Method and system for controlling odor in water system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020255304-A1
Application number	US-201816643249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems of controlling odor in. water by adding a humic composition to the water. The humic composition cm adsorb or otherwise neutralize malodorous compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and mercaptans. The methods are useful in food and. agricultural industries where the water may come in contact with food items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of controlling odor in water, the method comprising:
collecting the water in a holding area; adding a humic composition to the water by distributing the humic composition on the surface of the water in the holding area; and then allowing the humic composition to settle toward the bottom of the holding area.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the water in the holding area is substantially still or stagnant.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the humic composition is a liquid.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the humic composition is sprayed over the surface of the water in the holding area.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the humic composition is added in an amount in the range of 0.1 ppm to 100 ppm (wt. solids/wt. water).

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the humic composition is added in an amount in the range of 0.5 ppm to 10 ppm (wt. solids/wt. water).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the holding area is provided as a tank, a pool, a pond, or a lagoon.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the presence of a malodorous compound in or around the holding area, the malodorous compound being selected from one or more of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and a mercaptan.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining a concentration of the malodorous compound that is detected and adding the humic composition to the water in the holding area if the determined concentration exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

10 . A method of controlling odor in a water system in which water contacts food items, the method comprising:
collecting the water in a holding area; adding a humic composition to the water by distributing the humic composition onto the surface of the water in the holding area; allowing the humic composition to settle toward the bottom of the holding area; and then drawing a portion of remaining supernatant water from the holding area and contacting the food items with the supernatant water.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the water system includes a first stream that feeds water into the holding area, and the method further comprises adding humic composition to the first stream.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the humic composition is added to the first stream after the step of adding the humic composition to the water in the holding area.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the water system comprises a wash process for washing vegetables.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the water used to wash vegetables is then collected in the holding area.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the vegetables are sugar beets.

16 . A system for controlling odor in a body of water, the system comprising:
at least one sensor that is configured to detect a malodorous compound and provide a detection result; a controller that is configured to receive the detection result from the sensor and determine whether the detection result exceeds a predetermined threshold level; and a humic composition supply station that is arranged to control an amount of a humic composition added to the water based on signals received from the controller.

17 . A method of controlling odor in a water system in which water contacts food items, the method comprising:
adding a liquid humic composition to the water, wherein the liquid humic composition is substantially free of added suspension agents.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising using at least a portion of the water to which the liquid humic composition has been added to contact food items.

Assignees

• Chemtreat Inc

Inventors

• Wicks Joel
• Beck James
• Richardson John
• Burchtorf John

Classifications

• C02F2101/16

  Nitrogen compounds, e.g. ammonia · CPC title

• B01J20/24

  Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives · CPC title

• C02F2303/02

  Odour removal or prevention of malodour · CPC title

• C02F2101/101

  Sulfur compounds · CPC title

• C02F2101/40

  containing sulfur · CPC title