Modular wastewater treatment system

• US 6,132,614 A
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc., Pacific Advanced Engineering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Perslow, Johan A., Matthews, James A., Krebs, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Upton, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/168,543
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 210/601, 210/605, 210/607, 210/613, 210/620, 210/625, 210/626, 210/631, 210/202, 210/220, 210/239, 210/600
• US Class Current: 210/605
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/02 Biological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/24 Separation of coarse particles, e.g. by using sieves or screens
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1263 Sequencing batch reactors [SBR]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/20 Sludge processing

Abstract

A modular system for treating wastewater is designed having different phases. In an initial phase, plural tanks are provided, including at least one reactor and digester tank. In a subsequent phase, at least one of the tanks is converted into a different type of tank, and additional new tanks are provided to accommodate larger quantities of wastewater. In one embodiment, conversion of at least one of the tanks is accomplished by removing a temporary wall from a digester tank to create another reactor tank.

Claims

1. A method of treating wastewater comprising:

providing plural tanks;

erecting a temporary wall in one of the tanks to divide the tank into a disinfection tank and a digester tank;

designing at least one of the other tanks to be a first reactor tank;

directing wastewater to the reactor tank for processing of the wastewater;

directing processed water from the reactor tank to the disinfection tank to disinfect the processed water;

directing sludge from the reactor tank to the digester tank to further process the sludge;

as the demand for treated water increases, removing the temporary wall and converting the tank into a second reactor tank;

providing additional tanks, including at least one digester tank;

directing wastewater to at least one of the first and second reactor tanks to process the wastewater; and

directing sludge from the respective reactor tanks to the digester tank to further process the sludge.