Process and apparatus for electrocoagulative treatment of industrial waste water

• Main Authors: MORKOVSKY PAUL E, KASPAR DOUGLAS D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

An electrocoagulation system for removing contaminants from waste effluents comprising an electrocoagulation reactor having charged and uncharged plates and allowing serial flow of water therethrough. The reactor is connected to a voltage source to charge some of the plates positive and some negative, with uncharged plates between the positive and negative plates. The system allows waste water to enter the reactor for coagulation therein, the waste water leaving the reactor to enter a defoam tank for agitation which allows trapped bubbles to rise to the surface of the tank as foam. From the defoam tank, waste water goes through a sludge thickener, to allow sludge to settle at the bottom thereof and waste water is drawn off from the sludge thickener to flow to a clarifier. The pump removes sludge forming at the bottom of clarifier to take it back to the sludge thickener. The sludge is drawn out the bottom of the sludge thickener for transport to a press where most of the water is removed therefrom. Water is drawn off the top of the clarifier for transport to a conventional sewer system, or for reuse.