Method for treating wastewater and solid organic waste

• US 5,633,163 A
• Filed: 03/08/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Domus Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Dowmus Pty Limited
• Inventors: Cameron, Dean O.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US08/403,756
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 435/262, 435/313, 210/617, 210/615, 210/620, 210/150, 71/12, 71/14, 422/232, 422/239, 422/184.1, 422/217, 422/219, 422/187
• US Class Current: 435/262
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 11/02 Dry closets, e.g. incinerator closets
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/04 using trickle filters
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/907 Small-scale devices without mechanical means for feeding or discharging material, e.g. garden compost bins
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/914 Portable or transportable devices, e.g. transport containers or trucks
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/95 Devices in which the material is conveyed essentially vertically between inlet and discharge means
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/971 for feeding or discharging materials to be treated; for feeding or discharging other material
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 3/04 from human faecal masses
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 3/06 Apparatus for the manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 7/00 Fertilisers from waste water, sewage sludge, sea slime, ooze or similar masses
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/00 Fertilisers from household or town refuse
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/40 Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse

Abstract

Organic waste disposal treatment apparatus includes a treatment chamber assembly in which a compost bed may be formed, an inlet to the treatment chamber assembly through which organic waste may be added to a compost bed in the treatment chamber assembly, ventilation means for promoting aerobic digestion of the compost bed in the treatment chamber assembly, drainage means for preventing waste material in the treatment chamber assembly from becoming anaerobic and access means for accessing and removal of compost formed in the treatment chamber assembly. The treatment chamber assembly includes a holding tank formed of plastics material, the access means includes a closed conveyor for conveying compost from the lower zone of the compost bed. The treatment chamber assembly may include an air permeable division for diving a duct from the compost bed. It is also preferred that the holding tank be partially filled with an active bed of compost.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneously treating wastewater and solid organic waste within a common filter bed having a top, a bottom, and a continuum of layers of decomposing and decomposed solid organic waste, wherein a degree of decomposition of the solid organic waste in the filter bed increases from the top of the filter to the bottom, where at said bottom there is complete decomposition of said solid organic waste, said filter bed incorporating a supply of living organisms which maintain the filter bed in an air and liquid permeable condition, said method comprising the steps of:

applying wastewater and solid organic waste to the upper layer of the filter bed in such a manner so as to confine the wastewater to percolation through the filter bed;

maintaining the filter bed in an aerobic condition;

removing wastewater from the bottom of the filter bed in a substantially purified state; and

removing solid organic waste from the filter bed in a decomposed state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the decomposed solid organic waste is periodically removed from the bottom of the filter bed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ceasing application of the solid organic waste material to said filter bed for a period of time sufficient to allow the solid organic waste in the top layer of the filter bed to decompose, and then batch harvesting the decomposed solid organic material from the filter bed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wastewater is applied to the upper surface layer of the filter bed in a controlled flow.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the filter bed includes an inert bulking material to assist maintaining the porosity of the filter bed.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of passing the purified wastewater which is removed from the bottom of the filter through a secondary filter to complete its purification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wastewater to be treated has not previously been subjected to any treatment process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid organic waste to be treated is raw organic waste.