Abstract: An apparatus is provided for treating waste water biologically and clarifying the biologically treated water; considerable economic advantage is obtained by conducting both the biological treatment and the clarification of biologically treated water in a single vessel rather than in separate vessels; it is further found possible to treat in this system water containing much higher concentrations of waste; in the process the supply of oxygen to the biological reaction zone is carefully monitored to meet the biological oxygen demand and avoid the occurrence of undissolved oxygen in the form of gas bubbles in the biological reaction zone or the clarification zone; there is further provided improvements in oxygen dissolving devices rendering them especially suitable for the two zone treatment.

Abstract: A method of converting a charge of non-ferrous metal matte in a Pierce-Smith or similar converter. The fluid charge is blown with a total flow of oxidizing gas effective to maintain autogenous converting temperatures through a plurality of spaced-apart tuyeres limited in number and individual cross-sectional area effective to maintain the gas underexpanded at a pressure within the range from about 50 to about 150 psig so that it penetrates the bath in the form of discrete steady jets to positions remote from the tuyere tips thereby reducing degradation of the refractories and build up of accretions. The gas is injected through from three to six tuyeres.

Abstract: A process is provided for treating waste water biologically and clarifying the biologically treated water; considerable economic advantage is obtained by conducting both the biological treatment and the clarification of biologically treated water in a single vessel rather than in separate vessels; it is further found possible to treat in this system water containing much higher concentration of waste; in the process the supply of oxygen to the biological reaction zone is carefully monitored to meet the biological oxygen demand and avoid the occurrence of undissolved oxygen in the form of gas bubbles in the biological reaction zone or the clarification zone; there is further provided improvements in oxygen dissolving devices rendering them especially suitable for the two zone treatment.