Patent US6159371A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6159371A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Constructed wetlands remediation system
Assignee: ALBUQUERQUE MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NO 12
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Filing: 1998-05-29
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Granted: 2000-12-12
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Expires: 2018-05-29
Abstract
Abstract Constructed wetlands, utilizing a plurality of cells, in which nitrification and denitrification occurs simultaneously, at low flow rates and lower temperatures. The constructed wetlands provides improved remediation in a shorter period of time.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Dufay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:37
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/32; C02F3/327; C02F2003/001; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/20; C02F2103/22; C02F2103/32; C02F3/30; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10; Y02W10/30; Y02W10/33; Y02W10/37; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/902; Y10S210/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
32 words
An apparatus for remediating wastewater effluents, said apparatus comprising: at least one wetlands cell comprising a remediation system for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of said wastewater; and a locationally-based variably-controllable aeration system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
32 words
An apparatus for remediating wastewater effluents, said apparatus comprising: at least one wetlands cell comprising a remediation system for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of said wastewater; and a locationally-based variably-controllable aeration system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said remediation system comprises a short-term nitrification and denitrification system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said remediation system comprises a 5-7 day nitrification and denitrification system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wetlands cell further comprises at least one wastewater effluent inlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said inlet comprises at least one storage tank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said surface comprises an absorbing finish.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said absorbing finish comprises at least one finish selected from the group consisting of black, blue, and brown.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said surface comprises a reflecting finish.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said reflecting finish comprises at least one finish selected from the group consisting of white, silver and mirror-like.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said storage tank further comprises a cover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said cover comprises at least one cover selected from the group consisting of a tent, a shed, a lean-to, a shield, and a wind-block.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said wetlands cell further comprises at least one remediated wastewater outlet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said wetlands cell further comprising a bed having walls.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said walls rise at a ratio of approximately 2:1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said bed comprises a length greater than its width.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said bed comprises: a bottom; at least one effluent inlet end; and at least one remediated wastewater outlet end.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said wetlands cell comprises: header for distributing said wastewater effluent from said effluent inlet to said bed; and at least one collector for collecting remediated wastewater from said bed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said header and said collector comprise: a central pipe; and a perforated pipe connected to said central pipe.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said central pipe and said perforated pipe comprise a flow path for said effluent and said remediated wastewater.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said bed comprises at least two distinct layers of particles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said layers comprise a decreasing size of particles from a lower level to an upper level.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said particles comprise gravel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said lower layer comprises a thickness of at least six inches.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said upper layer comprises a thickness of at least 2 inches.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said upper layer comprises gravel.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the bottom of said bed comprises a depth of at least twelve inches.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said bed further comprises a liner.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said liner comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of clay and polyethylene.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said remediation system comprises an ecosystem.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said ecosystem comprises nitrifying bacteria.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said nitrifying bacteria comprises at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said ecosystem further comprises at least one plant species.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said plant species comprises at least one species selected from the group consisting of Iris pseudacorus, Iris versicolor, Rosa nutkana, Oenanthe javanica, Helianthis maximiliani, Scirpus validus, Typha latifolia, Acorus calamus variegatus, Acora calamus, Arundo donax, Sagiftaria latifola, and Sagiftaria falcata.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said aeration system comprises a system to supply compressed oxygen-containing gas.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said aeration system comprises at least one aeration grid.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said aeration grid comprises a series of interconnected pipes.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said aeration system further comprises one aeration controller for each of said aeration grids.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said aeration controller comprises a separately-regulatable flow valve.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said ecosystem comprises at least one creature.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said creature comprises at least one creature selected from the group consisting of fish, amphibians, and aquatic creatures.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aeration system comprises at least one system selected from the group consisting of wind energy, solar energy, hydraulic energy, electrical energy, pneumatic energy, hydrocarbon produced energy, and draft energy.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a remediation tool for at least one water use selected from the group consisting of fish hatcheries, recycling, shrimp farming, lake bed aeration treatment, biofiltration beds, filtration for industrial and biological park aquariums, dairy and domestic wastewater lagoons, agricultural farming, and wastewater polishing cells.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said remediation system comprises a nitrification and denitrification system without plants.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for remediating wastewater effluents comprising the following steps: a) introducing wastewater effluent into a wetlands cell; b) nitrifying the effluent; c) denitrifying the effluent to yield a remediated product; d) expelling the remediated product from the wetlands cell, wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed simultaneously; and e) before and concurrently with step (b), aerating the effluent with a positionally selectively-variable aeration system.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for remediating wastewater effluents comprising the following steps: a) introducing wastewater effluent into a wetlands cell; b) nitrifying the effluent; c) denitrifying the effluent to yield a remediated product; d) expelling the remediated product from the wetlands cell, wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed simultaneously; and e) before and concurrently with step (b), aerating the effluent with a positionally selectively-variable aeration system.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 44 wherein the step of introducing wastewater effluent into a wetlands cell comprises introducing wastewater through a wastewater effluent inlet.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 45 wherein the step of introducing wastewater effluent into a wetlands cell comprises introducing wastewater into the bed which rises at a ratio of approximately 2:1.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 46 wherein the step of introducing wastewater effluent into a wetlands cell comprises introducing wastewater into the bed comprising at least two distinct layers of particles.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 47 wherein the step of introducing wastewater into the bed comprising at least two distinct layers comprises introducing wastewater into at least two distinct layers of gravel in the bed.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 48 wherein the step of introducing wastewater into the bed comprising at least two distinct layers comprises introducing wastewater into a lower layer of the bed comprising a thickness of at least six inches.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 49 wherein the step of introducing wastewater into the bed comprising at least two distinct layers comprises introducing wastewater into an upper layer of the bed comprising a thickness of at least two inches.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 44 wherein the steps of nitrifying and denitrifying comprise nitrifying and denitrifying in an ecosystem.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 44 wherein the steps of nitrifying and denitrifying in an ecosystem comprise nitrifying and denitrifying in an ecosystem comprising nitrifying bacteria.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 52 wherein the steps of nitrifying and denitrifying in an ecosystem comprises nitrifying and denitrifying in an ecosystem comprising at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the step of aerating the effluent comprises aerating to supply compressed oxygen-containing gas.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 54 wherein the step of aerating the effluent comprises creating a dissolved oxygen concentration greater than approximately 0.25 ppm in the effluent.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 55 wherein the step of aerating the effluent comprises creating a dissolved oxygen concentration between 1 and 8 ppm.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the step of aerating the effluent comprises aerating with at least one aeration grid.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 44 wherein the steps of nitrifying the effluent and denitrifying the effluent are conducted within approximately 5-7 days.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 44 wherein the steps of nitrifying and denitrifying the effluents comprise nitrifying and denitrifying in the absence of plant life.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-12 | 2004-06-12 | 2004-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-12 | 2008-06-12 | 2008-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-12 | 2012-06-12 | 2012-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |