Recovery, Treatment and Recycling Technologies for Metals in Industrial Wastewater

A method for treating wastewater to reduce the concentration of toxic metals to levels within the EPA guidelines is proposed. In the method wastewater is placed in a sound field created by an ultra-sonic cylindrical transducer. This periodic pressure field causes metals to move and collect into a dense mass and fall from suspension. Removal of chromium, nickel, cadmium, lead, copper and zinc will be measured in a unit chamber to prove feasibility. Extension of the method to removal of ions will be studies. A series of resonators will be built and flow-through units for use in on-process water purification will be designed. The cylindrical resonator represents an important break-through in separation science. Particle manipulation by means of sound is known, but its application to commercial processes has been hampered by manufacturing difficulties. The cylindrical resonator avoids these problems and places Sonic Separations next to filtration and centrifugation for separations. The unit is easily manufactured at a reasonable cost and can be easily incorporated into treatment systems already in operation. Wastewater treatment is the first in a large number of applications of Sonic Separations in such diverse fields as biotechnology, microelectronics and medical diagnostics.