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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method of waste water treatment, comprising:
conducting pH treatment of a controlled body of waste water for
substantially precipitating non-chelated and non-complexed metals
therefrom;
sampling such pH-treated waste water, and substantially removing solid
precipitated metals therefrom to provide a clear sample;
testing such clear sample for the presence of any remaining metals in
solution therein; and
feeding a given precipitating agent to the controlled body of waste water
in response to the presence of such remaining metals so as to
substantially precipitate same, whereby both pH-precipitated and
non-pH-precipitated metals are substantially precipitated from such body
of waste water for removal therefrom, with minimized feeding of said
precipitating agent.
2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said sampling, removing, and testing are
generally conducted continuously, while said feeding is conducted
selectively for feeding the given precipitating agent to the controlled
body of waste water responsive to the presence of remaining metals in
solution.
3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said testing includes analyzing said
clear sample with a continuous metal analyzer means, operative for
outputing a feedback signal indicative of the presence of any remaining
metals in solution, which feedback signal in turn actuates feed control
means, provided as part of said feeding, for feeding said precipitating
agent to the waste water.
4. A method as in claim 1, wherein:
said removing includes passing the sampled waste water through filter means
for providing said clear sample; and
said testing includes continuously injecting an indicator solution to the
clear sample, which solution renders such sample turbid to a degree which
is in proportion to the presence of metals in solution in such sample; and
further includes thereafter monitoring the degree of the turbidity of such
sample.
5. A method as in claim 4, wherein:
said indicator solution comprises a diluted strength of said given
precipitating agent; and
said non-pH-precipitated metals comprise at least one of heavy metals which
are chelated and heavy metals which are complexed.
6. A method as in claim 4, further comprising:
periodically interrupting said sampling and removing operations, and
instead backwashing said filter means so as to prevent clogging of same;
and
recirculating said clear sample to the controlled body of waste water after
testing of such sample; and
wherein said conducting of pH treatment includes adequately controlling the
pH of such body of waste water so as to substantially precipitate
therefrom non-chelated and non-complexed metals; whereby
said method permits relatively continuous automatic monitoring and removal
of heavy metals from solution in such waste water while minimizing sludge
generation accompanying heavy metal precipitation, by substantially
preventing overfeeding of said precipitating agent beyond an efficacious
amount thereof for precipitating chelated and complexed heavy metals from
such body of waste water.
7. A method as in claim 1, wherein:
said testing further includes determining the degree to which any remaining
metals in solution are present; and
said feeding is actuated only whenever such determined degree of the
presence of remaining metals in solution exceeds a predetermined level.
8. A method of as in claim 1, wherein:
said testing further includes determining the degree to which any remaining
metals in solution are present; and
actuation of said precipitating agent feeding is modulated proportionately
to such determined degree of the presence of remaining metals in solution.
9. A process of removing heavy metals from waste water, said process
including the steps of:
continuously sampling the waste water and removing from such sampling
already precipitated metals so as to provide a clear sample;
injecting a given precipitating agent into such clear sample so as to
render same turbid to a degree determined by the reactionary precipitation
of metals formerly remaining in solution in such clear sample;
detecting the degree of turbidity of such injected sample, so as to
ascertain a proportional corresponding degree to which metals remain in
solution in the waste water; and
providing a regulated flow of said given precipitating agent to the waste
water in correspondence with the ascertained degree to which metals remain
in solution in such waste water, whereby such regulated flow enables
precipitation of heavy metals from the waste water substantially without
overfeed of the precipitating agent, which minimizes sludge production
accompanying use of such agent.
10. A process as in claim 9, wherein:
said sampling and removing steps include establishing a sample flow from
the waste water through filter means for filtering precipitants therefrom
larger than a predetermined size;
said injecting step includes injecting a relatively diluted strength of
said given precipitating agent into said sample flow; and
said process further includes the step of returning said sample flow to the
waste water, after performance of said injecting and detecting steps
thereon.
11. A process as in claim 10, wherein:
the waste water from which said sample flow is established also undergoes
pH-treatment for substantially precipitating non-chelated and
non-complexed metals therefrom, which are removed during said removing
step; and
said process further includes the step of periodically backwashing said
filter means with reverse flow therethrough so as to prevent clogging
thereof with such pH-treatment precipitated non-chelated and non-complexed
metals, whereby relatively continuous operation of said process is
afforded.
12. A process as in claim 9, wherein said providing step includes set-point
control of said regulated flow, so as to permit flow of said given
precipitating agent only whenever the degree of turbidity is detected as
being above a predetermined set-point.
13. A process as in claim 9, wherein said providing step includes modulated
control of said regulated flow, so as to provide flow of said given
precipitating agent in proportion with the detected degree of turbidity.
14. A waste water treatment process for reducing metals in solution with
such waste water to a predetermined level, said process including:
providing multiple treatment stages for waste water including at least one
stage constituting a main treatment tank having inflow thereto and outflow
therefrom relative other treatment stages in the process;
controlling the pH level in said main treatment tank so as to precipitate
those metals therefrom amenable to pH-induced precipitation at the
controlled level of such pH;
continuously monitoring said main treatment tank for remaining
non-precipitated metals; and
based on such monitoring, selectively administering a given precipitating
agent to said main treatment tank for precipitating such remaining metals
to a degree adequate to reduce metals in solution with such waste water to
said predetermined level; wherein
said monitoring and administering steps include:
establishing a continuous sample flow from said main treatment tank,
filtering said continuous sample flow to remove precipitated metals
therefrom so as to provide a relatively clear continuous sample flow,
continuously injecting a relatively diluted amount of said given
precipitating agent into said relatively clear continuous sample flow at
an injection point in such flow,
detecting the turbidity of such flow at a point downstream from said
injection point, the degree of such turbidity varying in proportion with
the degree to which additional metals are precipitated by said injecting
of the diluted given precipitating agent, and
actuating said administering of such given precipitating agent to the main
treatment tank responsive to the degree of detected turbidity, whereby
such administering of the precipitating agent is in accordance with a
monitored need for additional precipitation measures other than said pH
level control, which minimizes sludge production inherently generated by
use of such precipitating agent.
15. A process as in claim 14, wherein:
said continuous sample flow from said main treatment tank is established at
a relatively low flow rate; and
said process further includes a preliminary equalization stage situated
upstream from said main treatment tank and providing said inflow thereto;
and
said process further includes treatment stages situated downstream from
said main treatment tank and receiving said outflow therefrom, such
downstream stages consecutively including coagulation, flocculation, and
clarification stages.
16. A process as in claim 14, wherein:
said predetermined level of metals in solution with the waste water is
generally in a range of from about zero to about 5 parts per million;
said continuous sample flow from said main treatment tank has a flow rate
generally within a range of from about 1 to about 20 gallons per minute;
said filtering of said continuous sample flow includes filtering with
membranes having a minimum particle trapping size generally in a range of
from about 0.2 microns to about 5 microns;
said pH-level control includes controlling such pH level in said main
treatment tank to generally within a range of from about 4 to about 12;
and
said metals amenable to pH-induced precipitation are generally non-heavy
metals, while said remaining non-precipitated metals are generally heavy
metals which are chelated and/or complexed.
17. A process as in claim 16, wherein said given precipitating agent
comprises one of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate and sodium borohydride.
18. A process as in claim 14, wherein:
said pH-level control includes maintaining the level of said pH in said
main treatment tank generally below 4;
preliminary treatment stages of said process upstream from said main
treatment tank include an equalization stage followed by a flocculation
stage; and
said given precipitating agent comprises parasulfate.
19. A process as in claim 14, wherein:
said filtering step includes providing a pair of tubular filters,
interconnected with controllable valves for directed flow therethrough in
a selected longitudinal direction; and
said waste water treatment process further includes the step of controlling
said valves so as to intermittently reverse the longitudinal flow
direction within said filters, and/or admit reverse flow direction water
thereto from a clean external source, for backwashing same, whereby
substantially continuous monitoring and administering may take place.
20. A process as in claim 14, wherein said administering actuating is based
on set point control so that only degrees of detected turbidity above a
predetermined set point actuate administering of said given precipitating
agent to the main treatment tank.
21. A process as in claim 14, wherein said actuating step includes
modulated administering of said given precipitating agent to the main
treatment tank proportionately responsive to the degree of detected
turbidity, for proportionately administering said precipitating agent in
accordance with said monitored need therefor.
22. A method of controlling the level of a consumable agent present in a
given generally aqueous medium having solids in solution therein, such
agent being consumed while such given medium is involved in a continuous
process, said method including the steps of:
establishing a sample flow from the given medium;
filtering the sample flow established from said given medium, for
substantially removing precipitated solids therefrom to provide a clear
sample flow;
providing a given indicator solution which reacts in said sample flow so as
to create precipitation therefrom of any solids remaining in solution in
said given medium;
injecting said given indicator solution into the clear sample flow;
sensing the degree of turbidity of such sample flow downstream from such
injecting, which degree of turbidity is in direct proportion with the
degree of precipitation brought on by injecting of such given indicator
solution into such flow; and
replenishing said consumable agent in said given medium in proportion to
the sensed degree of turbidity of such sample flow, whereby the level of
such agent in said given medium can be monitored and regulated as desired
relative the continuous process in which said given medium is involved.
23. A method as in claim 22, wherein:
said given medium comprises waste water to be treated, and said solids
comprise metals in solution therewith to be removed therefrom to about a
predetermined level remaining in solution as such treatment of said waste
water;
said consumable agent comprises a predetermined precipitating agent, with
consumption thereof occurring during precipitation from said waste water
of metals in solution therewith; and
said indicator solution comprises a relatively diluted strength of said
predetermined precipitating agent.
24. A method as in claim 23, wherein:
said metals in solution include heavy metals and non-heavy metals;
said continuous process includes substantial pH-induced precipitation of
such non-heavy metals from said waste water; and
said precipitating agent comprises sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate,
effective for precipitating chelated and complexed metals from said waste
water not otherwise precipitated therefrom by such pH-inducement.
25. A method as in claim 22, wherein:
said given medium comprises an aqueous suspension for use in manufacturing
a product; and
said consumable agent comprises a biocide, with consumption thereof
occurring as such biocide encounters and kills organic growth in said
aqueous suspension.
26. A method as in claim 25, wherein:
said suspension comprises a pulp suspension involved in a continuous
papermaking process;
said biocide comprises sodium dimethyldithiocarbarmate; and
said indicator solution comprises a heavy metal compound in solution.
27. A method as in claim 25, wherein:
said suspension comprises a sugar-based suspension in a continuous
sugar-making process;
said biocide comprises sodium dimethyldithiocarbarmate; and
said indicator solution comprises a heavy metal compound in solution. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns in general improved method and apparatus for waste
water treatment, and in particular concerns the treatment of waste water
containing heavy metals.
Industrial waste waters commonly include a variety of contaminants which
require treatment (i.e. removal) even before the waste water can be
discharged from the plant site. The nature of the waste water contaminants
is in large part dependent on the commercial processes practiced in the
plant. Accordingly, there is great variety in the nature of waste water
contaminant problems. Moreover, the matrix (i.e., makeup) of waste water
even at a given commercial site will usually vary, sometimes dramatically,
with changes in production or the like.
Particular industries, for example such as those relating to metal plating,
metal finishing, or circuit board manufacturing activities, generate waste
water with heavy metals (e.g., copper, nickel, etc.) and other metals in
solution with such waste water. The commercial activities themselves, may
inherently generate heavy metals which are chelated and/or complexed for
purposes of the commercial activity (e.g., metal plating) itself.
Chelating and/or complexing tends to cause such metals to remain in
solution, and thus require special attention for their removal.
During the typical course of plant activity, heavy metal concentration in
the waste water is highly variable. While concentration variations can in
general be expected, monitoring of and reacting to specific variations is
problematic. Concentrations of heavy metals may typically vary from a few
parts per million to several hundred parts per million, even in a very
short time, such as a matter of minutes.
Not only do concentration levels vary drastically, but extreme variations
can be experienced with respect to the matrix (both in identity and
nature, e.g., chelated versus non-chelated) of heavy metals present.
In general, it is known to add (i.e., feed) various precipitating agents to
waste water to precipitate such heavy metals for their removal from the
water. The amount of such precipitating agents required (i.e. consumed) in
the course of precipitating such heavy metals of course depends on the
degree of presence of such heavy metals in solution with the waste water.
Since effective real time monitoring of heavy metal concentration levels
has heretofore generally proven difficult, such treatment chemical feeding
(i.e. the feed rate of precipitating agents) is typically set at a
compromise level, such as for precipitating the maximum expected
concentration of heavy metals. Such a compromise setting creates an excess
amount of sludge, which sludge may often be classified as a hazardous
waste. Moreover, since the cost of the treatment chemicals is not
insignificant, wasteful overfeeding thereof is costly.
Operators have been known to attempt periodic checks to manually detect the
level of metals entering the waste water (i.e., assess the expected
concentrations), and adjust the chemical feed rate accordingly. However,
such a manual adjustment merely alters the set feed rate in accordance
with periodic reassessments of the anticipated maximum concentration, and
does nothing to eliminate excess sludge production and excessive and
costly chemical usage caused by differences between actual concentration
levels and the anticipated maximums thereof. Moreover, short term spikes
can still occur, meaning that inadequately treated waste water can be
nonetheless discharged. Such occurrences are particularly problematic
where applicable laws regulate the permissable discharge concentration
levels, such as to certain fractional parts per million or certain parts
per million.
In some industrial settings, anticipation of heavy metal concentrations in
the waste water may be relatively "less predictable". For example, a
totally unexpected occurrence of heavy metals in the waste water can go
unchecked, thereby causing the plant to exceed permissible discharge
levels. For example, maintenance personnel might empty mop buckets or the
like containing chelated heavy metals picked up from the floor of the
facility, which could cause a heavy metal concentration spike in the waste
water at a time whenever commercial activity in the plant is nil, and
precipitating agent feed pumps may be switched off. The plant is
nonetheless responsible for its waste water discharge, though no effective
continuous monitoring systems for preventing such undesirable discharges
may be available.
It is generally known that certain metals in solution in waste water may be
precipitated therefrom by controlling the pH level of the waste water. For
example, non-chelated and non-complexed metals in particular may be in
various degrees precipitated in such manner. Automatic controllers are
generally available which function to probe the waste water for its pH
level, and automatically pump treatment chemicals accordingly to the waste
water so as to adjust its pH level within an established deviation from a
pre-selected setpoint. One example of such a controller is the Model 5
proportional pH pump controller, made by Chem-Tech International, Inc., of
92 Bolt Street, Lowell, Mass., 01853. While such a controller may be
effective for metals which may be precipitated through such pH inducement,
heavy metals which are chelated and/or complexed generally will not be
precipitated with such pH level control. Thus, the monitoring and
treatment problems noted above persist, and may be compounded where a
changing mix of chelated and non-chelated metals is presented for
treatment.
Another aspect of waste water treatment problems where both such types of
metals are in solution (i.e., which can and can not be practically
precipitated through pH inducement) is that use of a precipitating agent
can precipitate both such types of metals. However, unnecessary sludge
production is caused by precipitating metals in such a manner which could
have otherwise been precipitated through pH level control (as generally
discussed above). Again, the amount of precipitating agent consumption is
also a factor.
In addition to the availability of known pH level control generally
outlined above, at least one other generally known method, involving a
so-called oxidation reduction potential probe, attempts to address
precipitating agent usage. Such a probe is typically used to detect the
presence of excess (i.e. un-consumed) precipitating agent at a phase of a
waste water treatment program after all the metal is removed. One
particular limitation of such a system is that it cannot distinguish
between, for example, chelated and non-chelated metals, and must therefore
feed precipitating agent until there is an excess of such agent present in
the water. Feed control feedback also is derived from detected excess
agent, not from information relative remaining metal in solution to be
precipitated. Thus, there is no effective prevention of excess sludge
generation or wasteful chemical usage.
Another limitation of a waste treatment system utilizing an oxidation
reduction potential (ORP) probe is that the probe operation involves an
electrical measurement which is affected by changes in the pH level of the
waste water, the amount of total dissolved solids therein, and the amount
of chelated metal in the waste water. Thus, an ORP probe system is
inherently ineffective for use in providing close control of the feeding
of chemical treatment solutions into waste water treatment systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses such drawbacks and shortcomings, and
others, of prior waste water treatment techniques. Accordingly, it is a
general object of the present invention to provide improved waste water
treatment methods, and apparatus for practicing same. It is a more
particular object to provide such improved waste water treatments relating
to the removal of heavy metals.
It is a more general object to provide improved heavy metal waste water
treatment which effectively minimizes sludge production and treatment
chemical consumption.
In providing such improved method and apparatus, it is yet a further object
of this invention to provide same with the ability to change a chemical
treatment solution feed rate so as to automatically match varying demands
of the waste water chemistry, thereby resulting in such reduced sludge
generation and lower treatment chemical consumption. In providing such an
automatically operative system, it is an object to provide a system which
can be practically operated substantially continuously, and so as to
greatly reduce a plant operators time needed to manage and maintain same.
It is another more general object of the present invention to provide for
improved waste water treatment which permits continuous and automatic
achievement of a predetermined setpoint of heavy metal concentration in
solution (such as legislatively mandated levels in parts per million or
fractions thereof). It is a more particular object to provide such a
system which is effective in achieving such objects despite even wide
variations in the heavy metal concentrations, such as may occur from
entirely unanticipated dumps of relatively high heavy metal concentrations
into the waste water flow.
It is another more particular object of the present invention to provide
for improved heavy metal waste water treatment which is compatible for use
with pH level control systems, so as to in combination therewith limit
usage of the precipitating agent and limit the overall generation of
sludge, particularly sludge designated as hazardous waste.
In providing such improved waste water treatment methods and apparatus, it
is an object to provide for continuous practice thereof in conjunction
with an otherwise continuously operating waste water treatment system,
such as a system having a plurality of consecutive treatment stages.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an
improved waste water treatment system, which is effective for controling
the consumption of a wide variety of available precipitating agents.
In connection with consumption monitoring and limiting, it is another
object to provide a controller for precipitating agent feeding, even where
such agent is used for an alternative commercial purpose, such as for a
biocide (encountering and killing microbiological activity, or the like)
for treating a given aqueous suspension. It is a particular object to
provide such a controller effective for controlling the level of such a
consumable agent used as a biocide in connection with a generally aqueous
papermaking suspension or sugar-making suspension. Alternatively, an
object is to utilize the present invention in controlling the level of a
consumable biocide in cooling water of a cooling water tower.
It is yet another general object of the present invention to provide for
improved waste water treatment which effectively distinguishes between
metals in solution which are chelated and/or complexed, and those which
are non-chelated and/or non-complexed, so as to enable efficient
utilization of a precipitating agent for the chelated and/or complexed
metals. It is a further object to provide for controlled feeding of such
precipitating agent to the waste water to be treated, instead of merely
allowing feeding of such precipitating agent at a calculated rate based on
anticipated maximum heavy metal concentrations.
The foregoing objects and advantages, and others, of the present invention
may be embodied in a variety of methods, apparatus, and devices in
accordance with the present invention. Alternative embodiments of the
present invention may include various combinations of features in
accordance with this invention, which features are discussed in greater
detail below. Moreover, such embodiments may in the alternative be
embodied as either practice of a method including such features as various
steps or the like of such method, or embodied as an apparatus, a device,
system or the like including components or means in correspondence with
such combination of features.
Practiced as either a method or apparatus, one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention includes the combination of present features for waste
water treatment, comprising: conducting pH treatment of a controlled body
of waste water for substantially precipitating non-chelated and
non-complexed metals therefrom; sampling such pH-treated waste water, and
substantially removing solid precipitated metals therefrom to provide a
clear sample; testing such clear sample for the presence of any remaining
metals in solution therein; and feeding a given precipitating agent to the
controlled body of waste water in response to the presence of such
remaining metals so as to substantially precipitate same. Both
pH-precipitated and non-pH-precipitated metals are substantially
precipitated from the body of waste water for removal therefrom, with
minimized feeding of said precipitating agent.
Other exemplary embodiments of this invention (concerning both process and
apparatus) are directed to the combined features of: continuously sampling
waste water and removing from such sampling already precipitated metals so
as to provide a clear sample; injecting a given precipitating agent into
such clear sample so as to render same turbid to a degree determined by
the reactionary precipitation of metals formerly remaining in solution in
such clear sample; detecting the degree of turbidity of such injected
sample, so as to ascertain a proportional corresponding degree to which
metals remain in solution in the waste water; and providing a regulated
flow of the given precipitating agent to the waste water in correspondence
with the ascertained degree to which metals remain in solution in such
waste water. Such regulated flow enables precipitation of heavy metals
from the waste water substantially without over-feed of the precipitating
agent, which minimizes sludge production accompanying use of such agent.
Still another exemplary embodiment of this invention is directed to a waste
water treatment process for (or system for) reducing metals in solution
with such waste water to a predetermined level, such process including (or
such system including means for): providing multiple treatment stages for
waste water including at least one stage constituting a main treatment
tank having inflow thereto and outflow therefrom relative other treatment
stages in the process; (pH level control means for) controlling the pH
level in said main treatment tank so as to precipitate those metals
therefrom amenable to pH-induced precipitation at the controlled level of
such pH; (testing means for) continuously monitoring the main treatment
tank for remaining non-precipitated metals; and based on such monitoring,
(control means for) selectively administering a given precipitating agent
to the main treatment tank for precipitating such remaining metals to a
degree adequate to reduce metals in solution with such waste water to the
predetermined level.
Such monitoring and administering steps (testing and control means) further
include: (tubing means for) establishing a continuous sample flow from the
main treatment tank; (liquid-solid separation means for) filtering the
continuous sample flow to remove precipitated metals therefrom so as to
provide a relatively clear continuous sample flow; (precipitating agent
injection pump means for) continuously injecting a relatively diluted
amount of the given precipitating agent into the relatively clear
continuous sample flow at an injection point in such flow; (turbidity
meter means for) detecting the turbidity of such flow at a point
downstream from such injection point, the degree of such turbidity varying
in proportion with the degree to which additional metals are precipitated
by the injecting of the diluted given precipitating agent; and
(precipitating agent controlled pump means for) actuating administering of
such given precipitating agent to the main treatment tank responsive to
the degree of detected turbidity.
Such administering of the precipitating agent is in accordance with a
monitored need for additional precipitation measures other than pH level
control, which minimizes sludge production inherently generated by use of
such precipitating agent.
Still further embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of,
and corresponding device for, controlling the level of a consumable agent
present in a given generally aqueous medium having solids in solution
therein, such agent being consumed while such given medium is involved in
a continuous process, such embodiments including: establishing a sample
flow from the given medium; filtering the sample flow established from the
given medium, for substantially removing precipitated solids therefrom to
provide a clear sample flow; providing a given indicator solution which
reacts in such sample flow so as to create precipitation therefrom of any
solids remaining in solution in the given medium; injecting the given
indicator solution into the clear sample flow; sensing the degree of
turbidity of such sample flow downstream from such injecting, which degree
of turbidity is in direct proportion with the degree of precipitation
brought on by injecting of such given indicator solution into such flow;
and replenishing the consumable agent in the given medium in proportion to
the sensed degree of turbidity of such sample flow. In such embodiments,
the level of such consumable agent in the given medium can be monitored
and regulated as desired relative the continuous process in which the
given medium is involved.
While specific exemplary embodiments are disclosed above, and discussed in
greater detail below, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate
various modifications to features and aspects of this invention which may
be practiced in accordance with the broader teachings thereof. Such
modifications include, but are not limited to, variations in particular
means, steps, or features, various combinations thereof, and various
substitution of equivalent features and means, or the like. It is intended
by virtue of present reference thereto that all such modifications and
variations come within the spirit and scope of this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best
mode thereof, is set forth below, in conjunction with reference to the
accompanying figures, in which:
FIG. 1 comprises a block diagram representation of one embodiment in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2a comprises a block diagram representation of one embodiment in
accordance with the present invention of the testing and control means of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 2b comprises a block diagram representation of an alternative
embodiment to that of FIG. 2a, for the testing and control means of
present FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 comprises a diagrammatical view of a multi-stage waste water
treatment system incorporating heavy metal waste water treatment features
in accordance with the present invention.
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the following specification
and accompanying figures is intended to represent same or analogous
features, elements, or aspects of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In conjunction with the following description of exemplary embodiments of
this invention, it is to be understood that features and aspects of this
invention may be variously practiced in combination with a variety of
waste water treatment systems, not all of which are necessarily shown nor
explicitly mentioned hereinafter. However, specific exemplary embodiments
are presented herewith and discussed in detail below to provide those of
ordinary skill in the art with an adequate disclosure of this invention
for practicing same, either as shown and discussed herein or as adapted by
such persons from time to time for conformance with their particular
requirements.
As relates to waste water treatment, one aspect of this invention as
represented by present FIG. 1 is that a filtered sample of waste water is
obtained and monitored for determining controlled feeding of a given
precipitating agent. Such methodology, even if readily accomplished with
individual components which independent of one another are previously
known, advantageously p | | |
