Patents by Inventor Howard E. C. Brown

Howard E. C. Brown has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Wastewater treatment process
    Patent number: 6585895
    Abstract: There is provided a process for treating industrial wastewater that substantially eliminates the generation of excess solids in the system requiring mechanical removal. The wastewater undergoes an equalization step wherein hydraulic flow is smoothed and the pH of the wastewater is adjusted to near neutral pH conditions. The equalized wastewater is then transferred to aeration tanks where the organic process wastes are absorbed, metabolized, or otherwise biodegraded by the microorganisms in the mixed liquor in the aeration tanks. After the aeration step, the wastewater is separated by gravity in a clarifying step to separate the wastewater into a liquid phase and a semi-solid phase. The clarified liquid phase is withdrawn from the clarifier and discharged, while the semi-solid phase is transferred either directly back to the aeration/biological treatment step, as recycle-activated sludge, or into a bioreactor as waste-activated sludge. In the bioreactor the semi-solid phase is subjected to active aeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Rhodia Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Smith, Howard E. C. Brown
  • Wastewater treatment process
    Publication number: 20020096472
    Abstract: There is provided a process for treating industrial wastewater that substantially eliminates the generation of excess solids in the system requiring mechanical removal. The wastewater undergoes an equalization step wherein hydraulic flow is smoothed and the pH of the wastewater is adjusted to near neutral pH conditions. The equalized wastewater is then transferred to aeration tanks where the organic process wastes are absorbed, metabolized, or otherwise biodegraded by the microorganisms in the mixed liquor in the aeration tanks. After the aeration step, the wastewater is separated by gravity in a clarifying step to separate the wastewater into a liquid phase and a semi-solid phase. The clarified liquid phase is withdrawn from the clarifier and discharged, while the semi-solid phase is transferred either directly back to the aeration/biological treatment step, as recycle-activated sludge, or into a bioreactor as waste-activated sludge. In the bioreactor the semi-solid phase is subjected to active aeration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Rhodia Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Smith, Howard E.C. Brown