Patent US4115258A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4115258A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Treatment of sewage
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-06-22
•
Granted: 1978-09-19
•
Expires: 1996-06-22
Abstract
Abstract Pure oxygen or a gas containing substantially more oxygen than air is injected under pressure into sewage held in or flowing through a rising or pumping sewer. This injection may be used to prevent the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the sewer falling to a level at which there occurs bacterial reduction to hydrogen sulphide of sulphate present in the sewage and/or to reduce the Biochemical Oxygen Demand of the sewage. The injection can also be used to oxidize to sulphur any sulphide dissolved in the sewage. The pure oxygen or the gas containing more oxygen than air may be injected into sewage flowing through a sewage pipe forming part of a rising or pumping sewer, into a pump used to transfer the sewage through the sewer, or into a part of the sewer (e.g. a sump) where sewage is collected before being transferred through the sewer.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Cecil Smith
- 👤 Michael Ernest Garrett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:20
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/26; C02F2307/00; C02F2307/08; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A process of treating sewage in a pumped sewer to maintain aerobic metabolism prior to subjecting the sewage to primary treatment which comprises the steps of: a. sumping sewage to be treated at an inlet end of the pumped sewer; b. pumping the sewage upwardly through the pumped sewer in a manner to maintain the sewer in a flooded condition; c. injecting under pressure into the sewage in the pumped sewer, an oxygen-rich gas which contains at least 90% by volume of oxygen in a manner wherein substantially all the gas introduced is dissolved in the sewage being pumped without formation of a discrete gas phase in the pumped sewer such as can cause vapor locks; and d. providing sufficient oxygen as in (c) to insure that aerobic metabolism is maintained throughout the length of the pumped sewer during residence of the sewage therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A process of treating sewage in a pumped sewer to maintain aerobic metabolism prior to subjecting the sewage to primary treatment which comprises the steps of: a. sumping sewage to be treated at an inlet end of the pumped sewer; b. pumping the sewage upwardly through the pumped sewer in a manner to maintain the sewer in a flooded condition; c. injecting under pressure into the sewage in the pumped sewer, an oxygen-rich gas which contains at least 90% by volume of oxygen in a manner wherein substantially all the gas introduced is dissolved in the sewage being pumped without formation of a discrete gas phase in the pumped sewer such as can cause vapor locks; and d. providing sufficient oxygen as in (c) to insure that aerobic metabolism is maintained throughout the length of the pumped sewer during residence of the sewage therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the gas contains at least 98% by volume of oxygen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the sewage is monitored downstream, in respect of the direction of flow of the sewage, of where the gas is injected, and the rate at which the oxygen-rich gas is injected is adjusted in accordance with changes in the monitored value of the concentration of dissolved oxygen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the Biochemical Oxygen Demand of the sewage is monitored, and the rate at which the gas is injected is adjusted in accordance with changes in the monitored value of the Biochemical Oxygen Deman.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the oxygen-rich gas is injected in at least two separate regions of the sewer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the sewage entering the sewer contains dissolved oxygen, and the oxygen-rich gas is injected sufficiently near to the inlet of the sewer to ensure that bacterial reduction of compounds containing oxygen and sulphur does not start before the sewage reaches the region or regions of injection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, in which the sewage entering the sewer contains dissolved sulphide, and the oxygen-rich gas is injected at a sufficient distance from the outlet of the sewer to ensure that the sewage leaving the sewer is exhausted of dissolved sulphide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as claimed in claim 7, in which the concentration of dissolved sulphide is monitored, and the rate of injection of the oxygen-rich gas adjusted in accordance with changes in the monitored value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the gas is injected into the volute of a pump used to transfer the sewage along the sewer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
A process of treating sewage to maintain aerobic metabolism prior to pumping the sewage through a rising sewer to a primary treatment plant which comprises the steps of: a. sumping sewage to be treated in a sump of a pumphouse of a rising sewer; b. injecting under pressure an oxygen-rich gas which contains at least 90% by volume of oxygen into the sumped sewage in a manner wherein substantially all the gas introduced is dissolved in the sewage wherein the oxygen-rich gas does not collect as a discrete gas phase in any gas space that may exist above the sumped sewage; and c. providing sufficient oxygen as in (b) to insure that aerobic metabolism is maintained in the sump while the sumped sewage is awaiting pumpout to the rising sewer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
A process of treating sewage to maintain aerobic metabolism prior to pumping the sewage through a rising sewer to a primary treatment plant which comprises the steps of: a. sumping sewage to be treated in a sump of a pumphouse of a rising sewer; b. injecting under pressure an oxygen-rich gas which contains at least 90% by volume of oxygen into the sumped sewage in a manner wherein substantially all the gas introduced is dissolved in the sewage wherein the oxygen-rich gas does not collect as a discrete gas phase in any gas space that may exist above the sumped sewage; and c. providing sufficient oxygen as in (b) to insure that aerobic metabolism is maintained in the sump while the sumped sewage is awaiting pumpout to the rising sewer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3525685A
Cited
US3607735A
Cited
US3663117A
Cited
US4042494A
Cited
US3734850A
Cited
US3957633A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-09-18 | 1982-03-20 | 1982-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-09-18 | 1986-03-20 | 1986-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-09-18 | 1990-03-20 | 1990-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |