CA2741032A1 - Separation, cleaning and concentration system and process for aqueous matter - Google Patents

Abstract

An on-site separation, cleaning and concentration process for aqueous materials as well as a system for carrying out this process. The system making it possible to carry out the process comprises in particular an aqueous material inlet device, a pressure pretreatment device, a stabilization and first concentration tank, a first concentration device, a fine concentration module, a backwash, fine concentration tank, cleaning device, polishing device and outlet devices.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SEPARATION, CLEANING AND
CONCENTRATION FOR AQUEOUS MATERIAL

Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method of separating, cleaning and concentration on site for aqueous materials and a system allowing to carry out this process. More particularly, the method and the system corresponding are intended for the solid / liquid separation of a substance aqueous, to obtain a concentrated product, namely contaminants for the purpose of safe disposal, or dried materials for use optimal.
Description of the prior art:

Several methods of separating aqueous materials are known in the art prior. Also known in the prior art are the various disadvantages and disadvantages associated with such methods.

For example, most methods for separating aqueous materials known, are developed to treat a particular aqueous material or for treat only one type of contaminant. This is particularly the case patent application published under the number WO / 2004/057154 (the application 'l 54) describing a process for removing oil from solids recovered from a well, this demand being limited to the extraction of oil from a solid material. In the same vein, the patent application published under the number WO / 2004/089833 (application '833) describes a method and a plant for treating an organic waste material containing a phase aqueous phase and a solid phase, but is limited to the treatment of a organic waste. Finally, the teachings of the Canadian patent CA 1,093,473 (the '473 application) describing a sludge treatment process residual oil drilling by flocculation and mechanical separation limit the treatment of residual oil drilling sludge.

2 An additional disadvantage of many material separation processes known aqueous solutions, lies in the fact that they use the addition additives to the materials to be treated, sometimes in large quantities. In this effect, the The process described in the '154 patent application provides that an acid solution aqueous solution containing a polymer substituted with an amino group is introduced in the separation zone. Similarly, the description of the request '833 indicates that it is preferable to introduce and organic waste with at least one coagulant and at least one flocculation agent and allow the association between a negatively charged solid material and cations of the organic waste material. Finally the process described in Canadian patent '473 consists in first treating the residual sludge of drilling by an appropriate flocculation agent.

Another disadvantage of many known methods of separation solid / liquid for the treatment of large volumes of aqueous materials is they are not designed to treat those aqueous substances on the places. he It is therefore necessary to make significant investments for the transport of these substances heavily weighed down by the volume of water they contain. It is in particular the case of the process described in the '154 application which provides that the solid matter is transferred from the wellbore to a separation.
Similarly, the Canadian patent '473 indicates that the filter cakes or centrifugation obtained, although still containing a lot of water, are perfectly manoeuvrable and can be easily transported and unloaded in sloughs.

Therefore, and in the light of the foregoing, it would therefore be useful to provide a method and a corresponding system that offer a solution to disadvantages and disadvantages of the prior art.

3 Summary of the invention In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method of separating, cleaning and concentration for aqueous materials is provided. The process provides the following steps:
a) entry of the aqueous material;
b) pretreatment under pressure of the aqueous material to separate the liquid, clean the resource material if necessary and dry the material solids;
c) storage of the extracted liquid inside a stabilization tank and of first concentration;
(d) first concentration of particles of a size greater than one first threshold, by mechanical separation;
e) transfer of the filtrate to a reservoir of fine concentration and return of the concentrate towards the stabilization and first concentration reservoir;
f) fine concentration of particles larger than a second threshold, by mechanical separation, and by loopback return of the concentrate towards the fine concentration reservoir by the module or modules of fine concentration until a desired concentration level is achieved;
g) automated cleaning of the fine concentration module (s) so avoid clogging;
h) extraction of nanoscale particles;
i) Outputs of contaminants and treated materials.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system for to carry out the process described above is also provided. The system includes:
an input device for the aqueous material;
- a preprocessing device;
a stabilization and first concentration reservoir storing the extracted with the aid of the pre-treatment device and receiving the concentrate of the device of first concentration;

4 at least one first-concentration device performing an extraction particles larger than a first threshold by mechanical separation;
at least one fine concentration module carrying out extraction of particles of a size greater than a second threshold, by separation mechanical;
a reservoir of fine concentration receiving the filtrate from the first concentration and the loop concentrator of the module or modules fine concentration until a desired concentration level is achieved;
a backwashing pump for automated cleaning of the modules of fine concentration;
- a cleaning device dosing the products necessary for the unclogging the one or more modules of fine concentration;
a polishing device carrying out the extraction of the particles nanoscale;
- Outlet devices for contaminants and treated materials.

Preferably, the system is mounted on a transportable housing that can be autonomous energy.
Advantageously, the method and the corresponding system, in accordance with the present invention, allow the treatment of different aqueous materials through the use of separation, cleaning and concentration contaminants and / or solids. In addition, the water extracted by according to the present invention, can also be purified in order to to allow on-site disposal (in the environment) or to allow the cleaning of the materials to be treated at the pre-treatment stage.

The method and system for its realization also offer other benefits such as:

mobile use (on-site), the system can be autonomous in energy when required;
the possibility of creating a self-cleaning system;
a possibility of varying the number of devices or modules of

Separation according to the desired treatment parameters;
a continuous recycling of the water used for the cleaning needs of the system or materials processed;
a concentration of contaminants and / or resource materials reducing the transportation needs of materials;
- no addition of additive to the material to be treated before entering the system performing the method;
- the recovery of certain elements contained in aqueous materials;
- reduction of processing costs and other economic benefits due to the reduction of transport costs.
Brief description of the accompanying drawings:

Other aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed description, given by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in the appendix where:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the system for perform the process of separation, cleaning and concentration for material aqueous composition according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pre-treatment device under pressure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the stabilization and first concentration of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device of first concentration of Figure 1.

6 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fine concentration module of the Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the backwash pump of the Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the fine concentration reservoir of the Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cleaning device of the Figure 1.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the polishing device of Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar components. Embodiments (geometries, dimensions, etc.) shown in the figures and characteristics described in the request are preferential only, given for information only.

Moreover, although the preferred embodiment of the illustrated system, and to carry out the process, comprises several components, all these components are not necessarily essential to the invention and consequently should not be taken in their restrictive sense, ie say should not be considered in such a way as to limit the scope of this invention. It must be understood, as is clear to a person art, other appropriate components and geometries and / or other possible interactions between these can be used for the process and the resulting system according to the present invention, as they will be described below, without departing from the scope of the invention.
With reference to Figure 1, a separation, cleaning and concentration for aqueous material according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

7 invention is illustrated. The presented system allows to realize the process which includes the following steps:
a) entry of the aqueous material;
b) pretreatment under pressure of the aqueous material to separate the liquid, clean the resource material if necessary and dry the material solids;
c) storage of the extracted liquid inside a stabilization tank and of first concentration;
(d) first concentration of particles of a size greater than one first threshold, by mechanical separation;
e) transfer of the filtrate to a reservoir of fine concentration and return of the concentrate towards the stabilization and first concentration reservoir;
f) fine concentration of particles larger than a second threshold, by mechanical separation, and by loopback return of the concentrate towards the fine concentration reservoir by the module or modules of fine concentration until a desired concentration level is achieved;
g) automated cleaning of the fine concentration module (s) so avoid clogging;
h) extraction of nanoscale particles;
i) Outputs of contaminants and treated materials.

Obviously, and as it is obvious to a person skilled in the art, the The process described above is not limited to the steps mentioned above.
So some steps could be removed or added without to be excluded from the scope of the present invention. For example, several stages of concentration by mechanical separation could be achieved.

The system illustrated in FIG. 1 and making it possible to carry out the method described above comprises an input device for the aqueous material 10, a device pressure pretreatment 12, a stabilization reservoir and first concentration 20, a device of first concentration 30, a module of

8 fine concentration 40, a backwash pump 50, a reservoir of fine concentration 60, a cleaning device 70, a polishing 80 and output devices 90.

The input device of the aqueous material 10 can be a large pump.
flow, a conveyor or any other device allowing the aqueous material to be introduced into the system. The choice of this device will be dependent on the material to be treated.

A preferred embodiment of the pre-treatment device under pressure 12 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 2. The pretreatment device under pressure function is to separate the liquid and dry the materials solid (possible reduction up to 75% by volume of water contained as needed).
The device comprises a roller pressing system 14 and chains 16 allowing the passage of aqueous materials to be pressed and the continuous outlet liquid by porosity of the chain of displacement 16. The chain of displacement 16 may contain, if necessary, one or more jets of water from of the fine concentration module 40 or modules for cleaning the materials to treat. The pressure on the top roller and chain is produced by of the pneumatic balloons or hydraulic cylinders 18 which can generate a thrust from 0 to 100,000 pounds per square inch per roll.

A preferred embodiment of the stabilization tank and first concentration 20 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 3. The reservoir of stabilization and first concentration 20 serves to conserve the liquid extract by the pressure pretreatment device 12 and concentrated by the device first concentration 30. Stabilization tank and first concentration 20 is preferably provided with an automatic level device in order to ensure a regular supply of the device of first concentration 30 described below. Preferably, the reservoir of stabilization and of first concentration 20, is provided with a hose controlled by a valve

9 allowing the transfer of the concentrate to an airtight container and transportable for safe disposal.

A preferred embodiment of the first concentration device 30 is shown in more detail in Figure 4. The first device concentration 30 is a mechanical separation system for extracting particles from more than 20 microns and transmitting the treated substance into the reservoir of fine concentration 60 described below. Particles larger than 20 microns returned to the stabilization and first concentration tank 20.
The measurement of 20 microns used for the size of the particles extracted is obviously given here as an indication and the device of first concentration 30 could allow to extract particles of a different size without however, it is excluded from the scope of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of a fine concentration module 40 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 5. The fine concentration module 40 is a another mechanical separation system, this time making it possible to extract the particles larger than 0.1 micron. Again, the measure of 0.1 micron used for particle size is obviously given as a indicative and the fine concentration module 40 could make it possible to extract particles of a different size without being excluded from the scope of the present invention. Part of the water thus freed from contaminants can be reused for the purpose of the washing process for the pretreatment unit 12.
This water also allows the cleaning of the fine concentration module 40 performed using the backwash pump 50 described below.

The combination of the first concentration device 30 and a module of fine concentration 40 is the preferred embodiment of a unit of separation. However, a different combination of separation unit comprising a different number of focusing devices and performing particle extraction of a different size could be performed without being excluded from the scope of the present invention. Thus, several modules of fine concentration could be provided without being excluded from the scope of the present invention A preferred embodiment of the backwash pump 50 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 6. This backwash pump 50 allows the cleaning automated system or modules 40 fine concentration system to avoid clogging the module or modules of fine concentration 40.

The concentrate of the fine concentration module (s) 40 and the water of backwash are routed to the fine concentration tank 60, one of which preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figure 7. As mentioned, the Fine concentration tank 60 is dedicated to receiving contaminants and loop feeding of a fine concentration module 40 up to obtaining a desired concentration level. Preferably, the reservoir of concentration 60 is also equipped with a hose controlled by a valve allowing the transfer to an airtight and transportable container for the purpose of disposition safe.

A preferred embodiment of the cleaning device 70 is illustrated more in detail in Figure 8. The cleaning device 70, contains the products necessary to unclog the fine concentration module or modules 40.
dosage of the products necessary for unclogging the module or modules Fine concentration 40 is preferably automated.

A preferred embodiment of the polishing device 80 is illustrated more in detail in Figure 9. The polishing device 80 is dedicated to extraction of Nanoscale particles of the extracted water to make it conform to the customer's needs, or simply so that it can be returned to the environment and this, in accordance with environmental standards in in the territory concerned.

11 As illustrated in Figure 1, the different devices, modules and components of system for carrying out the method can be mounted on a box transportable. The resulting system can become autonomous in energy by adding an electricity generating device. Different formats of the system can to be set up dependent on the amount of material to be processed.

The system for implementing the method described above allows the treatment, extraction and / or washing of many substances. By example, it allows the:

- treatment of residual sludge from oil and gas drilling processes and mining;
- leachate treatment of domestic and industrial landfills;
- leachate treatment of industrial waste storage sites;
- treatment of excess water in manure and manure;
- treatment of excess water from sedimentation basins and sedimentation;
- Sludge treatment in sedimentation and settling ponds;
- Extraction and treatment of organic matter pressing liquids and / or mineral;
- washing of recyclable residues and treatment of these processes;

Of course, several variants to the preferred embodiment described above.
above may be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention.