Date seed powder for water filtration treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11772016-B2
Application number	US-202117332370-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2021
Priority date	May 27, 2021
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating and using a water filtration media containing date seed powder are provided. The method of generating the date seed powder for use in a water treatment system includes drying the date seeds, cleaning and removing the date seed envelopes, grinding the date seeds, and segregating the date seed powder according to a predetermined particle size. The method of using the date seed powder to treat water includes using a treatment tank with a date seed media bed layer, introducing water, and filtering suspended solids from the water stream using the date seed media bed layer. The system utilizing the date seed media bed layer includes a treatment tank, a date seed media bed layer, water inlets and outlets, backwashing equipment, and media support screens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a water stream by filtration, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a date seed media in a treatment tank, the date seed media having a date seed density and comprising ground date seeds, such that the date seed media forms a date seed media bed layer operable to remove suspended solids from the water stream, the water stream comprising suspended solids and defining a suspended solids content;
introducing the water stream to the treatment tank, such that the water stream flows through the date seed media bed layer;
filtering the water stream with the date seed media bed layer;
accumulating a portion of suspended solids in the date seed media bed layer; and
generating a treated water stream from the treatment tank, such that the treated water stream has a resulting treated suspended solids content less than the suspended solids content of the water stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of selecting a predetermined particle size of the date seed media, the predetermined particle size selected to accumulate the portion of suspended solids in the date seed media bed layer such that the resulting treated suspended solids content is less than a target level.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of selecting a predetermined particle size of the date seed media, the predetermined particle size selected based upon a target size of suspended solids within the water stream.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining a filter operation criterion;
introducing a backwash stream to the treatment tank after the filter operation criterion has been triggered, the backwash stream operable to agitate the date seed media bed layer to remove trapped suspended solids within the date seed media bed layer; and
removing a backwash outlet stream from the treatment tank.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the backwash stream comprises water.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the backwash stream further comprises air.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
filtering the water stream through an alternate media bed layer; and
accumulating a portion of suspended solids in the alternate media bed layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the alternate media bed layer comprises an alternate media with an alternate media density greater than the date seed media density, such that the date seed media bed layer is positioned above the alternate media bed layer after backwashing in an absence of support between media bed layers.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the date seed media has a predetermined particle size greater than an alternate media particle size, such that when the date seed media bed layer is positioned above the alternate media bed layer, larger suspended solids are accumulated in the date seed media bed layer, while smaller suspended solids pass through the date seed media layer and are accumulated in the alternate media bed layer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the water stream to the treatment tank is performed to allow a downward flow of fluid through the date seed media bed layer with the assistance of gravity.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the water stream to the treatment tank is performed utilizing pressure to allow an upward flow of fluid through the date seed media bed layer.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the date seed media adsorbs water contaminants from the water stream.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Wang Qiwei
• Al-Tawfiq Ali

Classifications

• B01D24/105 Primary

  downward filtration without specifications about the filter material supporting means · CPC title

• B01D24/007

  with multiple filtering elements in series connection · CPC title

• B01D24/16

  Upward filtration (B01D24/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D24/4631

  Counter-current flushing, e.g. by air · CPC title

• C02F1/004 Primary

  using large scale industrial sized filters · CPC title