Process and apparatus for the treatment of aqueous waste materials

Claim 1

An oxidation process for the treatment of an aqueous waste material effluent from a plant for filling containers with a beverage, comprising the steps of: (a) passing an influent constituted of said aqueous waste material through a trickling element having a media therein having biological growth formed thereon to degrade BOD to form an aqueous waste material discharge stream; (b) oxidizing light organic floc resulting from biological action in said trickling element and also any biomass sloughing off the trickling element media to further remove BOD by passing the aqueous waste material discharge stream from said trickling element into an oxidation-reaction tank, also conveying waste material from the beverage container filling plant into said oxidation-reaction tank, adding a flow of an oxygen-bearing gas to said oxidation-reaction tank for enhancing the chemical oxidation of the thusly combined aqueous waste materials detained therein, and detaining said discharge stream in said oxidation-reaction tank for a predetermined time interval to provide chemical oxidation therein before discharging it in a stream; (c) admixing the discharge stream from said oxidation-reaction tank and a final rinse waste effluent from the beverage filling plant with air to effect oxidation treatment of said aqueous waste material in a mixing tank before discharging it in a stream; (d) conveying the discharge stream from said mixing tank into an aeration tank imparting a circuitous flow path to the aqueous waste material therethrough while providing for aeration of the aqueous waste material, as through the imparted circuitous flow, and detaining said waste material in said aeration tank for a predetermined time interval before discharging it in a stream; (e) separating the discharge stream from said aeration tank into a liquid portion and a waste solids-containing portion by passing it to a settling tank adapted to receive light organic floc from the preceding aeration process; and (f) separately conveying a discharge stream containing said waste solids-containing portion from said settling tank to a solids separator and concurrently withdrawing the treated liquid portion of said effluent for removal from said process.

Claim 16

An apparatus providing for oxidation treatment of an aqueous waste material effluent from a plant for filling containers with a beverage, comprising: (a) a trickling element having means coupled to receive said effluent, including a media on which biological growth forms to degrade BOD for initially treating said effluent before discharging it in a stream; (b) an oxidation-reaction tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream of said waste material from said trickling element and also including means coupled to receive the waste material from the beverage container filling plant and support area drainage and means for detaining said waste material therein for a predetermined time interval, before discharging it in a stream, to subject it to means providing for chemical oxidation of light organic floc resulting from biological action in said trickling element and oxidation of any biomass sloughing off said media and to further remove BOD, and including means for adding an oxygen-bearing gas to the oxidation-reaction tank; (c) a mixing tank, having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said oxidation-reaction tank, and means for receiving a final rinse waste effluent from the beverage filling plant including means for admixing said waste material with atmospheric air before discharging it in a stream; (d) an aeration tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said mixing tank including means for imparting a circuitous flow path to said waste material through said aeration tank and means for detaining said waste material therein for a predetermined time interval before discharging it in a stream, and means for providing aeration for the aqueous waste material, as through the imparted circuitous flow; (e) a settling tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said aeration tank, including means for separating said waste material into a waste solids-containing portion and a liquid portion; (f) a solids separator having means coupled to receive the waste solids-containing portion from said aeration tank; and (g) means receiving the liquid portion of said waste material from said settling tank including means for conveying said liquid portion to a drain.

Claim 17

An apparatus providing for oxidation treatment of an aqueous waste material effluent from a plant for filling containers with a beverage, comprising: (a) a trickling element having means coupled to receive said effluent, including a media on which biological growth forms to degrade BOD for initially treating said effluent before discharging it in a stream; (b) an oxidation-reaction tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream of said waste material from said trickling element and also including means coupled to receive the waste material from the beverage container filling plant and support area drainage and means for detaining said waste material therein for a predetermined time interval, before discharging it in a stream, to subject it to means providing for chemical oxidation of light organic floc resulting from biological action in said trickling element and oxidation of any biomass sloughing off said media and to further remove BOD, and including means for adding an oxygen-bearing gas to the oxidation-reaction tank; (c) a mixing tank, having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said oxidation-reaction tank, and means for receiving a final rinse waste effluent from the beverage filling plant including means for admixing said waste material with atmospheric air before discharging it in a stream; (d) an aeration tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said mixing tank including means for imparting a circuitous flow path to said waste material through said aeration tank and means for detaining said waste material therein for a predetermined time interval before discharging it in a stream, and means for providing aeration for the aqueous waste material, as through the imparted circuitous flow; (e) a settling tank having means coupled to receive the discharge stream from said aeration tank, including means for separating said waste material into a waste solids-containing portion and a liquid portion; (f) a solids separator having means coupled to receive the waste solids-containing portion from said aeration tank; and (g) means receiving the liquid portion of said waste material from said settling tank including means for conveying said liquid portion to a drain.