Sludge agitating method

Abstract

A sludge agitating method includes a support platform attached to pontoons for floating on a body of water, such as a waste water treatment facility lagoon, a paddle wheel, and a paddle wheel drive train for moving the platform across the surface of the water, an air distribution pipe, including a plurality of air outlets, movable in a vertical direction into and out of the lagoon, and an air compressor positioned atop the support platform and having an air outlet hose coupled to the air distribution pipe. The air distribution pipe is attached to the ends of two slide members which are attached to one end of the support platform. Initially, with the air distribution pipe positioned slightly below the top layer of sludge, as pressurized air is delivered to the air distribution pipe, the surrounding sludge is agitated and mixed with the surface water. Gradually, as the sludge is agitated, the air distribution pipe is lowered deeper and deeper into the sludge, continuing to agitate and mix the lower levels of gelled sludge with the thinned, agitated mixture of sludge and water positioned thereabove. While this agitating and mixing is occurring, the sludge agitating apparatus moves back and forth over the surface of the lagoon in a radiating pattern around a sludge pumping station. As the sludge agitating apparatus moves toward the pumping station, thinned, pumpable sludge is drawn toward the pumping station and pumped from the lagoon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.