US4176058A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method means for de-silting water
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-01-29
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Granted: 1979-11-27
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Expires: 1996-01-29
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method and a means for de-silting water. The settling of silt in inland lakes and dams considerably reduce the effective life span of such lakes and dams, and also cause a substantial loss of fertility of the agricultural lands from which the silt originates. The invention provides a method for removing silt particles from water by first agglomerating the silt particles into larger size particles, imparting hydrophobic properties to the larger size particles and floating the same to the surface, and removing the floated matter. The invention also provides an apparatus for removing silt particles from water which includes means for feeding into and mixing with the water chemicals selected for agglomerating the silt particles and converting them into larger size hydrophobic particles, means for bubbling air through the water to float the larger size particles to the surface, and means for removing the floated matter.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacobus J. Grobler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:14
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03D; B03D1/00; B03D1/02; B03D1/028; B03D1/14; B03D1/1443; B03D1/145; B03D1/1462; B03D1/24; B03D1/242; B03D3/00; B03D3/02; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for removing silt particles from a natural flow of water having a substantial concentration of natural, essentially inorganic silt, which comprises: (a) essentially non-specifically, with the aid of a chemical agglomerating agent, agglomerating at least a major portion of the silt particles to form the same into agglomerated particles of substantially increased size, (b) hydrophobically treating the agglomerated particles, essentially in a non-specifically manner, whereby the same are imparted with hydrophobic properties, (c) preventing settling of said treated particles by bubbling air through the water thereby floating the agglomerated particles to the surface of the water, and (d) removing the floated agglomerated particles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for removing silt particles from a natural flow of water having a substantial concentration of natural, essentially inorganic silt, which comprises: (a) essentially non-specifically, with the aid of a chemical agglomerating agent, agglomerating at least a major portion of the silt particles to form the same into agglomerated particles of substantially increased size, (b) hydrophobically treating the agglomerated particles, essentially in a non-specifically manner, whereby the same are imparted with hydrophobic properties, (c) preventing settling of said treated particles by bubbling air through the water thereby floating the agglomerated particles to the surface of the water, and (d) removing the floated agglomerated particles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agglomeration step to agglomerate the silt particles and the hydrophobic step for imparting hydrophobic properties are carried out simultaneously.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, carried out on the water of a river or stream in a succession of treatment zones through which the water flows sequentially, provided in a flow path of such river or stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, carried out at a locality stream upward of a water storage dam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 which comprises intermittently mixing into the flowing water of the river or stream in a first treatment zone in the flow path of the river or stream, silt agglomerating chemicals to agglomerate the silt particles so as to form same into the agglomerated particles of substantially increased size and chemicals to impart hydrophobic properties to the particles thus being agglomerated; bubbling air through the water in a second treatment zone at a locality downstream of the first treatment zone to achieve flotation of the agglomerated particles; and skimming off the floated particles in a third zone at a locality downstream of the second zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the concentration of chemicals is selected in accordance with the silt-loading of the water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the concentration is adapted to reduce the silt-loading to a predetermined level of incomplete removal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the silt-loading of the water is measured continuously or intermittently and the concentration is adjusted accordingly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, which is carried out on a portion of the water of the river or stream, while another portion of the water remains untreated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agglomeration step comprises introducing into the water a suitable concentration of chemicals including a polyacrylic amide flocculating agent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of hydrophobically treating comprises introducing into the water an unsaturated fatty acid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the fatty acid is oleic acid or another member of the oleic acid series.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the agglomeration and hydrophobic treatment steps are carried out simultaneously by introducing into the water a combination of chemicals including a polyacrylic amide and an unsaturated fatty acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the polyacrylic amide and the fatty acid are intimately mixed to form a stable emulsion prior to the introduction into the silt-containing water.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the polyacrylic amide is subjected to shearing during the mixing with the fatty acid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the chemicals include a flocculant consisting of polyacrylic amide polymer blocks linked together by acrylic acid salt groups.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the chemicals include an alkane sulphonate floatation reagent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the chemicals include a flocculant consisting of a polyalkylenimine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the flocculant consists of polyethylenimine.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the chemicals include also Protease-Hoechst 1549/1.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the agglomeration and hydrophobic treatment steps are carried out by introducing into the water a suitable concentration of chemicals including a polyacrylic amide and an unsaturated fatty acid of the oleic series, together with one or more of the following substances: Protease-Hoechst 1549/1; an alkane sulphonate; a substance consisting of polyacrylic amide polymer blocks linked together by acrylic acid salt groups; and a polyalkylenimine.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silt removed from the water is recovered as agricultural or horticultural soil.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-11-26 | 1983-05-28 | 1983-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-26 | 1987-05-28 | 1987-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-26 | 1991-05-28 | 1991-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |