US3872003A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High-oxygen treatment of waste with selective oxygen recirculation
Assignee: MCNISH Corp A OHIO CORP
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Filing: 1972-09-20
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Granted: 1975-03-18
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Expires: 1992-09-20
Abstract
Abstract Gas higher in oxygen content than is air is used efficiently for the treatment of waste liquid by selectively repumping and reintroducing gas which bubbles up from the surface of the contents of an oxygenation tank in the area where the larger bubbles escape, this being over the area of introduction. This gas is substantially isolated from the gas which breaks the surface in more remote areas and which is from finer bubbles more nearly exhausted of their oxygen. Oxygen from a source of nearly pure oxygen is constantly added to the repumped gas. The quantity of this enrichment preferably is determined automatically, in response to a meter determining the dissolved oxygen content in the tank liquid, to supply just the amount needed to maintain a desired dissolved oxygen content. In some forms of the invention the waste liquid to be treated flows through successive isolated or semi-isloated cells, and the regulation of oxygen enrichment supplied to each cell is automatically regulated to provide the desired oxygen content of that cell.
Inventors
- 👤 James Donald Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:46
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/26; C02F3/006; C02F3/22; C02F3/223; C02F2209/00; C02F2209/22; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
THE METHOD OF TREATONG WASTE LIQUID WITH GAS RICHER THAN AIR IN OXYGEN WHICH INCLUDES FLOWING THE WASTE LIQUID THROUGH A RETENTION TANK, MAINTAINING A GAS-LIFTED ROLLING ACTION OF THE TANK CONTENTS WITH THE GAS-LIFTED CONTENTS FORMING A HORIZONTAL STREAM FLOWING AWAY FROM THE GAS-LIFT ZONE IN SURFACE-EXPOSED POSITION BY LIBERATING AND ALLOWING TO RISE IMMEDIATLEY BY BUOYANCY SAID GAS AT SUBMERGED LOCATIONS ALONG SELECTED ZONES OF THE TANK COMPRISING A SMALL PORTION OF ITS TOTAL HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN SAID ROLLING ACTION AND THEREBY CAUSE SAID CONTENTS TO CARRY SMALL ENTRAINED BUBBLES TO REMOTE AREAS, CHARACTERIZED BY: SELECTIVELY ENTRAPPING GAS ESCAPING THE LIQUID IN THE AREA OVER SAID ZONES WHERE RELATIVELY LARGE GAS-LIFT BUBBLES QUICKLY ESCAPE THE LIQUID FORMING SAID HORIZONTAL STREAM, AND RECIRCULATING AND ENRICHING SAID GAS BY ADDING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN TO IT, COMPRESSING IT AND LIBERATING IT AGAIN IN THE SAME LOCATIONS, WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY EXCLUDING FROM THE RECIRCULATED GAS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE GAS LIBERATED, NAMELY, SUCH GAS FROM SMALLER BUBBLES AS ESCAPES THE LIQUID AT REMOTE AREAS BEYOND THE AREA OF SELECTED ENTRAPMENT.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
185 words
THE METHOD OF TREATONG WASTE LIQUID WITH GAS RICHER THAN AIR IN OXYGEN WHICH INCLUDES FLOWING THE WASTE LIQUID THROUGH A RETENTION TANK, MAINTAINING A GAS-LIFTED ROLLING ACTION OF THE TANK CONTENTS WITH THE GAS-LIFTED CONTENTS FORMING A HORIZONTAL STREAM FLOWING AWAY FROM THE GAS-LIFT ZONE IN SURFACE-EXPOSED POSITION BY LIBERATING AND ALLOWING TO RISE IMMEDIATLEY BY BUOYANCY SAID GAS AT SUBMERGED LOCATIONS ALONG SELECTED ZONES OF THE TANK COMPRISING A SMALL PORTION OF ITS TOTAL HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN SAID ROLLING ACTION AND THEREBY CAUSE SAID CONTENTS TO CARRY SMALL ENTRAINED BUBBLES TO REMOTE AREAS, CHARACTERIZED BY: SELECTIVELY ENTRAPPING GAS ESCAPING THE LIQUID IN THE AREA OVER SAID ZONES WHERE RELATIVELY LARGE GAS-LIFT BUBBLES QUICKLY ESCAPE THE LIQUID FORMING SAID HORIZONTAL STREAM, AND RECIRCULATING AND ENRICHING SAID GAS BY ADDING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN TO IT, COMPRESSING IT AND LIBERATING IT AGAIN IN THE SAME LOCATIONS, WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY EXCLUDING FROM THE RECIRCULATED GAS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE GAS LIBERATED, NAMELY, SUCH GAS FROM SMALLER BUBBLES AS ESCAPES THE LIQUID AT REMOTE AREAS BEYOND THE AREA OF SELECTED ENTRAPMENT.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
211 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted conTents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment; the liberation of gas being through coarse-bubble orifice devices in an eductor tube extending substantially below them to draw tank contents from near the tank floor.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
211 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted conTents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment; the liberation of gas being through coarse-bubble orifice devices in an eductor tube extending substantially below them to draw tank contents from near the tank floor.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
219 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment; and automatically regulating the addition of oxygen to said recirculating gas in response to means measuring the dissolved oxygen content of the liquid, to maintain substantially a predetermined dissolved oxygen content in the liquid.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
219 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment; and automatically regulating the addition of oxygen to said recirculating gas in response to means measuring the dissolved oxygen content of the liquid, to maintain substantially a predetermined dissolved oxygen content in the liquid.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
167 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and further using said gas, while substantially excluding from the further-used gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
167 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface-exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and further using said gas, while substantially excluding from the further-used gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
168 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface exposed position By liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected areas of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and further utilizing said gas while substantially excluding from the further-used gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
168 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface exposed position By liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at submerged locations along selected areas of the tank comprising a small portion of its total horizontal cross section in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action and thereby cause said contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and further utilizing said gas while substantially excluding from the further-used gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
233 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, a source of substantially pure oxygen, means for releasing gas including gas from said source at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprises a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, and in sufficient quantities to create rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means for drawing off the entrapped gas and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen from said source to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than the areas segregated by said cover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
233 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, a source of substantially pure oxygen, means for releasing gas including gas from said source at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprises a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, and in sufficient quantities to create rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means for drawing off the entrapped gas and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen from said source to it, compressing it and liberating it again in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than the areas segregated by said cover.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, a source of substantially pure oxygen, means for releasing gas including gas from said source at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprise a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, to produce a rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward flow therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means for drawing off the entrapped gas for reuse while substantially excluding from it a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than the areas segregated by said cover.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, a source of substantially pure oxygen, means for releasing gas including gas from said source at submerged locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprise a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, to produce a rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward flow therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means for drawing off the entrapped gas for reuse while substantially excluding from it a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than the areas segregated by said cover.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
310 words
APPARATUS FOR TREATING WASTE LIQUID WITH GAS RICHER THAN AIR IN OXYGEN WHICH INCLUDES A RETENTION TANK, MEANS FOR FLOWING LIQUID WASTE THROUGH SAID TANK LARGELY WITH SUCCESSIVE PASSAGE THROUGH SUCCESSIVE SECTIONS OF THE TANK, A SOURCE FOR SUPPLYING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN, MEANS FOR RELEASING GAS INCLUDING GAS FROM SAID SOURCE AT SUBMERGED LOCATINS ALONG SELECTED ZONES OF A PLURALITY PF THE TANK SECTIONS, SAID ZONES COMPRISING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE TOTAL HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION OF EACH SECTION, SAID MEANS FOR RELEASING THE GAS RELEASING IT AT POSITIONS FROM WHICH THE GAS CAN RISE IMMEDIATELY BY BUYOANCY WITH GAS-LIFT ACTION, AND IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES TO CREATE ROLLING ACTION OF THE TANK CONTENTS IN THE SECTION WITH THE GAS-LIFTED CONTENTS IMMEDIATELY FORMING A HORIZONTAL STREAM HAVING ITS SURFACE EXPOSED TO RELEASE LARGE BUBBLES WHILE CARRYING SMALL ENTRAINED BUBBLES TO REMOTE AREAS, CHARACTERIZED BY: A COVER OVER SAID ZONES LARGELY SEGREGATING AREAS WHERE LARGE BUBBLES ESCAPE THE STREAM FROM MORE REMOTE AREAS, SELECTIVELY ENTRAPPING GAS ESCAPING THE LIQUID IN SAID AREAS OF LARGE-BUBBLES ESCAPE, SAID APPARATUS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF IMPEDIMENT TO THE ROLLING ACTION THROUGH THE REGION OF GAS LIFTING AND OUTWARD THEREFROM TO BEYOND THE AREA SEGREGATED BY SAID COVER, COMMON MEANS FOR DRAWING OFF THE ENTRAPPED GAS AND RECIRCULATING AND COMPRESSING SAID GAS FROM VARIOUS SECTIONS AND MEANS FOR ENRICHING SAID GAS BY ADDING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN FROM SAID SOURCE TO IT SEPARATELY FO EACH OF A PLURALITY OF TANK SECTIONS BEFORE IT IS RELEASED AGAIN IN THE SAME LOCATIONS; SAID COVER COCOMPRISING MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY EXCLUDING FROM THE RECIRCULATED GAS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE GAS LIBERATED, NAMELY, SUCH GAS FROM SMALLER BUBBLES AS ESCAPES THE LIQUID MORE REMOTELY FROM THE GAS-LIFT AREA THAN SAID AREA SEGREGATED BY SAID COVER; AND MEANS FOR REGULATING THE ADDITION OF OXYGEN SEPARATELY FOR EACH OF A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
310 words
APPARATUS FOR TREATING WASTE LIQUID WITH GAS RICHER THAN AIR IN OXYGEN WHICH INCLUDES A RETENTION TANK, MEANS FOR FLOWING LIQUID WASTE THROUGH SAID TANK LARGELY WITH SUCCESSIVE PASSAGE THROUGH SUCCESSIVE SECTIONS OF THE TANK, A SOURCE FOR SUPPLYING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN, MEANS FOR RELEASING GAS INCLUDING GAS FROM SAID SOURCE AT SUBMERGED LOCATINS ALONG SELECTED ZONES OF A PLURALITY PF THE TANK SECTIONS, SAID ZONES COMPRISING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE TOTAL HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION OF EACH SECTION, SAID MEANS FOR RELEASING THE GAS RELEASING IT AT POSITIONS FROM WHICH THE GAS CAN RISE IMMEDIATELY BY BUYOANCY WITH GAS-LIFT ACTION, AND IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES TO CREATE ROLLING ACTION OF THE TANK CONTENTS IN THE SECTION WITH THE GAS-LIFTED CONTENTS IMMEDIATELY FORMING A HORIZONTAL STREAM HAVING ITS SURFACE EXPOSED TO RELEASE LARGE BUBBLES WHILE CARRYING SMALL ENTRAINED BUBBLES TO REMOTE AREAS, CHARACTERIZED BY: A COVER OVER SAID ZONES LARGELY SEGREGATING AREAS WHERE LARGE BUBBLES ESCAPE THE STREAM FROM MORE REMOTE AREAS, SELECTIVELY ENTRAPPING GAS ESCAPING THE LIQUID IN SAID AREAS OF LARGE-BUBBLES ESCAPE, SAID APPARATUS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF IMPEDIMENT TO THE ROLLING ACTION THROUGH THE REGION OF GAS LIFTING AND OUTWARD THEREFROM TO BEYOND THE AREA SEGREGATED BY SAID COVER, COMMON MEANS FOR DRAWING OFF THE ENTRAPPED GAS AND RECIRCULATING AND COMPRESSING SAID GAS FROM VARIOUS SECTIONS AND MEANS FOR ENRICHING SAID GAS BY ADDING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN FROM SAID SOURCE TO IT SEPARATELY FO EACH OF A PLURALITY OF TANK SECTIONS BEFORE IT IS RELEASED AGAIN IN THE SAME LOCATIONS; SAID COVER COCOMPRISING MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY EXCLUDING FROM THE RECIRCULATED GAS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE GAS LIBERATED, NAMELY, SUCH GAS FROM SMALLER BUBBLES AS ESCAPES THE LIQUID MORE REMOTELY FROM THE GAS-LIFT AREA THAN SAID AREA SEGREGATED BY SAID COVER; AND MEANS FOR REGULATING THE ADDITION OF OXYGEN SEPARATELY FOR EACH OF A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
315 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, means for flowing liquid waste through said tank largely with successive passage through successive sections of the tank, means for releasing said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of a plurality of the tank sections, said zones comprising only a small portion of the total horizontal cross section of each section, said means for releasing the gas releasing it at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, and in sufficient quantities to create rolling action of the tank contents in the section with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, common means for drawing off the entrapped gas and recirculating and compressing said gas from various sections and means for enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen from said source to it separately for each of a plurality of tank sections before it is released again in the same locations; said cover comprising means for substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than said areas segregated by said cover; and automatic means responsive to dissolved oxygen measurements in each of a plurality of sections for regulating the addition of oxygen for each section to maintain a predetermined level of dissolved oxygen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
315 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes a retention tank, means for flowing liquid waste through said tank largely with successive passage through successive sections of the tank, means for releasing said gas at submerged locations along selected zones of a plurality of the tank sections, said zones comprising only a small portion of the total horizontal cross section of each section, said means for releasing the gas releasing it at positions from which the gas can rise immediately by buoyancy with gas-lift action, and in sufficient quantities to create rolling action of the tank contents in the section with the gas-lifted contents immediately forming a horizontal stream having its surface exposed to release large bubbles while carrying small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones largely segregating areas where large bubbles escape the stream from more remote areas, selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said areas of large-bubble escape, said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, common means for drawing off the entrapped gas and recirculating and compressing said gas from various sections and means for enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen from said source to it separately for each of a plurality of tank sections before it is released again in the same locations; said cover comprising means for substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from the gas-lift area than said areas segregated by said cover; and automatic means responsive to dissolved oxygen measurements in each of a plurality of sections for regulating the addition of oxygen for each section to maintain a predetermined level of dissolved oxygen.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
194 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at depths at least of the order of ten feet at locations along selected zones of the tank compriSing a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action of the tank contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again, in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
194 words
The method of treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen which includes flowing the waste liquid through a retention tank, maintaining a gas-lift rolling action of the tank contents with the gas-lifted contents forming a horizontal stream flowing away from the gas-lift zone in surface exposed position by liberating and allowing to rise immediately by buoyancy said gas at depths at least of the order of ten feet at locations along selected zones of the tank compriSing a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, in sufficient quantities to create and maintain said rolling action of the tank contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in the area over said zones where relatively large gas-lift bubbles quickly escape the liquid forming said horizontal stream, and recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, compressing it and liberating it again, in the same locations, while substantially excluding from the recirculated gas a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid at remote areas beyond the area of selective entrapment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen content which includes a retention tank, means for liberating gas at depths at least of the order of ten feet, at locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprise a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, in sufficient quantities to create, by gas lifting, a rolling action of the tank contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones constructed to comprise means largely segregating selected areas overlying said zones, and where large bubbles escape from more remote areas to which small entrained bubbles are carried by the rolling action, and selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said selected areas; said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means connected to the space under said cover for recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, including means for compressing it and liberating it again through said means for liberating gas, said cover and recirculating means substantially excluding from the gas recirculated thereby a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from gas-lifting areas than the areas segregated by said cover.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for treating waste liquid with gas richer than air in oxygen content which includes a retention tank, means for liberating gas at depths at least of the order of ten feet, at locations along selected zones of the tank, which comprise a small portion of its total horizontal cross section, in sufficient quantities to create, by gas lifting, a rolling action of the tank contents to carry small entrained bubbles to remote areas, characterized by: a cover over said zones constructed to comprise means largely segregating selected areas overlying said zones, and where large bubbles escape from more remote areas to which small entrained bubbles are carried by the rolling action, and selectively entrapping gas escaping the liquid in said selected areas; said apparatus being substantially free of impediment to the rolling action through the region of gas lifting and outward therefrom to beyond the area segregated by said cover, means connected to the space under said cover for recirculating and enriching said gas by adding substantially pure oxygen to it, including means for compressing it and liberating it again through said means for liberating gas, said cover and recirculating means substantially excluding from the gas recirculated thereby a significant portion of the gas liberated, namely, such gas from smaller bubbles as escapes the liquid more remotely from gas-lifting areas than the areas segregated by said cover.
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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) | 1978-03-17 | 1978-09-16 | 1979-03-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-17 | 1982-09-16 | 1983-03-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-17 | 1986-09-16 | 1987-03-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |