Patent Publication Number: US-2012024705-A1

Title: Process for treating waste water and nozzle therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The invention relates to waste water treatment and more particularly to a process for treating waste water and an improved nozzle therefore. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Waste water treatment is a process of removing contaminants from waste water. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. Its objective is to produce a treated effluent and a solid waste or sludge suitable for discharge or reuse back into the environment. 
     A typical process for treating a waste stream comprises subjecting the waste stream to solvent extraction to reduce phenol content of the waste stream to less than 100 ppm, treating the waste stream in a conditioning zone with nutrients, adjusting concentration, pH and temperature of the waste stream to be within a pH range of about 6.4 to 7.6, a temperature range of about 15 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius, and BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) range of about 350 to 800 ppm, agitating the waste stream in an aerating zone in contact with activated sludge containing aerobic bacteria, and settling the activated sludge from the waste stream to provide a purified water stream. 
     The advancements of process for treating waste water are always desired since waste water pollution is a great threat to the environment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide in an apparatus including two opposite conductive electrodes mounted in an opening of an insulating shroud filled with pressurized air, a support for supporting the shroud, the support being in communication with the opening to define an aerating zone adjacent to the opening, a collection tank under the aerating zone, and a nozzle disposed in the aerating zone, the nozzle being in communication with a waste water source, a process for treating waste water comprising the steps of energizing the electrodes to generate arc in a gap between the electrodes as the pressurized air passing through the gap; moving the arc to the aerating zone with contaminants and water components of waste water being shot out in fine spray from the nozzle; and vaporizing the fine spray as when it contacts the arc so as to neutralize the contaminants. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a nozzle and an externally threaded end portion of a waste water line for treating waste water according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the assembled nozzle; 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of assembled nozzle and the threaded end portion; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view in part section showing an apparatus for treating waste water according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process for treating waste water according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a nozzle  3  for treating waste water in accordance with the invention is shown. 
     The nozzle  3  is of spherical and comprises a first half  31  including an annular, projecting, internally threaded section around the mouth, a threaded hole  34  through a center of the first half  31 , and a plurality of apertures  33  on surface of the first half  31 ; 
     and a second half  32  including a plurality of apertures  33  on surface, and an annular, projecting, externally threaded section around the mouth threadedly secured to the externally threaded section to form the nozzle  3 . 
     Preferably, the diameter of the aperture  33  is in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm. 
     A waste water line  30  has an externally threaded end portion  35  adapted to secure to the threaded hole  34  to connect the waste water line  30  and the nozzle  3  together. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an apparatus for treating waste water in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A high voltage source  21  supplies high voltage power to two opposite conductive electrodes  23  with a gap formed there between by means of a power cord  22 . The electrodes  23  are mounted on a bottom opening  26  of an insulating shroud  24  and are disposed in the shroud  24 . The shroud  24  has a top channel  25  in fluid communication with a gas line (not shown) so that pressurized gas (e.g., air)  1  may pass the gap via the channel  25  and the gas-fill space of the shroud  24 . 
     A support  28  comprises four side walls (only two are shown)  282  and a top  281  having an opening aligned with the opening  26  there above. The shroud  24  is mounted on the top  281 . A collection tank  29  is mounted in the support  28 . A waste water source  20  is secured to a bracket  201  on a top edge of the collection tank  29 . The waste water line  30  connects the nozzle  3  and the waste water source  20  together. 
     In operation, air moves in the rate of about 10 meter/second from the channel  25  so that arc may occur in the gap between the electrodes  23  which are energized by power supplied from the high voltage source  21 . The arc results in a very high temperature (e.g., in the rage of about 500° C. to about 7,000° C. with an average of about 1,000° C.). The arc further moves to an aerating zone  27  around the nozzle  3 . Contaminants and water components in the waste water shoot out in a fine spray from the nozzle  3 . The fine spray is simultaneously vaporized by the arc when it contacts the arc. The toxic contaminants are thus neutralized. Cooled water and treated effluent fall into the collection tank  29  for discharge or reuse back into the environment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a process for treating waste water in accordance with the invention comprises the following steps: 
     In step S 1 , the electrodes  23  are energized by power supplied from the high voltage source  21 . 
     In step S 2 , air moves in the rate of about 10 meter/second from the channel  25  so that arc may occur in the gap between the electrodes  23  and it results in a very high temperature (e.g., in the rage of about 500° C. to about 7,000° C. with an average of about 1,000° C.). 
     In step S 3 , the arc further moves to an aerating zone  27  around the nozzle  3  which shoots out contaminants and water components of waste water in fine spray as waste water supplied from the waste water source  20 . 
     In step S 4 , the fine spray is simultaneously vaporized by the arc when it contacts the arc so that the toxic contaminants are neutralized. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.