Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
In the processing of wastewater by primary and secondary treatments, which includes a biochemical reaction according to the activated sludge process wherein the wastewater is separated into a sludge component and a clarified effluent, the improvement for salvaging and recycling the valuable components thereof comprising: comminuting primary sludge separated from said primary treatment and adding the comminuted mass to the organic input for said secondary treatment, subjecting sludge separated from the biochemical reaction of said secondary treatment to sufficient pressure to substantially rupture all of the walls of cells in said sludge and discharge the contents of the cells as part of a colloidal suspension, combining said colloidal suspension with the clarified effluent, and contacting said clarified effluent and colloidal suspension with a metal chelating substrate to remove heavy metals therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
In the processing of wastewater by primary and secondary treatments, which includes a biochemical reaction according to the activated sludge process wherein the wastewater is separated into a sludge component and a clarified effluent, the improvement for salvaging and recycling the valuable components thereof comprising: comminuting primary sludge separated from said primary treatment and adding the comminuted mass to the organic input for said secondary treatment, subjecting sludge separated from the biochemical reaction of said secondary treatment to sufficient pressure to substantially rupture all of the walls of cells in said sludge and discharge the contents of the cells as part of a colloidal suspension, combining said colloidal suspension with the clarified effluent, and contacting said clarified effluent and colloidal suspension with a metal chelating substrate to remove heavy metals therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pressure is at least about 3,000 PSIG.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 2, wherein the sludge is subjected to a rapid pressure drop following the application of said pressure to accelerate the particles to cause further shattering by shearing and impact.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said metal chelating substrate is water insoluble cross-linked starch xanthate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said metal chelating substrate is an anion exchange resin containing tertiary amine and quaternary ammonium groups.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pressure is sufficient to reduce particle size in said suspension to less than about one micron.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pressure is sufficient to substantially destroy biological life forms in the sludge to thereby facilitate any subsequent disinfection treatment of the sludge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the biochemical reaction utilized in said secondary treatment is accelerated and increased by adding an inoculating amount of heterotropic aerobic hydrolyzing and cell synthesizing micro-organisms to the organic material undergoing the biochemical reaction of secondary treatment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein skimmed sludge from said primary treatment is comminuted and added to the organic input for said secondary treatment.