US4244815A — Process and apparatus for the aerobic biological …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 177 words

Apparatus for the aerobic biological purification of liquid wastes containing organic pollutants comprising a tank containing a liquid having a high biomass concentration, means to introduce a liquid to be purified into said tank, pump means arranged to withdraw liquid from near the bottom of said tank, a fluid flow connection from said pump means to eductor means arranged to entrain air into said liquid, means to introduce said aerated liquid into said tank to cause a rapid circulatory movement of liquid in said tank and to produce a vortex at the surface thereof, spray means connected to the output of said pump to spray liquid onto said vortex, liquid metering means arranged to feed a predetermined proportion of said liquid to mechanical separating means arranged to separate out sludge from said liquid and capable of separating and concentrating the sludge to a concentration sufficiently high so that the concentrated sludge can be used to maintain the high biomass concentration in the tanks and means for introducing a proportion of said separated sludge directly into said tank.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 177 words

Apparatus for the aerobic biological purification of liquid wastes containing organic pollutants comprising a tank containing a liquid having a high biomass concentration, means to introduce a liquid to be purified into said tank, pump means arranged to withdraw liquid from near the bottom of said tank, a fluid flow connection from said pump means to eductor means arranged to entrain air into said liquid, means to introduce said aerated liquid into said tank to cause a rapid circulatory movement of liquid in said tank and to produce a vortex at the surface thereof, spray means connected to the output of said pump to spray liquid onto said vortex, liquid metering means arranged to feed a predetermined proportion of said liquid to mechanical separating means arranged to separate out sludge from said liquid and capable of separating and concentrating the sludge to a concentration sufficiently high so that the concentrated sludge can be used to maintain the high biomass concentration in the tanks and means for introducing a proportion of said separated sludge directly into said tank.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mechanical separating means is a centrifugal decanter.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a flotator or gravity clarifier is arranged before said mechanical separating means.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 184 words

The method for the aerobic biological purification of liquid wastes containing organic pollutants comprising: (a) introducing the liquid waste into a tank containing a liquid having a high predetermined biomass concentration; (b) withdrawing liquid from the tank and entraining air into the withdrawn liquid; (c) introducing the liquid with the entrained air into the tank in a manner so as to cause the liquid in the tank to circulate and produce a vortex at the surface of and a foam on the surface of the liquid in the tank to thereby oxygenate the liquid in the tank; (d) maintaining the height of the foam at a predetermined level by withdrawing liquid from the tank and spraying a portion of the withdrawn liquid on to the surface of the foam; (e) separating and concentrating the sludge therefrom by a mechanical separation device capable of producing a sludge of sufficiently high concentration to carry out step (f); and (f) recycling a portion of said concentrated sludge to the tank at a rate so as to maintain the biomass concentration within the tank at the pedetermined level.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 184 words

The method for the aerobic biological purification of liquid wastes containing organic pollutants comprising: (a) introducing the liquid waste into a tank containing a liquid having a high predetermined biomass concentration; (b) withdrawing liquid from the tank and entraining air into the withdrawn liquid; (c) introducing the liquid with the entrained air into the tank in a manner so as to cause the liquid in the tank to circulate and produce a vortex at the surface of and a foam on the surface of the liquid in the tank to thereby oxygenate the liquid in the tank; (d) maintaining the height of the foam at a predetermined level by withdrawing liquid from the tank and spraying a portion of the withdrawn liquid on to the surface of the foam; (e) separating and concentrating the sludge therefrom by a mechanical separation device capable of producing a sludge of sufficiently high concentration to carry out step (f); and (f) recycling a portion of said concentrated sludge to the tank at a rate so as to maintain the biomass concentration within the tank at the pedetermined level.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process as claimed in claim 4 wherein the biomass concentration in said tank is maintained at between about 10,000 mg/l and 100,000 mg/l.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

A process as claimed in claim 4 wherein a small quantity of a high foaming surface active agent is added to the contents of said tank.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-01-13	1984-07-14	1985-01-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-01-13	1988-07-14	1989-01-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-01-13	1992-07-14	1993-01-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Process and apparatus for the aerobic biological purification of liquid wastes containing organic pollutants

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