Sidewall mounted separator for removing solids in waste water

Claim 1

A waste water treatment system, comprising: means defining a vessel having a closed loop flow path for receipt of waste water and at least one wall; means for introducing waste water to be treated into said vessel; means for moving waste water along said path; means for introducing an oxygen containing medium into the waste water in said vessel to promote oxidation of organic solids in said waste water; a clarifier mounted on said wall and in said vessel within said flow path, said clarifier being sufficiently narrow in relation to said flow path so as to avoid any significant decrease in the cross sectional area thereof to avoid interference with maintenance of a desired velocity of waste water in said path and elongated in the direction of said flow path and having an upper end and a lower end, said upper and lower ends being disposed respectively above and below the intended level of waste water in said vessel, said clarifier having closed side and end walls and having means defining an open lower end such that waste entering said clarifier may enter only through said lower end; and a plurality of means along the length of said clarifier for withdrawing treated waste water from said upper end, said withdrawing means being constructed and arranged such that the flow of waste water from said lower end to said upper end will be of sufficiently low velocity that any organic solids initially entering said clarifier will exit the same under the influence of gravity through said open lower end.