Abstract: A method and apparatus for reclaiming fats and oils from sewage scum includes a scum cooker, a solids separation system, a vacuum dryer, and a condenser. The scum cooker liquifies and renders sewage scum obtained from a sewage treatment plant by maintaining the raw sewage scum at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure to sterilize and separate the scum into the solid, aqueous, and oily components. The solid separation system removes the solid and particulate matter from the liquified scum for disposal, preferably after washing the solids with treated water from the sewage treatment plant. The solid-free liquified scum is then communicated to a digester for degradation or transferred to the vacuum dryer which is maintained at an elevated temperature and preferably at least a moderate vacuum to remove the water and other volatiles from the liquified scum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining purified water from wet sludges and slurries of solid materials by treating these materials with a clathrate forming agent at a temperature above the freezing point of water to form a solid clathrate and dewatered solid material. The clathrate and solid material are then separated and the clathrate decomposed to give purified water and clathrate forming agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the recovery of a wood preservative chemical from aqueous waste sludges containing said wood preservative chemical in both its liquid and solid phases. The method comprises treating said aqueous waste sludges to effect an initial separation and recovery of the liquid and solid phases, individually. The recovered liquid phase comprises the first liquid phase product stream. The recovered solid phase then is subjected to elevated temperatures sufficient to liquefy the solid phase, said liquefied solid phase comprising the second liquid phase product stream. During the liquefaction of the recovered solid phase, it may be contacted with a quantity of a fresh wood preservative chemical, a portion of a dehydrated first liquid phase product stream or a portion of a dehydrated second liquid phase product stream to prevent the precipitation of any normally solid constituents therein and to enhance the liquefaction of said recovered solid phase.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reclaiming fats and oils from sewage scum includes a scum cooker, a solids separation system, a vacuum dryer, a condenser and product storage tanks. The scum cooker liquifies and renders sewage scum obtained from a sewage treatment plant by maintaining the raw sewage scum at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure to sterilize and separate the scum into the solid, aqueous, and oily components. The solid separation system removes the solid and particulate matter from the liquified scum for disposal, preferably after washing the solids with treated water from the sewage treatment plant. The solid-free liquified scum is then transferred to the vacuum dryer which is maintained at an elevated temperature and preferably at least a moderate vacuum to remove the water and other volatiles from the liquified scum.

Abstract: This invention relates to recovery of fatty acids from sewage scum and the subsequent upgrading of the fatty acids as a processed oil through vacuum distillation and deodorization.

Abstract: Method for flocculating microscopic particles in suspension in a liquid and application to the collection of phytoplankton microalgae and of zooplankton and for the purification of used water.One passes a first liquid comprising microscopic particles in suspension through a fixed granular layer (2) up to partial or complete clogging of said granular material by said microscopic particles; one unclogs at least partially said granular material in a fixed layer by passing a second liquid therethrough, moving in the same direction as the first liquid, but at a higher speed than the first; and one recovers below said layer flocculated aggregates of said microscopic particles and a liquid outflow (6).

Abstract: There is described a method for extracting fluoride ions from a nuclear fuel solution which comprises treating said solution with a solid phase from hydrated silica, such as silica gel and/or silicic acid, to bind the fluorine to the silicium, said solid phase then being separated from said solution.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for manufacturing planar fiber webs from reinforcing fibers which are oriented in their passage through a hydrodynamic orientation section and deposited on a filter surface. In the process, the rotating orientation section produces a laminar flow pattern causing the reinforcing fibers in the slurry to be oriented. The filter surface is rotated, as is the orientation section, to hasten the extraction of the slurry liquid by filtration, to improve the degree of orientation of the fibers, and to fix the oriented fiber cake on the filter area. Extraction of the slurry liquid by filtration eliminates the need for washing or rewashing.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating sewage in which the combustible components of the sewage are separated from the sewage and utilized as a primary fuel. Scum is collected, preferably by skimming, from screened sewage. This scum comprises oils, greases, fats, water and intermixed solid material. The collected scum is then transferred to a separation tank. The scum is maintained within the tank in a quiescent and substantially nonagitated state for at least twelve hours, during which the combustible oils, greases, fats and the like are rendered separable from the other components of the scum. The scum is then conveyed from the tank to a processing unit where the fats, oils, greases and the like are separated from the water and solid material remaining in the scum. The resulting product is a combustible product and can be used as a primary fuel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing settled sediment from a water-covered bed such as a silt pond. It also relates to a method and apparatus for the transfer of the removed sediment to a disposal site.

Abstract: A washing water sludge from filtering systems, obtained through settling thereof, is disposed of by being introduced into a concrete mix as the mixing water for the preparation of concrete.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for the preparation of an animal feed supplement from fish cannery waste process water in which the water is maintained under aerobic conditions and is processed through a flotation cell to separate the oils and proteins contained in the water as a concentrated sludge. The sludge is dewatered, blended with a bulk, solid carrier preserved against oxidative spoilage of the lipids with an effective anti-oxidant, and dried in vacuum under low temperature conditions to obtain an animal feed supplement in dry particulate form. The processing of the waste water is done under aerobic conditions to promote the growth of yeast and non-toxic, aerobic, bacterial improve color and odor and texture, and enhance the feed value of the sludge recovered from the processing.

Abstract: A method has been devised for removing hexavalent chromium from concentrated aqueous alkali metal chlorate solution by reacting the solution with an inorganic sulfur containing compound and separating divalent and trivalent chromium compounds from the solution. Alkali metal hypohalites may be simultaneously removed from the chlorate solution by reaction with excess inorganic sulfur containing compound.

Abstract: The method of treating an activated sludge to facilitate dewatering thereof comprising the steps of acidifying the sludge to a pH below about 2.2, heating the acidified sludge to a temperature of from about 150.degree. to 210.degree. F. and maintaining the sludge at said temperature for a period of time sufficient to obtain a settling rate of solids in the first three minutes of at least two-sixteenths inch per minute.

Abstract: A process for drying and granulating sewage sludge. Wet sewage sludge is at least partially dried in a thermal drying zone, which preferably is a toroidal dryer. A plasticizer is added to the dried sludge and the resultant mixture is extruded to form fertilizer granules. An extrusion aid may also be admixed with the dried sludge.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating wastewater such as sewage are disclosed. Designed principally for complete on-site wastewater treatment and disposal, the system separates wastewater into liquid wastes and solid wastes by filtration, treats the liquid wastes with ultraviolet radiation and disperses them into unsaturated ground. The solid wastes are periodically removed, along with used portions of the paper filter medium and delivered, in the case of sewage, to a composting area where the solids can be composted. A preferred embodiment includes the use of ultraviolet radiation having wavelengths effective both to destroy pathogens directly and to produce ozone from entrained air in the liquid filtrate, to react with pathogens to form stable compounds. An alternate embodiment of a wastewater delivery and filtration suction subsystem is disclosed, whereby filtration is made continuous and capacity is approximately doubled.