US 12,325,653 B2
Dairy wastewater treatment system and method
Ronald Frank Elkins, Phoenix, AZ (US); Alexander James Rozanski, Phoenix, AZ (US); Kevin M. Walkinshaw, Phoenix, AZ (US); and Joshua Handrick Moody, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to Shamrock Foods Company
Filed by Shamrock Foods Company, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/769,993.
Application 18/769,993 is a continuation of application No. 17/526,507, filed on Nov. 15, 2021, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/203,544, filed on Jul. 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0360019 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. C02F 9/00 (2023.01); C02F 1/24 (2023.01); C02F 1/52 (2023.01); C02F 1/66 (2023.01); C02F 103/32 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 9/00 (2013.01) [C02F 1/24 (2013.01); C02F 1/52 (2013.01); C02F 1/66 (2013.01); C02F 2103/327 (2013.01); C02F 2209/06 (2013.01); C02F 2301/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of treating dairy wastewater comprising:
receiving a dairy wastewater stream at a first pH from a dairy processing facility at an equalization tank;
receiving the dairy wastewater stream from the equalization tank at a pump in fluidic communication with the equalization tank;
based on at least one of the first pH or a second pH of the dairy wastewater stream upon exiting the equalization tank, receiving an acid to the dairy wastewater stream prior to the pump, wherein a pump outlet stream comprises a mixture of the dairy wastewater stream and the acid at a third pH that is lower than the first pH;
receiving the pump outlet stream at a pipe reactor in fluidic communication with the pump;
receiving a cationic coagulant feed stream at the pipe reactor;
receiving a flocculation feed stream at the pipe reactor, wherein a pipe reactor outlet stream comprises the pump outlet stream, the cationic coagulant feed stream, and the flocculation feed stream;
receiving the pipe reactor outlet stream at a dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit; and
outputting a liquid stream at a final pH from the DAF unit.