Abstract: A method and apparatus for the anaerobic treatment of wastewater containing organic matter. The apparatus includes a closed tank to which the wastewater is delivered through liquid inlet means below a reaction hood. The reaction hood defines a mixing zone in which influent water mixes with liquid and biological solids already in the zone. A portion of the liquid being mixed is withdrawn and passed through a gas separator which removes entrained gas and returns the liquid to the tank. The tank may include fixed film media for improving treatment efficiency. Other features of the invention are the use of a sludge thickener for concentrating sludge removed from the tank and the use of a second gas separator in a treated effluent conduit from the tank. That separator has an adjustable baffle or weir which can be raised to flush scum into surface launders in the tank.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a wastewater treatment plant which includes pretreatment, aeration, final clarification and overflow/backwash chambers adapted to receive a fluid, such as home wastewater, which is to be subjected to extended aeration or aerobic digestion, the aeration chamber including an aerator having a shaft whose lower end is normally received in the fluid which is to be treated, an aerator foam deflector carried by the shaft which under abnormally high fluid levels increases the torque on the shaft and, thus, indicates abnormal operation, the final clarification chamber including a demand use filter, an overflow outlet operative should the filter become disabled, and a backwash nozzle located in the filter by reverse pumping therethrough fluid pumped from the overflow or backwash chamber.

Abstract: A gas-liquid-solids separation system for use with a drilling device includes a surge tank for holding drilling efflux comprising gas, liquid and solids, and adapted for mounting on a drilling device in a position for having a drill shaft extending therethrough. A stuffing box attached to a back side of the surge tank means and configured for enabling passage of the drill shaft therethrough prevents the drilling efflux from escaping the surge tank. A flange attached to the front side of the surge tank and aligned with the stuffing box for allowing passage of the drill shaft therethrough provides a seal between the surge tank and a borehole casing to enable the drilling efflux to flow into the surge tank means. An agitator disposed within the surge tank maintains suspension of the solids within the liquid, and a gas cyclone in fluid communication with the surge tank withdraws gas from the surge tank and separates any entrained liquid therefrom.

Abstract: An elongated casing is provided and is closed at one end. A fluid pressure actuated elongated internal vibrator of the type including an internal fluid pressure driven eccentric weight orbital about an axis extending centrally longitudinally through the vibrator is provided and is loosely telescoped into the other end of the casing. The other casing end is tightly closed about the adjacent end of the internal vibrator and the interior of the casing is filled with a hard fluent aggregate disposed about the vibrator and a pair of annular members are tightly mounted upon and extend about longitudinally spaced portions of the vibrator and include outer peripheral portions spaced inward of the inner surfaces of the casing. The vibrator and its surrounding aggregate filled casing may be suspended in a tank containing well effluent of the type comprising water and oil and having gas suspended therein.

Abstract: Anaerobic digestion of organic material, particularly biological sludge, such as sewage sludge, is carried out in a closed system having a first digestion tank and a second concentration and partial digestion tank. The concentrated and partially digested sludge is fed to the first tank where it is maintained under vacuum such that an active zone of organic material undergoing digestion is detained therein for a long period of time. The digested sludge is withdrawn against the vacuum and has approximately 80 to 90% of the organic solids therein mineralized; thus simplifying dewatering and ultimate disposal of the sludge. Pathogens including viruses are also removed from the digested sludge. Denitrification takes place in the vacuum digester tank and gas consisting essentially of nitrogen is removed. Return sludge from the vacuum digester and influent sludge is fed into the second or concentrator tank to facilitate reseeding with anaerobic organisms.

Abstract: A gas-extraction arrangement for a settling tank included in a wastewater treatment system, the tank having an outlet zone defined by an effluent trough at least one side of which has a weir to permit clarified water from the tank to spill therein. The trough is covered by a hood which acts to confine the atmosphere thereabove to the hood region, at least one side of the hood protruding into the tank water at a point spaced from the weir to create a scum baffle preventing grease and other floating matter from being discharged into the trough. The hood is coupled to a suction pump which acts to draw noxious gases emitted as the water spills over the weir into a gas-control system or other means for deactivating the gases.

Abstract: An improved anaerobic digester 10 includes a cylindrical concrete sidewall 16 having a plurality of guide channel assemblies 40 bolted thereto at uniformly spaced locations along its circumference. The digester further includes a cover 18 adapted to be buoyed upwardly above the surface of the liquid by the digester gas. The digester cover is guided by roller assemblies 70 that cooperate with the guide channel assemblies 40. When gas is not present within the digester, the cover is supported by the cooperation of a plurality of stop tubes 76 and 78 that project radially outwardly of the cover from a thrust ring 24 incorporated at its periphery and a plurality of stop members 60 and 62 that are affixed to the guide channel assemblies at readily accessible locations close to the top of the tank.

Abstract: A gas scrubbing tower is described which has a top region, a sump region and at least two washing stages between these regions. The tower comprises gas entry means between the the sump region and the lowermost of the washing stages; gas exit means in the top region; a first washing stage, in the direction of gas flow through the tower, constituted by a layer of packing elements resting on supporting means in a cross-sectional plane; a first circulating line for wash liquid from the sump region to the layer of packing elements; a second, packing-free washing stage above the first washing stage; a second circulating line for conducting wash liquid through the second washing stage; a sludge separator, and conduit means for introducing water from outside the tower into a washing stage or into the sludge separator of the tower.A process for operating the scrubbing tower is also described.

Abstract: An anaerobic fermenter-decanter for the purification of residual water from the sugar industry, with recovery of methane, consists of a tank with inclined walls, with a central agitator on a vertical shaft. A flexible cover anchored by its periphery to the walls of the tank and totally submerged forms a collecting pocket for the fermentation gases. The water to be purified is introduced, after being heated to about 35.degree., towards the bottom of the tank near the agitator. A metal collecting bell with submerged edges and with the shaft of the agitator passing axially through it is connected by its edges to a central opening of the cover. The purification yields may exceed 90%.

Abstract: A system is provided for extinguishing accidental fires in paint spray booths of the type wherein oil is used as the medium for eliminating extraneous paint mist and overspray, said system providing control over both the oil and the medium used for extinguishing the fire. In such a spray booth, oil from a self-contained reservoir located at the bottom of the booth is circulated over a plurality of baffles within the booth. Paint mist is drawn by flow of air into contact with the oil covered baffles, and the paint solids are thereby entrained in the oil and collected in the oil reservoir. An appropriate fire extinguishing system for such spray booth comprises a plurality of water fog nozzles within the booth that are activated in response to a fire, and which therefore discharge water into the reservoir.

Abstract: A siphon system for a sewage settling tank or the like has a baffle fixed to the inside top surface of the collection header to prevent gas bubbles evolved from the sludge from entering the sludge inlet. An opening through the top of the header just upstream from this baffle allows the gases collected against the baffle to vent from the header and into the settling tank.

Abstract: In apparatus for the anaerobic purification of waste water the invention aims at improving the structure and the operation. In known apparatus of this kind there is a reactor tank with one or more aftersettling compartments in the upper part thereof, with inlet and outlet openings for water and sludge into and from the aftersettling compartments from and into the reactor tank respectively.

Abstract: A separating device for separating by gravitational segregation a mixture of a carrier liquid and substances suspended therein comprises a separator arranged in a separator housing and having parallel, sloping plates, a stilling space arranged in front of said separator and having on the top side a first collecting space intended for light-weight substances, a feeding space near the inlet side of the separator, a second collecting space near the top wall and a third collecting space arranged behind the separator.The separator housing is constructed as a pressure vessel and the first and second collecting spaces communicate with one another through a conduit, the flow resistance of which exceeds that of the separator.

Abstract: An implement is provided for applying ammonia to the ground including a nurse tank feeding individual converters on each ground-working plow with each converter having an expansion cannister into which the gas is fed at the top and from which liquid is removed by gravity from the bottom and fed to the ground. A pair of downwardly facing flat baffles include a pair of concentric sleeves therebetween which receive the discharge end of an inlet feeding tube. Below the pair of baffles is a conical baffle having an axial opening and an outlet baffle with the pair of baffles and outlet baffle having downwardly extending peripheral flanges. Spaced apart inverted V-shaped notches are provided in the flange of the outlet baffle to prevent a vacuum at the outlet end of the cannister.

Abstract: The lower portion of an oil salvage intensity separation chamber is supported in a body of fluid, such as sea-water, upon which a contaminent, such as oil, is floating and in such a manner that there is relative movement between the chamber's lower portion and the oil contaminated sea-water; so that the contaminent oil moves into the chamber and, because of its lighter density the oil in globs or globlets, floats up through a column of sea-water collected in the chamber to be separated into a layer floating on top of the sea-water column. The relative movement is accomplished by mounting the chamber between the pontoons of a catamaran type vessel. A positionable scoop directs the oil into an inlet opening provided in the lower portion of the chamber; while a deflector directs the oil up into the column of sea-water. Positionable sea gates are provided to either open the bottom of the chamber to the sea-water, or to close same off therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for gravity separating lighter and heavier liquids are disclosed, the apparatus including a vessel with its interior divided by a horizontal baffle into upper and lower spaces, which are in communication at one end. The horizontal baffle is shaped to provide a sloping floor in the upper space. Mixed lighter and heavier liquids are passed into the lower space, forming a heavier, lower phase, containing most of the heavier liquid and a lighter, upper phase containing the lighter liquid and a small amount of heavier liquid. The lighter phase passes into one end of the upper space. The opposite end of the upper space has a vertical baffle to retain the lighter phase above the sloping floor formed by the horizontal baffle. The minor portion of heavier liquid separates by gravity from the lighter phase and flows toward the lower portion of the sloping floor, and the lighter liquid is removed from the vessel through an outlet orifice located at the higher portion of the floor.

Abstract: A decantation separation apparatus in which the material to be separated flows upwardly through an annular weir, and overflows to a decantation zone defined between the weir and a surrounding jacket. The separated liquid is withdrawn from the bottom of the decantation zone and the separated lighter phase from the top of the jacket, an obstacle for example in the form of a thin plate, being provided in the decantation zone above the liquid outlet for slowing the velocity of liquid within the decantation zone.

Abstract: A gravitational separator for separating solids from liquefied natural gas having a closed tank having a conical lower portion angled at least 60.degree. from the horizontal and terminating at the bottom in an apex opening in communication with a valve means for removing settled solids from the tank, a vertically positioned cylindrical shell, defining a stilling chamber, located at least partially below a predetermined level of liquified gas, a conical shell vapor disengaging means located above the stilling chamber, conduit means for feeding a gas or liquefied gas containing impurities terminating in the stilling chamber below the level of a liquefied gas in the tank, means for withdrawing a gas or vapor from the tank.

Abstract: An extracorporeal filter having improved characteristics for the positive elimination of gas bubbles from blood streams. The top of the filter housing is sloped to a high point where there is positioned an air vent. The inlet for the blood is positioned substantially in the center of the top portion and extends past the plane of the top portion into the filter housing.