Patent ID: 7837882

Claim:
A method for removing a contaminant from an unclarified a waste stream, comprising the steps of: submersing two electrodes spaced less than five mm apart in the unclarified waste stream, the unclarified waste stream comprising a water component and one or both of a volatile contaminant or a solid-phase contaminant, the electrodes bordering a vertical interaction zone extending there between, said unclarified waste stream flowing through said vertical interaction zone; applying a continuously pulsed electrical signal to at least one of the electrodes thereby generating oxyhydrogen-rich gas from the water component, the oxyhydrogen-rich gas forming bubbles in the interaction zone that rise to a surface of the unclarified waste stream; contacting the volatile contaminant, the solid-phase contaminant or both with at least some of the bubbles as they rise through the unclarified waste stream thereby transporting a portion of the volatile contaminant, a portion of the solid-phase contaminant or both to the surface of the unclarified waste stream; if the volatile contaminant is present; trapping a mixture of the oxyhydrogen-rich gas and the volatile contaminant above the unclarified waste stream and transporting the mixture to a secondary process for further treatment; if the solid-phase contaminant is present, collecting the solid-phase contaminant as a floating layer; and said method conducted without the addition of any chemicals to said unclarified waste stream.