Abstract: A decanter apparatus and method of operating the same to decant liquid from adjacent the surface in a tank. The decanter apparatus includes a decanter receptacle having a top opening surrounded by a decanter rim, a decant pipe having an inlet end communicating with the decanter receptacle and a discharge end extending out the tank, and a float overlying the decanter receptacle and connected thereto for relative movement between a decanter closed position in which the float engages the decanter rim and a decanter open position in which the decanter rim is spaced below the float. The decanter receptacle when empty in the decanter closed position has sufficient positive buoyancy to buoyantly support the decanter assembly with the decanter rim above the surface of the liquid in the tank. The float has sufficient positive buoyancy to buoyantly support the decanter receptacle when the latter is in the decanter open position and filled with liquid.

Abstract: A mixing, aerating and decanting unit adapted for floating installation in a liquid treatment basin and operable to provide mixing, aeration, settling and decanting phases in an SBR (sequencing bath reactor) process. The unit comprises a rigid support structure with floats for buoyantly supporting the unit in the basin, a mixing apparatus operable to mix liquid in the basin, an aerating apparatus selectively operable to supply air to the water in the basin, and a decanter apparatus for decanting liquid from the basin.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing a body of liquid in a treatment basin and for removing floating matter from the surface of the basin. A propeller type downflow mixer is buoyantly supported on a float in the basin with the inlet side of the mixer below the liquid level and the discharge side of the mixer arranged to direct the pumped liquid downwardly in the basin for mixing material in the basin. A shield is provided on the float overlying the inlet side of the pump to inhibit direct passage of liquid from the area of the basin above the shield and to induce an inflow pattern below the surface of the liquid toward the inlet of the pump. A scum receiving trough is mounted on the float and extends along the outer margin of the float with the upper weir edge adjacent the surface of the liquid in the basin to receive matter floating on the surface of the basin. Material received in the trough is selectively discharged to a receiver outside the basin.

Abstract: A method of installing a floatable pump apparatus and an anti-erosion plate at a selected location in a bounded water treatment basin wherein the floatable pump apparatus includes a float having a central opening therethrough and a motor and axial flow propeller-type pump. A winch is temporarily mounted on the upper side of the float and one end of the winch cable is extended downwardly through the central opening in the float and attached to the anti-erosion plate. The float and winch with the anti-erosion plate suspended from the winch cable is then lifted by a shore based crane and deposited in the water treatment basin adjacent the boundary of the basin. The float with the anti-erosion plate buoyantly supported thereby, is moved to the desired location in the basin and the winch then operated to lower the anti-erosion plate onto the bottom of the basin. The float is thereafter moved back to the boundary of the basin.

Abstract: A floating mixer of the type including a float for buoyantly supporting the mixer in a water treatment basin, a mixer drive motor mounted on the float and extending upwardly therefrom, and a propeller drivingly connected to the motor and disposed below the float for pumping liquid downwardly to effect mixing in the water treatment basin. A foam dispersing spray nozzle is mounted above the drive motor for discharging in a downwardly directed generally conical spray pattern outwardly of the drive motor, and an auxiliary pump is provided for pumping liquid from the basin to the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A floating vertical shaft downflow directional mixer apparatus including a float, a motor driven propeller mounted on an upright propeller shaft below the float, and a draft tube extending downwardly from the float and having a lateral discharge outlet. The float is arranged to support the mixer with the propeller shaft generally upright when the mixer is not in operation. The draft tube and lateral discharge outlet are bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a median plane and a thrust reaction line is attached to the lower portion of the draft tube generally symmetrical to the median plane to counteract the reaction forces on the mixer produced by the stream discharged from the discharge outlet and maintain the propeller shaft generally upright when the mixer is in operation.

Abstract: A floating decanter apparatus including a float adapted to buoyantly support the decanter apparatus, a decanter receptacle disposed below the float and having an open top surrounded by a peripheral upper decanter rim and outlet means for decanted liquid communicating with said decanter receptacle at a level below said decanter rim. The decanter receptacle is mounted on the float for movement toward and away from the underside of the float and a power operated actuator is mounted on the float and operatively connected to the decanter receptacle for selectively moving the decanter receptacle from a lower position in the decanter rim spaced below the underside of the float to a raised position to seal the decanter rim to the underside of the float.

Abstract: A filter apparatus in which a generally horizontal bed of filter material is supported in a tank on a porous support above the bottom of the tank and is divided by spaced partitions into individual filter cells above the support and individual filter compartments below the support, and a carriage is mounted for movement along the filter bed and has a collector hood that moves along the top of the bed to collect backwash effluent therefrom and a backwash head arranged to direct backwash fluid into the compartments below the porous support to sequentially backwash the filter cells. A cell scavenging head is mounted on the carriage for movement along the filter bed and arranged to sequentially withdraw fluid from each filter compartment and down-flow scavenge and rinse the associated filter cell subsequent to backwashing of each filter cell.

Abstract: A filter apparatus in which a generally horizontal bed of filter material is supported on a porous support and is divided by spaced partitions into individual filter cells above the support and individual filter compartments below the support, and a carriage is mounted for movement along the filter bed and has an waste water pump and collector hood that moves along the top of the bed to collect backwash effluent therefrom and direct it to a waste water trough, and a backwash pump and backwash head arranged to direct backwash fluid into the compartments below the porous support. A flow measuring weir is associated with the waste water trough and the backwash pump is arranged so that its output can be selectively delivered to the waste water trough whereby the flow measuring weir can be used to measure both backwash and waste water flow rates.

Abstract: A floating downflow mixer including a float having a central float passage and a pump casing mounted on the float with its upper end spaced below the float to provide an intake at the underside of the float. A drive motor is mounted on top of the float and has an integral shaft extension extending downwardly through the float passage and a propeller mounted at its lower end in the pump casing. A shaft stabilizer tube is supported on a mounting plate attached to the top of the float and extends downwardly through the float with an anti-deflection bearing at its lower end surrounding the shaft and having a running clearance therewith to inhibit deflection of the shaft. The mounting plate seals the float passage between the stabilizer tube and float and a mechanical rotary seal seals the interface between the stabilizer tube and shaft to prevent entrance of air to the anti-deflection bearing and propeller.

Abstract: A waste water treatment apparatus of the type in which a carriage support rail extends across the top of the tank intermediate the side walls of the tank and a carriage is mounted on the rail and driven by a carriage drive including an endless chain which reciprocates the carriage along the rail, and a tank cleaning head is mounted on the carriage for movement along a path adjacent the bottom of the tank. The carriage support rail is in the form of a box-shaped beam having inwardly directed flanges at its underside and the chain is mounted inside the box-shaped beam to be protectively enclosed in the beam and the carriage has wheel mounting portions extending upwardly into the beam at opposite sides of the chain and carriage support wheels mounted on the wheel mounting portions inside the beam and in rolling engagement with the flanges on the beam to support the carriage for movement therealong.

Abstract: A filter apparatus in which a generally horizontal bed of filter material is supported on a porous support and is divided by spaced partitions into individual filter cells above the support and individual filter compartments below the support, and a carriage is mounted for movement along the filter bed and has a collector hood that moves along the top of the bed to collect backwash effluent therefrom and a backwash head arranged to direct backwash fluid into the compartments below the porous support. A pair of spaced scarifier blades are provided in the collector hood to scarify the upper surfaces of the filter bed. The backwash head is advantageously in the form of a jet pump arranged to entrain water from filtrate launder that communicates with the filtrate compartments.