Patent GB-706988-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to ion-exchange processes
Inventor: AKEROYD EWART INGHAM
IPC: B01J49/00
Filed: 1951-04-12
Abstract: 706,988. Ion-exchange processes; treating waste effluents. PERMUTIT CO., Ltd., STEWARTS & LLOYDS, Ltd., and WOODALLDUCKHAM VERTICAL RETORT & OVEN CONSTRUCTION CO (1920), Ltd. April 4, 1952 [April 12, 1951], No. 8565/51. Classes 46 and 111 A process for removal of obnoxious or valuable ions from a solution comprises passing the solution through a bed of ion-exchange material, then displacing these ions with a regenerating solution consisting of water previously used for washing a regenerated bed and brought up to the desired regenerant concentration, and finally washing the bed, the effluent regenerating solution which contains obnoxious or valuable ions in a concentration high in relation to that in the solution under treatment being collected for disposal or recovery and the remaining effluent from the bed being collected for re-use as regenerated or washing water. Liquid in a tank I Fig. 1, which has previously passed three times through a bed B during regeneration steps, and has been brought up to optimum regenerant concentration from a container 31, is pumped via valve 25 and pipe 30 by pump 29 through the bed B at the end of a working stage after a valve 6 on a pipe 5 supplying liquid to be treated has been closed. The liquid in the bed is displaced and run to waste at 9 through the pipe 7 in the same way as the effluent during the ordinary working run since it is treated liquid deprived of all the obnoxious &c. ions. Alternatively, if the ions are valuable, this treated liquid may be added to the liquor to be treated in the next cycle. When the liquid which was in the bed at the start of the regeneration has been displaced, regenerant liquor emerges containing a high proportion of obnoxious &c. ions. Valve 8 is shut and a valve 11 opened so that this liquor is collected in a tank 12 for disposal or recovery. When the tank I is nearly empty, Fig 2, the liquid originally in the bed B has disappeared down the drain 9. Some of the contents of tank I are in the tank 12, some in the bed B and the remainder in the tank I. When tank I has been emptied valve 25 is shut and a valve 26 opened so that the contents of a tank III are pumped to the bed B. As this flows the concentration of the obnoxious &c. ions in the effluent falls, and when it reaches a predetermined figure the liquid leaving the bed is diverted from the tank 12 and passed to the tank I, the valve 11 being shut and valve 17 opened. When the tank II is almost empty, Fig. 3, the bed B contains part of the liquid from the tank II, the tank I receiving liquid being displaced from the bed. When tank II is empty valve 26 is closed and a valve 27 opened, and the contents of a tank III are pumped through the bed B to tank I. When tank I is full valve 17 is closed and a valve 18 opened, the position just before tank III empties being shown in Fig. 4. When tank III is empty valve 27 is closed and a valve 28 opened, so that clean water from a tank IV is pumped through the bed to fill tank II ; valve 18 being closed and a valve 19 being opened when tank II is full so that tank III is partially filled. The position as tank IV empties is shown in Fig. 5. Valve 6 is opened after closing valve 28 and liquor to be treated is passed into the bed through the pipe 5, the liquid displaced passing to tank III until it is full. Valve 19 is closed, valve 8 opened and the effluent is run to the drain 9, as in Fig. 1. Tank IV is then filled with fresh water from a main 34 and regenerant is added to tank I from container 31 to restore optimum concentration. The process may be applied to removal of thiocyanates and thiosulphates from a gasworks liquor.