Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for steam drying a cake of filtered solids formed on a disc filter element of a rotary disc vacuum filter where the disc filter element is mounted on a rotating means for rotation in a container, the lower portion of which includes a slurry tank and the upper portion of which includes a steam hood. The steam hood encloses a portion of the disc filter element in a steam chamber and includes a pair of sidewalls and a spine wall which joins the pair of sidewalls. A linear seal means is mounted to the pair of sidewalls of the hood to define a steam-retaining exit for the steam chamber through which the disc filter element rotatably moves, and includes two elongated flexible flaps which extend in a straight line from the spine wall into the slurry tank.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an installation for treating residual water, particularly residual water resulting from the manufacture of sauerkraut, in order to transform such water into proteinic food products, especially yeasts. The novel installation comprises a fermentation vat, means for supplying said vat with residual water, nutritive salts and oxygen, means for evacuating the contents from the vat, in the form of paste and for feeding the latter to a centrifugal separator, connected to the storage tank for the paste previous concentrated in said separator, said vat further comprising a stirrer in its lower part and a foam separator in its upper portion and a cooling circuit extending through said vat, said installation being also provided with means for adjusting the pH of the medium submitted to fermentation.

Abstract: A compost-type toilet which includes: a solid-liquid separating means which also serves as a means for transferring the solid component of excrement mounted below the opening of a bowl; a means for treating the liquid component of excrement provided beneath the solid-liquid separating means. The liquid component treating means contains various kinds of adsorbent materials capable of adsorbing the liquid component separated by the above mentioned solid-liquid separating means and the inner structure is so constructed as to enhance the air ventilation to vaporize or volatilize the liquid component adsorbed with the adsorbent materials; a means for treating the solid component of excrement is provided in a position adjacent to the solid-liquid separating means in the transferring direction to the solid component separated by the above mentioned solid-liquid separating means.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for the continuous treatment of wet sludge produced in a sewage treatment plant.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to toilets of the kind which incorporate a waste-receiving tank or chamber in which decomposition of waste material takes place. According to one aspect of the invention, the toilet includes an air-manifold assembly upon which waste material collects and which receives heated air for removing moisture from the waste material by evaporation. Another aspect of the invention provides perforate baffle means in a waste material receiving chamber of the toilet which define air spaces laterally of the mass of waste material into which heated air can pass for improving efficiency of moisture evaporation. According to a still further aspect of the invention the toilet includes a fan unit which is readily removable from externally of the toilet housing for facilitating servicing of the toilet.

Abstract: This invention relates to a compact apparatus for treating heterogeneous waste comprising a substantial proportion of biologically degradable solid matters and liquid constituents.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for steam drying a cake of filtered solids formed on a filter element of a rotary disc vacuum filter where the disc filter element is mounted for rotation in a container, the lower portion of which includes a slurry tank and the upper portion of which includes a steam hood. The steam hood encloses a portion of the filter element in a steam chamber and includes tubular members which are connected to support the steam hood walls and which serve as an element of an introduction means for conveying steam into the chamber.

Abstract: Aerobically decomposable liquors are oxygenated by continuously extracting a portion thereof from an aeration tank and saturating the liquor portion with oxygen within a separate receiver tank, thereafter returning the oxygenated liquor portion to the aeration tank. The continuously flowing liquor portion is cooled prior to its oxygenation so that its oxygen-absorbing capability is increased. Cooling is effected by extracting therefrom the heat required to gasify the initially liquified gas being introduced into the receiver tank as the oxygenating medium. Secondary cooling of the liquor portion before its oxygenation can be effected by extracting therefrom an additional amount of heat as required to gasify a second liquified gas, such as nitrogen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treatment of waste on ships and the like, in the form of solid waste and black water collected in a tank from reduced flush toilets. The solid waste is mixed with black water from the tank in a drum. Rotating knives in the drum effect the disintegration of the solid waste, and also the picking up of the waste in the drum from the bottom thereof to permit it to drop repeatedly by gravity from the upper regions of the drum. A flow of hot air is passed through the drum and hence through the dropping mixed black water and disintegrated solid waste. The axis of the drum is substantially horizontal, and may be slightly inclined with bottom ridges to inhibit the flow of liquids therealong.

Abstract: Sewage is heated to a temperature above 100.degree. C. in two steps. In the first step, sewage is heated to a temperature not greater 100.degree. C. and then conducted into the nozzle of a jet apparatus into which heat-carrier steam is also injected so that the sewage is therein heated to a temperature greater than 100.degree. C., which constitutes the second step of heating. The sewage heated to said temperature is maintained in a continuous flow while being discharged from the jet apparatus, the pressure in the continuous flow corresponding to the steam saturation temperature.

Abstract: A method for the anaerobic fermentation of organic waste materials in a digestion zone, which method comprises introducing into the zone algae produced externally of the zone, and/or at least part of the liquid substrate in which such algae have been grown.Apparatus for anaerobic fermentation consisting essentially of a liquid storage tank comprising an inner bag-like container made of flexible material and provided with inlet and outlet means for the introduction of feed materials and the simultaneous removal of liquid and gaseous products, an outer supporting wall or frame, and at least one layer of insulating material arranged between the outer wall of the frame and the container.