Inventors:
Robert C. Hill - Santa Clara CA
Niel E. Nielson - Mountain View CA
Ronald L. Kreiling - Danville CA
Ralph A. Nice - Burlingame CA
Assignee:
Atlantic Richfield Company - Los Angeles CA
International Classification:
C02B 308
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for treating liquor (e. g. , liquor produced by sewage disposal systems) that is contaminated with dissolved, colloidal and finely divided suspended solids, and also with bacteria and viruses. The apparatus maintains a vertical column of the liquor in a treatment tank. Liquor is continuously introduced into the lower portion of the tank and continuously removed at a level well below the top of the tank. The column is continuously sparged with gas containing ozone whereby gas bubbles progress upwardly to the surface with formation of foam that is received in a confined space above the column. The evolving foam is delivered into the zone of operation of an impeller which collapses the foam bubbles by mechanical shearing and impacting. Liquor derived from the collapsed foam and the evolved gas is collected and discharged. Remaining uncollapsed foam is recycled into the shearing zone.