybetWeenthe outerperipheralWall oftheupper chamber 110 and the openings 120, thereby forming an inner volume encompassed by the bustle 130 and an outer periph eral volume betWeen the bustle 130 and the outer peripheral Wall. The circumferential Wall 132 de?nes a gap 134 betWeen 

### the inner volume and the outer peripheral volume. The gap 134 has a Width W betWeen a top edge ofthe circumferential Wall 132 and a top Wall ofthe upper chamber 110. The Width 

### W ofthe gap 134 is continuouslyvariable along the length of the Wall 132. The gap 134 has a smallest Width W (e.g., the 

### Wall 132 is tallest) immediately adjacent the location ofthe exhaustport 102. The gap 134has a largestWidthW diametri 

### cally opposite the location of the exhaust port 102. In the 

### present example, the circumferential Wall 132 is cylindrical and the top edge de?nes an inclined plane With its highest 

### point adjacent the exhaust port 102 and its loWest point dia 

### metrically opposite fromthe exhaustport 102. Preferably, the Width W ofthe gap 134 is arranged to vary so the velocity of

## US 8,585,869 B1 15 exhaust air is constant through any vertical cross-section of the gap 134 that is in a plane perpendicular to conduit 106 

### Other bustle designs capable ofproviding or improving uni form radial mass ?oW of the air outWardly from the inner volume are also possible, such as those disclosed inUs. Pat. 

### No. 7,442,035, Which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The exhaustport 102 is optionally connected to a conduit 136 that is operatively connected to another instru ment, such as another evaporator 90, 90', or 90". The exhaust port 102 may alternatively exhaust to air or be connected to

some other device.



### In the exemplary arrangement ofFIG. 7, the liquid evapo rator 90" is substantially similar to the liquid evaporators 90 and/or 90', butWith the addition ofan adjustable stabiliZation 

### system 140 andtWo additional dischargetubes 124eand 124]. 

### Like the previously described liquid evaporators 90 and 90', the liquid evaporator 90" also includes thepartially enclosed vessel 96 having the middle chamber 112 disposed betWeen the upper chamber 110 and the loWer chamber 114, the air supply doWncomer 104 arranged for connection to an air 

### supply line, suchas theconduit 95, for injecting airintothe air entrainment chamber 108 formedby the loWer chamber 114, 

### and internal baf?es 122 and/or the bustle 130 (not visible) arranged in the upper chamber 110 to provide a tortuous path to one or more exhaust outlets 102. The discharge tubes 

### 124a,b,e, fare preferably radially spaced equally from the axis Z andpreferably spacedat 90° on centeraroundthe outer 

### periphery. Further, the outer annular periphery of the loWer 

### chamber 114 is spaced radially inWardly from the discharge 

### tubes 12411,b,efrather thanbeing located immediately adja cent the discharge tubes as shoWn for the liquid evaporators 

### 90 and 90'. Preferably, remaining features of the partially enclosed vessel 96 are identical to corresponding features in either of the liquid evaporators 90 or 90' and can be under 

### stood With reference to the prior descriptions thereof. The 

### adjustable stabiliZation system 140 is arranged to help stabi 

### liZethe liquidevaporator 90" inanupright operativeposition, 

### i.e., With the axis Z aligned generally vertically, the loWer chamber 114 disposed intheWasteWater, andtheupper cham 

### ber 110 disposed above the WasteWater While air is being 

### forced through the air supply doWncomer 104 into the loWer chamber 114. The stabiliZation system 140 includes ?otation 

### devices 142 operatively securedto thevessel 96by outriggers 144. Thepositionofthe ?otationdevices 142maybe adjusted axially and/or radially to cause the vessel 96 to sit higher or loWer in the WasteWater. The ?otation devices 142 are dis 

### posed diametrically opposite each other on opposite sides of the vessel 96. Each ?otation device 142 preferably is spaced radially from the outer annular periphery of the vessel and siZed to provide su?icient buoyancy to hold the upper cham ber 110 spaced above the top surface ofthe WasteWater. The 

### outriggers 144 are formed by tWo struts arranged in parallel
on opposite sides ofthe doWncomer 104 and connectedto the 

### top ofthevessel. Each strut extends outWardly from opposite sides oftheouterannularperiphery oftheupperchamber 110, and each ?otation device 142 is attached near the ends ofthe struts. One or more hinges 146 in the struts are spaced from 

### the outer annular periphery of the upper chamber 110 and 

### arranged to alloW the ?otation devices 142 to be selectively raisedand/or loWeredbypivoting the ends ofthe struts around 

### therespectivehinges. The ?otationdevices 142 arepreferably disposed spaced along an axis ofthe conduit 95 over the top ofthe vessel 96 approaching the doWncomer 104. The ?ota tion devices 142 are arranged to counteract rotational forces 

### that act to tip the vessel 96 aWay from substantially vertical 

### alignment inresponse to airbeing forcedthroughthe conduit 95. 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65 

## 16 The systems, apparatuses, andmethods fortreating ?uegas desulfuriZation purge Water and other forms of WasteWater disclosed hereinmay be useful to address Water-use for ther 

### moelectric generating units, particularly such units that rely
onburning hydrocarbon fuels, such as coal. In some applica 

### tions, the systems, apparatuses, and methods may be imple mented as important components of or for Zero-liquid dis 

### charge (ZLD) treatment systems, moisture recovery, WasteWater treatment, land?ll management, Water manage 

### ment for carbon dioxide technologies, cooling toWer and 

### advanced cooling system technologies, and/or integrated Water management andmodeling in thermoelectric generat ingunits. The systems, apparatuses, andmethodsmayhelp an operator ofa thermoelectric generating unit to increase Water 

### usage and/or re-usage e?iciency, reduce Water WithdraWal 

### and/or consumption, and/ormeetWaterdischarge limits. The technologies disclosedhereinin somearrangementsmaypro vide a cost effective treatment alternative to currently knoWn treatment processes for ?ue gas desulfuriZation purge Water 

### and other types of WasteWater. The technologies disclosed hereinmay reducepoWer consumption and/or capture Waste Water pollutants With a more e?icient process for environ 

## mentally friendly disposal ofdischargepollutants.

Additional modi?cations to the systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein Will be apparent to those skilled in 

### the art invieW ofthe foregoing description.Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is pre sented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modi?cations Which come Within the scope of the appended claims are 

### reserved.

We claim: 

### 1.Amulti-stage WasteWater treatment system comprising:

a reservoir adapted to contain WasteWater therein;


### a contained air-Water interface liquid evaporator arranged



### to be operatively disposed inthereservoir, the contained air-Water interface liquid evaporator including a par 

### tially enclosed vessel arranged to be operatively dis posed in the WasteWater and de?ning a con?ned space including anair entrainment chamber, anairdoWncomer to bloW air into the WasteWater inside the mixing cham 

### ber, and a ?rst exhaust port arranged to be operatively disposed above the WasteWater and to alloW Watervapor 

### to escape from the mixing chamber; and
a WasteWater concentrator separate from the contained air

Water interface liquid evaporator, the WasteWater con centrator comprising adirect contact adiabatic WasteWa ter concentrator system, the WasteWater concentrator operatively connectedto thereservoirto receive a stream ofWasteWater from the reservoir and to form additional Water vapor and concentrated WasteWater from the stream of WasteWater, Wherein the WasteWater concen trator comprises a sump to collect the concentrated WasteWater and a second exhaust port arranged to alloW the additionalWatervaporto escape fromtheWasteWater concentrator. 

### 2. Themulti-stageWasteWatertreatment system ofclaim 1, Wherein the WasteWater concentrator comprises a direct con 

### tact evaporator section and a gas-liquid separator section.



### 3. Themulti-stageWasteWatertreatment system ofclaim 2, Wherein the direct contact evaporator section comprises a 

### venturidevice arrangedtomixhot feedgasesdirectlyWiththe stream ofWasteWater and to evaporate Water from the stream of WasteWater to form the additional Water vapor and the concentrated WasteWater.