Patents Examined by Thomas S. Wyse
  • Patent number: 6165371
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for accommodating and handling excess deliveries of combined sewage overflows to a sewage treatment plant supported and contained within an offshore moored vessel or platform, by diverting the excess deliveries to ballast tanks for temporary displacement of clean ballast water and to be returned to the treatment system when excess deliveries of combined sewage overflow are relieved. Fluids contained within the ballast tanks are utilized to provide buoyant support for process tankage. Baffles within the ballast tanks minimize undesirable mixing of the combined sewage overflows with the resident clean ballast water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: John Leon Allen
  • Patent number: 5858222
    Abstract: An apparatus for aerobic biological treatment of aqueous organic wastes, which enables the achievement of a reduction of the amount of excess sludge, a stable quality of the treated water and an improved sedimentation performance of the biosludge while reducing the area of installation site and construction investment using a smaller apparatus; which apparatus comprisesa first aeration tank for mixing the aqueous organic waste with an activated sludge and aerating the resulting mixture; a solid/liquid separation unit; a modification unit for modifying a part of the separated sludge so as to render it easily biodegradable; and a second aeration tank for aerating the modified sludge and a return sludge and means for returning the sludge to said first aeration tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Shibata, Tetsuro Fukase
  • Patent number: 5755966
    Abstract: Biological activation waste water purification method is disclosed, wherein the waste water is biologically purified in an activation process. Activated sludge is pumped into a circulation circuit comprising a flow channel and at least one distribution channel. Raw waste water is added to the activated sludge to form an activation mixture which is gradually denitrified as it flows through the circulation circuit. The activation mixture is aerated so as to suspend the activated sludge in the mixture while gradually saturating the activation mixture with oxygen so as to change the denitrifying of the mixture to the nitrifying of a mixture as the mixture flows through the circulation circuit. The activation mixture then flows to a fluidized bed filter where it is separated into purified water and activated sludge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Inventors: Svatopluk Mackrle, Vladimir Mackrle
  • Patent number: 5714061
    Abstract: An wastewater treatment system is provided. The system includes a cylindrical tank having a sidewall, a bottom, an upper portion and a lower portion. A cone-shaped hopper, open at both ends, is positioned in the tank. The hopper's upper opening is larger than the lower opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Delta Environmental Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Monroe Wayne Guy, Raleigh Lee Cox, Christopher Edward Cox
  • Patent number: 5686124
    Abstract: The method for restructuration of raw meat for production of restructured raw meat by addition to the meat of transglutaminase comprises the further addition of phosphate (optional) and sodium chloride, with a subsequent temperature treatment. Hereby the cohesion and hardness of the restructured raw meat is improved, and it can be sold as a refrigerated meat product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
    Inventors: Anders Juel M.o slashed.ller, Ghita Studsgaard Nielsen, Bent Riber Petersen
  • Patent number: 5582732
    Abstract: A method of treating waste water is described. Firstly, providing specially acclimatized microbial consortia with relatively low sensitivity to changes in pH and changes in temperature, such that the microbial consortia is capable of metabolizing contaminants efficiently within a predetermined broad pH range and broad temperature range. Secondly, maintain the microbial consortia in a space limited and a substrate limited mode within an immobilized bioreactor operating within the predetermined pH range and the predetermined temperature range. Thirdly, introduce waste water with liquified insoluble organic contaminants into the immobilized bioreactor. The organic contaminants are metabolized by the microbial consortia working under space limited and substrate limited conditions, thereby treating the waste water with a minimal sludge production rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Aquatex Corporation
    Inventors: Huazhong Mao, Jose J. Lourenco
  • Patent number: 5556537
    Abstract: A wastewater tank intended for use in a small sewage treatment plant. A spiral pipe is coiled around the exterior casing of the tank and is structurally secured to that casing, so that the pipe imparts structural stiffness to the tank. For example, the casing and pipe may be of a thermoplastic material and are thermoplastically welded together so that the pipe is structurally attached to the casing. Wastewater passes in turn through the multiple treatment spaces in the tank, to undergo pre-sedimentation, flocculation, and clarification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Vapo OY
    Inventor: Tapio Saarenketo
  • Patent number: 5534159
    Abstract: A portable wastewater treatment system for recycling an aqueous surfactant solution utilized in a parts washer assembly for cleaning parts. The system including a contaminated solution storage tank, a treated solution storage tank, and a portable wastewater treatment apparatus wherein contaminated aqueous surfactant solution is collected in the contaminated solution storage tank, withdrawn from the contaminated solution storage tank, injected with air and passed into a mixing zone where the mixture is sprayed with water. The treated solution in the mixing zone is passed into a quiescent zone where light sludge is passed to the top of the quiescent zone and heavy sludge is passed to the bottom of the quiescent zone, the treated wastewater being disposed between the light sludge and the heavy sludge and the treated wastewater being passed from the quiescent zone into a discharge zone where the treated wastewater is discharged therefrom. The heavy sludge is selectively discharged from the quiescent zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: JTJ Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph P. Krieger
  • Patent number: 5500119
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for enhancing the nitrification of wastewater, and a method of its use. The present apparatus comprises the addition of a plurality of submerged, fixed support means to an activated sludge system. These support means act as supports for autotrophic nitrification bacteria and are disposed in the activated sludge system so that the wastewater is substantially free of carbonaceous waste by the time it reaches the support media. A circulation system is used to bring the wastewater into contact with the support media so that nitrification can occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Inventor: Ernest M. Jenelle
  • Patent number: 5490935
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating wastewater is provided including a cylindrical tank having a sidewall, a bottom, an upper portion and a lower portion; a hopper positioned within the tank, the hopper having sides, an upper opening located in the upper portion at a point above a desired water level within the tank and a lower opening located in the lower portion of the tank, the hopper sides diverging from the lower opening to the upper opening, the lower opening being smaller than the upper opening; a compressed air source; at least five radially spaced air outlet pipes, each air outlet pipe being fluidly connected to the compressed air source and extending downward into the lower portion of the tank and having an open end positioned above the bottom between the hopper and the sidewall of the tank so as to discharge air into an aeration zone between the hopper and the tank sidewall; an inlet line connected to the tank and having a discharge end opening into the tank between the hopper and the tank sides;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Inventor: Monroe W. Guy
  • Patent number: 5487834
    Abstract: Novel methods for purifying contaminated subsurface groundwater are disclosed. The method is involves contacting the contaminated subsurface groundwater with methanotrophic or heterotrophic microorganisms which produce contaminant-degrading enzymes. The microorganisms are derived from surface cultures and are injected into the ground so as to act as a biofilter. The contaminants which may be treated include organic or metallic materials and radionuclides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Margaret L. Carman, Kenneth J. Jackson, Richard B. Knapp, John P. Knezovich, Nilesh N. Shah, Robert T. Taylor
  • Patent number: 5431819
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the biological treatment of essentially solid organic material, such as fruit, vegetable and garden waste, wherein the material is successively treated in a hydrolysis tank and in an anaerobic methane reactor, and at least a part of the solids issuing from the hydrolysis tank is treated in a second anaerobic reactor with at least one a microorganism of the rumen flora of ruminants; the liquid soluble material produced in the second reactor is further treated in the methane reactor. The material is preferably pretreated mechanically in a destructor. The invention furthermore provides an apparatus for carrying out this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Paques B.V.
    Inventors: Petrus J. F. M. Hack, Sjoerd H. J. Vellinga
  • Patent number: 5419831
    Abstract: An aquarium filter system having a rotatably mounted filter body. The filter body is structured such that when mounted with a portion of the filter body submerged in moving water, rotational movement is imparted to the filter body by the moving water. As a result of the rotational movement, at least a portion of the filter body is alternately exposed to the water and the atmosphere. This fosters the growth of aerobic bacteria on the surface of the filter body. The aerobic bacteria reduces the level of toxins within the aquarium water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Aquaria, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles O. Fuerst, Roy S. Hickok