# US 2013/0153492 A1 · Wastewater treatment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153492 A1 - Document ID: US20130153492A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/817,880 - Filed: 2011-08-24 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-24 - Assignees: Triple T Purification Ltd. - Inventors: Gadi Amitai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153492A1 ## CPC - C02F 3/006: {Regulation methods for biological treatment} - C02F 3/04: using trickle filters - C02F 3/06: using submerged filters - C02F 3/30: Aerobic and anaerobic processes - C02F 3/327: {characterised by animals and plants} - C02F 2203/00: Apparatus and plants for the biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage - C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate - C02F 2209/42: Liquid level - 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 provides a system for treatment of wastewater. A pumping system pumps wastewater from a source basin to a recipient basin, while a conduit allows gravitational flow of water from a source basin to a recipient basin when the pumping system is inactive. A controller activates the pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to a recipient basin when a wastewater level in the source basin is at a first predetermined height or when a rate of gravitational flow wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin is below a first predetermined flow rate. The controller also turns off the pumping system when the water level in the source basin is at a source basin minimal level and the water level in the recipient basin is at a recipient basin maximal level. The invention also provides a method for operating a wastewater treatment of the invention, and a pumping system for use in the system of the invention. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A treatment system for treatment of wastewater, comprising: at least two basins, each of the at least two basins alternating between a state of being a source basin and a state of being a recipient basin; and a pumping system; wherein, for each pair of the source basin and the recipient basin, the treatment system is configured for executing a predetermined regime of reciprocating flow of wastewater between the at least two basins including: (I) causing wastewater to flow from the source basin to the recipient basin by: (a) allowing a gravitational flow of wastewater through a conduit from the source basin to the recipient basin under the influence of gravity when a water level in the source basin is above a water level of the recipient basin; and (b) selectively operating the pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin to provide a water level in the recipient basin that is above a water level of the source basin; and (II) selectively converting the source basin and the recipient basin to a recipient basin and a source basin, respectively, and selectively repeating (I). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein the treatment system is configured for selectively operating the pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin to provide a water level in the recipient basin that is above a water level of the source basin, by: (i) activating the pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin when a wastewater level in the source basin is at a first predetermined height or when a rate of gravitational flow of wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin is below a first predetermined flow rate, wherein the first predetermined height is less than a source basin maximal level; and (ii) turning off the pumping system when the water level in the source basin is at a source basin minimal level, or when the water level in the recipient basin is at a recipient basin maximal level, or when a ratio of flow rate to energy input is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein the treatment system is configured for selectively converting the source basin and the recipient basin to a recipient basin and a source basin, respectively, when: the water level in the source basin is at a source basin minimal level; the water level in the recipient basin is at a recipient basin maximal level; or a ratio of flow rate to energy input is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein the at least two basins comprises exactly two basins. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein each of the at least two basins has a bottom surface, the bottom surfaces of the at least two basins being substantially coplanar with each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, further comprising a pumping chamber configured for conducting water between at least one pair of the at least two basins. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The treatment system according to claim 19, further comprising a wastewater delivery pipe having branches in the pumping chamber. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The treatment system according to claim 20 wherein each of the branches of the delivery pipe is provided with a Venturi suction arrangement. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, further comprising one or more sensors configured for sensing a water level in at least one of the at least two basins. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the at least two basins is provided with a system of pipes configured for conducting wastewater between the respective basin and the pumping system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the at least two basins is provided with an overflow weir for removal of effluent from the respective basin. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The treatment system according to claim 19, wherein the pumping chamber is configured for receiving the pumping system. ### Claim 26 A method for operating a system for treatment of wastewater having at least two basins, each of the at least two basins alternating between a state of being a source basin and a state of being a recipient basin, the method comprising, for each pair of the source basin and the recipient basin, executing a predetermined regime of reciprocating flow of wastewater between the at least two basins, comprising: (I) causing wastewater to flow from the source basin to the recipient basin by: (a) allowing a gravitational flow of wastewater through a conduit from the source basin to the recipient basin under the influence of gravity when a water level in the source basin is above a water level of the recipient basin; and (b) selectively operating a pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin to provide a water level in the recipient basin that is above a water level of the source basin; and (II) following step (I), selectively converting the source basin and the recipient basin to a recipient basin and a source basin, respectively, and selectively repeating step (I). ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein step (b) comprises: (i) activating the pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin when a wastewater level in the source basin is at a first predetermined height or when a rate of gravitational flow of wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin is below a first predetermined flow rate, wherein the first predetermined height is less than a source basin maximal level; and (ii) turning off the pumping system when the water level in the source basin is at a source basin minimal level, or when the water level in the recipient basin is at a recipient basin maximal level, or when a ratio of flow rate to energy input is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the step of selectively converting the source basin and the recipient basin to a recipient basin and a source basin, respectively, is implemented after step (I) and when: the water level in the source basin is at a source basin minimal level; the water level in the recipient basin is at a recipient basin maximal level; or a ratio of flow rate to energy input is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein in step (I), wastewater is caused to flow from the source basin to the recipient basin via a pumping chamber provided between the at least two basins. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, further comprising delivering raw wastewater to the pumping chamber. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, further comprising delivering raw wastewater to the recipient basin. ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least two basins comprises exactly two basins. ### Claim 33 A pumping system for use in a treatment system for wastewater treatment, the treatment system having at least two basins each of which alternates between a state of being a source basin and a state of being a recipient basin and a pumping chamber configured for conducting water between at least one pair of the at least two basins, the pumping system comprising: a receptacle tank configured for receiving wastewater to be treated, the receptacle tank being provided with a first outlet pipe and a second outlet pipe, the first outlet pipe and second outlet pipe being on the same level; a first pump configured to pump wastewater between the receptacle tank and a first basin of the at least two basins through the first outlet pipe and a second pump configured to pump wastewater between the receptacle tank and a second basin of the at least two basins through the second outlet pipe, the first pump and the second pump adapted to allow wastewater to flow under the influence of gravity between the first basin and the second basin when the first pump and the second pump are inactive; a processor configured to receive a signal from a water level detector indicative of a liquid level in the first basin and to receive a signal from a water level detector indicative of a liquid level in the second basin and to activate and deactivate the first pump and the second pump in order to execute a method of operating the system for treatment of wastewater, the method comprising, for each pair of the source basin and the recipient basin, executing a predetermined regime of reciprocating flow of wastewater between the two basins, comprising: (I) causing wastewater to flow from the source basin to the recipient basin by: (a) allowing a gravitational flow of wastewater through a conduit from the source basin to the recipient basin under the influence of gravity when a water level in the source basin is above a water level of the recipient basin; and (b) selectively operating a pumping system to pump wastewater from the source basin to the recipient basin to provide a water level in the recipient basin that is above a water level of the source basin; and (II) following step (I), selectively converting the source basin and the recipient basin to a recipient basin and a source basin, respectively, and selectively repeating step (I). ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The pumping system according to claim 33, further comprising a branched wastewater delivery pipe in the receptacle tank.