US4217211A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pressurized treatment of sewage
Assignee: KENT DONALD M
•
Filing: 1979-07-09
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Granted: 1980-08-12
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Expires: 1999-07-09
Abstract
Abstract A sewage treatment process wherein sewage is passed into a deep subterranean shaft is improved by passing a liquor of the sewage into the subterranean shaft through an inner shaft which extends only partway down into the subterranean shaft. Located at the lower proximity of the inner shaft is a mixing shaft. The mixing shaft extends from the lower end of the inner shaft to a point near the bottom of the subterranean shaft. Incorporated into the mixing shaft are a plurality of liquor mixing nozzles. The descending sewage liquor passes downwardly through the mixing nozzles to the bottom of the subterranean shaft. It then ascends upwardly in the subterranean shaft. The action of the descending liquor through the nozzles entrains ascending liquor from the subterranean shaft back into the descending liquor. This recirculates the liquor in the bottom of the shaft allowing for extended contact time of the liquor with the microorganisms used in the liquor to aerobically digest the sewage.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore H. Crane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:03
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/22; C02F3/226; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/75
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
In a deep well treatment of sewage utilizing an apparatus having an outer elongated shaft, said outer shaft having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being located at or near the earth's surface and said lower end being located at a subterranean level, and an inner elongated shaft located within the outer elongated shaft and including means for passing a descending liquor containing a mixture of influent sewage and a gas containing oxygen through said inner shaft into said outer shaft such that said liquor ascends through said outer shaft and an effluent collecting means for collecting treated liquor at the upper end of said outer shaft, the improvement which comprises: said inner shaft having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end of said inner shaft being located proximal to said upper end of said outer shaft, said inner shaft extending downwardly within said outer shaft for only a portion of the length of said outer shaft; a mixing shaft located within said outer shaft and attaching to the lower end of said inner shaft and extending from said lower end of said inner shaft to the lower end of said outer shaft; said mixing shaft including a plurality of fluid mixing means capable of effecting a turbulent mixing of said liquor as said liquor passes from said inner shaft through said mixing shaft and into said outer shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
236 words
In a deep well treatment of sewage utilizing an apparatus having an outer elongated shaft, said outer shaft having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being located at or near the earth's surface and said lower end being located at a subterranean level, and an inner elongated shaft located within the outer elongated shaft and including means for passing a descending liquor containing a mixture of influent sewage and a gas containing oxygen through said inner shaft into said outer shaft such that said liquor ascends through said outer shaft and an effluent collecting means for collecting treated liquor at the upper end of said outer shaft, the improvement which comprises: said inner shaft having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end of said inner shaft being located proximal to said upper end of said outer shaft, said inner shaft extending downwardly within said outer shaft for only a portion of the length of said outer shaft; a mixing shaft located within said outer shaft and attaching to the lower end of said inner shaft and extending from said lower end of said inner shaft to the lower end of said outer shaft; said mixing shaft including a plurality of fluid mixing means capable of effecting a turbulent mixing of said liquor as said liquor passes from said inner shaft through said mixing shaft and into said outer shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said plurality of fluid mixing means includes a plurality of fluid passage means allowing said ascending liquor in said outer shaft to ingress from said outer shaft back into said descending liquor within said mixing shaft and to be mixed into said descending liquor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said plurality of fluid mixing means comprises a plurality of static mixing means having no moving parts and capable of mixing said ascending liquor from said outer shaft into said descending liquor within said mixing shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said plurality of static mixing means comprises a plurality of mixing nozzles located one above the other along the length of said mixing shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: said plurality of mixing nozzles each comprise a tube having an upper end and a lower end and an integral section connecting said upper end and said lower end; said upper end having a wall having an inverted frustrum shape and said lower end having an opening, said opening being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said integral section; said opening of a superior nozzle being located adjacent to said frustrum shaped wall of an inferior nozzle; said plurality of fluid passage means comprising the spaces between each superior nozzle and inferior nozzle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a process for aerobic treatment of sewage by passing a liquor of raw sewage, an oxygen containing gas and a microorganism seed suspension in a liquid carrier into an elongated subterranean shaft by descending said liquor into the lower extremity of said subterranean shaft and allowing said liquor to ascend to the surface of said subterranean shaft, the improvement which comprises: passing said liquor in a descending direction through an input shaft into the interior of said subterranean shaft to subject said liquor to hydrostatic pressure to effect increased solubility of said oxygen into said liquor; passing said pressurized oxygen containing liquor from said input shaft into a mixing shaft located below said input shaft and extending downwardly to the bottom reaches of said subterranean shaft; moving said liquor through said mixing shaft to deposit said liquor at the bottom reaches of said subterranean shaft; ascending said liquor up said subterranean shaft; continuously entraining a portion of said ascending liquor back into said liquor descending down through said mixing shaft by passing said portion of said ascending liquor through a plurality of openings in said mixing shaft in causing said entrained portions to be mixed within said descending liquor within said mixing shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a process for aerobic treatment of sewage by passing a liquor of raw sewage, an oxygen containing gas and a microorganism seed suspension in a liquid carrier into an elongated subterranean shaft by descending said liquor into the lower extremity of said subterranean shaft and allowing said liquor to ascend to the surface of said subterranean shaft, the improvement which comprises: passing said liquor in a descending direction through an input shaft into the interior of said subterranean shaft to subject said liquor to hydrostatic pressure to effect increased solubility of said oxygen into said liquor; passing said pressurized oxygen containing liquor from said input shaft into a mixing shaft located below said input shaft and extending downwardly to the bottom reaches of said subterranean shaft; moving said liquor through said mixing shaft to deposit said liquor at the bottom reaches of said subterranean shaft; ascending said liquor up said subterranean shaft; continuously entraining a portion of said ascending liquor back into said liquor descending down through said mixing shaft by passing said portion of said ascending liquor through a plurality of openings in said mixing shaft in causing said entrained portions to be mixed within said descending liquor within said mixing shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 6 wherein: said oxygen containing gas is air and said descending liquor is pressurized to at least 80 psi.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 6 wherein: said input shaft extends at least 500 feet into said subterranean shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 8 wherein: said mixing shaft extends at least 250 feet below said input shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-08-12 | 1984-02-11 | 1984-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-08-12 | 1988-02-11 | 1988-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-08-12 | 1992-02-11 | 1992-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |