Aeration train and aeration apparatus for biological purification of wastewater

• US 5,374,353 A
• Filed: 04/19/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murphy D. Thomas
• Original Assignee: Murphy D. Thomas
• Inventors: Murphy, D. Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US08/048,303
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 210/121, 210/141, 210/220, 210/221, 210/221.2, 210/242.2, 210/519, 210/521, 210/614, 210/620, 210/629
• US Class Current: 210/121
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0018 provided with a pump mounted in or on a settling tank
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2311 Mounting the bubbling devices or the diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231142 Mounting the gas transporting elements, i.e. connections between conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231153 the bubbling devices being suspended on a supporting construction, i.e. not on a floating construction
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231155 the bubbling devices floating and having a pendulum movement, going to and from or moving in alternating directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23123 consisting of rigid porous or perforated material
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/503 Floating mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1263 Sequencing batch reactors [SBR]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/20 using diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/223 using "air-lift"
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

System for the biological purification of wastewater influent to facilitate the aerobic, anoxic, anacrobic treatment phases of the activated sludge extended aeration technology having an inlet to continuously accommodate influent flows and requiring no outlet and accomplishing all of the functions of flow equalization, high efficiency mixing, biological oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, clarification (secondary sedimentation) and aerobic sludge digestion in a single basin without a quiet or calmed zone adjacent the outlet created by a floating partition, sludge collection trough, sludge recirculation duct, or sweeping devices. The system incorporates an omni-directional partition assembly adjacent the inlet and an aerator assembly having flexible conduit air supplies attached to bottom aerators.

Claims

1. A continuous feed, cycle, extended aeration activated sludge, wastewater treatment system for the purification of wastewater influent to facilitate aerobic, anoxic, anaerobic treatment phases of activated sludge extended aeration technology including the functions of flow equalization, biological oxidation, nitrifiction, denitrification, secondary sedimentation and aerobic sludge digestion comprising at least one basin with each of said at least one basin comprising;

a floor for receiving said influent, an influent inlet, an omni-flow partition, said partition being adjacent said inlet and constructed and arranged to direct substantially all of said influent underneath said partition, said partition being suspended above said floor, substantially separating a zone containing a prestratification liquid from said basin liquid, a zone containing a partition being positioned to prevent hydraulic communication between said basin liquid and said pre-stratification zone liquid during an air/off cycle, said partition allowing mix communication between said basin liquid and said pre-stratification zone liquid during an air/on cycle, aeration means mounted to aerate both said pre-stratification zone liquid and said basin zone liquid, said aeration means including;

at least one elongated air supply flexible conduit extending substantially across a basin liquid surface and having a varying amount of slack in its length, at least one float, means to attach said at least one float to said at least one flexible conduit, at least one bottom aerator and means to attach said at least one bottom aerator to said at least one flexible conduit and decanting means, each of said aeration means and said decanting means having on and off control means, each of said at least one float being movable between a first and second position, said first position being an air/off home position, said second position being an air/on position, whereby for each of said at least one basin,

when said at least one float means is in its said first home position, said at least one bottom aerator discharges air adjacent the bottom of said at least one basin, said air rising to said liquid surface causing upward currents resulting in a swell beneath said at least one float perpetually sweeping said at least one float away from said home position in a random direction,

causing the at least one aerator to trail at a relative distance in an amoeboid motion

moving said at least one aerator omni-directionally over said floor of said at least one basin covering an amoebic shaped area.

2. The wastewater treatment system of claim 1 in which each of said bottom aerators has two vertical connecting tubes connected at their upper ends to said respective at least one flexible conduit and connected at their lower ends to a tubular manifold provided with air exit openings and extending parallel to said at least one flexible conduit.

3. The wastewater treatment system of claim 2 in which said vertical connecting tubes are flexible.

4. The wastewater treatment system of claim 1 in which each of said at least one basin comprises a plurality of bottom aerators disposed in series and having their upper ends inter-connected by flexible sections of said respective at least one air supply flexible conduit.

5. The wastewater treatment system of claim 1 characterized in that each of said air supply flexible conduits forms a carrier.

6. The wastwater treatment system of claim 1 in which each of said conduits are alterable in length.

7. The wastewater treatment system of claim 1 characterized in that the ends of each said conduits are attached to stationary anchoring points.