AU2003100868A4

AU2003100868A4 - Coconut fibre-Charcoal (CoCo-Coal) FILTER-SEPARATOR

Info

Publication number: AU2003100868A4
Application number: AU2003100868A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jayasiri Pemathilaka Rajapakse
Original assignee: Department OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AT P; JAYASIRI RAJAPAKSE
Current assignee: DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AT PNG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY; Rajapakse Jayasiri Pemathilaka Dr
Priority date: 2003-10-19
Filing date: 2003-10-19
Publication date: 2004-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-19

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Coconut fibre-Charcoal "CoCo-Coal" FILTER SEPARATOR Inventor: J.P.RAJAPAKSE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -CoCo-Coal" FILTER-SEPARATOR Page 1 Inventor: J.P.RAJAPAKSE 1 Sep 2003 Coconut fibre-Charcoal "CoCo-Coal" FILTER- SEPARATOR In motor vehicle service stations, garages and workshops during oil change, usually the used oil is collected separately for disposal or recycling. However, during washing operation of mechanical parts and engines, depending on the size of the service station/ garage/workshop, a significant volume of wastewater is produced together with mixed oils and other lubricants and are discharged into sewers which eventually end up in natural water courses or sewage treatment works. There are countries where disposal of sewage effluents to sea outfalls is practiced without proper treatment, as this is not mandatory in many developing countries. This practice is undesirable to the environment and it is ethical to separate the lubricants from wastewater and discharge the wastewater in a more environmentally acceptable manner. One concerned garage in Papua New Guinea has approached me with the problem and apparently the problem is quite common with all garages in the country.

This invention relates to a water/oil/lubricants separator and purifier/filter, and more precisely to an apparatus and a method for separating oil/lubricants from a water/oil/lubricant mixture by an oil trap (II) assisted by dispersed or dissolved air flotation and (III) finally polish the already treated wastewater effluent using a dual media filter, (in this apparatus coconut fibre and charcoal as the dual media), all processes contained within the same unit.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for purifying the wastewater from garages and vehicle service stations, which contain a mixture of oils, coolants and other lubricants, mixed with water during washing operations, before disposing of the effluent to the environment. The filter is regenerated by replacing with new dual media and burning the old media. The proposed dual media are most suitable for tropical countries where both coconut fibres and charcoal are cheap and plentiful in supply. In garages and service stations dispersed air supply is also readily available.

A model has been constructed with sheet metal as shown in Figure 1 2 attached, to the dimensions of 700 X 450 X 450 mm, and tested in the laboratory with wastewater obtained from a vehicle service station in Lae, Papua New Guinea and initial tests are very promising.

The "CoCo-Coal" Filter-Separator is preferably made from sheet metal, fiberglass or high-density plastic, however other materials can also be used.

The dual-media is preferably coconut fibres and charcoal for the specified use of separating motor oil/lubricants from water/wastewater in tropical low-income countries but other dual media may also be used depending on availability in other countries.

The separated oil/lubricants can be collected into a collection chamber located within the flotation chamber and can be used for recycling or proper disposal.

"CoCo-Coal" FILTER-SEPARATOR Page 2 Inventor: J.P.RAJAPAKSE 1 Sep 2003 The invention may be better understood with reference to the Figure 1, which is a longitudinal cross-section of the apparatus and Figure 2 is an alternative device for the collection of already separated oils and lubricants.

The wastewater mixed with oils/lubricants enters the flotation chamber 3 through an inlet pipe 4 located at the top of the flotation chamber 3. While the wastewater flows in the downward direction within the flotation chamber 3, some proportion of the light-weight oils and lubricants will float to the surface assisted by fine air bubbles released through an air diffuser 5 located at the bottom of the flotation chamber 3.

The partially treated wastewater will leave the flotation chamber 3 through an opening 6 located at the bottom of separation wall 7 and will enter into the next chamber 8 where the liquid flow is in the upward direction. The liquid will leave this chamber 8 into the next chamber 9 over the separation wall 10. The majority of the liquid flow in this chamber 9 will be in the downward direction, while another proportion of light-weight oils and lubricants will float to the surface due to density differences of the liquids.

The liquid will leave this chamber 9 via the opening 11 located at the bottom of separation wall 12 and enter into the next chamber 13, where the liquid flow is in the upward direction. Then finally the liquid will leave this chamber 13 over the separation wall 14 and enters into the dual-media filter chamber In the dual-media filter, the liquid flow is in the downward direction. Liquid first passes through a bed of coconut fibres 16 leaving behind any oils and lubricants escaped from the previous chamber 13 and will then pass through a bed of charcoal 17. The charcoal bed 17 will assist to improve the colour of the final effluent. The finally treated effluent is taken out through an effluent pipe 18 located at the bottom of filter chamber The concentrated oils and lubricants already separated from the wastewater 19 and floated on to the surface of flotation chamber 3 will be allowed to slowly flow into a concentrate collection chamber 20 over a movable opening 21 located within this collection chamber 20. The level of the movable door 21 is set at the same level as the liquid level of the floatation chamber 3. Once the concentrate collection chamber 20 is full, the concentrated oils and lubricants will be taken out through an opening 22 located in the middle of the chamber 20 for proper disposal or recycling.

For re-generating the filter compartment the dual media of coconut fibre-charcoal mixture are removed and replaced with a new mixed bed of coconut fibre-charcoal and the used material can be disposed of by burning the coconut fibres together with charcoal.

Claims

1. A coconut fibre-charcoal "CoCo-Coal" Filter-Separator comprising a oil trap which is a container having several compartments allowing the liquid to pass upwards and downwards alternatively in each compartment as shown in Figure 1, and incorporated by the additional features of a dissolved or dispersed air flotation unit in the first chamber to assist the separation of the lubricant from the wastewater, and a dual-media (Coconut fibres and charcoal in this case) filter in the last chamber to polish the final effluent of any escaped lubricants from the previous chamber.

2. In the first compartment of a coconut fibre-charcoal "CoCo-Coal" Filter- Separator described in the claim 1, has a device, 20 at the top of the flotation chamber 3, for the collection of any concentrate lubricants already separated from the wastewater and floated to the top of the water surface.

3. A coconut-fibre-charcoal "CoCo-Coal" Filter-Separator according to any claims 1 and 2 wherein the container and concentrated lubricant collection device are made from sheet metal, plastic, fiberglass or concrete.

4. A coconut fibre-charcoal "CoCo-Coal" Filter-Separator according to any claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the concentrated lubricant collection device may be a built in chamber 20 as shown in Figure 1, or a detachable unit similar to a device used in kitchens for 'fat-removal in soups' slightly modified to include a concentrated oil/lubricant outlet, as shown in Figure 2. A coconut fibre-charcoal "CoCo-Coal" Filter-Separator substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1-2 of the accompanying drawings. 1. JAYASIRI PEMATHILAKA RAJAPAKSE 2. THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AT PNG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 3

5 Name of Applicant(s): 1 September 2003 Date: "CoCo-Coal" FILTER-SEPARATOR Page 3 Inventor: J.P.RAJAPAKSE 1 Sep 2003