Method of cleaning a compact wastewater concentrator
A method of cleaning compact wastewater concentrator cleans accreted salts from inner surfaces of a compact wastewater concentrator having a demister including mist eliminators. The method of cleaning is simple and quick and eliminates a majority of accreted salts by re-dissolving the salts in relatively dilute process water.
1. A method of cleaning a compact wastewater concentrator having an evaporator assembly defining a mixing corridor including a mixing chamber arranged to receive wastewater and gas and an evaporator section connected with the mixing chamber arranged to mix the wastewater with the gas and evaporate liquids from the wastewater; a demister operatively connected with the evaporator section and arranged to receive the mixed wastewater and gas and to separate the gas and the evaporated liquids from solids and the wastewater; and a conduit arranged to transfer the wastewater separated in the demister to a liquid inlet opening into the mixing chamber, the method comprising:
turning off a blower and an infeed pump of the concentrator;
opening a thickener inlet valve to a thickening tank to allow fluid to flow from a sump of the demister to the thickening tank;
closing a thickener return valve to prevent fluid from flowing from the thickening tank back to the sump;
turning on a sump pump to pump liquid from the sump to the thickening tank;
turning off the sump pump when the sump is empty;
closing the thickener inlet valve to fluidly isolate the sump from the thickening tank;
opening a service water valve of the concentrator;
opening a sump make-up valve of the concentrator to allow fresh unconcentrated wastewater to flow into the sump through a make-up water line;
closing the sump make-up valve when the sump is full of unconcentrated wastewater;
starting a flare and a blower fan of the concentrator;
operating the concentrator for a predetermined period of time;
checking a saturation level of the wastewater in the sump;
returning to the step of turning off the blower and infeed pump if the wastewater in the sump is saturated with dissolved salts;
operating the concentrator for a predetermined period of time if the wastewater in the sump is not saturated;
after the predetermined period of time expires, closing the service water valve; and
returning the thickener inlet valve and the thickener return valve to normal operating positions.
2. A method of cleaning a compact wastewater concentrator having an evaporator assembly defining a mixing corridor including a mixing chamber arranged to receive wastewater and gas and an evaporator section connected with the mixing chamber arranged to mix the wastewater with the gas and evaporate liquids from the wastewater; a demister operatively connected with the evaporator section and arranged to receive the mixed wastewater and gas and to separate the gas and the evaporated liquids from solids and the wastewater; and a conduit arranged to transfer the wastewater separated in the demister to a liquid inlet opening into the mixing chamber, the method comprising:
turning off an infeed pump of the concentrator;
turning on a sump pump to pump partially concentrated wastewater from the sump of the demister to a thickening tank;
opening a main service water inlet valve to supply fresh unconcentrated wastewater to the sump;
turning on a blower of the concentrator to begin drawing air through the demister;
opening a first stage mist eliminator solenoid to allow fresh unconcentrated wastewater to be delivered to a first stage mist eliminator cleaning sprayer;
after a predetermined period of time, closing the first stage mist eliminator solenoid;
opening a second stage front face mist eliminator solenoid;
after a predetermined period of time, closing the second stage front face mist eliminator solenoid;
opening a fan wash solenoid to directed fresh unconcentrated wastewater onto the blower;
after a predetermined period of time, closing the fan wash solenoid and shutting down the blower;
opening a second stage back face mist eliminator solenoid;
after a predetermined period of time, closing the second stage back face solenoid; and
opening the main service water valve and restarting the concentrator.