Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Improved apparatus for purifying a liquor containing a biodegradable material comprising: means defining a clarification zone; means for delivering said liquor to said clarification zone; means defining an oxidation/nitrification zone; a first bed of media in said oxidation/nitrification zone, said media comprising a multiplicity of submerged elements freely and randomly stacked on one another to provide interstitial area therebetween, said elements having a high surface area to volume ratio; aeration means in said oxidation/nitrification zone for introducing air into said liquor; means for delivering said liquor from said clarification zone to said oxidation/nitrification zone; means for delivering liquor through said first bed of media; means defining a denitrification zone; a second bed of said media in said denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said second bed of media; means for delivering said liquor from said oxidation/nitrification zone to said denitrification zone; means for introducing a nutrient into said second bed of media; and means for withdrawing said liquor from said denitrification zone, said oxidation/nitrification zone, said denitrification zone, and said filter means being positioned around the perimeter of said clarification zone to form a single, compact unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Improved apparatus for purifying a liquor containing a biodegradable material comprising: means defining a clarification zone; means for delivering said liquor to said clarification zone; means defining an oxidation/nitrification zone; a first bed of media in said oxidation/nitrification zone, said media comprising a multiplicity of submerged elements freely and randomly stacked on one another to provide interstitial area therebetween, said elements having a high surface area to volume ratio; aeration means in said oxidation/nitrification zone for introducing air into said liquor; means for delivering said liquor from said clarification zone to said oxidation/nitrification zone; means for delivering liquor through said first bed of media; means defining a denitrification zone; a second bed of said media in said denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said second bed of media; means for delivering said liquor from said oxidation/nitrification zone to said denitrification zone; means for introducing a nutrient into said second bed of media; and means for withdrawing said liquor from said denitrification zone, said oxidation/nitrification zone, said denitrification zone, and said filter means being positioned around the perimeter of said clarification zone to form a single, compact unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising filter means also positioned at the perimeter of said clarification zone and means for delivering said liquor from said denitrification zone to said filter means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising chlorination means also positioned at the perimeter of said clarification zone and means for delivering said liquor from said filter means to said chlorination means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising a surge tank also positioned at the perimeter of said clarification zone and means for delivering said liquor from said surge tank to said clarification zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising means defining a sludge digestion zone; aeration means in said sludge digestion zone; and means for delivering sludge from a lower portion of said clarification zone to said sludge digestion zone, said oxidation/nitrification zone, said denitrification zone, said filter means, said surge tank, and said sludge digestion zone being positioned around the perimeter of said clarification zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
307 words
Improved apparatus for purifying a liquor containing biodegradable material comprising: a surge tank; inlet means for delivering said liquor to said surge tank; a generally cylindrical tank defining a clarification zone; means for delivering said liquor from said surge tank to said clarification zone; means defining an oxidation/nitrification zone; a first bed of media in said oxidation/nitrification zone, said media comprising a multiplicity of submerged elements freely and randomly stacked on one another to provide interstitial area therebetween, said elements having a high surface area to volume ratio; aeration means in said oxidation/nitrification zone for introducing air into said liquor; means for delivering said liquor from said clarification zone to said oxidation/nitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said first bed of media; means defining a denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor from said oxidation/nitrification zone to said denitrification zone; a second bed of said media in said denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said second bed of media; means for introducing a nutrient into said second bed of media; means defining a filtration zone having a filter bed therein; means for delivering said liquor from said denitrification zone to said filtration zone; means for backwashing said filter bed with filtered liquid; means for delivering the effluent from said backwashing to said surge tank; means defining a chlorination zone; means for delivering said liquor that has passed through said filter bed to said chlorination zone; means for chlorinating said liquor in said chlorination zone; means defining a sludge digestion zone; and means for delivering sludge from a lower portion of said clarification zone to said sludge digestion zone; said surge tank, said oxidation/nitrification zone, said denitrification zone, said filtration zone, said chlorination zone, and said sludge digestion zone being positioned around the perimeter of said clarification zone to form a single, compact unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
307 words
Improved apparatus for purifying a liquor containing biodegradable material comprising: a surge tank; inlet means for delivering said liquor to said surge tank; a generally cylindrical tank defining a clarification zone; means for delivering said liquor from said surge tank to said clarification zone; means defining an oxidation/nitrification zone; a first bed of media in said oxidation/nitrification zone, said media comprising a multiplicity of submerged elements freely and randomly stacked on one another to provide interstitial area therebetween, said elements having a high surface area to volume ratio; aeration means in said oxidation/nitrification zone for introducing air into said liquor; means for delivering said liquor from said clarification zone to said oxidation/nitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said first bed of media; means defining a denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor from said oxidation/nitrification zone to said denitrification zone; a second bed of said media in said denitrification zone; means for delivering said liquor through said second bed of media; means for introducing a nutrient into said second bed of media; means defining a filtration zone having a filter bed therein; means for delivering said liquor from said denitrification zone to said filtration zone; means for backwashing said filter bed with filtered liquid; means for delivering the effluent from said backwashing to said surge tank; means defining a chlorination zone; means for delivering said liquor that has passed through said filter bed to said chlorination zone; means for chlorinating said liquor in said chlorination zone; means defining a sludge digestion zone; and means for delivering sludge from a lower portion of said clarification zone to said sludge digestion zone; said surge tank, said oxidation/nitrification zone, said denitrification zone, said filtration zone, said chlorination zone, and said sludge digestion zone being positioned around the perimeter of said clarification zone to form a single, compact unit.