Apparatus for the treatment of waste sludge

• US 4,504,151 A
• Filed: 09/09/1983
• Issued: 03/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michigan Disposal, Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Michigan Disposal, Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tomyn, Walter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US06/530,697
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 366/20, 366/35, 366/37, 366/38, 366/57, 366/59, 366/63, 366/156, 366/177, 366/180, 366/181, 366/225, 366/227, 366/228, 366/33, 366/41
• US Class Current: 366/156.2
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/25 using mineral binders or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/008 Sludge treatment by fixation or solidification

Abstract

The apparatus is for mixing chemicals with waste sludge to render the sludge suitable for use as landfill and comprises a large elongated generally barrel-shaped rotatable chamber with an entrance at one end for entrance of the sludge and chemicals and an exit at the other end for exit of the mixture, the mixing chamber being oriented with its longitudinal axis canted upwardly from the entrance to the exit at from about 10° to 20° to the horizontal and having helical mixing blades secured to the inner walls thereof so that as the chamber is rotated the sludge and chemicals are mixed and the mixture is caused to move upwardly toward and then out of the exit opening; the apparatus further including sludge and chemical hoppers, conduits connecting the hoppers to the entrance of the mixing chamber, augers in the conduits for moving the sludge and chemicals through the conduits into the mixing chamber and controlled drive means for each of the augers and for rotating the chamber.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the treatment of waste sludge to cause its solidification and render it suitable for use as landfill by admixture of chemicals therewith, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated mixing chamber which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and which has an opening at one longitudinal end thereof to provide entrance for the sludge and the chemicals to be mixed and an opening at the other longitudinal end thereof for exit of the sludge and chemicals after they are mixed, said mixing chamber having a generally cylindrical center portion, a generally frusto conical end portion at said one end thereof tapering from said center portion toward said first-mentioned opening and a generally frusto conical portion at said other end thereof tapering from said center portion toward said second-mentioned opening, said mixing chamber being oriented with its longitudinal axis canted upwardly from said first-mentioned opening to said second-mentioned opening at an angle from about 10°

to 20°

to the horizontal and said mixing chamber having inwardly extending elongated generally helical shaped mixing blades fixedly secured to its inner walls of said cylindrical and frusto conical portions whereby as the chamber is rotated about its longitudinal axis the sludge and chemicals therein are mixed and caused to move upwardly and longitudinally of the chamber from said first-mentioned opening to and then out of said second-mentioned opening;

drive means for rotating said mixing chamber about its longitudinal axis;

control means for said drive means to thereby control the rate of rotation of said mixing chamber;

a sludge hopper for reception of the sludge to be treated, said sludge hopper having an opening at the bottom thereof;

a conduit communicating at one end thereof with said opening in said hopper and at the other end thereof with said first-mentioned opening of said mixing chamber, said conduit having an auger therein;

drive means for rotating said auger to move sludge from said hopper through said conduit and into said mixing chamber;

a chemical hopper for reception of the chemicals to be mixed with the sludge, said hopper having an opening at the bottom thereof;

a conduit communicating at one end thereof with said opening in said chemical hopper and at the other end thereof with said first-mentioned opening of said mixing chamber, said second-mentioned conduit having an auger therein;

drive means for rotating said second-mentioned auger to move chemicals from said chemical hopper through said second mentioned conduit and into said mixing chamber;

control means for each of said drive means for said first-mentioned and second-mentioned augers to thereby control the respective rates of rotation of said first-mentioned and second-mentioned augers and control of the respective rates at which the sludge and chemicals are fed into said first-mentioned opening of said mixing chamber, said sludge hopper having a trough as a bottom wall and side walls which are tapered downwardly and inwardly towards said trough, said trough having an extension which extends to the exterior of said hopper, said opening at the bottom of said sludge hopper being at the location where said trough extends to the exterior of said sludge hopper;

there being an auger in said trough for moving sludge in the sludge hopper through said opening and into the extension of said trough;

said extension of said trough having an opening which communicates with said first-mentioned conduit, said apparatus including valve means disposed between said chemical hopper and said second-mentioned conduit communicating with said chemical hopper and said first-mentioned opening for controlling the feed rate of the chemical fed from said chemical hopper to said second-mentioned auger, said valve means including a rotatable paddle wheel valve for delivering the chemicals to said second-mentioned auger at an adjustable rate, and said chemical hopper including a chemical hopper frame for containing and transporting the chemical independently of the remainder of said apparatus, said frame including a container portion for containing the chemical and adapter means for connecting said container to said second-mentioned conduit for delivery of the chemical from said container to said second-mentioned conduit.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of adjacent of said mixing blades are spaced from each other to provide gaps therebetween.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said conduits comprises a bottom portion with a cylindrical-shaped bottom wall and a top plate which is removably secured to said bottom portion to enable access to the interior of the conduit.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first-mentioned opening in said mixing chamber is round and has a round plate therein which remains stationary as the mixing chamber rotates, there being a seal between said mixing chamber and said plate;

said plate having a first opening therethrough, said first-mentioned auger extending through said first opening and into said mixing chamber, and said plate having a second opening therethrough, said second-mentioned auger extending through said second opening and into said mixing chamber.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the portion of said first-mentioned auger extending into said mixing chamber is surrounded and supported by a pipe secured to said round plate and wherein the portion of said second-mentioned auger which extends into said mixing chamber is surrounded and supported by a pipe secured to said round plate.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said mixing blades have fixedly secured thereto at least one plate which extends generally perpendicularly outwardly from the blade.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive means for rotating said mixing chamber comprises a sprocket secured to said mixing chamber adjacent said first-mentioned opening, a sprocket spaced from said mixing chamber, a motor for driving said second-mentioned sprocket and a continuous chain connecting and engaging said sprockets.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mixing chamber is oriented with its longitudinal axis canted at an angle of about 15°

to the horizontal.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chemical hopper frame is supported on wheels.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a support frame for supporting said chemical hopper frame above said second-mentioned conduit to allow for gravity flow of the chemical through said valve means and into said second-mentioned conduit, said valve means controlling the rate of flow.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including trailer means for supporting and transporting said mixing chamber, said first and second-mentioned drive means, said control means, said sludge hopper, and said conduit as a mobile unit.