Patent ID: 7967988

Claim:
A method for treating a liquid containing waste latex, the method comprising: a. providing a treatment apparatus comprising at least a first vessel, and a filtration system in liquid communication with the first vessel; b. delivering a portion of the liquid containing waste latex at a concentration of at least 3 weight percent solids to the first vessel; c. adding a first reagent to the portion of liquid containing waste latex to cause the formation of waste latex flocs of a first size; d. adding a second reagent to the portion of liquid containing waste latex to cause growth of the waste latex flocs of the first size into separable waste latex flocs; e. separating the separable waste latex flocs within the filtration system into a waste latex sludge and a first filtrate; and f. dewatering the waste latex sludge to produce a waste latex solid and a second filtrate, wherein the filtration system is comprised of a first filter including a housing, a displaceable filter medium, and first and second sets of displacement actuators disposed between the housing and the displaceable filter medium, and wherein a first portion of dewatering the waste latex sludge is performed by manipulating the sludge by actuating the first set of displacement actuators, and a second portion of dewatering the waste latex sludge is performed by manipulating the sludge by actuating the second set of displacement actuators.