Patent US3914164A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3914164A
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US
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System and process for bacterial reduction of wastes
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-05-31
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Granted: 1975-10-21
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Expires: 1994-05-31
Abstract
Abstract A system and process to optimize the environment for protozoa and higher life forms as opposed to conventional systems or processes designed for only bacterial reduction of wastes. The system includes a biological extender where the biological effluent from a settling tank, or the like, includes significant numbers of protozoa and other higher life forms and are mixed very, very gently by electrolytically generated bubbles ranging from 100 to 800 microns (which size range affords the very gentle mixing function) so that the protozoa and other higher life forms can exist and function in an optimum environment where they graze upon enteric bacteria, controlling their numbers while encouraging rapid synthesis of aerobic bacteria by increasing the food available to these desirable bacteria. As a result, biological decomposable materials are reduced at a rapid rate, and enteric bacteria that do not reproduce in the environment being maintained are devoured by the protozoa and higher life forms encouraged and promoted by the desirable environment being maintained.
Inventors
- 👤 John W Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:17
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/34; C02F1/00; C02F1/46; C02F1/461; C02F1/467; C02F1/4672; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/20; C02F3/202; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/46; C02F2201/461; C02F2201/46105; C02F2201/4612; C02F2201/46125; C02F2201/4613; C02F2201/4615; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
THE PROCESS OF TREATING WASTE WATER EFFLUENT CONTAINING BIOLOGICAL AND DECOMPOSABLE ORGANIC MATTER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, THE STEPS OF: A. INTRODUCING A WASTE WATER EFFLUENT INTO A TANK FROM WHICH IT CAN FLOW, B. ELECTROLYTICALLY GENERATING GAS BUBBLES OF A SIZE RANGING FROM 100 TO 800 MICRONS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE EFFUENT IN THE LOWER REACHES OF THE TANK FOR REDUCING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF FLOTATIONS, PREVENTING TURBULENT MIXING CAUSED BY RAPID VERTICAL RISE OF BUBBLES, MAXIMIZING THE ULTILIZATION OF OXYGEN FOR BACTERIA AND OTHER HIGHER LIFE FROMS AND GENTLY MIXING THE BIOLOGICAL WASTE WATER, C. FORMING A COMPLETE MIXED ENVIRONMENT CONTAINING SUFFICIENT DISSOLVED OXYGEN FOR BACTERIAL ACTION WHILE PREVENTING THE DISPERSION AND BREAKING UP OF FLOC PARTICLES SO THAT THE FLOC IS MAINTAINED WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 100 TO 200 MICRONS AND CONTAINS BACTERIAL AND SUBSTRATE UPON WHICH PROTOZOA AND OTHER HIGHER LIFE FORMS FEED, FLOURISHED, AND MULTIPLY, AND D. PRODUCING A RUNOFF EFFLUCENT FROM THE TANK WHICH IS LOW IN BOD, SETTABLE SOLIDS AND FECAL COLIFORMS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
THE PROCESS OF TREATING WASTE WATER EFFLUENT CONTAINING BIOLOGICAL AND DECOMPOSABLE ORGANIC MATTER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, THE STEPS OF: A. INTRODUCING A WASTE WATER EFFLUENT INTO A TANK FROM WHICH IT CAN FLOW, B. ELECTROLYTICALLY GENERATING GAS BUBBLES OF A SIZE RANGING FROM 100 TO 800 MICRONS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE EFFUENT IN THE LOWER REACHES OF THE TANK FOR REDUCING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF FLOTATIONS, PREVENTING TURBULENT MIXING CAUSED BY RAPID VERTICAL RISE OF BUBBLES, MAXIMIZING THE ULTILIZATION OF OXYGEN FOR BACTERIA AND OTHER HIGHER LIFE FROMS AND GENTLY MIXING THE BIOLOGICAL WASTE WATER, C. FORMING A COMPLETE MIXED ENVIRONMENT CONTAINING SUFFICIENT DISSOLVED OXYGEN FOR BACTERIAL ACTION WHILE PREVENTING THE DISPERSION AND BREAKING UP OF FLOC PARTICLES SO THAT THE FLOC IS MAINTAINED WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 100 TO 200 MICRONS AND CONTAINS BACTERIAL AND SUBSTRATE UPON WHICH PROTOZOA AND OTHER HIGHER LIFE FORMS FEED, FLOURISHED, AND MULTIPLY, AND D. PRODUCING A RUNOFF EFFLUCENT FROM THE TANK WHICH IS LOW IN BOD, SETTABLE SOLIDS AND FECAL COLIFORMS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 including electrolytically generating bubbles within the 100 to 800 micron range through generally circular cross-sectioned electrodes in a cathode-anode electrical relationship within the liquid and maintaining the electrodes in a generally horizontal attitute so that the bubbles rising do not agglomerate and form excessively large bubbles falling out of the generating range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The process as claimed in claim 2 including spacing the electodes so that a minimum current is necessary to produce the bubbles by electrolysis within the range of 100 to 800 microns, and in which the bubbles comprise oxygen and hydrogen and a maximum oxygen transfer is obtained in terms of pounds of oxygen transferred per pound of oxygen supplied to the liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process as claimed in claim 3 including spacing the electrode pair a minimum distance without shorting-out a circuit as A function of the total dissolved salts in the effluent and providing a stoichiometric reaction producing the oxygen and hydrogen bubbles within the 100 to 800 micron range.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 including the step of holding the effluent in the tank and then discharging the effluent from the tank in a condition in which it includes a BOD of 25 mg/l or less, COD of 50 mg/l or less, has suspended solids of 20 mg/l or less, volatile solids of 55 mg/l or less, Coliform count of 1,000 per 100 ml or less and a Fecal Coliform count approaching 0.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
200 words
The process of treating biologic effluent of a waste water system to optimize the environment for Protozoa and higher life forms for producing clarified effluents low in enteric bacteria and by stimulating maximum bacterial growth, comprising the steps of: a. introducing an effluent into a tank and holding it there for treatment and subsequent runoff; b. electrolytically generating nacent oxygen and hydrogen bubbles from a stoichimetric reaction in the lower reaches of the tank; c. controlling the bubble size in a range of from 100 to 800 microns through current density control so that normally insoluble oxygen transfers into the liquid as a function of the oxygen gradient between the gas and liquid, the period of contact, temperature and characteristics of the liquid and a high rate of oxygen transfer is maintained by controlling bubble size and the liquid is gently mixed with substantially no oxygen leaving the surface of the liquid and floc particles are maintained in a range of from 100 to 200 microns without dispersion or breaking of floc particles so that the floc contains bacteria and substrate providing an optimum environment for Protozoa and higher life forms feeding, flourishing and multiplying in the effluent being treated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
200 words
The process of treating biologic effluent of a waste water system to optimize the environment for Protozoa and higher life forms for producing clarified effluents low in enteric bacteria and by stimulating maximum bacterial growth, comprising the steps of: a. introducing an effluent into a tank and holding it there for treatment and subsequent runoff; b. electrolytically generating nacent oxygen and hydrogen bubbles from a stoichimetric reaction in the lower reaches of the tank; c. controlling the bubble size in a range of from 100 to 800 microns through current density control so that normally insoluble oxygen transfers into the liquid as a function of the oxygen gradient between the gas and liquid, the period of contact, temperature and characteristics of the liquid and a high rate of oxygen transfer is maintained by controlling bubble size and the liquid is gently mixed with substantially no oxygen leaving the surface of the liquid and floc particles are maintained in a range of from 100 to 200 microns without dispersion or breaking of floc particles so that the floc contains bacteria and substrate providing an optimum environment for Protozoa and higher life forms feeding, flourishing and multiplying in the effluent being treated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-20 | 1979-04-21 | 1979-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-20 | 1983-04-21 | 1983-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-20 | 1987-04-21 | 1987-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |