Treatment of biologically-degradable waste

Claim 1

A method for the biological degradation of a solids-liquid sewage mixture which comprises a step wherein the solids-liquid sewage mixture is circulated through a system comprising a downcomer and a riser communicating with each other at their upper and lower ends, the downcomer having an upper portion of enlarged cross-sectional area and a lower portion of reduced cross-sectional area and a connecting portion connecting the upper and lower downcomer portions, said connecting portion being of lesser length than the upper portion and the lower portion, said upper and lower portions having substantially constant cross-sections along their lengths, the riser having a lower portion of enlarged cross-sectional area and an upper portion of reduced cross-sectional area and a connecting portion connecting the upper and lower riser portions, said connecting portion being of lesser length than the upper riser portion and the lower riser portion, said upper and lower riser portions having substantially constant cross-sections along their lengths, the combined cross-sectional area of the upper portions of the downcomer and riser being substantially equal to the combined cross sectional area of the lower portions of the downcomer and riser, air being injected into the riser to start the solids-liquid sewage mixture circulating around the system and an oxygen-containing gas being injected into the sewage as it passes through the lower portion of reduced cross-section of the downcomer, the liquid velocity in the upper portion of the riser being not less than 1 meter/second and the liquid velocity in the lower portion of the downcomer being not less than 1.2 meters/second.

Claim 2

A method for the biological degradation of a solids-liquid sewage mixture which comprises a step wherein the solids-liquid sewage mixture is circulated through a system comprising a downcomer and a riser communicating with each other at their upper and lower ends, the downcomer having an upper portion of enlarged cross-sectional area and a lower portion of reduced cross-sectional area and a connecting portion connecting the upper and lower downcomer portions, said connecting portion being of lesser length than the upper portion and the lower portion, said upper and lower portions having substantially constant cross-sections along their lengths, the riser having a lower portion of enlarged cross-sectional area and an upper portion of reduced cross-sectional area and a connecting portion connecting the upper and lower riser portions, said connecting portion being of lesser length than the upper riser portion and the lower riser portion, said upper and lower riser portions having substantially constant cross-sections along their lengths, the combined cross-sectional area of the upper portions of the downcomer and riser being substantially equal to the combined cross sectional area of the lower portions of the downcomer and riser, air being injected into the riser to start the solids-liquid sewage mixture circulating around the system and an oxygen-containing gas being injected into the sewage as it passes through the lower portion of reduced cross-section of the downcomer, the liquid velocity in the upper portion of the riser being not less than 1 meter/second and the liquid velocity in the lower portion of the downcomer being not less than 1.2 meters/second.