US3856671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Closed-loop ozone generating and contacting system
Assignee: WR Grace and Co Conn
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Filing: 1972-11-21
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Granted: 1974-12-24
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Expires: 1992-11-21
Abstract
Abstract By this system, water can be treated with ozone and/or oxygen in a closed-loop cycle, thus conserving the high oxygen content gas. The system comprises as a principal feature a pressure-swing fractionator which removes nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor from a feed gas, producing an oxygen enriched gas which flows to a contactor or an ozonator. The oxygen enriched gas from the ozonator contains from about 1 to 7 percent ozone. This gas mixture, or solely an oxygen stream, is then contacted with water to be treated. Purified water is recovered, and excess oxygen and/or oxygen and enriched in nitrogen, forms a recycle gas which is combined with a charge of air and flowed to the pressure-swing fractionator to begin another cycle. The pressure-swing fractionator serves the dual simultaneous purpose of producing the necessary oxygen enriched gas for subsequent use and maintaining a low nitrogen level throughout the closed-loop.
Inventors
- 👤 H Lee
- 👤 H Rosen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:45
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/72; C02F1/78; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/12; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/10; B01D2257/102; B01D2257/50; B01D2257/504; B01D2257/80; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/402; B01D2259/403; B01D53/047; Y; Y02; Y02C; Y02C20/00; Y02C20/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A CLOSED-LOOP WATER TREATMENT PROCESS USING AN OXIDIZING GAS COMPRISING: A. FLOWING AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF AN OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS TO AN OZONATOR WHEREIN FROM ABOUT 1 TO 7 PERCENT OZONE IS FORMED; SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS BEING THE PRODUCT OF A PRESSURE-SWING FRACTIONATOR; B. FLOWING THE OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE TO A FIRST GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; C. FLOWING A PARTIALLY PURIFIED WATER TO BE TREATED WITH SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE TO SAID FIRST GASLIQUID CONTACTOR FROM AN ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; D. THOROUGHLY CONTACTING SAID PARTIALLY PURIFIED WATER AND SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE IN SAID FIRST GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR PRODUCING A TREATED WATER WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PURIFIED AND A GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN; E. FLOWING IMPURE WATER FROM AN INLET TO SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; F. FLOWING SAID GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN TO SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR FOR THOROUGH CONTACTING WITH SAID IMPURE WATER, PARTIALLY PURIFYING SAID IMPURE WATER, AND SAID GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN IS FURTHER DEPLETED IN AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT; G. FLOWING SAID GAS FURTHER DEPLETED IN AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT FROM SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR AS A RECYCLE GAS AND COMIXING SAID RECYCLE GAS WITH A PORTION OF AIR; H. FLOWING THE COMIXTURE OF AIR AND RECYCLE GAS THROUGH A PRESSURE-SWING FRACTIONATOR WHEREIN NITROGEN IS SELECTIVELY REMOVED, THEREBY YIELDING AN OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS; AND I. REPEATING STEP (A), THEREBY PRODUCING A CLOSED-LOOP WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A CLOSED-LOOP WATER TREATMENT PROCESS USING AN OXIDIZING GAS COMPRISING: A. FLOWING AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF AN OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS TO AN OZONATOR WHEREIN FROM ABOUT 1 TO 7 PERCENT OZONE IS FORMED; SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS BEING THE PRODUCT OF A PRESSURE-SWING FRACTIONATOR; B. FLOWING THE OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE TO A FIRST GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; C. FLOWING A PARTIALLY PURIFIED WATER TO BE TREATED WITH SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE TO SAID FIRST GASLIQUID CONTACTOR FROM AN ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; D. THOROUGHLY CONTACTING SAID PARTIALLY PURIFIED WATER AND SAID OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS CONTAINING OZONE IN SAID FIRST GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR PRODUCING A TREATED WATER WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PURIFIED AND A GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN; E. FLOWING IMPURE WATER FROM AN INLET TO SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR; F. FLOWING SAID GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN TO SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR FOR THOROUGH CONTACTING WITH SAID IMPURE WATER, PARTIALLY PURIFYING SAID IMPURE WATER, AND SAID GAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPLETED OF OZONE AND OXYGEN IS FURTHER DEPLETED IN AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT; G. FLOWING SAID GAS FURTHER DEPLETED IN AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT FROM SAID ADDITIONAL GAS-LIQUID CONTACTOR AS A RECYCLE GAS AND COMIXING SAID RECYCLE GAS WITH A PORTION OF AIR; H. FLOWING THE COMIXTURE OF AIR AND RECYCLE GAS THROUGH A PRESSURE-SWING FRACTIONATOR WHEREIN NITROGEN IS SELECTIVELY REMOVED, THEREBY YIELDING AN OXYGEN ENRICHED GAS; AND I. REPEATING STEP (A), THEREBY PRODUCING A CLOSED-LOOP WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein said impure water is a waste water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process as in claim 2 wherein additional oxygen enriched gas is added to said gas at least partially depleted of ozone and oxygen of (d) prior to being flowed to said additional gas-liquid contactor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein said oxygen enriched gas contains from about 30 to 95 percent oxygen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein one portion of said oxygen enriched gas is flowed to an ozonator, and a second portion of said oxygen enriched gas is flowed to said additional gas-liquid contactor for contacting with said impure water, with a partially purified water flowed from said additional gas-liquid contactor, and the resulting gas from said additional contactor which has been substantially depleted of oxygen recycled for comixing with a portion of air.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein during said pressure-swing fractionation, residual amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor, together with nitrogen, are removed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as in claim 6 wherein the oxygen enriched gas from said pressure swing fractionator contains from about 30 to 95 percent oxygen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as in claim 7 wherein said pressure-swing fractionator consists of at least two adsorbent beds whereby an oxygen enriched gas is continuously produced.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as in claim 8 wherein said pressure-swing fractionator consists of two adsorbent beds, each adsorbent bed containing a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite adsorbent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as in claim 8 wherein said pressure-swing fractionator consists of three adsorbent beds, each adsorbent bed containing a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite adsorbent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process as in claim 6 wherein subsequent to comixing said recycle gas and said air, the pressure of the comixture is increased to the range of about 25 psi to 150 psi, with water vapor being removed from the increased pressure stream.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as in claim 11 wherein said water vapor is removed by condensation to a liquid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
204 words
A closed-loop apparatus for the oxidizing gas treatment of water comprising: a. a pressure-swing fractionator capable of rEmoving nitrogen from an input comixture gas stream containing at least oxygen and nitrogen, thereby producing an oxygen enriched gas; b. an ozonator; c. conduit means for flowing said oxygen enriched gas from said pressure-swing fractionator to said ozonator; d. a first gas-liquid contactor and an additional gas-liquid contactor; e. conduit means for flowing an oxygen enriched gas containing ozone from said ozonator to said first gas-liquid contactor; f. conduit means for flowing a gas at least partially depleted of ozone and oxygen from said first gas-liquid contactor to said additional gas-liquid contactor; g. conduit means for flowing impure water to said additional gas-liquid contactor from an inlet; h. conduit means for flowing partially purified water to said first gas-liquid contactor from said additional gas-liquid contactor; i. conduit means for removing purified treated water from said gas-liquid contactor; j. conduit means for removing from said additional gas-liquid contactor a gas further depleted in at least one component as a recycle gas; k. means for adding air to said recycle gas; and l. conduit means for flowing the comixture of recycle gas and air to said pressure-swing fractionator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
204 words
A closed-loop apparatus for the oxidizing gas treatment of water comprising: a. a pressure-swing fractionator capable of rEmoving nitrogen from an input comixture gas stream containing at least oxygen and nitrogen, thereby producing an oxygen enriched gas; b. an ozonator; c. conduit means for flowing said oxygen enriched gas from said pressure-swing fractionator to said ozonator; d. a first gas-liquid contactor and an additional gas-liquid contactor; e. conduit means for flowing an oxygen enriched gas containing ozone from said ozonator to said first gas-liquid contactor; f. conduit means for flowing a gas at least partially depleted of ozone and oxygen from said first gas-liquid contactor to said additional gas-liquid contactor; g. conduit means for flowing impure water to said additional gas-liquid contactor from an inlet; h. conduit means for flowing partially purified water to said first gas-liquid contactor from said additional gas-liquid contactor; i. conduit means for removing purified treated water from said gas-liquid contactor; j. conduit means for removing from said additional gas-liquid contactor a gas further depleted in at least one component as a recycle gas; k. means for adding air to said recycle gas; and l. conduit means for flowing the comixture of recycle gas and air to said pressure-swing fractionator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 which includes conduit means for flowing oxygen enriched gas from said pressure-swing fractionator to said additional contactor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said pressure-swing fractionator contains at least two adsorbent beds, each adsorbent bed containing a zeolite adsorbent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the oxygen enriched gas stream contains from about 30 to 90 percent oxygen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said pressure-swing fractionator contains at least three adsorbent beds, each adsorbent bed containing a zeolite adsorbent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the effluent from said ozonator contains from about 1 to 7 percent ozone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the conduit means for flowing said comixture of recycle gas and air to said pressure-swing fractionator includes a compressor which increases the pressure of said comixture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the conduit means for conducting said comixture of recycle gas and air to said pressure-swing fractionator includes a water vapor removing device between said compressor and said pressure-swing fractionator.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus in claim 20 wherein said water vapor removing device is a condenser.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the conduit means of (f) includes an ozone decomposing means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein said ozone decomposing means is a heater.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-23 | 1978-06-24 | 1978-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-23 | 1982-06-24 | 1982-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-23 | 1986-06-24 | 1986-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |