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US 4,141,824 AGranted
Tangentially fed upflow sand filter method and apparatus
AssigneeMidcon Pipeline Equipment Co.
InventorCarl K. Smith
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMidcon Pipeline Equipment Co.
InventorCarl K. Smith
Estimating the term…
Methods and apparatus for purifying water by filtration, according to which water is passed in an upward direction through one or more sand beds supported in towers, at a slow rate of flow so that the sand bed is not disturbed. The sand bed or layer is relatively deep vertically to provide superior filtration. Raw water feed to each tower is accomplished by tangential flow from the inlets. Rapid backwash of the sand bed is accomplished by opening a dump valve at the lower end of a cone provided at the base of the tower in which the sand bed is supported. Maintenance and control of bacterial activity in the lower part of the sand bed enhances purification of the water by bacterial action. Chemical treatments of the water may be used in conjuction with the filtration, including treatments with chlorine, and with alum (i.e. aluminum sulphate and/or potassium or ammonium alum) to produce a floc, and barium sulphate and/or a drilling mud may be added to assist in removal of the floc by filtration.
Method for purifying water, comprising introducing water tangentially into a water introduction zone immediately beneath the bottom of a sand bed of circular horizontal cross section to uniformly distribute the water beneath the sand bed and to throw relatively larger solids from the introduced water toward the sides of said zone, maintaining a body of water in a space beneath said zone which is maintained in swirling motion by the introduced water and through which said relatively larger solids settle while being continuously thrown outwardly by said swirling motion, passing water upwardly from said zone through said sand bed at a uniform upward speed of about six inches per minute, passing the water exiting from the top of the sand bed upwardly through a settling chamber above the sand bed to remove any suspended sand particles therefrom, and withdrawing purified water from the upper portion of said settling chamber.
Water purification system, comprising vertical tower means, support means spaced above the bottom of said tower means for supporting a bed of sand, a bed of sand disposed upon said support means and extending to an upper level spaced below the top of said tower means to provide a settling chamber above said bed of sand, water introduction means for introducing unpurified water tangentially into said tower means into a water introduction zone beneath said bed of sand, said tower means having a space beneath said zone water within which is swirled by the introduced water to throw relatively larger solids toward its outer periphery, water outlet means for draining purified water from the upper portion of said settling chamber, air inlet means at the top of said tower means, water drain means at the bottom of said space including means for delivering the water drained therethrough to receptacle means, valve means for controlling water flow through said drain means, and means for recirculating water from said receptacle means to said water introduction means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.