US4179366A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for the biological purification of effluent and the plant for carrying out the process
Assignee: Linde GmbH
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Filing: 1978-08-02
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Granted: 1979-12-18
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Expires: 1998-08-02
Abstract
Abstract Effluent to be biologically purified is poured serially through three interconnected tanks with the first two tanks acting as activation tanks and the last tank acting as a post-clarification tank. After the concentration of activated sludge in the first tank has dropped to a predetermined value, the flow through the tanks is reversed so that the last tank, previously the post clarification tank, acts as one of the activation tank and the first tank, previously one of the activation tank, acts as the post clarification tank, while the middle tank continues to operate as the other of the activation tanks. In one embodiment, an aerator is provided in each tank and the aerators in the first and last tanks are switched on or off depending upon the direction of flow of effluent. In another embodiment, two movable aerators are provided and are disposed in use, in those tanks which are acting for the time being as activation tanks.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph R. Kaelin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:09
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/02; C02F3/12; C02F3/1205; C02F3/121; C02F3/14; C02F3/16; C02F3/26; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
478 words
An activated sludge wastewater treatment process comprising: (a) providing a first tank, an intermediate tank and a final tank; (b) serially hydraulically interconnecting the tanks below normal wastewater surface level therein; (c) feeding wastewater to be treated into said first tank; (d) aerating the contents of said first tank and said intermediate tank so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said first tank and intermediate tank; (e) flowing aerated wastewater from said first tank serially through said intermediate tank to said final tank, so that during the course of treatment activated sludge continuously declines in concentration in said first tank and intermediate tank and continually increases in concentration in said final tank; (f) settling sludge from the wastewater in said final tank; (g) removing sludge-depleted wastewater from the final tank as treated effluent from the process; (h) discontinuing said feeding of wastewater into the first tank, the aeration of said first tank contents and the removal of treated wastewater from said final tank when the concentration of activated sludge in said first tank has been reduced to a first predetermined value; (i) feeding wastewater to be treated into said final tank while continuing the aeration of the intermediate tank contents but without removal of wastewater from any of said tanks during a time sufficient to permit settling of activated sludge in said first tank; (j) when activated sludge in said first tank has settled to a predetermined extent, initiating aerating of the contents of the final tank, with the aeration of the intermediate tank continuing, so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said final tank and intermediate tank; (k) flowing aerated wastewater from said final tank serially through said intermediate tank to the first tank, so that during the course of treatment activated sludge continuously declines in concentration in said final tank and intermediate tank and continually increases in concentration in said first tank; (l) settling sludge from wastewater in said first tank; (m) removing sludge-depleted wastewater from the first tank as treated effluent from the process; (n) discontinuing the feed of wastewater into the final tank, the aeration of said final tank contents and the removal of treated wastewater from the first tank when the concentration of activated sludge in said final tank has been reduced to a second predetermined value; (o) feeding wastewater to be treated into said first tank while continuing the aeration of the intermediate tank contents but without removal of wastewater from any of said tanks during a time sufficient to permit settling of activated sludge in said final tank; (p) reinitiating aerating of the contents of the first tank while continuing the aeration of the second tank contents so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said first tank and intermediate tank; (q) thereafter repeating steps (e) to (p) in sequence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
478 words
An activated sludge wastewater treatment process comprising: (a) providing a first tank, an intermediate tank and a final tank; (b) serially hydraulically interconnecting the tanks below normal wastewater surface level therein; (c) feeding wastewater to be treated into said first tank; (d) aerating the contents of said first tank and said intermediate tank so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said first tank and intermediate tank; (e) flowing aerated wastewater from said first tank serially through said intermediate tank to said final tank, so that during the course of treatment activated sludge continuously declines in concentration in said first tank and intermediate tank and continually increases in concentration in said final tank; (f) settling sludge from the wastewater in said final tank; (g) removing sludge-depleted wastewater from the final tank as treated effluent from the process; (h) discontinuing said feeding of wastewater into the first tank, the aeration of said first tank contents and the removal of treated wastewater from said final tank when the concentration of activated sludge in said first tank has been reduced to a first predetermined value; (i) feeding wastewater to be treated into said final tank while continuing the aeration of the intermediate tank contents but without removal of wastewater from any of said tanks during a time sufficient to permit settling of activated sludge in said first tank; (j) when activated sludge in said first tank has settled to a predetermined extent, initiating aerating of the contents of the final tank, with the aeration of the intermediate tank continuing, so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said final tank and intermediate tank; (k) flowing aerated wastewater from said final tank serially through said intermediate tank to the first tank, so that during the course of treatment activated sludge continuously declines in concentration in said final tank and intermediate tank and continually increases in concentration in said first tank; (l) settling sludge from wastewater in said first tank; (m) removing sludge-depleted wastewater from the first tank as treated effluent from the process; (n) discontinuing the feed of wastewater into the final tank, the aeration of said final tank contents and the removal of treated wastewater from the first tank when the concentration of activated sludge in said final tank has been reduced to a second predetermined value; (o) feeding wastewater to be treated into said first tank while continuing the aeration of the intermediate tank contents but without removal of wastewater from any of said tanks during a time sufficient to permit settling of activated sludge in said final tank; (p) reinitiating aerating of the contents of the first tank while continuing the aeration of the second tank contents so as to maintain activated sludge present and in suspension in said first tank and intermediate tank; (q) thereafter repeating steps (e) to (p) in sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
An activated sludge wastewater treatment process according to claim 1 comprising providing said first tank, intermediate tank, and final tank as tanks of the same size, joined to one another in sequence in an integral construction such that a common wall is provided between said first tank and said intermediate tank and a common wall is provided between said intermediate tank and said final tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
155 words
An activated sludge wastewater treatment system comprising a first tank, an intermediate tank, and a final tank, passage means for serially hydraulically interconnecting the tanks below normal wastewater surface level therein, inlet means for selectively feeding wastewater to be treated into either of said first or final tanks, outlet means for selectively removing treated water from either of said first or final tanks, a translatable aerator assembly including support means to which are joined aerators disposed in two adjacent tanks including said intermediate tank and one of said first or final tanks, and movable wall means between said intermediate tank and each of said first and final tanks allowing movement of said aerator assembly to transfer each of the aerators from the tank in which it was previously disposed to an adjacent tank so that the first and final tanks may be functionally switched between aeration and clarification operations upon translation of said aerator assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
155 words
An activated sludge wastewater treatment system comprising a first tank, an intermediate tank, and a final tank, passage means for serially hydraulically interconnecting the tanks below normal wastewater surface level therein, inlet means for selectively feeding wastewater to be treated into either of said first or final tanks, outlet means for selectively removing treated water from either of said first or final tanks, a translatable aerator assembly including support means to which are joined aerators disposed in two adjacent tanks including said intermediate tank and one of said first or final tanks, and movable wall means between said intermediate tank and each of said first and final tanks allowing movement of said aerator assembly to transfer each of the aerators from the tank in which it was previously disposed to an adjacent tank so that the first and final tanks may be functionally switched between aeration and clarification operations upon translation of said aerator assembly.
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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) | 1982-12-17 | 1983-06-18 | 1983-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-12-17 | 1987-06-18 | 1987-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-12-17 | 1991-06-18 | 1991-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |