IP Library Granted Patent US 12668506
Granted Patent B2
US 12668506 · App. 17/466,408 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Recycling automotive phosphate rinse water stream

Inventors: Daniel M. Williams (Greenwood, IN); Tony Veljan Mackovski (Shelby Township, MI); Bruce Tait (Libertyville, IL); Joseph Peter Miknevich (Coraopolis, PA); Alex Michael Bogda (Clifton Park, NY); Aarthi Narayanan (Naperville, IL); William A. Von Drasek (Oak Forest, IL)
Assignee: ECOLAB USA Inc.
C02F1/008B01D61/025B01D61/04B01D61/145B01D61/16C02F1/441C02F1/444C02F1/5209C02F1/5236C02F1/5245C02F1/56C23C22/00B01D2311/04B01D2311/12B01D2311/2642C02F2101/105C02F2103/34C02F2103/44C02F2209/001C02F2209/005C02F2209/18C02F2209/40C02F2301/043C02F2303/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668506
App. No.
17/466,408
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to recycling automotive phosphate rinse water. An apparatus and method is disclosed for treating process water containing phosphate. The apparatus may include a process water line. The process water line may be in fluid communication with a sample process water line. The sample process water line may be in fluid communication with a dilution line. The sample process water line, the dilution line, and a phosphate analyzer may be in fluid communication with a diluted process water line. The apparatus may also include a chemical additive feed line in fluid communication with the process water line downstream from the sample process water line.

Claims (18)

1 . An apparatus for treating water containing phosphate, comprising:

a process water line and an ultrafiltration unit in series with the process water line;

a sample process water line connected to the process water line by a first control valve in fluid communication with the process water line;

a dilution line including a second control valve in fluid communication with the sample process water line, wherein the sample process water line and the dilution line each comprise a flow meter;

a diluted process water line in fluid communication with the sample process water line, dilution line, and a phosphate analyzer located downstream of the diluted process water line;

a chemical additive feed line connected to the process water line downstream from the sample process water line to inject a phosphate control additive into the process water line; and

an effluent holding tank downstream of the phosphate analyzer, wherein waste water from the phosphate analyzer is directed to the effluent holding tank;

wherein process water in the process water line passes through the ultrafiltration unit after the sample process water line, and wherein the chemical additive line is connected to the process water line upstream of the ultrafiltration unit.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the flow meter of the sample process water line and the flow meter of the dilution line is an oval gear meter.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bypass water line in fluid communication with the process water line.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the diluted process water line comprises a third control valve.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a programmed logic controller in communication with the phosphate analyzer.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the programmed logic controller is in communication with the flow meter of the sample process water line, and the flow meter of the dilution line.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the process water line comprises a flow meter.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chemical additive feed line comprises a flow meter and a chemical feed pump.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reverse osmosis unit in series with the ultrafiltration unit.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrafiltration unit includes a filtration membrane with a pore size ranging from about 0.01 microns to about 0.5 microns.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the phosphate analyzer is configured to determine a phosphate concentration of fluid in the diluted process water line.