Aerobic wastewater treatment system with partial reuse and infrequent dosing to soil

Claim 2

A WASTE DISPOSAL TREATMENT SYSTEM, COMPRISING A TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK HAVING AN INLET FOR FLUID WASTE MATERIAL, A FIRST OUTLET FOR A RELATIVELY DENSE SLUDGE, AND A SECOND OUTLET SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVE SAID FIRST OUTLET FOR REMOVING EFFLUENT, FIRST FLOW CONTROL MEANS ACTUABLE TO PASS SLUDGE THROUGH AID FIRST OUTLET, SECOND FLOW CONTROL MEANS ACTURABLE TO PASS EFFLUENT THROUGH SAID SECOND OUTLET, FIRST SLUDGE LEVEL CONTROL MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID FIRST FLOW CONTROL MEANS TO REMOVE SLUDGE FROM SAID TANK, SECOND EFFLUENT LEVEL CONTROL MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND FLOW CONTROL MEANS TO REMOVE EFFLUENT FROM SAID TANK, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADMITTING OXYGEN BEARING GAS INTO SAID TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK FOR AERATING AND AGITATING THE FLUID WASTE CONTAINED THEREIN, SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR ADMITTING A FLOCCULATING SUBSTANCE INTO SAID TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK TO FACILITATE SLUDGE FORMATION, A HOLDING TANK WITH AN INLET FOR DIRECTLY RECEIVING FLUID WASTE FROM A SOURCE, AND HAVING MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE RECEIVED WASTE INTO SAID TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK INLET WHENEVER THE WASTE WITHIN SAID HOLDING TANK REACHES A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, A DIGESTER RECEIVING SLUDGE PASSING THROUGH SAID FIRST OUTLET, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY RETURNING EFLUENT FROM SAID DIGESTER TO SAID TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK, AND EFFLUENT STORAGE TANK RECEIVING EFFLUENT FROM SAID TREATMENT AND SETTLING TANK SECOND OUTLET, MEANS FOR PROVIDING REMOVAL OF ALL EFFLUENT FROM SAID EFFLUENT STORAGE TANK ABOVE A MAXIMUM PREDETERMINED LEVEL, AND MEANS FOR REMOVING ON DEMAND EFFLUENT FROM SAID EFFLUENT STORAGE TANK FOR USE IN FLUSHING WATER WITH THE SOURCE OF WASTE MATERIAL, IRRIGATION AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1, further including central control means for initiating operation of said means for admitting a flocculating substance and means for preventing operation of said first and second flow control means, said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank and said means for discharging the waste to the treatment and settling tank from said holding tank for a predetermined settling period after said means for admitting a flocculating substance has been actuated; said central control means further including means for initiating operation of said first and second flow control means following said predetermined settling period and means for preventing actuation of said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas during the periods of actuating said first and second flow control means; said central control means including second level control means as a part thereof for initiating operation of the central control means, means for initiating operation of said means for admitting a flocculating substance only after completion of the discharge cycle of fluid waste material from said holding tank into said treatment and settling tank which activated the second level control means, and means for energizing said first control means for passing sludge only after a predetermined period following actuation of the second flow control means.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1, incluDing an effluent surge tank for supplying the effluent as a liquid flushing and wetting agent to a utilization system, said separate means including pump means energizable to remove effluent from said effluent surge tank and transfer the effluent under pressure to said effluent surge tank.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3, including at least one toilet connected to discharge waste material into said holding tank; said toilet including a flushing mechanism receiving recycled effluent as flushing water from said effluent surge tank; check valve means preventing flow of fluid from said surge tank to said effluent storage tank; and means responsive to the pressure within said surge tank for selectively energizing said pump means.

Claim 6

The system of claim 3, including means for adding a treating chemical to the effluent between said effluent storage tank and said effluent surge tank in proportion and in response to the effluent moving therebetween.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1, wherein said effluent storage tank is divided into an effluent receiving side and an effluent discharge side by means of a partition extending from above the maximum level of the effluent to below the level of the effluent and including a free effluent passageway from one side to the other below the partition.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6, further including an effluent surge tank; pump means energizable to remove effluent from the effluent discharge side of said effluent storage tank below the top of said partition and transferring the effluent under pressure to said effluent surge tank; at least one toilet connected to discharge waste material into said holding tank; said toilet including a flushing mechanism receiving recycled effluent as at least a part of its flushing water from said effluent surge tank; check valve means preventing flow of fluid from said surge tank to said effluent storage tank; and means responsive to the pressure within said surge tank for selectively energizing said pump means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 7, further including means for adding a treating chemical to the effluent between said effluent storage tank and said effluent surge tank in proportion and in response to the velocity of effluent moving therebetween.

Claim 10

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising an activated sludge treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a waste source, and having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; a digester receiving sludge from said first outlet under the control of said first flow control means; central control means preventing operation of said first and second flow control means, said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for a predetermined settling period to separate effluent and sludge and said means for discharging the waste to the treatment and settling tank from said holding tank; said central control means permitting removal of effluent by said second flow control means after said settling period, and thereafter permitting removal of sludge from said treatment and settling tank to said digester; and means under control of said central control means for returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank at times other than said settling period; said first flow control means passing a predetermined amount of sludge while retaining an amount of sludge in the treatment and settling tank for activation of further incoming fluid waste material; an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and separate means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.

Claim 11

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising an activated sludge treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a waste source, and having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; a digester receiving sludge from said first outlet under the control of said first flow control means; central control means preventing operation of said first and second flow control means, said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for a predetermined settling period to separate effluent and sludge and said means for discharging the waste to the treatment and settling tank from said holding tank; said central control means permitting removal of effluent by said second flow control means after said settling period, and thereafter permitting removal of sludge from said treatment and settling tank to said digester; and means under control of said central control means for returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank at times other than said settling period; said first flow control means passing a predetermined amount of sludge while retaining an amount of sludge in the treatment and settling tank for activation of further incoming fluid waste material; an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and separate means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.

Claim 12

The system of claim 9, wherein said control means includes level control means for initiating operation of the control means to produce the settling period upon a predetermined quantity of waste material being contained within said treatment and settling tank.

Claim 13

The system of claim 9, wherein said central control means further includes means for initiating operation of said first and second flow control means following said predetermined settling period and means for preventing actuation of said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas during the periods of actuating said first and second flow control means.

Claim 14

The system of claim 9 wherein said means for discharging includes a comminutor-pump receiving waste from said holding tank.

Claim 15

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising an activated sludge treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; third flow control means actuable to pass waste material through said inlet; first sludge level control means for actuating said first flow control means to remove excess sludge from said treatment and settling tank; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste material contained therein; control means for preventing actuation of said first, second and third control means and means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for a predetermined settling period to separate effluent and sludge; said control means further permitting actuation of said first and second flow control means, and preventing actuation of said third control means during a tank discharge period following said predetermined settling period; said control means further preventing actuation of said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas during actuation of at least said second flow control means; said control means during said discharge period first permitting actuation of said second flow control means to remove effluent from said treatment and settling tank, and thereafter permitting actuation of said first flow control means to remove excess sludge from said treatment and settling tank; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; said control means actuating said means for admitting a flocculating substance before permitting actuation of said first and second flow control means after the settling period; a digester receiving sludge from said treatment and settling tank through said first outlet under the control of said first flow control means; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas through the sludge within said digester; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a source having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; means for selectively returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank including a fluid conduit having an inlet in said digester and an outlet in said holding tank; Said control means further preventing operation of said means for admitting oxygen bearing gas into said digester for a settling period and the subsequent time said returning means is returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank; an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.

Claim 16

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising an activated sludge treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; third flow control means actuable to pass waste material through said inlet; first sludge level control means for actuating said first flow control means to remove excess sludge from said treatment and settling tank; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste material contained therein; control means for preventing actuation of said first, second and third control means and means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for a predetermined settling period to separate effluent and sludge; said control means further permitting actuation of said first and second flow control means, and preventing actuation of said third control means during a tank discharge period following said predetermined settling period; said control means further preventing actuation of said means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas during actuation of at least said second flow control means; said control means during said discharge period first permitting actuation of said second flow control means to remove effluent from said treatment and settling tank, and thereafter permitting actuation of said first flow control means to remove excess sludge from said treatment and settling tank; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; said control means actuating said means for admitting a flocculating substance before permitting actuation of said first and second flow control means after the settling period; a digester receiving sludge from said treatment and settling tank through said first outlet under the control of said first flow control means; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas through the sludge within said digester; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a source having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; means for selectively returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank including a fluid conduit having an inlet in said digester and an outlet in said holding tank; Said control means further preventing operation of said means for admitting oxygen bearing gas into said digester for a settling period and the subsequent time said returning means is returning effluent from said digester to said holding tank; an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.

Claim 17

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising a treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for a relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; first sludge level control means for actuating said first flow control means to remove sludge from said tank; second effluent level control means for actuating said second flow control means to remove effluent from said tank; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste contained therein; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a source, and having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; a digester receiving sludge passing through said first outlet, and means for selectively returning effluent from said digester including a fluid conduit having an inlet in said digester and an outlet in said holding tank, an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.

Claim 18

A waste disposal treatment system, comprising a treatment and settling tank having an inlet for fluid waste material, a first outlet for a relatively dense sludge, and a second outlet spaced a substantial distance above said first outlet for removing effluent; first flow control means actuable to pass sludge through said first outlet; second flow control means actuable to pass effluent through said second outlet; first sludge level control means for actuating said first flow control means to remove sludge from said tank; second effluent level control means for actuating said second flow control means to remove effluent from said tank; means for selectively admitting oxygen bearing gas into said treatment and settling tank for aerating and agitating the fluid waste contained therein; selectively operable means for admitting a flocculating substance into said treatment and settling tank to facilitate sludge formation; a holding tank for directly receiving fluid waste from a source, and having means for discharging the received waste into said treatment and settling tank inlet whenever the waste within said holding tank reaches a predetermined level; a digester receiving sludge passing through said first outlet, and means for selectively returning effluent from said digester including a fluid conduit having an inlet in said digester and an outlet in said holding tank, an effluent storage tank receiving effluent from said treatment and settling tank second outlet; means for providing removal of all effluent from said effluent storage tank above a maximum predetermined level; and means for removing on demand effluent from said effluent storage tank for use in flushing water with the source of waste material, irrigation and other similar purposes.