Sewage treatment method and apparatus
AssigneeRed Fox Industries Inc.
InventorDennis W. Sullivan, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for treating sewage to reduce total solids content. Involves separating sewage sludge from sewage liquid, dewatering and compressing the sludge, subjecting the sludge to microwave radiation to reduce sludge to ash-like residue, and adding the residue back to the sewage liquid. Optionally, to sterilize the sludge liquid with chemicals or ultraviolet light.
Claims20
A method of treating sewage effluent to reduce total suspended solids content, comprising:
- (a) passing the sewage through settling chamber means to cause separation of the sewage into a sewage sludge consisting of water and particulate solids components and a sewage liquid consisting of water and dissolved components;
- (b) conveying the sewage sludge through a compression and dewatering step to increase the solids concentration in the sewage sludge;
- (c) subjecting the sewage sludge to microwaves guided into the sewage sludge by wave guiding and shielding means from magnetron means wherein the remaining water is removed from the sewage sludge to leave particulates and wherein the particulates are then pyrolized into a particulated ash-like residue;
- and
- (d) mixing the sludge residues into the sewage liquid to form a treated sewage.
Apparatus for treating sewage effluent to reduce total suspended solids content comprising:
- (a) means for passing the sewage through settling chamber means to cause separation of the sewage into a sewage sludge consisting of water and particulate solids components and a sewage liquid consisting of water and dissolved components;
- (b) means for conveying the sewage sludge through a compression and dewatering means to increase the solids concentration in the sewage sludge;
- (c) means for subjecting the sewage sludge to microwaves guided into the sewage sludge by wave guiding and shielding means from magnetron means wherein the remaining water is removed from the sewage sludge to leave particulates and wherein the particulates are then pyrolized into a particulated ash-like sludge residue;
- and
- (d) means for mixing the sludge residues into the sewage liquid to form a treated sewage having the characterization of including a very minor total suspended solids content.
In apparatus for treating sewage effluent to reduce its total solids content, the combination comprising:
- (a) a composite containment structure;
- (b) a settling chamber defined by said structure to be of volume and configuration selected to permit sewage effluent passed through said chamber to reach sufficient quiescence for the particulated solids to settle out of said effluent with said solids forming a sludge within the bottom of said chamber and the remaining said effluent passing out of said chabmer as substantially clear sewage liquid containing only dissolved components;
- (c) a conveyor means for removing said sewage sludge from the bottom of said chamber out of said chamber through an outlet located above the liquid level within said chamber;
- and,
- (d) a microwave energized endothermic reactor means for pyrolizing the sewage sludge received from said conveyor means to convert said sludge into a dry ash-like residue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.