Water treatment process and apparatus and device for the distribution of water to be treated into and for the recovery from washing liquid from a water treatment filter apparatus

Claim 2

In a water treatment filter apparatus of the type including a tank containing therein filter material, means for introducing water to be treated into said tank over said filter material to pass downwardly therethrough and be treated, means for withdrawing treated water from said tank after passage through said filter material, means for periodically washing said filter material to remove therefrom clogging material retained therein during the water treatment, said washing means including means for first passing washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material to loosen therefrom said clogging material and for then passing washing liquid only as a rinsing liquid upwardly through said filter material, and means for removing from said tank said rinsing liquid and loosened clogging material, the improvement wherein said means for introducing said water to be treated and said means for removing said rinsing liquid and clogging material comprise: a channel coupled to and extending along the length of said tank; first conduit means for supplying water to be treated into said channel; said channel having an opening into said tank at a level above said filter material, said opening being defined at the lower portion thereof by an overflow over which said water to be treated passes from said channel to said tank, said overflow including a first inclined plane inclined inclined downwardly and inwardly into said tank and a second inclined plane inclined downwardly and outwardly of said tank from said first inclined plane, said inclined planes extending into said tank to form deflector and guide means for preventing any of said filter material from passing through said opening from said tank during passing of washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material, and said opening forming means for allowing rinsing liquid and loosened clogging material to overflow from said tank into said channel; means closing the upper end of said channel for aiding in maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure during said passing of said washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material; and second conduit means for discharging said rinsing liquid and clogging material from said channel.

Claim 3

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel and said opening extend along the entire length of said tank.

Claim 4

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing means comprises an upper wall having an inner surface inclined upwardly toward said tank, the uppermost portion of said inner surface opening into said tank at a position spaced above said overflow.

Claim 5

The improvement claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for opening said first conduit means and for closing said withdrawing means to maintain the level of water in said apparatus above said opening and to thus maintain said channel under said hydrostatic pressure.

Claim 6

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness in the horizontal direction of said overflow and of said first inclined plane is from 30 to 40 cm, at least half of said horizontal thickness extending into said tank.

Claim 7

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said first inclined plane extends at an angle of from 35°-45° to the horizontal, and said second inclined plane extends at an angle of approximately 15° to the vertical.

Claim 8

The improvement claimed in claim 1, further comprising a screen member adjustably mounted on an inner surface of said channel and extending upwardly from said overflow into said opening by a vertically adjustable amount.

Claim 9

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel extends along an exterior wall of said tank.

Claim 10

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel extends along the center of said tank, said channel having therein oppositely facing said openings directed into separate portions of said tank, each said opening including at a lower portion thereof a respective said overflow.

Claim 13

A device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising first conduit means for supplying said water to be treated into said channel, and second conduit means for discharging from said channel washing liquid and clogging material adapted to be received therein.

Claim 14

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said channel and said opening are adapted to extend along the entire length of the tank.

Claim 15

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said closing means comprises an upper wall having an inner surface inclined upwardly in a direction adapted to be toward the tank, the uppermost portion of said inner surface adapted to open into the tank and being spaced above said overflow.

Claim 16

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thickness in the horizontal direction of said overflow and of said horizontal plane is from 30 to 40 cm, at least half of such horizontal thickness adapted to extend into the tank.

Claim 17

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first inclined plane extends at an angle of from 35°-45° to the horizontal, and said second inclined plane extends at an angle of approximately 15° to the vertical.

Claim 18

A device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a member adjustably mounted on an inner surface of said channel and extending upwardly from said overflow into said opening by a vertically adjustable amount.

Claim 19

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said channel is adapted to extend along an exterior wall of the tank.

Claim 20

A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said channel is adapted to extend along the center of the tank, and said channel has therein oppositely facing said openings adapted to open into separate portions of the tank, each said opening including at a lower portion thereof a respective said overflow.

Claim 21

A water treatment process comprising: providing a water treatment filter apparatus including a tank containing therein filter material, a channel coupled to and extending along the length of said tank, said channel having an opening into said tank at a level above said filter material, said opening being defined at the lower portion thereof by an overflow including a first inclined plane inclined downwardly and inwardly into said tank and a second inclined plane inclined downwardly and outwardly of said tank from said first inclined plane, and the upper end of said channel being closed; conducting a water treatment operation comprising: introducing water to be treated into said channel; distributing said water to be treated to said tank by passing said water to be treated through said opening and over said overflow into said tank; passing said water to be treated downwardly through said filter material, said filter material filtering out matter from said water to be treated and retaining said matter as clogging material, thereby forming treated water; and removing said treated water from said tank at a location below said filter material; and periodically terminating said water treatment operation and conducting a washing operation to remove said clogging material from said filter material, said washing operation comprising: passing washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material to loosen therefrom said clogging material, while maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure, a portion of said filter material being entrained by and lifted upwardly within said tank by said washing liquid and gas, contacting said entrained and lifted filter material adjacent said channel against said second inclined plane and thereby deflecting said filter material away from said opening, and allowing said entrained and lifted filter material to settle, while contacting said settling filter material adjacent said channel against said first inclined plane and thereby deflecting and guiding said settling filter material away from said opening; thereafter passing washing liquid only as a rinsing liquid upwardly through said filter material, thereby removing said loosened clogging material from said filter material; passing said rinsing liquid and said clogging material through said opening into said channel; and discharging said rinsing liquid and said clogging material from said channel.

Claim 22

A water treatment process comprising: providing a water treatment filter apparatus including a tank containing therein filter material, a channel coupled to and extending along the length of said tank, said channel having an opening into said tank at a level above said filter material, said opening being defined at the lower portion thereof by an overflow including a first inclined plane inclined downwardly and inwardly into said tank and a second inclined plane inclined downwardly and outwardly of said tank from said first inclined plane, and the upper end of said channel being closed; conducting a water treatment operation comprising: introducing water to be treated into said channel; distributing said water to be treated to said tank by passing said water to be treated through said opening and over said overflow into said tank; passing said water to be treated downwardly through said filter material, said filter material filtering out matter from said water to be treated and retaining said matter as clogging material, thereby forming treated water; and removing said treated water from said tank at a location below said filter material; and periodically terminating said water treatment operation and conducting a washing operation to remove said clogging material from said filter material, said washing operation comprising: passing washing liquid and gas upwardly through said filter material to loosen therefrom said clogging material, while maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure, a portion of said filter material being entrained by and lifted upwardly within said tank by said washing liquid and gas, contacting said entrained and lifted filter material adjacent said channel against said second inclined plane and thereby deflecting said filter material away from said opening, and allowing said entrained and lifted filter material to settle, while contacting said settling filter material adjacent said channel against said first inclined plane and thereby deflecting and guiding said settling filter material away from said opening; thereafter passing washing liquid only as a rinsing liquid upwardly through said filter material, thereby removing said loosened clogging material from said filter material; passing said rinsing liquid and said clogging material through said opening into said channel; and discharging said rinsing liquid and said clogging material from said channel.

Claim 23

A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein said maintaining said channel under hydrostatic pressure comprises maintaining the liquid level in said tank above said opening.

Claim 24

A process as claimed in claim 20, wherein said apparatus includes means for introducing water to be treated into said channel and means for removing treated water from said tank, and said maintaining said liquid level comprises closing said treated water removing means and opening said water to be treated introducing means until said liquid level is at a determined level above said opening.

Claim 25

A process as claimed in claim 19, further comprising, after said passing said washing liquid and gas and prior to said passing said washing liquid only, lowering the liquid level in said tank to the level of said overflow.

Claim 26

A process as claimed in claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes means for withdrawing said rinsing liquid and said clogging material from said channel, and said lowering said liquid level in said tank comprises opening said withdrawing means and thereby discharging therethrough liquid in said channel and liquid in said tank above the level of said overflow.

Claim 27

A process as claimed in claim 19, further comprising adjusting the vertical dimension of said opening.