US 6,190,548 B1Granted

Multi-chambered treatment filter

OwnerAlbert Frickinventor

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Abstract

An enclosed, elongated structure for placement in the ground to filter and biologically pretreat wastewater after it leaves a septic tank and before it enters a drain field. The structure includes an upstream chamber or compartment connected to an inlet and containing a filter media such as stone and two or more baffles positioned crosswise to the direction of flow to direct the wastewater through multiple, sequential downward and upward flow paths through the stone for filtering and for anaerobic biological conversion of undesirable substances in the wastewater. A downstream chamber or compartment vented to atmosphere contains a filter media such as gravelly sand and receives the wastewater flow from the upstream chamber for further progressive filtering and for aerobic biological conversion of undesirable substances. Beneath the gravelly sand is a U-shaped perforated pipe for collecting the wastewater and directing it to an outlet leading to the drain field. Preferably, the structure is placed in the ground such that the wastewater flows from the inlet to the outlet by gravity, or, alternatively, pumping means can be provided.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A sub-surface waste treatment system comprising:

a sub-surface septic tank for receiving effluent from a source, said septic tank being adapted to pass the effluent therethrough by gravity;
a sub-surface disposal field spaced laterally from said septic tank, said disposal field being adapted to pass the effluent therethrough by gravity;
an elongated, generally enclosed intermediate tank positioned between said septic tank and said disposal field and spaced laterally therefrom, the intermediate tank having an inlet at one end connected to receive effluent from the septic tank and a laterally displaced outlet at an opposite end thereof connected to said disposal field;
said intermediate tank having an upstream chamber connected to the inlet to receive the effluent, and having at least two baffles positioned crosswise to the direction of flow for directing the effluent sequentially in downward and upward directions as it passes through said upstream chamber;
said upstream chamber containing a filter material in anaerobic contact with the effluent for filtering and biologically improving the quality of said effluent;
said intermediate tank having a downstream chamber which receives the effluent from the upstream chamber, said downstream chamber containing a filter material between and in contact with opposing walls of said tank and the more or most downstream of said upward directing baffles, said filter material being in aerobic contact with the effluent for further filtering and biologically improving the quality of said effluent;
a drain pipe for collecting the effluent after it passes through the filter material in said downstream chamber and delivering it to the outlet for disposal in said disposal field;
and
said septic tank, upstream chamber, and downstream chamber being positioned such that gravity will cause the flow serially from the septic tank, through the upstream chamber, and to the downstream chamber.

6 more elements

An improved sub-surface waste disposal system of the type having a sub-surface septic tank for receiving effluent from a source, said septic tank being adapted to pass the effluent therethrough by gravity, and a sub-surface disposal field spaced laterally from said septic tank, said disposal field being adapted to pass the effluent therethrough by gravity, wherein the improvement comprises:

a rigid, enclosed and elongated treatment structure positioned intermediate said septic tank and said disposal field and spaced laterally therefrom and having an inlet end and a laterally displaced outlet end;
an upstream chamber in said structure for receiving effluent at the inlet end from said septic tank, said upstream chamber having means for directing the effluent sequentially through multiple downward and upward paths to increase the effective length of the travel of the effluent as it passes through said upstream chamber and thereby increase the effective time for anaerobic biological conversion in said upstream chamber;
first filter means in said upstream chamber for removing solids from the effluent as it passes through said upstream chamber;
a downstream chamber vented to atmosphere for receiving the effluent from said upstream chamber to provide aerobic biological conversion in said downstream chamber;
second filter means in said downstream chamber between and in contact with opposing walls of said downstream chamber for removing solids that have passed through said first filter means;
means for collecting the effluent that has passed through said second filter means and for directing it to the outlet end of said treatment structure so that it can be discharged into said disposal field;
and
said septic tank, upstream chamber, and downstream chamber being positioned such that gravity will cause the flow serially from the septic tank, through the upstream chamber, and to the downstream chamber.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.