Patent ID: 8425668

Claim:
A method for separating oil and gas contaminants from wastewater and concentrating the wastewater stream, comprising: providing a first upflow separator apparatus comprising, a vessel defining an internal space having a top end and a bottom end; and a riser positioned within the vessel and coupled to an inlet thereof and extending upward from the bottom end of the vessel, the riser having one or more injection openings configured to produce a foam from an injection stream; providing an induction apparatus in fluid communication with the inlet of the vessel and with a wastewater stream comprising hydrocarbons; mixing a polymer with the wastewater stream; inducing gas into the wastewater stream to produce an injection stream; and emitting the injection stream from the injection openings to produce a foam within the vessel; allowing the emitted injection stream to separate into a wastewater fraction, a gas fraction, and a foam fraction comprising hydrocarbons; recovering the separated wastewater fraction, foam fraction, and gas fraction; and concentrating the waste water in a water evaporation system, wherein the wastewater is concentrated at least in part by misting the wastewater within a housing and forcing an airstream through the misted wastewater to cause evaporation of water therefrom.