US3915853A — Sewage treatment

Claim 1

Independent Claim 228 words

A METHOD OF TREATING LIQUID SEWAGE CONTAINING INORGANIC AND ORGANIC COMPONENTS, INCLUDING A PRECIPITATABLE METAL MIXTURE OF SUCH METALS, A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STARCHES, PROTEINS, GLYCERIDES AND SUGARS AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND PATHOGENIC AND OTHER BACTERIA, WHICH COMPRISES ADDING TO THE LIQUID SEWAGE AN ALKALINE COMPOUND OR A MIXTURE OF ALKALINE COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI METAL CARBONATE, ALKALI METAL BICARBONATE AND ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE TO PRECIPITATE OUT THE PRECIPITATABLE METAL OF MIXTURE OF SUCH METALS AS INSOLUBLE CARBONATES, BICARBONATES, HYDROXIDES OR OXIDES OR MIXTURES THEREOF, REMOVING THE PRECIPITATED MATERIALS FROM THE REST OF THE LIQID SEWAGE, ADDING SUFFICIENT ALKALINE MATERIAL TO THE SEWAGE TO RAISE THE PH TEREOF TO OVER 11 TO DESTROY PATHOGENIC AND OTHER BACTERIA IN THE SEWAGE AND RELEASE ENYZYMES FROM THE BACTERIA INTO SOLUTION, LOWERING THE PH OF THE SEWAGE TO FROM 3.5 TO 6.5 BY THE ADDITION OF AN ACIDIC MATERIAL, ENZYMATICALLY DIGESTING A MATERIAL OR MATERIALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STARCHES, PROTEINS, GLYCERIDES AN SUGARS WITH THE ENZYMES RELEASED FROM THE BACTERIA, ADDING SEED BACTERIAL, FUNGAL OR YEAST ORGANISMS OR A MIXTURE THEREOF TO THE SEWAGE TO ASSIST IN DECOMPOSING ORGANIC COMPONENTS THEREOF, ACIDIFYING THE SEWAGE AFTER SUBSTANTIAL DECOMPOSITION THEREOF TO KILL THE ORGANISMS DEVELOPED FROM THOSE SEEDED, REMOVING THE DEAD ORGANISMS AND OTHER INSOLUBLE MATERIALS PRESENT AND NEUTRALIZING THE LIQUID REMAINING.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 228 words

A METHOD OF TREATING LIQUID SEWAGE CONTAINING INORGANIC AND ORGANIC COMPONENTS, INCLUDING A PRECIPITATABLE METAL MIXTURE OF SUCH METALS, A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STARCHES, PROTEINS, GLYCERIDES AND SUGARS AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND PATHOGENIC AND OTHER BACTERIA, WHICH COMPRISES ADDING TO THE LIQUID SEWAGE AN ALKALINE COMPOUND OR A MIXTURE OF ALKALINE COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI METAL CARBONATE, ALKALI METAL BICARBONATE AND ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE TO PRECIPITATE OUT THE PRECIPITATABLE METAL OF MIXTURE OF SUCH METALS AS INSOLUBLE CARBONATES, BICARBONATES, HYDROXIDES OR OXIDES OR MIXTURES THEREOF, REMOVING THE PRECIPITATED MATERIALS FROM THE REST OF THE LIQID SEWAGE, ADDING SUFFICIENT ALKALINE MATERIAL TO THE SEWAGE TO RAISE THE PH TEREOF TO OVER 11 TO DESTROY PATHOGENIC AND OTHER BACTERIA IN THE SEWAGE AND RELEASE ENYZYMES FROM THE BACTERIA INTO SOLUTION, LOWERING THE PH OF THE SEWAGE TO FROM 3.5 TO 6.5 BY THE ADDITION OF AN ACIDIC MATERIAL, ENZYMATICALLY DIGESTING A MATERIAL OR MATERIALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STARCHES, PROTEINS, GLYCERIDES AN SUGARS WITH THE ENZYMES RELEASED FROM THE BACTERIA, ADDING SEED BACTERIAL, FUNGAL OR YEAST ORGANISMS OR A MIXTURE THEREOF TO THE SEWAGE TO ASSIST IN DECOMPOSING ORGANIC COMPONENTS THEREOF, ACIDIFYING THE SEWAGE AFTER SUBSTANTIAL DECOMPOSITION THEREOF TO KILL THE ORGANISMS DEVELOPED FROM THOSE SEEDED, REMOVING THE DEAD ORGANISMS AND OTHER INSOLUBLE MATERIALS PRESENT AND NEUTRALIZING THE LIQUID REMAINING.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 271 words

A method of treating aqueous liquid sewage after removal of insoluble components therefrom by settling, centrifugation, filtration or a combination thereof which comprises adding to the liquid sewage, containing inorganic and organic components, including a precipitatable metal or mixture of such metals, a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars and mixtures thereof, and pathogenic and other bacteria an alkaline compound or a mixture of alkaline compounds selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate to precipitate out the precipitatable metal or a mixture of such metals as insoluble carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides or oxides, removing the precipitated materials from the rest of the liquid sewage, adding sufficient sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate to the sewage to raise the pH thereof to over 11 to destroy the pathogenic bacteria and to release enzymes from the bacteria into solution in the sewage, lowering the pH to from 3.5 to 6.5 by the addition of hydrochloric acid, so that sodium chloride is produced and is present in the sewage at a concentration of at least 0.01 molar, enzymatically digesting a material or materials selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars with the enzymes released from the bacteria, adding seed bacterial, fungal or yeast organisms or a mixture thereof to the sewage to assist in breaking down and oxidizing organic components thereof, acidifying the sewage after substantially complete oxidation thereof to kill the organisms developed from those seeded, removing the dead organisms and other insoluble materials present and neutralizing the liquid remaining to a pH of about 7 with hydrochloric acid.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 271 words

A method of treating aqueous liquid sewage after removal of insoluble components therefrom by settling, centrifugation, filtration or a combination thereof which comprises adding to the liquid sewage, containing inorganic and organic components, including a precipitatable metal or mixture of such metals, a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars and mixtures thereof, and pathogenic and other bacteria an alkaline compound or a mixture of alkaline compounds selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate to precipitate out the precipitatable metal or a mixture of such metals as insoluble carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides or oxides, removing the precipitated materials from the rest of the liquid sewage, adding sufficient sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate to the sewage to raise the pH thereof to over 11 to destroy the pathogenic bacteria and to release enzymes from the bacteria into solution in the sewage, lowering the pH to from 3.5 to 6.5 by the addition of hydrochloric acid, so that sodium chloride is produced and is present in the sewage at a concentration of at least 0.01 molar, enzymatically digesting a material or materials selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars with the enzymes released from the bacteria, adding seed bacterial, fungal or yeast organisms or a mixture thereof to the sewage to assist in breaking down and oxidizing organic components thereof, acidifying the sewage after substantially complete oxidation thereof to kill the organisms developed from those seeded, removing the dead organisms and other insoluble materials present and neutralizing the liquid remaining to a pH of about 7 with hydrochloric acid.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 157 words

A method according to claim 2 wherein additions of alkaline compound(s) to precipitate out the metals as insoluble compounds and to raise the pH of the aqueous sewage to over 11 to destroy bacteria are effected simultaneously, after which the insoluble metal compounds are removed by settling and the removal of the metal salts is such that The concentration of any copper left in the sewage is less than 1 part per million, after destruction of the pathogenic bacteria and the release of enzymes from the bacteria into the solution the pH is lowered to from 4 to 6 by addition of hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride is present in the sewage at a concentration of at least 0.01 molar during enzymatic digestion, after substantially complete oxidation of the sewage it is acidified to a pH less than 5 to kill the microorganisms developed, and said dead organisms, any living microorganisms and proteinaceous matter are removed by sedimentation.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 294 words

A method according to claim 3 wherein the alkaline compounds added to precipitate out the metals as insoluble compounds and to raise the pH of the aqueous sewage include sufficient sodium hydroxide to raise the molarity thereof in the aqueous sewage to from 0.01 to 0.5, and raise the pH of the sewage to from 12 to 13.5, the accompanying reaction and separation take place at a temperature from 10*C. to 50*C. for a time from one hour to 24 hours, starch cells are broken down in the high pH medium in said reaction and in settling, the lowering of pH of the sewage solution, less separated precipitated materials, is to from 4.5 to 5.5 and is effected by the addition of enough hydrochloric acid to increase the molarity of the chloride in the aqueous solution to from 0.05 to 0.5 molar, enzymatic digestion is effected at a temperature of 30* to 60*C. for a period from 1/2 hour to 12 hours, with enzymes present being selected from the group consisting of amylotic, cellulotic and proteolytic enzymes, papain, glucose oxidases, lipases and bromelain, the organisms added to the enzyme-treated sewage are aerobic or anaerobic and the treatment of the sewage with them takes place over a period of 12 to 36 hours, during which the temperature of the sewage is maintained in the range of 25* to 50*C., the pH is regulated to promote best growth of the organisms seeded, being in the range of 5 to 9, the organisms developed from the seeded organisms are killed at a pH less than 4.5 by the addition of HCl at a concentration greater than 0.005 molar, and sedimentation occurs at a temperature of 20* to 50*C. over a period of from 6 to 48 hours.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method according to claim 4 wherein seeding organisms utilized include Aspergillus niger, the precipitated metal compound is salvaged for its metal value and the killed organisms developed from the seeded organisms are nonpathogenic and are recovered for use as fertilizer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein enzymes are added to those released from bacteria killed by alkaline treatment, so as to speed the enzymatic attack and digestion of the starches, proteins, glycerides, and sugars.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 263 words

A method of treating liquid sewage containing inorganic and organic components, including a precipitatable metal, a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars and mixtures thereof, and pathogenic and other bacteria which comprises the sequence of: adding to the liquid sewage an alkaline compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates and alkali metal hydroxides and mixtures thereof, which includes the addition of an alkali metal carbonate, to precipitate out the precipitatable metal as a material selected from the group consisting of insoluble carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides and oxides and mixtures thereof; removing the precipitated material from the rest of the liquid sewage; when the pH of such rest of the sewage is below 11 adding sufficient alkaline material to the sewage to raise the pH thereof to over 11 to destroy the pathogenic and other bacteria in the sewage and release enzymes from The bacteria into solution in the sewage; lowering the pH of the sewage to from 3.5 to 6.5 by the addition of an acidic material; enzymatically digesting a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars, and mixtures thereof, present in the sewage, with the enzymes released from the bacteria; adding seed organisms selected from the group consisting of bacterial, fungal and yeast organisms and mixtures thereof to the sewage to assist in decomposing organic components thereof; acidifying the sewage after substantial decomposition thereof to kill the organisms developed from those seeded; removing the dead organisms and other insoluble materials present; and neutralizing the liquid remaining.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 263 words

A method of treating liquid sewage containing inorganic and organic components, including a precipitatable metal, a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars and mixtures thereof, and pathogenic and other bacteria which comprises the sequence of: adding to the liquid sewage an alkaline compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates and alkali metal hydroxides and mixtures thereof, which includes the addition of an alkali metal carbonate, to precipitate out the precipitatable metal as a material selected from the group consisting of insoluble carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides and oxides and mixtures thereof; removing the precipitated material from the rest of the liquid sewage; when the pH of such rest of the sewage is below 11 adding sufficient alkaline material to the sewage to raise the pH thereof to over 11 to destroy the pathogenic and other bacteria in the sewage and release enzymes from The bacteria into solution in the sewage; lowering the pH of the sewage to from 3.5 to 6.5 by the addition of an acidic material; enzymatically digesting a material selected from the group consisting of starches, proteins, glycerides and sugars, and mixtures thereof, present in the sewage, with the enzymes released from the bacteria; adding seed organisms selected from the group consisting of bacterial, fungal and yeast organisms and mixtures thereof to the sewage to assist in decomposing organic components thereof; acidifying the sewage after substantial decomposition thereof to kill the organisms developed from those seeded; removing the dead organisms and other insoluble materials present; and neutralizing the liquid remaining.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 129 words

A method according to claim 7 wherein the alkaline compound or mixture of such compounds added to the liquid sewage is selected from the group consisting of (1) sodium carbonate and (2) sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide, the alkaline material employed to raise the pH after removal of precipitated material from the liquid sewage is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and mixtures thereof, the acidic material used to lower the pH to the 3.5 to 6.5 range is hydrochloric acid, such addition produces sodium chloride at a concentration of at least 0.01 molar, and the liquid remaining after killing of the organisms and removal of them and the insoluble materials from the liquid is neutralized to a pH of about 7 with hydrochloric acid.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-10-27	1979-04-28	1979-10-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-10-27	1983-04-28	1983-10-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-10-27	1987-04-28	1987-10-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sewage treatment

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