Patent US4684186A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3746456A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4196077A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4196077A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sewage sludge dewatering

Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
•
Filing: 1975-11-19
•
Granted: 1980-04-01
•
Expires: 1995-11-19
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Substantial dewatering of a secondary sewage sludge stream is obtained by admixing same with various hydrocarbon oils, the initial sludge/oil weight ratio being maintained in an amount less than 0.6, at shear rates of at least 130 seconds-1, and allowing the mixture thus formed to settle at temperatures of at least 72 DEG F. Substantially complete disposal of the solids thus removed from the secondary sludge stream can be achieved by subjecting same to evaporation and incineration processes.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leonard Berkowitz
  • 👤 Jerome Geyer
  • 👤 Alan Beerbower
  • 👤 William J. Asher

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 23:00
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F11/00; C02F11/002

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
A method for dewatering a stream containing predominantly secondary sewage sludge, said sludge containing solid materials entrained therein, which comprises (1) admixing said stream with a hydrocarbon oil at shear rates of at least 130 seconds -1 , the weight ratio of said hydrocarbon oil to said sludge being maintained in an amount of less than about 0.6, (2) settling said mixture at a temperature of at least 72° F. into a lower phase comprising water and an upper phase of substantially reduced water content comprising said hydrocarbon and said solid sludge materials, and (3) separating said upper phase therefrom, at least 85 wt. % of the solid materials entrained in the sewage sludge being present in said upper phase.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 120 words
A method for dewatering a stream containing predominantly secondary sewage sludge, said sludge containing solid materials entrained therein, which comprises (1) admixing said stream with a hydrocarbon oil at shear rates of at least 130 seconds -1 , the weight ratio of said hydrocarbon oil to said sludge being maintained in an amount of less than about 0.6, (2) settling said mixture at a temperature of at least 72° F. into a lower phase comprising water and an upper phase of substantially reduced water content comprising said hydrocarbon and said solid sludge materials, and (3) separating said upper phase therefrom, at least 85 wt. % of the solid materials entrained in the sewage sludge being present in said upper phase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the ratio of said hydrocarbon oil to said sludge ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 67 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said upper phase from step (2) is treated subsequently by the steps of (a) evaporation in at least one evaporator, utilizing steam as the evaporative heating source, to remove a substantial amount of the water therein, (b) centrifugation, to separate said hydrocarbon oil from said dried solid sludge materials, and (c) burning to dispose of said substantially liquid-free solid sludge materials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the ratio of said hydrocarbon oil to said sludge ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.2.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the settling is effected at a temperature in the range of from about 100° to about 180° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process of claim 2 wherein at least 95 wt. % of the solids present in the sewage sludge stream are present in said upper phase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 67 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said upper phase from step (2) is treated subsequently by the steps of (a) evaporation in at least one evaporator, utilizing steam as the evaporative heating source, to remove a substantial amount of the water therein, (b) centrifugation, to separate said hydrocarbon oil from said dried solid sludge materials, and (c) burning to dispose of said substantially liquid-free solid sludge materials.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1955065A Cited
US2226532A Cited
US3365395A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-04-01 1983-10-01 1984-04-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-04-01 1987-10-01 1988-04-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-04-01 1991-10-01 1992-04-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag