# US 10,246,359 B2 · System and method for treating wastewater > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,359 B2 - Document ID: US10246359B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/595,431 - Filed: 2017-05-15 - Published: 2017-11-16 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: New Environmental Engineering, Inc. - Applicants: New Environmental Engineering, Inc. - Inventors: John Stewart Lang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246359B2 ## CPC - C02F 3/1294: {"Venturi" aeration means} - C02F 3/121: {Multistep treatment} - C02F 3/20: using diffusers - C02F 2001/007: {Processes including a sedimentation step} - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract The invention comprises an activated sludge treatment system and process that aerates wastewater undergoing treatment using venturis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An activated sludge treatment system for treating wastewater, comprising: a) one or more primary treatment tanks adapted to settle solids out of polluted influent; b) at least one flow equalization channel; c) one or more secondary treatment tanks adapted to digest organic materials in primary-treated wastewater with aerobic micro-organisms, comprising: (i) a liquid distribution manifold connected to one or more venturis suspended within the one or more secondary treatment tanks, wherein said one or more venturis are adapted to discharge an air/liquid mixture into said one or more secondary treatment tanks, and (ii) an air distribution manifold connected to the one or more venturis suspended within the one or more secondary treatment tanks; d) at least one collection channel connected to the one or more secondary treatment tanks and adapted to deliver secondary-treated wastewater to one or more sedimentation tanks; e) wherein the one or more sedimentation tanks are connected directly or indirectly to one or more return activated sludge pipelines; f) said one or more return activated sludge pipelines being adapted to carry return activated sludge to the one or more secondary treatment tanks; g) one or more return activated sludge pumps adapted to pump return activated sludge through the one or more return activated sludge pipelines; h) one or more secondary supernatant discharge lines connected to the one or more sedimentation tanks; i) one or more secondary supernatant pumps adapted to pump secondary supernatant from the one or more sedimentation tanks through the one or more secondary supernatant discharge lines to the liquid distribution manifold; and j) one or more air compressors adapted to pump air to the air distribution manifold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more secondary treatment tanks further comprise one or more mechanical aerators. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the air distribution manifold is connected to the one or more venturis by one or more pipes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more pre-treatment tanks wherein solids are settled out of polluted influent before the influent is conveyed to said one or more primary treatment tanks. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, where in the liquid distribution manifold is connected to the one of more venturis by one or more pipes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one of more secondary treatment tanks comprise at least one of a plug flow reactor, mixed flow reactor, continuously-stirred reactor, or a combination of any of these. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more primary treatment tanks, one or more secondary treatment tanks, and one or more sedimentation tanks are operably connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more secondary supernatant pumps are adapted to pump potable water. ### Claim 9 A process for treating wastewater, comprising: a) conveying polluted influent to a primary treatment tank where solids are settled out of the polluted influent to create primary-treated wastewater; b) conveying the primary-treated wastewater to a flow equalization channel connected to a secondary treatment tank where aerobic micro-organisms digest organic materials in the primary-treated wastewater to create secondary-treated wastewater, wherein said secondary treatment tank comprises: (i) one or more liquid manifolds connected to one or more venturis suspended within the secondary treatment tank and (ii) an air distribution manifold connected to the one or more venturis suspended within the secondary treatment tank; c) conveying the secondary-treated wastewater from the secondary treatment tank through a collection channel to a sedimentation tank where solids are settled out of the secondary-treated wastewater to create secondary supernatant and activated sludge; d) conveying a portion of the activated sludge from the sedimentation tank through a return activated sludge pipeline to the flow equalization channel using a return activated sludge pump; e) conveying a portion of the secondary supernatant from the sedimentation tank through a secondary supernatant discharge line to the one or more liquid manifolds and on to the one or more venturis using a secondary supernatant pump; f) pumping air from one or more air compressors through the one or more air distribution manifolds to the one or more venturis; g) mixing the secondary supernatant with air in the one or more venturis to create an air/supernatant mixture; h) expelling the air/supernatant mixture from the one or more venturis into the secondary treatment tank to aerate wastewater undergoing treatment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the step of aerating the wastewater undergoing treatment further includes using one or more mechanical aerators. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein the air distribution manifold is connected to the one or more venturis by one or more air pipes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, further comprising the step of conveying polluted influent to one or more pre-treatment tanks wherein solids are settled out of polluted influent before said influent is conveyed to said one or more primary treatment tanks. ### Claim 13 An activated sludge treatment system for treating wastewater, comprising: a) one or more primary treatment tanks adapted to settle solids out of polluted influent; b) at least one flow equalization channel fluidically connecting the one or more primary treatment tanks to one or more secondary treatment tanks that are adapted to digest organic materials in primary-treated wastewater with aerobic micro-organisms; c) the one or more secondary treatment tanks comprising: (i) a liquid distribution manifold connected to one or more venturis suspended within the one or more secondary treatment tanks, wherein said one or more venturis are adapted to discharge an air/liquid mixture into said one or more secondary treatment tanks, and (ii) an air distribution manifold connected to the one or more venturis suspended within the one or more secondary treatment tanks; d) at least one collection channel connected to the one or more secondary treatment tanks and adapted to deliver secondary-treated wastewater to one or more sedimentation tanks; e) wherein the one or more sedimentation tanks are connected directly or indirectly to one or more return activated sludge pipelines; f) the one or more return activated sludge pipelines being adapted to carry return activated sludge to the one or more secondary treatment tanks; g) one or more return activated sludge pumps adapted to pump return activated sludge through the one or more return activated sludge pipelines; h) one or more secondary mixed liquor pumps adapted to pump mixed liquor from the one or more secondary treatment tanks through one or more mixed liquor lines to the liquid distribution manifold; and j) one or more air compressors adapted to pump air to the air distribution manifold.