Method for treating dangerous liquids for dumping

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for treating dangerous liquids for dumping in situ in a plant having an electrical panel (1) with an automaton processor, comprising the following steps: collecting in accumulation tanks (2); evaporating, in an automatic filling evaporator (6), via internal or external heating; condensing in a condenser (7), in direct or indirect contact with the vapour of the evaporator (6), converting said vapour into distillate; neutralising via reagents, in a neutralisation reactor (8), to a pH controlled by a pH and conductivity probe (14), with pH+ and pH+ reagents; filtering the waste via an active carbon filter (9) and dosing disinfectant therein, before expulsion via the drainage outlet of the sewer (32); safety disinfecting with ultraviolet light (17); and taking samples of the waste, by means of the sample-taking tap (16) provided before the outlet of the sewer (32).

Claims

1. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, characterised in that it is carrried out in a plant whose equipment is connected to an electrical panel (1) having an automaton processor which is installed in situ, comprising the following essential phases: collection of dangerous liquids, mixed or separated, in accumulation tanks (2), with a volume between 100 and 5,000 liters, made of materials resistant thereto, such as polypropylene, stainless steel, polyethylene or others, rectangular or cylindrical, with or without a platform, underground or not; evaporation, in an evaporator (6) which is filled automatically by a loading pump (18) or other means, with the liquids of the accumulation tanks (2), producing evaporation with an internal or external heating system; condensing in a condenser (7) which is online, in direct or indirect contact, with the vapour of the evaporator (6) and is actuated with the same, converting said vapour into a distillate; neutralisation of the distillates obtained by means of reagents, in a neutralisation reactor (8) consisting of a rectangular, square or cylindrical receptacle made of polypropylene, stainless steel or polyethylene material with a volume between 100 and 4,500 liters which is filled with the distillate flowing out of the condenser (7); filtering of the waste using an active carbon filter (9) and dosing of disinfectant therein, before being expelled through the drainage outlet of the sewer (32).

2. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises a safety disinfecting phase using ultraviolet light (17).

3. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises a sample-taking phase through a sample-taking tap (16) provided before the drainage outlet to the sewer (32).

4. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that the collection of dangerous liquids in accumulation tanks (2) is carried out directly through a pipe.

5. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that the collection of dangerous liquids in accumulation tanks (2) is carried out at a drum discharge station (20) for pumping, or other form of emptying, thereof into the accumulation tanks (2).

6. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that the neutralisation of the distillate in the neutralisation reactor (8) is carried out at a pH controlled by a pH and conductivity probe (14), using reagents from corresponding tanks provided for such purpose, a pH+(alkaline) reagent container (12) and another pH- (acid) reagent container (31) to raise or lower it.

7. METHOD FOR TREATING DANGEROUS LIQUIDS FOR DUMPING, according to claim 1, characterised in that all the parameters, such as pH, conductivity, treatment cycles and anomalies/alarms are recorded in a log (15) in the memory of the automation processor provided in the electrical panel (1) that controls the whole system.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To complement to the description being made and for to aid towards a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by a diagram constituting an integral part thereof which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represents the following:

(2) FIG. 1. Shows, in a schematic flow diagram, a representation of the equipment that the plant comprises to carry out the method for treating dangerous liquids that is the object of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(3) In light of FIG. 1 described above, a non-limiting example of the plant wherein the treatment method of the invention is carried out can be observed, whose main parts and elements have been designated with the following numerical references:

(4) 1 Electrical panel with automaton (processor) and remote control

(5) 2 Aqueous liquid accumulation tanks

(6) 3 Accumulation tank level probes

(7) 6 Evaporator

(8) 7 Condenser

(9) 8 Neutralisation reactor

(10) 9 Active carbon filter

(11) 10 Final disinfecting channelling pipe

(12) 11 Disinfectant dosing pump

(13) 12 pH+ reagent tank

(14) 13 Discharge pump

(15) 14 pH and conductivity probe

(16) 15 Cycle, pH, conductivity, anomalies/alarms log

(17) 16 Sample-taking tap

(18) 17 Ultraviolet light

(19) 18 Evaporator loading pump

(20) 19 Disinfectant tank

(21) 20 Drum discharge station

(22) 21 Scraper

(23) 22 Agitator

(24) 27 Automatic valves

(25) 28 Manual valves

(26) 30 Reagent dosing pump

(27) 31 pH reagent tank

(28) 32 Drainage outlet of the sewer

(29) As can be observed in said FIG. 1, the treatment method is carried out in a plant installed in situ and comprises the following phases:

(30) Collection of the dangerous liquids in one or more accumulation tanks (2), which have a volume between 100 and 5,000 liters, are made of materials resistant thereto, such as polypropylene, stainless steel, polyethylene or other materials, are rectangular, square or cylindrical, with or without a platform, underground or not and, in any case, preferably, are equipped with a permanent control by level probes (3). Said collection, preferably, is performed directly through a pipe but, in the absence thereof, is performed at a drum discharge station, for pumping, or other form of emptying, thereof into the accumulation tanks (2).

(31) Evaporation, in an evaporator (6) which is automatically filled with the liquids of the accumulation tanks (2) when any of said tanks reaches the envisaged level, by means of a loading pump (18) and which, preferably, has a scraper (21) which, in a preferred embodiment, is started up at the same time as said pump. Although evaporation is continuous, the accumulation tanks (2) can continue to store dangerous liquids. The transfer of the liquid from the accumulation tanks (2) to the evaporator (6) is performed by means of automatic (27) and/or manual (28) valves and the filling of the evaporator (6) is controlled by an internal level probe (not shown).

(32) In order to achieve evaporation, the evaporator (6), preferably, is equipped with a heating system with a heat pump and operates, preferably, at a pressure below atmospheric pressure of 5 kPa and at a temperature approximately between 30 C. and 34 C.

(33) Should there not be sufficient dangerous liquids in the accumulation tanks (2), the process switches to Standby mode. As soon as there are sufficient dangerous liquids in the accumulation tanks (2), the process continues automatically.

(34) Condensing in a condenser (7), which is online, in direct or indirect contact, with the vapour of the evaporator (6) and is actuated by the same, converting said vapour into a distillate. For said condensing, the condenser (7) uses the temperature of a cold/heat pump (not shown) or any external source or combination thereof.

(35) Neutralisation of the distillates obtained using reagents, which is carried out in a neutralisation reactor (8) consisting of a rectangular, square or cylindrical recipient made of polypropylene, stainless steel or polyethylene material with a volume between 100 and 4,500 liters, the filling of which is controlled by another level probe (3) in continuous mode with the distillate flowing out of the condenser (7). When it reaches a certain level, controlled by the aforementioned level probe (3), an agitator (22) provided therein is started up.

(36) Neutralisation in the neutralisation reactor (8) of the distillate is carried out at a pH controlled by a pH and conductivity probe (14), with reagents of corresponding tanks provided for such purpose, one pH+ (alkaline) reagent container (12) and another pH (acid) reagent container (31) to raise or lower it, and whose dumping is performed using corresponding dosing pumps (30), always in compliance with the applicable Municipal Ordinances regulating dumping in the sewer. The tanks containing reagent (12 and 31) are controlled by level probes (3).

(37) Filtering and disinfecting. When the product's pH and conductivity values, programmed in the automaton of the control panel (1) and controlled through the aforementioned pH and conductivity probe (14), are within the necessary minimum and maximum parameters, a disinfectant dosing pump (11), incorporated in a disinfectant tank (19), is started up simultaneously with a discharge pump (13) which expels the waste into the sewer and doses disinfectant therein, through the corresponding pipe (10), after previously passing the waste through an active carbon filter (9) provided behind said discharge pump (13). The disinfectant tank (19) is also controlled by a level probe (3). Furthermore, the discharge pump (13) empties the neutralisation reactor (8) in its entirety, controlled by another level probe (3) provided therein, whereupon the treatment method starts again.

(38) It should be noted that disinfecting is performed using any reagent or liquid and/or gaseous liquid product, and liquid or solid colouring agents may also be incorporated in the treatment.

(39) Safety disinfecting. Preferably, for safety reasons, the waste passes through an ultraviolet light (17) at between 253.7 and 270 nm wavelength provided before the drainage outlet of the sewer (32).

(40) Sample-taking. Optionally, sample-taking of the waste is envisaged by means of a sample-taking tap (16) provided before the outlet of the sewer.

(41) This sample-taking tap (16) and the pipes from the neutralisation reactor (8) and the active carbon filter (9) at the outlet of the sewer (32) include corresponding automatic (27) and manual valves (28).

(42) Furthermore, all the parameters, such as pH, conductivity, treatment cycles and anomalies/alarms are recorded in a log (15) in the memory of the automaton processor provided in the electrical panel (1) that controls the whole system, envisaging the possibility of an external memory. Anomaly alerts will be made through any means.

(43) Lastly, the process envisages the automatic or manual control of concentrated sludge and the manual or automatic evacuation thereof.

(44) Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, in addition to the manner in which to put it into practice, it is not considered necessary to further extend its explanation so that any person skilled in the art can understand its scope and the advantages arising therefrom, stating that, within its essentiality, it can be put into practice in other forms of embodiment that differ in detail from that indicated by way of example and that will also fall under the protection sought, provided that its essential principle is not altered, changed or modified.