Integral circular wastewater treatment plant

Claim 2

Wastewater treatment apparatus comprising: a. A circular tank outer wall; b. A circular inner wall concentric with and spaced from said outer wall forming an inner volume and intermediate volume between said inner and outer walls, such that the ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.25 and 0.70; c. A first radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls; d. A second radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls, being spaced from said first raidal partition so as to form a first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume bounded by segments of said inner and outer walls comprising between 90* and 330* of their respective circumferences, and a second arcuate portion comprising the remainder of said intermediate volume; e. First fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a first part other than said first arcuate portion and a cover enclosing said first part positioned over said first fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a first aeration zone; f. First passage means for introducing oxygen gas in said first aeration zone; g. Second passage means for introducing feed wastewater and thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone; h. Second fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a second part other than said first arcuate portion and a second cover enclosing said second part positioned over said second fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a second aeration zone; i. First gas interzone transfer means spaced from first passage means (f) for discharging oxygen-depleted gas from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone as the oxygen-containing gas therefore; j. First liquor interzone transfer means for discharging first oxygenated liquor from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone for mixing therein with said oxygen-containing gas; k. Gas vent means spaced from first gas interzone transfer means (i) for discharging oxygen-further depleted gas from said second aeration zone; l. Liquor passage means for discharging second oxygenated liquor from said second aeration zone; m. Means for uniformly distributing oxygenated liquor in said first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume around the inner wall segment for radial flow across said first arcuate portion for both clarification of said liquor and thickening of activated sludge therein; n. Trough means around the outer wall segment upper part of said first arcuate portion for discharging clarified water thereform; and o. Means for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge from the bottom part of said first arcuate portion and returning at least part of said sludge to said second passage means (g).

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said inner volume within said circular inner wall comprises said second aeration zone.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 with a third radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls within said second arcuate portion, third fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a third part other than said first arcuate portion, a third cover enclosing said third part positioned over said third fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a third aeration zone, secoNd gas interzone transfer means joined to gas vent means (k) for introducing said oxygen - further depleted gas from said second aeration zone to said third aeration zone, second liquor interzone transfer means joined to liquor passage means (1) for introducing second oxygenated liquor to said third aeration zone, other liquor passage means for discharging third oxygenated liquor from said third aeration zone and joining uniform distribution means (m) and other gas vent means spaced from said second gas interzone transfer means for discharging oxygen - still further depleted gas from said third aeration zone.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 with a third radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls within said second arcuate portion, third fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a third part other than said first arcuate portion, a third cover enclosing said third part positioned over said third fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a thickened sludge digestion zone, passage means for introducing oxygen gas to said sludge digest zone, sludge transfer means joined to sludge return means (o) for transferring the unreturned thickened sludge to said sludge digestion zone, means for discharging digested thickened sludge from said sludge digestion zone and still other gas vent means spaced from the oxygen gas introduction passage means for discharging oxygen - depleted gas from said sludge digestion zone.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.30 and 0.60.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a rotatable impeller positioned at the liquor surface, a subsurface propeller positioned beneath said propeller a common shaft joining said impeller and said propeller and motor drive means connected to said shaft comprise each of said first and second fluid mixing and recirculation means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means (o) for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge comprises a multiplicity of sludge pickup heads each positioned near the bottom of said first arcuate portion and spaced between said inner and outer walls, a multiplicity of conduits each with a lower end joined to a sludge pick-up head and an upper end in flow communication with said passage means (g) for introducing thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone, a bridge extending across and above said intermediate volume and supporting the pick-up head - multiple conduit - assembly, mechanical drive means for moving said bridge in an arcuate path repetitively around said first arcuate portion between said first and second radial partitions, and pump means joined to said overhead manifold for moving thickened sludge therethrough.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a third radial partition extends across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls within said second arcuate portion to form said second aeration zone.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 4 with a fourth radial partition extended across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls within said second arcuate portion, spaced from and between said first and third radial partitions, and a chlorination zone within said outer wall in a fourth part other than said first arcuate portion, with means for introducing the clarified water discharged from said first arcuate portion to said chlorination zone, and means for discharging disinfected effluent from said chlorination zone.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second arcuate portion comprises said sludge digestion zone third part between said first and fourth radial partitions, said first aeration zone first part between said third and fourth radial partitions, and said chlorination zone fourth part between sAid second and third radial partitions, and said inner volume within said circular inner wall comprises said second aeration zone second part.

Claim 12

Wastewater treatment apparatus comprising: a. A circular tank outer wall; b. A circular inner wall concentric with and spaced from said outer wall forming an inner volume and intermediate volume between said inner and outer walls, such that the ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.25 and 0.70; c. A first radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls; d. A second radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls, being spaced from said first radial partition so as to form a first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume bounded by segments of said inner and outer walls comprising between 90* and 330* of their respective circumferences, and a second arcuate portion comprising the remainder of said intermediate volume. e. First fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a first part of said second arcuate portion and a cover enclosing said first part positioned over said first fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a first aeration zone; f. First passage means for introducing oxygen gas in said first aeration zone; g. Second passage means for introducing feed wastewater and thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone; h. Second fluid mixing and recirculation means within said inner wall in said inner volume and a second cover enclosing said inner volume positioned over said second fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a second final aeration zone; i. First gas interzone transfer means spaced from first passage means (f) for discharging oxygen-depleted gas from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone as the oxygen-containing gas therefor; j. First liquor interzone transfer means for discharging first oxygenated liquor from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone for mixing therein with said oxygen-containing gas; k. Gas vent means spaced from first gas interzone transfer means (i) for discharging oxygen-further depleted gas from said second aeration zone; l. Liquor passage means for discharging second oxygenated liquor from said second aeration zone; m. Means for uniformly distributing oxygenated liquor in said first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume around the inner wall segment for radial flow across said first arcuate portion for both clarification of said liquor and thickening of activated sludge therein; n. Trough means around the outer wall segment upper part of said first arcuate portion for discharging clarified water therefrom; and o. Means for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge from the bottom part of said first arcuate portion and returning at least part of said sludge to said second passage means (g).

Claim 13

Wastewater treatment apparatus comprising: a. A circular tank outer wall; b. A circular inner wall concentric with and spaced from said outer wall forming an inner volume and intermediate volume between said inner and outer walls, such that the ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.25 and 0.70; c. A first radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls; d. A second radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls, being spaced from said first radial partition so as to form a first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume bounded by segments of said inner and outer walls comprising between 90* and 330* of their respective circumferences, and a second arcuate portion comprising the remainder of said intermediate volume. e. First fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a first part of said second arcuate portion and a cover enclosing said first part positioned over said first fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a first aeration zone; f. First passage means for introducing oxygen gas in said first aeration zone; g. Second passage means for introducing feed wastewater and thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone; h. Second fluid mixing and recirculation means within said inner wall in said inner volume and a second cover enclosing said inner volume positioned over said second fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a second final aeration zone; i. First gas interzone transfer means spaced from first passage means (f) for discharging oxygen-depleted gas from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone as the oxygen-containing gas therefor; j. First liquor interzone transfer means for discharging first oxygenated liquor from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone for mixing therein with said oxygen-containing gas; k. Gas vent means spaced from first gas interzone transfer means (i) for discharging oxygen-further depleted gas from said second aeration zone; l. Liquor passage means for discharging second oxygenated liquor from said second aeration zone; m. Means for uniformly distributing oxygenated liquor in said first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume around the inner wall segment for radial flow across said first arcuate portion for both clarification of said liquor and thickening of activated sludge therein; n. Trough means around the outer wall segment upper part of said first arcuate portion for discharging clarified water therefrom; and o. Means for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge from the bottom part of said first arcuate portion and returning at least part of said sludge to said second passage means (g).

Claim 14

Wastewater treatment apparatus comprising: a. A circular tank outer wall; b. A circular inner wall concentric with and spaced from said outer wall forming an inner volume and intermediate volume between said inner and outer walls, such that the ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.25 and 0.70; c. A first radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls; d. A second radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls, being spaced from said first radial partition so as to form a first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume bounded by segments of said inner and outEr walls comprising between 90* and 330* of their respective circumferences, and a second arcuate portion comprising the remainder of said intermediate volume; e. First fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a first part in said second arcuate portion and a cover enclosing said first part positioned over said first fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a first aeration zone; f. First passage means for introducing oxygen gas in said first aeration zone; g. Second passage means for introducing feed wastewater and thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone; h. A third radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer wall within said second arcuate portion; i. Second fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a second part in said second arcuate portion and a second cover enclosing said second part positioned over said second fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a second aeration zone; j. First gas interzone transfer means spaced from first passage means (f) for discharging first oxygen-depleted gas from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone as the oxygen-containing gas therefor; k. First liquor interzone transfer means for discharging first oxygenated liquor from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone for mixing therein with said oxygen-containing gas; l. Gas vent means spaced from first gas interzone transfer means (i) for discharging second oxygen-depleted gas from said second aeration zone; m. Liquor passage means for discharging second oxygenated liquor from said second aeration zone; n. Third fluid mixing and recirculation means within said inner wall in said inner volume and a third cover enclosing said inner volume positioned over said third fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a final aeration zone; o. Third passage means for introducing oxygen partially-depleted gas from a preceding aeration zone to said final aeration zone; p. Fourth passage means for introducing partially oxygenated liquor from a preceding aeration zone to said final aeration zone; q. Gas vent means for discharging oxygenfinally depleted gas from said final aeration zone; r. Liquor passage means for discharging finally oxygenated liquor from said final aeration zone; s. Means for uniformly distributing finally oxygenated liquor in said first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume around the inner wall segment for radial flow across said first arcuate portion for both clarification of said liquor and thickening of activated sludge therein; t. Trough means around the outer wall segment upper part of said first arcuate portion for discharging clarified water therefrom; and u. Means for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge from the bottom part of said first arcuate portion and returning at least part of said sludge to said second passage means(g).

Claim 15

Wastewater treatment apparatus comprising: a. A circular tank outer wall; b. A circular inner wall concentric with and spaced from said outer wall forming an inner volume and intermediate volume between said inner and outer walls, such that the ratio of the inner wall radius (R1) to the outer wall radius (R2) is between 0.25 and 0.70; c. A first radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls; d. A second radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer walls, being spaced from said first radial partition so as to form a first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume bounded by segments of said inner and outEr walls comprising between 90* and 330* of their respective circumferences, and a second arcuate portion comprising the remainder of said intermediate volume; e. First fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a first part in said second arcuate portion and a cover enclosing said first part positioned over said first fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a first aeration zone; f. First passage means for introducing oxygen gas in said first aeration zone; g. Second passage means for introducing feed wastewater and thickened activated sludge to said first aeration zone; h. A third radial partition extending across said intermediate volume between and joined at opposite edges to said inner and outer wall within said second arcuate portion; i. Second fluid mixing and recirculation means within said outer wall in a second part in said second arcuate portion and a second cover enclosing said second part positioned over said second fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a second aeration zone; j. First gas interzone transfer means spaced from first passage means (f) for discharging first oxygen-depleted gas from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone as the oxygen-containing gas therefor; k. First liquor interzone transfer means for discharging first oxygenated liquor from said first aeration zone and introducing same to said second aeration zone for mixing therein with said oxygen-containing gas; l. Gas vent means spaced from first gas interzone transfer means (i) for discharging second oxygen-depleted gas from said second aeration zone; m. Liquor passage means for discharging second oxygenated liquor from said second aeration zone; n. Third fluid mixing and recirculation means within said inner wall in said inner volume and a third cover enclosing said inner volume positioned over said third fluid mixing and recirculation means to form a final aeration zone; o. Third passage means for introducing oxygen partially-depleted gas from a preceding aeration zone to said final aeration zone; p. Fourth passage means for introducing partially oxygenated liquor from a preceding aeration zone to said final aeration zone; q. Gas vent means for discharging oxygenfinally depleted gas from said final aeration zone; r. Liquor passage means for discharging finally oxygenated liquor from said final aeration zone; s. Means for uniformly distributing finally oxygenated liquor in said first arcuate portion of said intermediate volume around the inner wall segment for radial flow across said first arcuate portion for both clarification of said liquor and thickening of activated sludge therein; t. Trough means around the outer wall segment upper part of said first arcuate portion for discharging clarified water therefrom; and u. Means for collecting and removing thickened activated sludge from the bottom part of said first arcuate portion and returning at least part of said sludge to said second passage means(g).

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first aeration zone is in a first part in said second arcuate portion and said inner volume within said circular inner wall comprises the said second and final aeration zone.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said inner volume within said inner wall comprises a final aeration zone.