System and method for reducing wastewater contaminants

• US 7,371,323 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Link Summers, Rick B. Spielman
• Original Assignee: Link Summers, Rick B. Spielman
• Inventors: Spielman, Rick B., Summers, Link
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry; Chester T.
• Application Number:
  US11/202,511
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 210/605, 210615-617, 210620-623, 210/630, 210/748, 210/263, 210/265, 210/532.2
• US Class Current: 210/605
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/048 Purification of waste water by evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4676 by electroreduction
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/002 Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/005 Black water originating from toilets
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/002 with disposal into the ground, e.g. via dry wells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

A wastewater treatment system. Toilet, kitchen, commercial, and industrial process waste is segregated from the total wastewater stream and treated in order to reduce the total nitrogen, phosphorous, pathogens, household hazardous and hazardous wastes and organic carbon released into the environment. Release of treated toilet, kitchen, commercial, and industrial process liquid waste is eliminated. Segregation of toilet, kitchen, and commercial and industrial process wastewater from non-toilet, kitchen, commercial and industrial process wastewater requires separate sewer plumbing and separate storage of the toilet, kitchen, commercial and industrial process wastewater. The non-toilet, non-kitchen, non-commercial & non-industrial process wastewater can be released via a traditional septic tank and drain field or processed for reuse.

Claims

1. A method for reducing contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater with separate plumbing and treatment systems further comprising the steps of:

storing the black wastewater and separating solids therefrom; and

evaporating the liquid portion of the black wastewater.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising the step of treating the black wastewater with an advanced oxidation system to remove organic materials prior to evaporating or evapo-transpirating the liquid portion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing contaminants comprises selecting for reduction at least one nitrogen compound from the group consisting of ammonia, organic nitrogen, nitrites, and nitrates.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing contaminants comprises reducing phosphorus compounds.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing contaminants comprises reducing solids comprising fats, oils, and grease.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing contaminants comprises reducing pathogens.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein reducing contaminants comprises selecting for reduction at least one hazardous waste from the group consisting of solvents, pesticides, herbicides, masking agents, disinfectants, and cleaning agents.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of treating the black wastewater by a method selected from the group consisting of a chemical precipitation, aerobic treatment, sequencing batch reaction, trickling filtration, and sand filtration.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of treating the gray wastewater with at least one method selected from the group consisting of a chemical precipitation, aerobic treatment, sequencing batch reaction, trickling filtration, and sand filtration.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising destroying by combustion organic solid materials in the black wastewater.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising an ultrasonically treating the black wastewater to destroy solids and nitrogen or phosphorus compounds.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising treating the grey wastewater and black wastewater in a septic system prior to discharge.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of treating by electrolysis the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce phosphorus.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of ultrasonically treating the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce nitrogen.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of ultrasonically treating the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce phosphorus.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing organic carbon from the gray wastewater by advanced oxidation.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of treating the gray wastewater with ultraviolet radiation to disinfect the gray wastewater.

2. A method for reducing contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater with separate plumbing and treatment systems further comprising the steps of:

storing the black wastewater and separating solids therefrom; and

evapo-transpirating the liquid portion of the black wastewater.

19. A method for reducing contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater with separate plumbing and treatment systems further comprising the step of treating by electrolysis the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce nitrogen.

20. A system for reducing the level of contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising separate plumbing and treatment systems for segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater further comprising:

means for storing the black wastewater for solids separation; and

non-discharging means for evaporating the liquid portion of the black wastewater.

22. The system of claim 20 or claim 21 further comprising an advanced oxidation system for treating the black wastewater to remove organic materials prior to evaporation or evapo-transpiration.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the contaminants comprise at least one nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, organic nitrogen, nitrites, and nitrates.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the contaminants comprise phosphorus compounds.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the contaminants are solids including fats, oils, and grease.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the contaminants comprise pathogens.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the contaminants comprise at least one hazardous wastes selected from the group consisting of solvents, pesticides, herbicides, masking agents, disinfectants, and cleaning agents.

28. The system of claim 20 further comprising advanced means for treating the black wastewater, comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of a chemical precipitation unit, an aerobic system, a sequencing batch reactor, a trickling filter, and a sand filter.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising advanced means for treating the gray wastewater, comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of a chemical precipitation unit, an aerobic system, a sequencing batch reactor, a trickling filter, and a sand filter.

30. The system of claim 20 further comprising a combustion means for destroying organic solid materials in the black wastewater.

31. The system of claim 20 further comprising an ultrasonic system for treating the black wastewater to destroy solids and nitrogen or phosphorous compounds.

32. The system of claim 20 further comprising a septic system in which the grey wastewater and black wastewater is treated prior to discharge.

33. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for treating by electrolysis the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce the level of phosphorus.

34. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for treating by ultrasound the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce the level of nitrogen.

35. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for treating by ultrasound the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce the level of phosphorus.

36. The system of claim 20 further comprising advanced oxidation means for treating the gray wastewater to remove organic carbon.

37. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for treating the gray wastewater with ultraviolet radiation to disinfect the gray wastewater.

21. A system for reducing the level of contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising separate plumbing and treatment systems for segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater further comprising:

means for storing the black wastewater for solids separation; and

non-discharging means for evapo-transpirating the liquid portion of the black wastewater.

38. A system for reducing the level of contaminants in a wastewater stream, comprising separate plumbing and treatment systems for segregating black wastewater from gray wastewater further comprising means for treating by electrolysis the gray wastewater and the black wastewater to reduce the level of nitrogen.