Water treatment apparatus incorporating walnut shell filter media and a draft tube system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580335-B2
Application number	US-201414265266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2008
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for treating wastewater in a filter media apparatus having a draft tube system. The filter media may be walnut shell media.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for filtering wastewater comprising:
a source of wastewater comprising oil and suspended solids;
a filter unit comprising:
a vessel;
a walnut shell filter media positioned in the vessel;
a feed inlet positioned in the vessel above the walnut shell filter media and fluidly connected to the source of wastewater via a fluid line comprising a first valve for controlling flow of the wastewater into the feed inlet, the feed inlet arranged to enable flow of the wastewater through the walnut shell filter media in a first direction;
a draft tube system positioned in the walnut shell filter media configured to substantially roll the walnut shell filter media, wherein the draft tube system comprises a draft tube located in the vessel defining a peripheral zone positioned between a side wall of the draft tube and a side wall of the vessel;
a first fluid inlet configured to deliver a first fluid to the draft tube system via a fluid line having a second valve for controlling flow of the first fluid to the draft tube system, the first fluid inlet arranged to enable flow of the first fluid into the draft tube system in a second direction opposite the first direction;
a second fluid inlet configured to deliver a second fluid to the peripheral zone via a fluid line having a third valve for controlling flow of the second fluid to the peripheral zone, the second fluid inlet also arranged to enable flow of the second fluid into the peripheral zone in the second direction opposite the first direction; and

a controller in electrical communication with the first valve, second valve, and third valve and configured to generate a control signal that moves any one or more of the valves between an open and a closed position to regulate flow of the wastewater, first fluid, or second fluid there through.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first sensor in the first sensor in the filter unit, wherein the controller is configured to generate a control signal to close the first valve in response to a determined pressure value by the first sensor.

3. The system of claim of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid comprises a gas, and wherein the second fluid comprises the wastewater.

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Inc

Inventors

• Felch Chad L
• Howdeshell Michael
• Munson Stuart J
• Lorge Eric A
• Kumfer Bryan J
• Patterson Matthew

Classifications

• B01D24/18 Primary

  Combined upward and downward filtration · CPC title

• B01D24/4636

  with backwash shoes; with nozzles · CPC title

• B01D24/005

  Filters being divided into a plurality of cells or compartments (B01D24/004 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D24/48

  integrally combined with devices for controlling the filtration · CPC title

• C02F1/40

  Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) · CPC title