US 4,124,481 A · Apparatus for treating sewage

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus for treating sewage, by first comminuting raw sewage in a comminuting compartment to provide a slurry and then digesting the raw, comminuted sewage by oxygen-dependent bacteria in a roofed compartment. Oxygen is supplied by electrolysis of the water in the sewage, utilizing spaced anode and cathode. The anode is located in the roofed digestion compartment, and the oxygen generated at the anode is used by the bacteria; the cathode is located in a chimney which extends through the roof or top of the plant, to atmosphere, and the hydrogen generated at the cathode is discharged to atmosphere through this chimney. A stirrer is provided in the digestion compartment to stir trapped oxygen back into the mass of sludge. A trapping or sedimentation compartment is provided after the digestion compartment, for settling out indigestible solids, and drawing off the remaining liquid.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A sewage treatment plant comprising:

an inlet for delivery of sewage,
comminuting means adjacent the inlet including a compartment and a comminuter,
digestion means adjacent the comminuting means comprising a compartment for the containment of comminuted sewage, bacteria and oxygen,
anode means for supplying oxygen in said digestion means compartment,
a chimney extending through said digestion means compartment to a vent, openings in said chimney to said digestion means compartment, cathode means in said chimney for generating hydrogen together with the generation of oxygen at said anode,
means for supplying electrical energy to said anode and cathode, and
outlet means for treated sewage.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for treating sewage

Life of this patent

Apparatus for treating sewage

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12