Method, apparatus and biomass support element for biolocical waste water treatment
First Claim
1. A method for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin comprising:
- installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin including installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in the existing basin in order to divide the existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions, installing at least one air lift in each of the plurality of treatment stage regions, loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles, supplying waste water to at least one of the plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing the waste water, but generally not the particles, to flow from the plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of the plurality of treatment stage regions and operating the air lift in each of the plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with the floatable porous particles. A biomass support including a plastic biomass support element having a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm and having a specific gravity of between approximately 0.70-0.91, a method of manufacture of a biomass support and a waste water treatment system employing the biomass support are also disclosed.
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Citations
416 Claims
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1. A method for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin comprising:
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installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40)
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37. A method according to 36 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
a deflector which is disposed in spaced relationship over each hollow shaft and is disposed at said water level; and
at least one air diffuser which is disposed underlying each hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and upwardly through said hollow shafts, said deflectors causing said water exiting said tops of said hollow shafts to move sideways and downwardly. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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41. A method for waste water treatment employing at least one basin comprising:
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installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 79, 80)
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77. A method according to 76 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
a deflector which is disposed in spaced relationship over each hollow shaft and is disposed at said water level; and
at least one air diffuser which is disposed underlying each hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and upwardly through said hollow shafts, said deflectors causing said water exiting said tops of said hollow shafts to move sideways and downwardly. - View Dependent Claims (78)
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81. Retrofitted waste water treatment apparatus comprising:
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at least one existing basin;
generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
at least one air lift located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 119, 120)
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117. Apparatus according to 116 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
a deflector which is disposed in spaced relationship over each hollow shaft and is disposed at said water level; and
at least one air diffuser which is disposed underlying each hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and upwardly through said hollow shafts, said deflectors causing said water exiting said tops of said hollow shafts to move sideways and downwardly. - View Dependent Claims (118)
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121. Waste water treatment apparatus comprising:
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at least one basin;
generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
at least one air lift located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles. - View Dependent Claims (122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 159, 160)
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157. Apparatus according to 156 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
a deflector which is disposed in spaced relationship over each hollow shaft and is disposed at said water level; and
at least one air diffuser which is disposed underlying each hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and upwardly through said hollow shafts, said deflectors causing said water exiting said tops of said hollow shafts to move sideways and downwardly. - View Dependent Claims (158)
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161. A biofilm support comprising:
a plastic biofilm support element having a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm and having a specific gravity of between approximately 0.70-0.91. - View Dependent Claims (162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190)
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191. A biofilm support comprising:
a plastic biofilm support element having a generally cylindrical configuration and including a plurality of radially extending surfaces extending outwardly from a generally solid center. - View Dependent Claims (192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202)
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203. A biofilm support comprising:
a unitary plastic biofilm support element having a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm and includes a plurality of roughened biofilm adherence surfaces integrally formed as one piece therewith. - View Dependent Claims (204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213)
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214. A waste water treatment system comprising:
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a basin;
at least one airlift operating in said basin; and
a multiplicity of plastic biofilm support elements disposed in said basin for cooperation with said airlift, said plastic biofilm support elements having a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm and having a specific gravity of between approximately 0.70-0.91. - View Dependent Claims (215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243)
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244. A waste water treatment system comprising:
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a basin;
at least one airlift operating in said basin; and
a multiplicity of plastic biofilm support elements disposed in said basin for cooperation with said airlift, said plastic biofilm support elements having a generally cylindrical configuration and including a plurality of radially extending surfaces extending outwardly from a generally solid center. - View Dependent Claims (245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255)
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256. A waste water treatment system comprising:
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a basin;
at least one airlift operating in said basin; and
a multiplicity of plastic biofilm support elements disposed in said basin for cooperation with said airlift, said plastic biofilm support elements having a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm and including a plurality of roughened biofilm adherence surfaces integrally formed as one piece therewith. - View Dependent Claims (257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266)
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267. A method of manufacturing a plastic biofilm support element comprising:
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extruding a plastic material mixed with a foaming agent to produce an elongate extruded plastic material having a specific gravity of between approximately 0.70-0.91;
cooling said elongate extruded plastic material; and
cutting said elongate extruded plastic material to have a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm. - View Dependent Claims (268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 320)
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297. A method of manufacturing a plastic biofilm support element comprising:
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extruding a plastic material mixed with a foaming agent to produce an elongate extruded plastic material having a generally cylindrical configuration and including a plurality of radially extending surfaces extending outwardly from a generally solid center;
cooling said elongate extruded plastic material; and
cutting said elongate extruded plastic material to have a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm. - View Dependent Claims (298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308)
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309. A method of manufacturing a biofilm support element comprising:
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extruding a plastic material mixed with a foaming agent to produce an elongate extruded plastic material having a plurality of roughened biofilm adherence surfaces integrally formed as one piece therewith;
cooling said elongate extruded plastic material; and
cutting said elongate extruded plastic material to have a maximum dimension which does not exceed 50 mm. - View Dependent Claims (310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319)
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321. A method for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin comprising:
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installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable biomass support elements;
supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said biomass support elements, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous biomass support elements. - View Dependent Claims (322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 343, 344)
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342. A method according to 340 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
and a plurality of air diffusers which are disposed intermediate said hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and downwardly through said hollow shafts.
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345. A method for waste water treatment employing at least one basin comprising:
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installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
loading each treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable biomass support elements;
supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said biomass support elements, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous biomass support elements. - View Dependent Claims (346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 367, 368)
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366. A method according to 365 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
and a plurality of air diffusers which are disposed intermediate said hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and downwardly through said hollow shafts.
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369. Retrofitted waste water treatment apparatus comprising:
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at least one existing basin;
generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
at least one air lift located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
a quantity of floatable biomass support elements loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said biomass support elements, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable biomass support elements. - View Dependent Claims (370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 391, 392)
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390. Apparatus according to 388 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
and a plurality of air diffusers which are disposed intermediate said hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and downwardly through said hollow shafts.
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393. Waste water treatment apparatus comprising:
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at least one basin;
generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
at least one air lift located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions; and
a quantity of floatable biomass support elements loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said biomass support elements, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous biomass support elements. - View Dependent Claims (394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 415, 416)
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414. Apparatus according to 411 and wherein said cylindrical air lifts each comprise:
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a hollow shaft which extends from a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin by a second vertical separation which exceeds said first separation;
and a plurality of air diffusers which are disposed intermediate said hollow shaft to provide an air lift therethrough, thereby causing water to flow into said hollow shafts and downwardly through said hollow shafts.
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Specification