US3847802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for treating waste material
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1973-04-19
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Granted: 1974-11-12
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Expires: 1993-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for treating waste material is disclosed and includes an aeration tank and a settling tank that have a common wall. The aerated mixture is passed from the aeration tank through ports in the common wall to allow sludge to settle to the settling tank bottom. The settled sludge is then withdrawn and returned to the aeration tank through conduit means that have an opening located below the level of the ports in the common wall. The open end of the conduit, located below the level of liquid in the aeration tank, is periodically closed and the sludge being withdrawn overflows from an opening in the conduit means to an open channel for ''''wasting'''' sludge from the aeration and settling tank.
Inventors
- 👤 A Lemke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:27
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/20; B; B01; B01D; B01D21/00; B01D21/02; B01D21/04; B01D21/08; B01D21/18; B01D21/24; B01D21/245; B01D21/2466; B01D21/2488; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
APPARATUS FOR TREATING AQUEOUS WASTE MATERIAL COMPRISING AN AERATION TANK AND A SETTLING TANK HAVING A COMMON WALL, SAID SETTLING TANK HAVING A TANK FLOOR; MEANS DEFINING PORTS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID WALL TO ALLOW WASTE MATERIAL INCLUDING LIQUID AND AERATED SLUDGE TO FLOW FROM SAID AERATION TANK TO SAID SETTLING TABK, SAID AERATED SLUDGE SETTLING TO THE TANK FLOOR FOR WITHDRAWAL MEANS MOVABLE ALONG THE SETTLING TANK FLOOR FOR WITHDRAWING SETTLED AERATED SLUDGE FROM THE TANK FLOOR AND RETURNING THE SLUDGE TO SAID AERATION TANK, SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICAL CONDUIT IN SAID AERATION TANK WITH AN OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT LOCATED BELOW THE PORTS IN SAID COMMON WALL; AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CONDUIT TO PERIODICALLY DIVER SLUDGE FOR COLLECTION OUTSIDE SAID AERATIO TANK, SAID MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CONDUIT INCLUDING MEANS DOR CLOSING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT, OVERFLOW MEANS IN SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID SLUDGE FLOW WHEN SAID OPEN END IS CLOSED AND COLLECTION MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE SLUDGE FLOWING THROUGH SAID OVERFLOW MEANS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
APPARATUS FOR TREATING AQUEOUS WASTE MATERIAL COMPRISING AN AERATION TANK AND A SETTLING TANK HAVING A COMMON WALL, SAID SETTLING TANK HAVING A TANK FLOOR; MEANS DEFINING PORTS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID WALL TO ALLOW WASTE MATERIAL INCLUDING LIQUID AND AERATED SLUDGE TO FLOW FROM SAID AERATION TANK TO SAID SETTLING TABK, SAID AERATED SLUDGE SETTLING TO THE TANK FLOOR FOR WITHDRAWAL MEANS MOVABLE ALONG THE SETTLING TANK FLOOR FOR WITHDRAWING SETTLED AERATED SLUDGE FROM THE TANK FLOOR AND RETURNING THE SLUDGE TO SAID AERATION TANK, SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICAL CONDUIT IN SAID AERATION TANK WITH AN OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT LOCATED BELOW THE PORTS IN SAID COMMON WALL; AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CONDUIT TO PERIODICALLY DIVER SLUDGE FOR COLLECTION OUTSIDE SAID AERATIO TANK, SAID MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CONDUIT INCLUDING MEANS DOR CLOSING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT, OVERFLOW MEANS IN SAID WITHDRAWAL MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID SLUDGE FLOW WHEN SAID OPEN END IS CLOSED AND COLLECTION MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE SLUDGE FLOWING THROUGH SAID OVERFLOW MEANS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said means for closing includes a fixed member in said aeration tank, said fixed member having an upper surface substantially vertically aligned with said open end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which said means for closing includes a valve element freely pivoted on the bottom of said conduit, said member pivoting said valve element from an open to a closed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which said member has an inclined camming surface adjacent one end thereof to progressively pivot said valve element from the open to the closed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4, in which said camming surface is arcuate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said collection means includes an open-topped channel having end walls with at least one of said end walls being movable to vary the length of said channel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, further including drive means for moving said movable end wall along said channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said overflow means includes an adjustable weir in an opening in a vertical wall of said conduit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said settling tank is rectangular and said withdrawal means is reciprocated between opposed walls of said tank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
156 words
Apparatus for treating aqueous waste material comprising adjacent aeration and settling tanks, said settling tank having a tank bottom; communicating means between said tanks for delivering aqueous waste material from said aeration tank to said settling tank for separation by gravity into settled sludge on said settling tank bottom and clarified liquid; outlet means in said settling tank spaced from said communicating means for receiving clarified liquid; conduit means having a portion movable along the tank bottom for withdrawing settled sludge from the tank bottom and returning the settled sludge to the aeration tank, said conduit means having an open end in said aeration tank and an opening above said open end; means for temporarily closing said open end during movement of said conduit means along the tank bottom to collect sludge for flow through said opening; and means aligned with said opening while said open end is closed to receive sludge flowing from said opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
156 words
Apparatus for treating aqueous waste material comprising adjacent aeration and settling tanks, said settling tank having a tank bottom; communicating means between said tanks for delivering aqueous waste material from said aeration tank to said settling tank for separation by gravity into settled sludge on said settling tank bottom and clarified liquid; outlet means in said settling tank spaced from said communicating means for receiving clarified liquid; conduit means having a portion movable along the tank bottom for withdrawing settled sludge from the tank bottom and returning the settled sludge to the aeration tank, said conduit means having an open end in said aeration tank and an opening above said open end; means for temporarily closing said open end during movement of said conduit means along the tank bottom to collect sludge for flow through said opening; and means aligned with said opening while said open end is closed to receive sludge flowing from said opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which said settling tank is rectangular and said conduit means is reciprocated across the tank between opposed walls of said tank and in which said means for temporarily closing said open end includes a fixed member in said aeration tank.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which said means for temporarily closing said open end includes a valve element freely pivoted adjacent said open end of said conduit with said fixed member pivoting said valve element from an open to a closed position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which said means aligned with said opening includes an open topped channel having end walls with means for moving at least one end wall to vary the length of said channel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
AppaRatus as defined in claim 10, in which said aeration and settling tanks have a common vertical wall and in which said communicating means includes ports in said wall, said open end of said conduit means being located below said ports.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of treating aqueous waste material comprising the steps of aerating the waste material in an aeration tank; flowing the aerated mixture from the aeration tank to a settling tank where the sludge settles to the tank bottom; returning settled sludge to the aeration tank through conduit means having an open end below the liquid level in the aeration tank; periodically closing the open end of the conduit means to collect the sludge; and overflowing the collected sludge into a trough for wasting sludge from the aeration and settling tanks.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of treating aqueous waste material comprising the steps of aerating the waste material in an aeration tank; flowing the aerated mixture from the aeration tank to a settling tank where the sludge settles to the tank bottom; returning settled sludge to the aeration tank through conduit means having an open end below the liquid level in the aeration tank; periodically closing the open end of the conduit means to collect the sludge; and overflowing the collected sludge into a trough for wasting sludge from the aeration and settling tanks.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as defined in claim 15, in which the aeration and settling tanks have a common wall and the aerated mixture flows through ports adjacent the upper portion of the common wall and in which the open end of the conduit means is located below the ports and directs the sludge downwardly.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as defined in claim 16, in which the settling tank is rectangular and the sludge is returned to the aeration tank by reciprocating withdrawal means between opposed walls of the settling tank.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |