Anaerobic waste treatment facility

Claim 1

An anaerobic waste treatment facility comprising a. a digestor having a bottom, side walls, an open top, said open top being defined by a peripheral top surface, and a cover for said open top said digestor adapted to hold a quantity of liquid containing organic matter to be digested therein, said liquid assuming a liquid level in said digestor, said digestor having an inlet, a mixing zone, a quiescent zone, a clear zone, and an outlet, said inlet providing entry of liquid into said mixing zone, and said outlet for removing liquid from said clear zone, b. means for preventing the entry of large particles from said quiescent zone into said clear zone, and c. means for selectively circulating liquid from said clear zone to said mixing zone and agitating the liquid in said mixing zone as liquid in introduced into said mixing zone from said clear zone, said means comprising a rotor member disposed below the liquid level of said digestor, and means formed in said rotor member for transferring the force of liquid circulating through said rotor into rotary movement of said rotor and rotary circulation of liquid from said rotor into liquid in said mixing zone, said rotor member comprising a first conduit member stationary with respect to said digestor, and a second conduit member movable generally vertically with respect to and rotatable with respect to said first member about a generally vertical axis of rotation, said second member moving vertically upwardly and rotating with respect to said first member upon the introduction of liquid under pressure into said first member, and means for limiting the vertical movement of said second member with respect to said first member so that said second member is always disposed below the level of liquid in said digestor.