Feed control system for liquid clarification tanks
OwnerJohn J. Fassbender, Donald Neil Ruehrweininventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for an upflow clarification tank comprises a regulator for controlling one or more characteristics of the flow within the tank (such as the power, pressure, velocity, momentum, or velocity head of the flow), a sensor for measuring one or more of the characteristics of the flow, and a linkage that automatically adjusts the regulator to a desired setting based on the sensor measurement. A processor may be used to determine the desired setting for the regulator. The control system may also include structure enabling the operator to manually select between multiple methods for determining the desired setting.
Claims47
An upflow clarification tank system in which a flow of liquid may be clarified, the system comprising:
- an upflow clarification tank;
- first and second inlets connecting the tank with a single source of the flow of liquid to be clarified;
- a valve that distributes the flow of liquid between the inlets;
- a sensor that measures one or more characteristics of the flow;
- and
- means for automatically adjusting the valve based on the sensor measurement.
An upflow clarification tank system in which a flow of liquid may be clarified, the system comprising:
- an upflow clarification tank;
- first and second inlets connecting the tank with a single source of the flow of liquid to be clarified;
- a valve that distributes the flow of liquid between the inlets;
- a sensor that measures one or more characteristics of the flow;
- a processor that uses the sensor measurement to determine a desirable setting for the valve;
- and
- means for automatically adjusting the valve based on the desirable setting.
An upflow clarification tank system in which a flow of liquid may be clarified, the tank system comprising:
- a clarification tank with a lower cylindrical section;
- a tangential inlet on the lower cylindrical section of the tank;
- a horizontally-discharging velocity baffle on the inlet that that feeds the liquid into the tank in a tangential direction and controls the flow of liquid through the inlet;
- a sensor that measures one or more characteristics of the flow;
- and
- means for automatically adjusting the baffle based on the sensor measurement.
An upflow clarification tank system in which a flow of liquid may be clarified, the tank system comprising:
- a clarification tank;
- a tangential inlet near the bottom of the tank;
- a horizontally-discharging velocity baffle on the inlet that controls the flow of liquid through the inlet;
- a sensor that measures one or more characteristics of the flow;
- a processor that uses the sensor measurement to determine a desirable setting for the baffle;
- and
- means for automatically adjusting the baffle based on the desirable setting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.