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# c12) United States Patent 

# Monzyk et al. 

# (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. 

(21) Appl. No.: 15/481,599 

(22) Filed: Apr. 7, 2017 

## (65) Prior Publication Data 

US 2017/0210639 Al Jul. 27, 2017 

(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) 

This patent is subject to a terminal dis› claimer. 

## Related U.S. Application Data 

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# (IO) Patent No.: US 10,494,270 B2 

# (45) Date of Patent: *Dec. 3, 2019 

(52) U.S. Cl. CPC ............ C02F 1126 (2013.01); BOID 1110288 (2013.01); BOID 171047 (2013.01); 

(58) Field of Classification Search CPC .. C02F 1/26; C02F 1/52; C02F 1/5209; C02F 1/5236; C02F 1/54; C02F 1/542; 

## (56) References Cited 

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. 

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USO 10494270B2 

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## U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 

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## 20 Claims, 21 Drawing Sheets 

