Of Separated Liquid Patents (Class 210/622)
  • Patent number: 7481935
    Abstract: The present invention describes improved methods and systems for treating waste water and solid waste, which may include the addition of catholyte and anolyte. The methods and systems of the present invention may be used to treat waste water and solid waste from animal farms, such as for example, hog farms, dairy farms, and cattle and sheep ranches. The methods and systems of the present invention may also be used to treat waste water from other sources, such as human waste or farm runoff from irrigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Inventor: Laurent Olivier
  • Patent number: 7476322
    Abstract: A membrane filtration system comprising one or more submerged ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane assemblies at ambient pressure, with mixed liquor is discharged underneath each membrane assembly. In a sequenced batch reactor system, a coarse bubble air diffuser for scouring each membrane assembly is supplied with air only during the backwash cycle of the filtration system and not during the filtration cycle. In a membrane bioreactor system, the biological treatment section is physically separated from the filtration section and fine bubble air diffusion is used in the biological treatment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dimitriou, Joseph G. Krall, David Rice, Velupillai Yogendran, Roger J. Byrne, Kenneth P. George, John E. Koch, III
  • Patent number: 7462285
    Abstract: The invention described herein provides a novel means to biologically denitrify nitrogenous compounds in wastewater using a simultaneous reaction under aerobic conditions. To conduct this reaction it is necessary to culture both autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria as well as facultative heterotrophic bacteria such that the facultative heterotrophs can denitrify the oxidized ammonia compounds produced by the autotrophic bacteria as they are produced. The device described herein, along with methods of operating such a device, provides a means to facilitate the above reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Daniel E. Wickham
  • Patent number: 7442307
    Abstract: The equipment has a main reaction (I) and an anterior reactor (II), as well as facilities for feeding in untreated sewage, removing cleaned water and sludge and aerating the wastewater entered into the main reactor, and a mixer (2) situated in the anterior reactor (II), and it is characterized by that between the main reactor (I) and the anterior reactor (II) there is a facility or there are facilitates for the recirculation of wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Organica Kornyezettechnologiak Zet.
    Inventors: Gyula Czepek, Zoltán Takács, István Kenyeres
  • Patent number: 7422688
    Abstract: An aerated treatment of water is performed using a serially coupled reactor and flotation tank and is performed using so much activated sludge in the water that small bubbles from an aerator are entrained in the activated sludge, leading some of or all the activated sludge to flotate in the flotation tank. A reactor (1) and a flotation tank (36) for performing the process are equipped with at least one aerator (19, 20, 21, 22). A number of preferred processes and designs elaborate on the invention, including how the invention may be incorporated into existing wastewater treatment facilities and exploited there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Lars Ekeroth
  • Patent number: 7419595
    Abstract: The inventions separate the activated sludge, biochemical reaction stages of the batch treatment process of a sequencing batch reactor from the clarification and sedimentation stages by separating the locations where each process takes place. The separation may be accomplished in a variety of ways including constructing separate basins for each process, installing baffles or other partitions in a single vessel to isolate the areas where each process takes place, or other methods of process separation as are known in the art. In each process, treatment occurs through the performance of a series of operations. The operations are repeated for each batch of wastewater processed by the SBR. In a conventional SBR process, the cycle of operations for clarification and sedimentation are dependent on a preceding biochemical reaction step. However, in the present invention the clarification and sedimentation operations are independent of the biochemical reaction operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd W. Johnson, Kenneth A. Mikkelson, Dennis M. Gleason, Edward W. Lang
  • Patent number: 7413656
    Abstract: An aerobic system provided to treat sewage generated by a modern larger home which does not have access to a municipal sewage connection The features of this system are adaptable to upgrade and/or replace existing systems. In a preferred embodiment the system uses two 1000 gallon tanks, a first pretreatment tank to receive raw sewage, remove settleable and floatable solids from the sewage, and discharge into a second tank in which the pool of sewage is aerated. The second tank contains a motor driven aerator and a unique self-cleaning filter driven by an outgoing liquid stream from the aerator. After passing through the filter, the liquid is then discharged into a leaching field or nearby stream as permitted by the proper regulatory agency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Mor-Air Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas M. Allen, Thomas W. Olson, Carl E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20080190844
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved methods, processes and apparatus for the removal of sulfides from a gas, liquid or solid (substance) wherein the substance is contacted with an aqueous solution. The instant invention presents methods and processes wherein at least one of H2S, SO2 and CS2 is chemically converted in an aqueous media to a salt and/or compound comprising sulfur and a cationic moiety. Said salt and/or compound comprising sulfur and a cationic moiety is herein termed a “Sulfur Salt”. After formation of the Sulfur Salt, the Sulfur Salt is converted to elemental sulfur with a bacterium capable of metabolizing sulfur. The preferred bacterium for metabolizing sulfur is a strain from the genus Thiobacillus. The most preferred strain from the genus Thiobacillus is Thiobacillus denitrificans. The instant invention prefers an aqueous operating pH of between 6.0 and 8.0, while the most preferred aqueous pH is between 6.0 and 7.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: Richard Alan Haase
  • Patent number: 7402247
    Abstract: The specification discloses a method for treating and digesting organic wastes in a wastewater stream. A first wastewater influent stream is mixed with an activated sludge biomass in an aerobic digestion zone, so that least a portion of the organic wastes in the first wastewater influent stream are digested by activated sludge biomass. The first wastewater influent stream is separated from the activated sludge biomass in a first separation zone to recover activated sludge biomass and to provide a wastewater effluent stream. The second wastewater influent stream is mixed with recovered activated sludge biomass from the aerobic digestion zone in a substantially anaerobic adsorption zone so that at least a portion of the organic wastes in the second wastewater influent stream are adsorbed by the activated sludge biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Shaw Intellectual Property Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Matthew Sutton
  • Publication number: 20080156724
    Abstract: A recirculating wastewater evapotranspiration and disinfection system is disclosed which wastewater is collected, stored, aerated. and circulated through an unsaturated and optionally heated planter/filter bed containing soil microorganisms and living plants (a phytosphere) in which aerated wastewater is circulated and recirculated through the entire system until all of the wastewater and it's constituents are utilized by either evaporation, transpiration, gasification and the production of living plants and their by-products (phytomass) or disinfected for reuse. A phytosphere is comprised of the rhizoplane/rhizosphere (roots of plants and their associated soils and soil organisms) and the phytomass (stalks, shoots, vines, trunks, hold-fasts, leaves, fruits, seeds and flowers).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: David Anthony Del Porto
  • Patent number: 7378021
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a tidal, sequential vertical flow marsh cell system having at least three marsh cells in serial forward fluid communication. Incoming wastewater to be treated is channeled to at least the first and a second marsh cell, and a portion of water exiting a final marsh cell, to the first marsh cell surface. Each marsh cell is alternately flooded and drained for enhancing aeration of incoming water and marsh cell contents, which include media and plant roots having biofilms growing thereon, the biofilms including a population of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, for achieving substantially simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Worrell Water Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David C. Austin, Eric Lohan
  • Patent number: 7347940
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment process integrates a tidal nitration system with a wastewater treatment lagoon. Raw effluent enters a lagoon having a persistent anoxic or anaerobic state and a long residence time to permit suspended solids to settle to the bottom, forming a blanket of sludge. Water above the sludge blanket is comparatively clearer than raw influent. Discharge from the clear water zone contains organic carbon, organic nitrogen, ammonia, and other nutrients. In the lagoon, complex carbohydrates and fats are broken down into simpler organic compounds by bacterial action, a substantial portion transformed to carbon dioxide by bacterial respiration, reducing BOD. Organic forms of nitrogen are transformed into ammonium ions by bacterial action. Adjacent to the lagoon is a sump that takes water from the clear zone to a tidal cell, and recycles water from the clear zone into the tidal cell, which then discharges back into the lagoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Worrell Water Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David C. Austin
  • Patent number: 7318895
    Abstract: The present invention may be used for treatment of waste streams using domestic wastewater. A concentrate waste stream containing one or more of perchlorate, nitrate, bromate, selenate and chromate may be combined with a domestic wastewater stream. The concentrate waste stream may have not less than 3000 mg/l of total dissolved solids. The concentrate waste stream and domestic wastewater stream may be combined at a ratio of between 20% volumetric flow rate and 75% volumetric flow rate to produce a blended stream. The blended stream may be processed in a bioreactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Carollo Engineers, PC
    Inventors: Jess C. Brown, Brandon C. Heidelberger, Rick D. Wheadon, Edwin J. Hansen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7309435
    Abstract: Processes for the treatment of organic waste are disclosed comprising digesting organic waste under anaerobic conditions so as to convert at least a portion of the organic waste and produce a clear decant and a mixture of biomass and unconverted organic compounds, returning at least a portion of the mixture of biomass and unconverted organic compounds to the digesting step so as to control the system net growth rate therein, partially oxidizing at least a portion of the mixture of biomass and unconverted organic compounds to produce a conditioned effluent therein, and returning the conditioned effluent to the digesting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Inventor: Alan F. Rozich
  • Patent number: 7214317
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a tidal, sequential vertical flow marsh cell system having at least three marsh cells in serial forward fluid communication. Incoming wastewater to be treated is channeled to at least the first and a second marsh cell, and a portion of water exiting a final marsh cell, to the first marsh cell surface. Each marsh cell is alternately flooded and drained for enhancing aeration of incoming water and marsh cell contents, which include media and plant roots having biofilms growing thereon, the biofilms including a population of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, for achieving substantially simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Austin, Eric Lohan
  • Patent number: 7198720
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of sludge recycling by utilizing an existing facility as it is, degrading sludge efficiently and simply, and producing useful recycled water from treated water separated from the sludge, and an apparatus for sludge recycling. The present invention provides a method of sludge recycling including the steps of: bringing sludge into contact with a sludge degrading agent containing, as an active ingredient, microorganisms containing an actinomyces belonging to Streptomyces; degrading the sludge; separating the degraded sludge into a solid content and a liquid content; and producing recycled water from the liquid content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Inventors: Tsuguo Inaba, Masaki Sugino, Toshiyuki Nakazawa, Shingo Akiyama, Masahito Yamada, Chiyomitsu Kimura, Toshinori Sato, Masanori Mizuki, Yasutami Yamaura, Masaharu Asukai, Keiichi Hosokawa, Norikazu Nishizawa, Mizuo Usuba, Tatsushi Nojiri, Suzu Furuki, Tamaki Goto, Hajime Inaba, Grace Wu, legal representative, Pang Yen Chang, deceased
  • Patent number: 7169306
    Abstract: An aerobic digester system in a wastewater treatment plant is made more versatile for different conditions by addition of an equalizer basin or in some embodiments, a bypass pipe. If infeed is received from a sequential batch reactor or from a concentrated septage, for example, the equalizer basin can contain one batch, and then deliver the batch out incrementally to a gravity thickener basin. The equalizer basin also enables the gravity thickener of the system to be removed from service when needed, providing increased flexibility for the system. Importantly, the equalizer or bypass enables versatile modes of operation so that a plant designed for a larger, later flow can operate at an initially low flow or at several levels of flow before reaching the largest design flow. This applies to other conditions of variable flow as well such as seasonal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Eimco Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: James Porteous, Elena Bailey
  • Patent number: 7166219
    Abstract: A process for the production of highly purified water 44 from Fischer-Tropsch reaction water 12 includes distillation 14 as a primary treatment stage, biological treatment including anaerobic digestion 20 and aerobic digestion 22 as a secondary treatment stage, solid-liquid separation 32 as a tertiary treatment stage and a dissolved salt and organic removal stage 40 as final treatment stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.
    Inventors: Luis Pablo Fidel Dancuart Kohler, Gert Hendrik Du Plessis, Francois Jacobus Du Toit, Edward Ludovicus Koper, Trevor David Phillips, Janette Van Der Walt
  • Patent number: 7163631
    Abstract: The present invention disclose a process for treating a wastewater from a foodstuff factory, wherein the pipelines are cleaned and the containers are sterilized by using a water containing peracetic acid as an disinfection agent. The process of the present invention includes aerating or stirring the wastewater to decompose the peracetic acid contained therein, and carrying out an aerobic treatment to decompose the organic compounds in the wastewater. Peracetic acid is in the unstable peroxidation state, and can be decomposed into acetic acid by self-oxidation-reduction. The process of the present invention uses aeration or stirring to trigger the decomposition of the peracetic acid, so that the disinfection function thereof is reduced, and thus the aerobic treatment can be conducted to decompose the organic compounds in the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Huey-Song You, Shan-Shan Chou, Sheng-Hsin Chang
  • Patent number: 7156998
    Abstract: The inventions describe a phased activated sludge treatment system that incorporates elements of batch treatment technology into a flow-through treatment process. Control of mixing and aeration systems are independent to facilitate the operation of the main reactor vessel in alternating aerated and anoxic conditions. Conditioning vessels in communication with the main reactor are employed to preferentially control the distribution and balance of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the reactor and to remove such biological nutrients concurrently with BOD and TSS in the wastewater. The inventions provide the beneficial results of providing greater operator control of flow-through treatment processes, power saving and reduced operation and maintenance costs in comparison to conventional flow-through treatment technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Terence K. Reid
  • Patent number: 7153431
    Abstract: A method and system for treating water or wastewater to remove both soluble BOD and suspended solids. The method entails a ballasted flocculation process where a flocculant and insoluble granular material is added to the water or wastewater to be treated causing solids in the water or wastewater to aggregate around the granular material to form ballasted floc particles. In a settling zone, ballasted floc particles form settled sludge and the settled sludge is separated from clarified effluent. At some point in the process, activated sludge, in the form of return activated sludge or mixed liquor, is mixed with the water or wastewater being subjected to the ballasted flocculation process. The addition of activated sludge enables the process to remove soluble BOD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: I. Kruger Inc.
    Inventor: James Scott Daugherty
  • Patent number: 7118674
    Abstract: A membrane filtration system comprising one or more submerged ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane assemblies at ambient pressure, each membrane assembly positioned 100–240 mm from a nearest wall, baffle, or adjacent membrane assembly and no more than 1 meter above a floor and at least 150 mm below the liquid level. Mixed liquor is discharged underneath each membrane assembly to create a vertical flow velocity in a range of 1–8 mm/second along an entire length of the membrane assembly. In a sequenced batch reactor system, a coarse bubble air diffuser for scouring each membrane assembly is supplied with air only during the backwash cycle of the filtration system and not during the filtration cycle. In a membrane bioreactor system, the biological treatment section is physically separated from the filtration section and fine bubble air diffusion is used in the biological treatment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dimitriou, Joseph G. Krall, David Rice, Velupillai Yogendran, Roger J. Byrne, Kenneth P. George, John E. Koch, III
  • Patent number: 7101482
    Abstract: A process and system for treating excess sludge produced from a biological treatment system. The process includes biologically treating water or wastewater and producing excess sludge. The excess sludge is directed to a solubilizer where the sludge is solubilized. The solubilized sludge is directed to a liquid/solid separator, which separates the solubilized sludge into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction. The process further includes at least partially digesting the liquid fraction and directing the partially digested liquid fraction to the biological treatment system where the liquid fraction is subjected to further treatment. Finally, the solid fraction is subject to further solubilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: OTV S.A.
    Inventors: Julien Chauzy, Lucie Patria, Didier Cretenot
  • Patent number: 7094350
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of sludge recycling by utilizing an existing facility as it is, degrading sludge efficiently and simply, and producing useful recycled water from treated water separated from the sludge, and an apparatus for sludge recycling. The present invention provides a method of sludge recycling including the steps of: bringing sludge into contact with a sludge degrading agent containing, as an active ingredient, microorganisms containing an actinomyces belonging to Streptomyces; degrading the sludge; separating the degraded sludge into a solid content and a liquid content; and producing recycled water from the liquid content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Roche Company
    Inventors: Tsuguo Inaba, Masaki Sugino, Toshiyuki Nakazawa, Shingo Akiyama, Masahito Yamada, Chiyomitsu Kimura, Toshinori Sato, Masanori Mizuki, Yasutami Yamaura, Masaharu Asukai, Keiichi Hosokawa, Norikazu Nishizawa, Mizuo Usuba, Tatsushi Nojiri, Suzu Furuki, Tamaki Goto, Hajime Inaba, Pang Yen Chang
  • Patent number: 7087169
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a vertical flow marsh cell that is adapted to contain media and to support plants having roots extending into the media, the roots and media positioned to contact water flowing downward through the marsh cell during a flooding stage, the media and plant roots providing surfaces to which biofilms can adsorb, the biofilms containing bacteria adapted to adsorb ammonium ions and nitrify ammonium ions to nitrate during an aerated drained phase. The marsh cell is configured to receive water from an outlet of a horizontal wetland that functions essentially anaerobically/anoxically to contain bacteria for transforming nitrate into nitrogen gas. Water to be treated and water exiting the marsh cell outlet are transportable to a wetland inlet, providing dilution of incoming wastewater. Treated water is discharged from the wetland outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Austin
  • Patent number: 7060185
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for processing sewage by granulating activated sludge and a method thereof. The sewage processing apparatus includes an anaerobic granulation tank for granulating suspended microorganisms; an indirect aeration tank for supplying oxygen to the supernatant transported through a first transport pipe; an aerobic granulation tank for granulating suspended microorganisms; and a discharge pipe for discharging supernatant of finished water obtained after circulating a series of the anaerobic granulation tank, the first transport pipe, the indirect aeration tank, the aerobic granulation tank repeatedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Construction Technology
    Inventors: Kwang-Soo Kim, Chai-Sung Gee, Hee-Ja Lee, Chang-Woon Kim, Byung-Won Seo, Kwang-Ho Ahn, Hyun-Hee Cho, Yo-Sub Byun
  • Patent number: 7052607
    Abstract: Wastewater is delivered to a single tank of a bioreactor system to undergo biological treatment. After undergoing such biological treatment, the wastewater is centrifugally separated outside the tank into contaminated portions with lowered and increased concentration of solids therein to respectively undergo filtration within a small volume chamber of the tank and continuous return to a large volume chamber for biological retreatment during operation of the bioreactor system. Under different conditions of the wastewater delivered to the tank, one of the separated portions of the biologically treated wastewater is disposed of by direct discharge in by-pass relation to the small chamber when delivery thereof into the small chamber is interrupted under selective valve control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Frank M. Kulick, III
  • Patent number: 7037429
    Abstract: The invention at hand relates to an improved wastewater treatment plant consisting of a reactor and a filter device, such as for gaining drinking water or wastewater treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung derangewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Ursula Schliebmann, Walter Trosch, Werner Sternad, Nobert Stroh
  • Patent number: 7033503
    Abstract: Disclosed are efficient municipal wastewater treatment apparatus and process characterized in that the nitrogen is removed by nitrification and denitrification reaction in the cyclic aeration reactor wherein Anaerobic state, Anoxic state and Oxic state are change into time concept in a single reactor, and the untreated organic materials are further removed by the 24-hour-continuous reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Korean Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Wan Cheol Park, Tae Hyung Kim, Seung Ho Lee, Chang Ju Lee, Mi Ae Lee
  • Patent number: 7029586
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a first lagoon having an inlet for receiving wastewater to be treated and a first vertical flow marsh cell having a bottom outlet. Water can be transported from the first lagoon to the first marsh cell. A second lagoon has an inlet for receiving water from the first marsh cell outlet and a second vertical flow marsh cell having a bottom outlet. Water can be transported from the second lagoon to the second marsh cell. At least a portion of the water exiting the second marsh cell outlet can be recycled to the first lagoon. The first and the second lagoon are adapted to function essentially aerobically and to contain plants having roots positioned to contact water flowing thereinto. The first and the second marsh cell are adapted to contain plants having roots positioned to contact water flowing thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Austin, Eric Lohan
  • Patent number: 7022233
    Abstract: A biologically active reactor system for the treatment of wastewater comprises one or more submerged denitrification reactors having coarse media particles and a fixed biological film comprising biologically anoxic active microorganisms. One or more submerged aerated filters are in fluid communication with the one or more submerged denitrification reactor, the submerged aerated filter comprising coarse media particles and a fixed biological film comprising biologically aerobic microorganisms for oxidation of organic matter. One or more deep bed denitrification filters for removal of suspended solids and denitrification of oxidized nitrogens are in fluid communication with the one or more submerged aerated filters, the deep bed denitrification filter comprising fine media particles of less than 6 mm. Effluent from the submerged aerated filter is recycled to the submerged denitrification reactor for pre-denitrification prior to being piped to the deep bed denitrification filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Severn Trent Services, Water Purification Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Chen
  • Patent number: 7022237
    Abstract: A septic tank (11) having two separate compartments, a trash tank (13) and a mix liquor compartment, using aerobic bacteria to process waste, and methods of its use. A settling compartment allows heavy particles to settle while keeping lighter debris out of a pump (47).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Proline Wastewater Equipment, LLC
    Inventor: Weldon Couch
  • Patent number: 7018536
    Abstract: A wastewater processing and treatment system utilizes aerobic bacteria in two separate compartments to break down and digest waste. The first settling compartment between the trash tank and the mix liquor compartment is non-existent in conventional aerobic units. The first settling compartment allows for settling of heavy particles and keeps floating debris out of the circulating pump that is located in the mix liquor compartment. In the mix liquor compartment, 100% of the liquid is blended with air several times per hour to increase the efficiency and performance of the unit. The pump intakes on the bottom of the mix liquor compartment allow the pump to remove sludge build-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Proline Wastewater Equipment, LLC
    Inventor: Weldon Couch
  • Patent number: 6998048
    Abstract: The process and apparatus of the present invention provides an anoxic pretreatment tank, a granular fixed film denitrification reactor and a membrane bioreactor. Raw waste flows into the anoxic pretreatment tank, through a denitrification filter and then to a membrane bioreactor for nitrification and micro filtering. Contents of the membrane bioreactor are periodically recycled to the anoxic tank and the denitrification filter for BOD reduction, denitrification and coarse filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventors: Keith Dobie, Philip B. Pedros
  • Patent number: 6946074
    Abstract: A method for biological purification of wastewater is disclosed, wherein the wastewater is purified in a biofilm process followed by an activated sludge process. The biological degradation in the biofilm process is performed under limitation of one of the nutrient salts nitrogen or phosphorous, and the surplus sludge from the biofilm process is allowed to pass to the activated sludge process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Kaldnes Miljøteknologi
    Inventors: Asa Malmqvist, Thomas Welander
  • Patent number: 6942801
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating organic sludge by aerobic digestion has an aerobic digestion tank 1, a circulation line 6 provided with a pump for pumping circulated sludge, a liquid/gas ejector 7 for aspirating an oxygen-containing gas, which has been humidified, and for mixing it with the circulated sludge, a liquid/liquid ejector 8 for mixing the circulated sludge with sludge in a later step, a downward directing pipe 9 for passing downwards therethrough a gas/liquid mixture and an ozone-treated unit 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Sosuke Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6908554
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of recycling animal waste into a useable soil nutrient. The method involves separating the solid and liquid fraction of an animal waste slurry and separately treating both fractions with effective amounts of activated naturally occurring soil bacteria. The method also involves adding an odor eliminating microorganism to the animal waste to reduce or eliminate the foul odor of the waste material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Robert D. Jackson
  • Patent number: 6896805
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a vertical flow marsh cell that is adapted to contain media and to support plants having roots extending into the media, the roots and media positioned to contact water flowing downward through the marsh cell during a flooding stage, the media and plant roots providing surfaces to which biofilms can adsorb, the biofilms containing bacteria adapted to adsorb ammonium ions and nitrify ammonium ions to nitrate during an aerated drained phase. The marsh cell is configured to receive water from an outlet of a horizontal wetland that functions essentially anaerobically/anoxically to contain bacteria for transforming nitrate into nitrogen gas. Water to be treated and water exiting the marsh cell outlet are transportable to a wetland inlet, providing dilution of incoming wastewater. Treated water is discharged from the wetland outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Austin
  • Patent number: 6881338
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a first lagoon having an inlet for receiving wastewater to be treated and a first vertical flow marsh cell having a bottom outlet. Water can be transported from the first lagoon to the first marsh cell. A second lagoon has an inlet for receiving water from the first marsh cell outlet and a second vertical flow marsh cell having a bottom outlet. Water can be transported from the second lagoon to the second marsh cell. At least a portion of the water exiting the second marsh cell outlet can be recycled to the first lagoon. The first and the second lagoon are adapted to function essentially aerobically and to contain plants having roots positioned to contact water flowing thereinto. The first and the second marsh cell are adapted to contain plants having roots positioned to contact water flowing thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Austin, Eric Lohan
  • Patent number: 6872313
    Abstract: A method for treating domestic wastewater, in situ, in a single tank. The use of which obviates the need for traditional septic tanks as well as lessening the burden, and reliance on, central water treatment plants. The resulting water is stored for non-potable reuse, thus lessening impact on public water supplies for domestic-utility use. The method is not limited to residential use but is equally applicable to boats, recreational vehicles, hotels, resorts, clubs, rest areas, apartment complexes, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Agrimond USA Corporation
    Inventors: Nidal A. Samad, Alfredo J Teran, W Todd Willoughby
  • Patent number: 6863817
    Abstract: A reactor has an aerobic tank, an anoxic tank and a sealed membrane tank with conduits for circulating mixed liquor between them. Permeation starts when the mixed liquor reaches a high level and stops when the mixed liquor reaches a low level. A sensor, for detecting the mixed liquor level, may stop and start permeation. Pressure builds in the membrane tank when membrane air is on. Transmembrane pressure is also provided by gravity flow or siphon. Membrane air generates an air lift which drives the mixed liquor circulation. The total amount of air provided by an air source is divided and varied in time between the membrane aerator and the process aerator. The process aerator acts as a screening inlet to the conduit to the membrane tank. Chemical maintenance cleaning is provided by gravity flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: ZENON Environmental Inc.
    Inventors: Minggang Liu, Hidayat Husain, Pierre Cote, Ian Pottinger
  • Patent number: 6863816
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a tidal, sequential vertical flow marsh cell system having at least three marsh cells in serial forward fluid communication. Incoming wastewater to be treated is channeled to at least the first and a second marsh cell, and a portion of water exiting a final marsh cell, to the first marsh cell surface. Each marsh cell is alternately flooded and drained for enhancing aeration of incoming water and marsh cell contents, which include media and plant roots having biofilms growing thereon, the biofilms including a population of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, for achieving substantially simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Dharma Living Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Austin, Eric Lohan
  • Patent number: 6858142
    Abstract: A polluted water treatment system 10 operated to reduce impurities in sewerage polluted water to an acceptable level for dumping. The system includes a horizontal subsurface filter (HSF) 12 having an inlet zone 18 through which the inflow of polluted water is permitted to pass, a treatment zone 20 which permits the polluted water to undergo treatment by removal of at least some of the impurities of the polluted water and an outlet zone 22 from which the treated polluted water flows from the HSF 12. The impurities may include, for example, organic materials (BOD and COD) and oxidization processes within the HSF may reduce the quantity of the nitrites that are dumped from the outflow zone 22. The outlet zone 22 also includes a collection well 28 having a pump 30 located therein to recycle the treated effluent back to either the inlet zone 18 of the HSF 12 or to a secondary vertical filter 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Rootzone Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony Philip Towndrow
  • Patent number: 6833074
    Abstract: Waste-treatment processes are enhanced through generation and introduction of specific biological populations customized to perform or favor specific, tasks either during the main process, or for solids minimization purposes in a post-treatment process. These bacteria may be grown from specialized mixes of activated sludge and waste influent by exposing these materials to controlled environments (e.g., in an off-line treatment area). They may then be added back to the main process to perform certain tasks such as converting particulate cBOD into soluble cBOD for utilization, to reduce high solids yield organisms by supplementing the population with low yield organisms, to improve nitrification/denitrification efficiency, or to disfavor filamentous biology such as Norcardia sp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Inventor: Daniel Robert Miklos
  • Patent number: 6808631
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment apparatus is provided that has a treatment vessel having an upper and a lower region. The lower region has an inlet through which wastewater to be treated is fed and the upper region has an outlet through which treated water is removed. Within the vessel a series of horizontally stacked baffles are arranged to allow the wastewater to pass from the inlet to the outlet. Each baffle is operable to trap and absorb air and solids from the wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Inventor: Rolf Paloheimo
  • Publication number: 20040206700
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for processing sewage by granulating activated sludge and a method thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Kwang-Soo Kim, Chai-Sung Gee, Hee-Ja Lee, Chang-Woon Kim, Byung-Won Seo, Kwang-Ho Ahn, Hyun-Hee Cho, Yo-Sub Byun
  • Patent number: 6790347
    Abstract: Provided is a wastewater treatment apparatus including a bottom portion and a plate formed above and spaced apart from the bottom portion to form a lower chamber with the bottom portion, an outlet installed on the bottom portion for drawing off water and sludge in the lower chamber before backwashing, a filter medium layer supported to the upper portion of the plate by the plate, the upper layer of which forms a bottom portion of an upper chamber, a wastewater introducing means connected to the lower chamber, for introducing wastewater to be treated into the lower chamber, a process air introducing means for supplying process air to the filter medium layer formed over the plate, a plurality of aerators formed over and spaced apart a predetermined distance from the plate, and mounted in a plurality of air flow pipes led to the process air introducing means, a backwash air introducing means for supplying backwash air to the lower chamber during backwashing, a backwash water introducing means for supplying backw
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Dae Jeong, Jae-Jin Lee, Gyung-Hae Aohh, Jong-Bok Park
  • Patent number: 6787035
    Abstract: A bioreactor that has an internal sludge return function for treating wastewater is provided. Said bioreactor comprises a mixing zone (18), a static zone (28), and a mixed liquor circulation channel (26). The internal sludge return is accomplished by the integration of said static zone (28) that settles sludge, and said mixed liquor circulation channel (26) that provides a circulating stream of the mixed liquor for carrying settled sludge back to the mixing zone (18). Therefore, the microorganism concentration in the bioreactor of this invention is increased compared with conventional suspended-growth bioreactors, resulting in the improved wastewater treatment performance, reduced bioreactor size, simplified operation, reduced clarifier size, etc. The bioreactor of this invention can be operation in aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic conditions to serve various wastewater treatment purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Jianmin Wang
  • Patent number: 6773594
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated stock farming system, comprising at least a stable for keeping cattle, wherein means are present for substantially preventing the formation of ammonia through contact of solid manure and urine by separation into a solid and a liquid phase, which system further comprises means for at least partly reprocessing the solid and/or the liquid phase into useful products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Inventor: Adriaan Johannes Hubertus van der Wijngaart
  • Patent number: 6755972
    Abstract: An installation and a method for water purification which includes sequentially: A first section where the waters enter the installation and where the incoming waters come into contact with living microscopical and macroscopical organisms in order to achieve the removal from the waters, as sludge, water contents in suspension, whether such contents existed in the incoming waters or whether such contents were produced after the incoming waters entered the works and they came in contact with living organisms. A second section comprising a series of structures like structure which are connected so that each one drains its water into a following one, while each structure of the type of structure contains a layer of inert material into which grow suitable plants which utilize for their growth contents within the incoming waters so that such contents are removed from the flowing waters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Inventor: Panagiotis Kouloumbis