Patent GB-1412661-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for the continuous treatment of liquids
IPC: B01D17/02
Filed: 1973-03-23
Abstract: 1412661 Apparatus for continuous treatment of liquids E B BURDON ENGS Ltd 23 March 1973 14267/73 Heading C1C An apparatus for the continuous treatment of liquids, e.g. detoxification of effluent water such as that from electricity, pickling and photographic processes, comprises a vessel having a floor and exterior walls, liquid admission means at one end and liquid discharge means at the other end; at least one internal dividing wall in the vessel, having opposite faces, whereby the vessel is divided into at least 2 compartments one of which constitutes a reaction compartment and is provided with means for admission of at least one reagent, agitating means and pH and redox measuring means; and at least one communicating means in each said face, said communicating means being vertically spaced and connected by an internal passage in the wall and being extensive horizontally over substantially the whole width of the dividing wall so as to provide for a laminar flow of liquid into and out of the dividing wall. The communicating means may take the form of a continuous or discontinuous slot or a row of discrete openings separated by web areas, the summed area of the openings desirably being at least equal to the sum of the interconnecting web areas. Preferably the dividing wall is hollow and comprises spaced plates each containing a said communicating means. The spaced plates may be reinforced by internal ribs or spacers. When each face of the dividing wall is formed by a plate it is convenient to form the communicating means as a lip at the bottom of one of the plates between the plate and the vessel floor, or a lip at the top of one of the plates, so that the liquid flows as a layer over the lip. The communicating means or opening may however be at an intermediate height in the vessel and not at the extreme top or bottom. When there are ribs or spacers between the plates it is convenient to arrange these vertically and to form the communicating means as slots across the spaces between the ribs. In a preferred apparatus the inlet compartment is an oil separator in which liquid enters and leaves near the floor so that the oil rises to the top where it can be removed by decantation. The apparatus may include two compartments separated by a said dividing wall, a first having an inlet in an exterior wall opposite the dividing wall, which inlet is extensive horizontally over substantially the whole width of the wall so as to provide for a laminar flow of liquid into the first compartment and into and out of the dividing wall. The inlet may communicate with an internal vertically extensive passage in the exterior wall, the outer face of which is connected to an inlet pipe communicating with the internal passage. The inlet may be adjacent the floor of the vessel and the connection means vertically spaced therefrom, and the exterior wall may be hollow and the inlet in the form of at least one slot. Preferably the dividing wall between an oil separator and the next compartment is formed with two interior passages. Thus the wall may comprise spaced plates each containing a said communicating means and a third plate positioned parallel spaced from one face to define two parallel vertical passages in the resulting wall, the communicating means in the outer plates being located adjacent the floor of the vessel and that in the central plate being located higher up the vessel. The wall of the vessel in which the outlet is connected may also be hollow so that liquid enters the wall in a laminar flow near the top of the wall and leaves through the outlet at a lower level. This is particularly desirable when the last compartment is a settling tank. Figs. 1 and 7 illustrate an effluent detoxicating apparatus and an alternative inlet compartment therefor in the form of an oil separator. The arrows indicate the direction of flow and the figures are in other respects largely self-explanatory. Specifications 1,238,171, 1,032,725 and 1,350,703 are referred to.