Controlling biofouling in water purification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509382-B2
Application number	US-202117411224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2021
Priority date	Aug 25, 2021
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A system and a method for water purification are provided. An exemplary system includes a multimedia filter, an ozone generator, an ozone contactor coupled to the ozone generator, and a ceramic membrane filter coupled to an air scouring system, wherein the air scouring system is coupled to the ozone generator. A storage tank is coupled to a purified water line from the ceramic membrane filter, wherein the storage tank is coupled to a backwashing line coupled to the multimedia filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for purifying water, comprising:
a pretreatment system comprising:
a feed water line;
a multimedia filter (MMF) receiving the feed water line;
an ozone generator;
an ozone contactor coupled to the ozone generator;
a filtered water line extending from the MMF to the ozone contactor;
a ceramic membrane filter coupled to an air scouring system, wherein the air scouring system is coupled to the ozone generator;
a disinfected water line extending from the ozone contactor to the ceramic membrane filter;
a sideline extending from the disinfected water line to the feed water line;
a storage tank coupled to a purified water line from the ceramic membrane filter, wherein the storage tank is coupled to a backwashing line coupled to the multimedia filter; and
a reverse osmosis system downstream of the pretreatment system.

2 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a dissolved ozone sensor disposed on the disinfected water line from the ozone contactor, wherein the dissolved ozone sensor is coupled to a control line to the ozone generator.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the dissolved ozone sensor comprises control electronics to control the dissolved ozone level in the disinfected water line.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the dissolved ozone sensor comprises a network communications device to communicate with a plant control system.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the dissolved ozone sensor comprises an oxidation-reduction potential sensor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a dissolved ozone sensor disposed on the purified water line from the ceramic membrane filter, wherein the dissolved ozone sensor is coupled to a valve on an ozone gas line from the ozone generator.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air scouring system comprises an air source coupled to the ceramic membrane filter through an air line.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the ozone generator is coupled to the air line through an ozone gas line comprising an in-line valve to control addition of ozone gas.

9 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a MMF backwash tank coupled to a backwash waste line from the multimedia filter.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the MMF backwash tank has a conical bottom to allow separated solids to settle.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the MMF backwash tank comprises a cyclonic separator.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein a clarified supernatant water line is coupled from the MMF backwash tank to a disinfected water stream from the ozone contactor.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Samad Nidal A

Classifications

• C02F2303/20

  Prevention of biofouling · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title

• C02F2209/04

  Oxidation reduction potential [ORP] · CPC title

• C02F2201/782

  Ozone generators · CPC title

• C02F1/78 Primary

  with ozone {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)} · CPC title