Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Treatment by living organism
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-21
2003-09-16
Prince, Fred G. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Treatment by living organism
C210S623000, C210S629000, C210S195300, C210S197000, C210S205000, C210S259000, C210S521000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06620322
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to waste material management, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for purifying a waste influent material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fundamental principles of biological wastewater treatment including carbonaceous removal, nitrification and denitrification are well known in the industry. Biological oxidation of soluble organic matter with gravity sedimentation is also used to produce Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (“MLSS”), for example, a flocculent biomass.
Recently, a number of treatment systems were developed to incorporate carbonaceous and ammonia oxidation in a single oxidation reactor vessel followed by gravity sedimentation of various materials to remove flocculent biomass prior to discharging the waste from the system. Such treatment systems can also be designed to collect flocculent biomass for return to the aerobic oxidation reactor. Nitrate nitrogen can be formed by the biological oxidation of ammonia nitrogen in a dual purpose (carbonaceous plus nitrogen oxidation) reactor. Carbonaceous material acts as an electron donor such that the nitrate nitrogen can be reduced to nitrogen gas by denitrifying organisms under anoxic or low dissolved oxygen conditions.
Treatment systems have been developed that incorporate an influent anoxic zone followed by an oxidation zone and either an external or an internal sedimentation tank to recycle the nitrified mixed liquor as it travels from the oxidation zone to the anoxic zone. Therefore, carbonaceous removal, nitrification and denitrification can be provided in a three reactor zone system with internal recycling capabilities. Some systems have used multiple stages of the oxidation/anoxic zone principle to achieve increased nitrogen removal efficiency.
Critical elements for effective methods and apparatus incorporating the three zone concept include the efficient sedimentation of flocculent biomass and adequate maintenance of the proper fluid communication within the sedimentation zone to promote efficient flocculated biomass separation. A severe shortcoming of existing methods and apparatus for wastewater treatment is the inability to match or vary sedimentation fluid flow and efficiency. There is a need to account for settleability changes of the flocculated biomass that contain three separate and unique classifications of bacteria. For example, variation of the influent wastewater characteristics and/or variation of the oxidation and/or anoxic reactor parameters can affect the morphology and settleability of the combined biomass.
Other shortcomings of existing systems include: the improper degasification of nitrogen during denitrification, the inability to decouple the recycle rate from the oxidation zone to the anoxic zone, the inability to control the recycle rate from the oxidation zone to the anoxic zone based on diurnal changes in influent flow rate, the influent total nitrogen concentration, and the overall lack of inherent or automatic process control and stability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate problems and shortcomings of conventional apparatus and methods used for wastewater treatment. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for purifying a waste influent material.
In addition, it is an object of exemplary embodiments of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods that materially enhance the quality of the environment by purifying waste influent material.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects in accordance with the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatus for purifying a waste influent material comprising an anoxic zone, an aeration zone in communication with the anoxic zone, and a sedimentation zone in communication with the aeration and anoxic zones. The sedimentation zone is defined by a plurality of boundaries including a first boundary and a second boundary. The sedimentation zone comprises an inlet defined by the first boundary to receive material from the aeration zone. The sedimentation zone further includes a first outlet in a lower portion of the sedimentation zone to recycle material from the sedimentation zone to the anoxic zone. The sedimentation zone still further includes a second outlet in an upper portion of the sedimentation zone adapted to release purified effluent material from the apparatus.
Additional exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatus for purifying a waste influent material comprising an anoxic zone, an aeration zone in communication with the anoxic zone, and a sedimentation zone in communication with the aeration and anoxic zones. The sedimentation zone is defined by a plurality of boundaries including a first boundary and a second boundary. The sedimentation zone comprises an inlet defined by the first boundary to receive material from the anoxic zone. The sedimentation zone further includes a first outlet in a lower portion of the sedimentation zone to recycle material from the sedimentation zone to the aeration zone. The sedimentation zone still further includes a second outlet in an upper portion of the sedimentation zone adapted to release purified effluent material from the apparatus.
In further exemplary embodiments, the invention is directed to an apparatus for purifying a waste influent material comprising an anoxic zone, an aeration zone in communication with the anoxic zone, and a sedimentation zone in communication with the aeration zone. The sedimentation zone is defined by a plurality of boundaries including a first boundary and a second boundary. The first boundary includes a first portion and a second portion extending at an angle with respect to the second boundary. The first portion of the first boundary is offset from and overlaps an interior surface of the second portion of the first boundary to define an overlapped area therebetween. The first and second portions of the first boundary therefore define an inlet comprising the overlapped area.
In still further exemplary embodiments, the invention is directed to a sedimentation zone for purifying a waste influent material comprising a first boundary including a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is offset from an interior surface of the first portion to define an overlapped area therebetween. The first and second portions of the first boundary therefore define an inlet comprising the overlapped area. The sedimentation zone further comprises a second boundary extending at an angle with respect to the second portion of the first boundary. In addition, a device is positioned relative to the inlet and is adapted to manipulate a material flow profile as material travels into the sedimentation zone. As described below, the material flow profile can refer to various flow profile characteristics including such flow profile parameters as velocity gradients, velocity, acceleration, directional vectors, or the like of combinations thereof. Moreover, the flow profile characteristics can include changes in the flow profile parameters.
In still additional embodiments of the present invention a device for controlling a recycle material flow rate is provided. The device includes a container and a sensing device positioned with respect to the container and adapted to sense the fluid level in the container. The controlling device further includes a control valve assembly in communication with the sensing device. The control valve assembly comprises a control valve adapted for adjustment to a predetermined setting based on the fluid level in the container.
In yet additional exemplary embodiments, the invention is directed to methods for purifying a waste influent material comprising the steps of introducing a waste influent material to an anoxic zone, transferring material from the anoxic zone to an aeration zone, and transferring material through an inlet from the aeration zone to a sedimentation zone. The sedimentation zone is defined by a plurality of boun
Smith John M.
Vesio Michael G.
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Prince Fred G.
Smith & Vesio LLC
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