I 1111111111111111 1111111111 111111111111111 111111111111111 111111111111111111  USO 10494270B2  c12)  United States Patent  Monzyk et al.  (IO)  Patent No.:  US 10,494,270 B2  (45)  Date of Patent:  *Dec. 3, 2019  (54)  WATER PURIFICATION  (71)  Applicant:  Winner Water Services, Inc.,  Sharon,  PA (US)  (72)  Inventors:  Bruce  F.  Monzyk,  Town Creek, AL  (US);  F. Michael Von Fahnestock,  Columbus, OH (US);  James K. Rose,  Millersport, OH (US);  H. Nick Conkle,  Columbus, OH (US);  Ming Wang,  Emeryville, CA (US);  Satya P.  Chauhan,  Columbus, OH (US);  Ruey  K. Bruce,  Columbus, OH (US);  Tenisha Highsmith,  Westerville, OH  (US)  (73)  Assignee:  Winner Water Services, Inc.,  Sharon,  PA (US)  ( *)  Notice:  Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis  patent is extended or adjusted under 35  U.S.C. 154(b) by 156 days.  This patent is subject to a terminal dis› claimer.  (21)  Appl. No.:  15/481,599  (22)  Filed:  Apr. 7, 2017  (65)  Prior Publication Data  US 2017/0210639 Al  Jul. 27, 2017  Related U.S. Application Data  (63)  Continuation of application No. 14/082,654, filed on  Nov. 18, 2013, now Pat. No. 9,617,175, which is a  (51)  Int. Cl.  C02F 1126  C02F 1152  (2006.01)  (2006.01)  (52)  U.S. Cl.  CPC ............  C02F 1126  (2013.01);  BOID 1110288  (2013.01);  BOID  171047  (2013.01);  (Continued)  (58)  Field of Classification Search  CPC .. C02F 1/26; C02F 1/52; C02F 1/5209; C02F  1/5236; C02F 1/54; C02F 1/542;  (Continued)  (56)  References Cited  U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS  2,490,840 A  *  12/1949 Shaw .  B0lD 53/1456  423/228  2,529,461 A  *  11/1950 Schneiderwirth ... B0lF 17/0085  424/554  (Continued)  (Continued)  (Continued)  Primary Examiner  - Joseph W Drodge  (74)  Attorney, Agent, or Firm  - Fay Sharpe LLP  (57)  ABSTRACT  The invention provides an efficient method to purify an  aqueous solution, typically mine drainage water, especially  of anions and cations present in the aqueous solution as  dissolved solids, the anions and cations are removed by  treatment with a positively charged extractant having at least  eight carbon atoms, whereby an unstable emulsion is  formed; the unstable emulsion is allowed to break into an  extract phase loaded with the anions and cations, and a water  phase depleted in anions and cations; a floe inherently forms  in the loaded extractant phase and then the loaded extractant  phase and floe are separated from the purified water and  treated to remove the anions and cations as concentrated  useful products; the treated aqueous phase now reduced in  anion and/or cation content is also separated from the  emulsion as a purified aqueous solution. The extractant  phase is preferably recycled. A continuous water purification  process is provided.  20 Claims, 21 Drawing Sheets  El •  E4 - EXlRACTORS  SI -S4 - STRIPPERS  @-MIXERS  f  303  300  PUMP  319  304  __ \_ ____  INJERNALRECYCLE  ~  AQll:OUS  ~EXTRACTANT  305 