초록 ▼

A fluid clarification system and method is described in which fluid is passed through one or more settling compartments, each having a solids outlet at the base of the compartment. The base of each compartment includes inclined surfaces for guiding settled solids to the outlet. Also described is a p

A fluid clarification system and method is described in which fluid is passed through one or more settling compartments, each having a solids outlet at the base of the compartment. The base of each compartment includes inclined surfaces for guiding settled solids to the outlet. Also described is a polymer reaction trough including baffles to promote gentle mixing of inflow fluid with flocculant. The system is designed to reduce costs of transportation, flocculant, and solids handling. The system is preferably arranged to facilitate transport on a skid or trailer, while maximizing fluid handling capabilities and minimizing costs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for concentrating and removing solids from a slurry stream, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two or more settling compartments for sequential passage of fluid; each settling compartment defined by at least three substantially vertical compartment walls and a pyramidal ba

1. A method for concentrating and removing solids from a slurry stream, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two or more settling compartments for sequential passage of fluid; each settling compartment defined by at least three substantially vertical compartment walls and a pyramidal base formed of at least three panels extending from a lower edge of each compartment wall and converging about a single, central solids outlet, for gravimetrically discharging solids from the pyramidal base, wherein the settling compartments are formed within a settling tank divided into said compartments by placement of one or more weir walls within the tank such that the at least three walls of each compartment comprise at least one tank outer wall and at least one weir wall, each weir wall extending across the tank and reduced in height from the tank outer walls so as to direct fluid over the weir wall and into a successive compartment, and further wherein one of the settling compartments comprises a baffle extending between opposing vertical compartment walls of said at least three vertical compartment walls, and said baffle being positioned adjacent a preceding weir wall to minimize turbulence of fluid entering the compartment, said baffle having a lower edge terminating above the lower edges of the opposing vertical compartment walls;(b) directing a slurry stream into a first settling compartment, wherein each of the three panels define an inclined surface extending from each compartment wall towards the solids outlet;(c) directing clarified overflow fluid out of the first settling compartment over a weir wall of the first settling compartment into a second settling compartment; and(d) periodically removing solids from the first settling compartment through the solids outlet based on the rate of accumulation of concentrated solids over the solids outlet. 2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of adding flocculating agent to the fluid stream prior to directing the fluid stream into the first settling compartment. 3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the flocculating agent is added to the fluid stream as the fluid stream passes through a flocculant reaction trough, the trough having baffles to promote mixing of the fluid stream with the flocculating agent. 4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of directing clarified overflow fluid from the second settling compartment over a weir wall of the second settling compartment into a clarified fluid compartment. 5. A method for slurry clarification, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two or more settling compartments for sequential passage of fluid; each settling compartment defined by at least three substantially vertical compartment walls and a pyramidal base formed of at least three panels extending from a lower edge of each compartment wall and converging about a single, central solids outlet, for gravimetrically discharging solids from the pyramidal base, wherein the settling compartments are formed within a settling tank divided into said compartments by placement of one or more weir walls within the tank such that the at least three walls of each compartment comprise at least one tank outer wall and at least one weir wall, each weir wall extending across the tank and reduced in height from the tank outer walls so as to direct fluid over the weir wall and into a successive compartment, and further wherein one of the settling compartments comprises a baffle extending between opposing vertical compartment walls of said at least three vertical compartment walls, and said baffle being positioned adjacent a preceding weir wall to minimize turbulence of fluid entering the compartment, said baffle having a lower edge terminating above the lower edges of the opposing vertical compartment walls;(b) providing a slurry stream to be clarified;(c) directing the slurry stream into a first settling compartment, the first settling compartment wherein each of the three panels are tapered panels thereby converging about the solids outlet so as to form the pyramidal base of decreasing horizontal cross sectional area towards the solids outlet;(d) directing overflow fluid from the first settling compartment over a weir wall of the first settling compartment into a second settling compartment; and(e) pumping solids from the solids outlet in the first settling compartment based on a rate of accumulation of concentrated solids over the solids outlet. 6. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring a composition of the first settling tank contents. 7. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of detecting the presence of concentrated solids over the solids outlet. 8. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the steps of: directing clarified overflow fluid from the second settling compartment over a weir wall of the second settling compartment; andpumping solids from the solids outlet of the second settling compartment based on a rate of collection of concentrated solids over the solids outlet. 9. The method as in claim 5, further comprising adding flocculant to the slurry stream prior to directing the slurry stream into the first settling compartment. 10. The method as in claim 5, further comprising the step of mixing the slurry stream with flocculant prior to directing the slurry stream into the first settling compartment. 11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the step of mixing comprises passing the slurry stream and flocculant through a flocculant reaction trough prior to directing the slurry stream to the first settling compartment. 12. The method as in claim 5, wherein the weir wall provides a weir loading rate of less than 1000 L/min/m. 13. The method as in claim 5, wherein slurry is introduced at a rate sufficient to operate the method with a linear flow rate greater than 1.6 m/min. 14. A method for concentrating and removing solids from slurry stream, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two or more settling compartments for sequential passage of the slurry stream, each settling compartment comprising at least three substantially vertical compartment walls, each wall having upper, lower, and side edges, each wall joined along its side edges to an adjacent wall to form a compartment having a first horizontal cross sectional area defined by the lower edges of each joined compartment wall; and a compartment base comprising a solids outlet having an opening within the compartment base for gravimetrically discharging solids from the compartment base; and at least three tapered panels, each panel attached to the lower edge of each compartment wall, and joined to an adjacent panel, the tapered panels thereby converging about the opening so as to form a generally inverted pyramidal shape for the compartment base of decreasing horizontal cross sectional area towards the outlet, wherein the settling compartments are formed within a settling tank divided into said compartments by placement of one or more weir walls within the tank such that the at least three walls of each compartment comprise at least one tank outer wall and at least one weir wall, each weir wall extending across the tank and reduced in height from the tank outer walls so as to direct fluid over the weir wall and into a successive compartment, and further wherein one of the settling compartments comprises a baffle extending between opposing vertical compartment walls of said at least three vertical compartment walls, and said baffle being positioned adjacent a preceding weir wall to minimize turbulence of fluid entering the compartment, said baffle having a lower edge terminating above the lower edges of the opposing vertical compartment walls;(b) directing the slurry stream into a first settling compartment for settling solids from the slurry stream;(c) directing clarified overflow fluid out of the first settling compartment over a weir wall of the first settling compartment into a second settling compartment; and(d) periodically removing solids from the first settling compartment through the solids outlet based on a rate of accumulation of concentrated solids over the solids outlet. 15. A method as in claim 14, wherein periodically removing solids is achieved by pumping.