Apparatus and process for separating components of a treatment mixture from waste water treatment system

Apparatus for separating liquid components from a mixture that includes liquid components and particulate components, the apparatus having an upstream end adapted for receiving the mixture and a downstream end, said apparatus comprising:

• an endless filtering belt having upper and lower reaches and having a mesh size selected to allow liquid components of the mixture to pass therethrough while retaining particulate components thereon;
• a drive system operatively connected to the filtering belt for driving movement of the belt in a circuit between the upstream and downstream ends of the apparatus so that the upper reach may carry the mixture toward the downstream end, whereby liquid components are separated from the mixture by filtering through the filtering belt as the belt carries the mixture toward the downstream end of the apparatus;
• and
• a press disposed in opposed relation to the upper reach of the filtering belt generally between the upstream and downstream ends of the apparatus to define a nip between the press and the filtering belt, the mixture on the upper reach of the filtering belt passing through the nip as the mixture is carried toward the downstream end of the apparatus, said press applying a squeezing pressure to squeeze the mixture between the press and the filtering belt as the mixture passes the press, thereby squeezing liquid components from the mixture for filtering through the belt;
• said press comprising a wedging unit having an inclined lower surface in opposed relationship with the filtering belt, the inclined lower surface having an upper end and a lower end downstream of the upper end, the lower end being substantially closer to the belt than the upper end and defining the nip, the inclined lower surface of the wedging unit applying a squeezing pressure against the mixture as the mixture passes the wedging unit, the inclined lower surface agitating at least some of the mixture upstream of the lower end of the surface to work additional liquid components from the mixture before the mixture is carried downstream of the wedging unit and to promote uniform distribution of the mixture along the width of the filtering belt;
• said press further comprising a press roller spaced from the wedging unit and disposed in opposed relation to the filtering belt to define a nip between the press roller and the belt, the press roller applying a downward pressure against the mixture to squeeze the mixture between the roller and the belt as the mixture is carried past the press roller for squeezing additional liquid components from the mixture for filtering through the belt.

Apparatus for separating liquid components from a mixture that includes liquid components and particulate components, the apparatus having an upstream end adapted for receiving the mixture and a downstream end, said apparatus comprising:

• an endless filtering belt having upper and lower reaches and having a mesh size selected to allow liquid components of the mixture to pass therethrough while retaining particulate components thereon;
• a drive system operatively connected to the filtering belt for driving movement of the belt in a circuit between the upstream and downstream ends of the apparatus so that the upper reach may carry the mixture toward the downstream end, whereby liquid components are separated from the mixture by filtering through the filtering belt as the belt carries the mixture toward the downstream end of the apparatus;
• and
• a feed tank for delivering mixture to the filtering belt, the feed tank having an inlet port for receiving mixture pumped from a source of mixture into the tank and an outlet port for dispensing mixture from the tank and onto the filtering belt, the inlet port being disposed generally adjacent the bottom of the tank, the outlet port being disposed substantially higher than the inlet port so that mixture pumped into the tank through the inlet port adjacent the bottom of the tank generally rises from the bottom of the tank to the level of the outlet port before being dispensed from the tank via the outlet port, the tank having a generally cylindrical side wall, the inlet port being disposed in the side wall in generally tangential relationship therewith whereby mixture is pumped into the tank through the inlet port in tangential relationship with the side wall to effect a generally vortical swirling of the mixture in the tank for inhibiting settling of the particulate components at the bottom of the tank.