Biological filter structures
AssigneeBio-Reaction Industries, LLC
InventorsWilliam C. Stewart, Randall R. Thom, Paul C. John
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cartridge for holding compost in a biofilter is substantially uniform in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge and has a sidewall formed with openings that are small enough to substantially retain the compost in the cartridge yet large enough to allow filaments of bacteria present in the compost to project through the openings. The cartridge is of cross-sectional form such that multiple cartridges can be placed side-by-side in an array with passages between each cartridge and adjacent cartridges.
Claims22
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a hollow cartridge for holding compost in a biofilter, the cartridge having two ends spaced apart along an axis of the cartridge,
- the cartridge being substantially a regular polygon in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge and having a side wall at each side of the polygonal cross section,
- the side walls being formed with openings,
- the polygonal cross-sectional form of the cartridge being such that the cartridge can be placed side-by-side with a plurality of other substantially identical cartridges in an array such that each side wall of the cartridge is in parallel confronting relationship with a side wall of one of the other cartridges, and
- a first side wall of the cartridge being provided with a projecting baffle structure which holds the first side wall away from a confronting side wall of an adjacent cartridge in such an array, the baffle structure defining a serpentine path for flow of air between said first side wall of the cartridge and the confronting side wall of the adjacent cartridge.
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a hollow cartridge for holding compost in a biofilter, the cartridge having two ends spaced apart along an axis of the cartridge,
- the cartridge being substantially rectangular in cross section perpendicular to said axis and having four side walls,
- the side walls being formed with openings, and
- a first side wall of the cartridge being generally flat and a second side wall being provided with a projecting baffle structure which defines a serpentine path over said second side wall.
An assembly of substantially identical hollow cartridges for use in a biofilter,
- each cartridge having two ends spaced apart along an axis of the cartridge and being substantially a regular polygon in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge and having a side wall at each aide of the polygonal cross section,
- each cartridge containing a mass of compost with microorganisms present therein,
- the side walls of each cartridge being formed with openings, and
- the polygonal cross-sectional form of the cartridge being such that the cartridges can be placed side-by-side in an array such that each side wall of a first cartridge is in parallel confronting relationship with a side wall of one of the other cartridges,
- and wherein the microorganisms present in the compost have filaments and the openings in the sidewalls of each cartridge are small enough to substantially retain the compost in the cartridge yet large enough to allow the filaments of the microorganisms present in the compost to project through the openings.
An assembly of substantially identical cartridges for use in a biofilter, wherein each cartridge:
- contains a mass of compost with microorganisms present therein,
- has two ends spaced apart along an axis of the cartridge and is substantially uniform in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge,
- has an endless sidewall formed with openings, and
- is of cross-sectional form such that the cartridges can be placed side-by-side in an array with passages between each cartridge and adjacent cartridges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.