Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for superflocculating and thickening a sludge, which comprises (a) a cylindrical vessel having an upper part and a lower part, (b) an axially extending delivery conduit having an outlet in the upper third part of the vessel, (c) means for feeding a mixture of the sludge and of a flocculating agent to the delivery conduit whereby the mixture is delivered into the vessel through the delivery conduit outlet, (d) means for collecting liquid removed from the mixture delivered into the vessel and for discharging the removed liquid peripherally of the vessel at the upper part thereof, (e) a vertical rotary shaft extending through the vessel, (f) vanes mounted on the rotary shaft for rotation therewith, (g) counter-vanes arranged in the vessel to cooperate with the vanes, (1) the vanes and counter-vanes extending in substantially radial planes and being inclined with respect to each other, the inclinations of cooperating vanes and counter-vanes being in opposite directions, the vanes forming a discontinuous helix extending from the upper to the lower part of the vessel and the pitch of the helix diminishing towards the lower part of the vessel, and (h) a discharge conduit for the thickened sludge in the lower part of the vessel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for superflocculating and thickening a sludge, which comprises (a) a cylindrical vessel having an upper part and a lower part, (b) an axially extending delivery conduit having an outlet in the upper third part of the vessel, (c) means for feeding a mixture of the sludge and of a flocculating agent to the delivery conduit whereby the mixture is delivered into the vessel through the delivery conduit outlet, (d) means for collecting liquid removed from the mixture delivered into the vessel and for discharging the removed liquid peripherally of the vessel at the upper part thereof, (e) a vertical rotary shaft extending through the vessel, (f) vanes mounted on the rotary shaft for rotation therewith, (g) counter-vanes arranged in the vessel to cooperate with the vanes, (1) the vanes and counter-vanes extending in substantially radial planes and being inclined with respect to each other, the inclinations of cooperating vanes and counter-vanes being in opposite directions, the vanes forming a discontinuous helix extending from the upper to the lower part of the vessel and the pitch of the helix diminishing towards the lower part of the vessel, and (h) a discharge conduit for the thickened sludge in the lower part of the vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower part of the vessel comprises a conical bottom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the counter-vanes are fixedly mounted on the interior wall of the vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the angles of inclination of the vanes with respect to the horizontal are from 60° to 40° in the upper part and from 30° to 10° in the lower part of the vessel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the angles of inclination diminish in a continuous manner from the upper to the lower part of the vessel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising helically disposed arms supporting the vanes on the rotary shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the angles of inclination of the counter-vanes with respect to the horizontal are from about 15° to about 35°.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the feeding means comprises a mixing device tangentially connected to the delivery conduit, the mixing device including an inlet for pre-thickened sludge and an inlet for the flocculating agent.