Collapsible digester

A collapsible water treatment digester, comprising:

• a flexible bladder having an inlet end, an outlet end, a closed lower end, a sidewall extending from the closed lower end, an open upper end, a wastewater inlet extending through the inlet end of the bladder, and a treated water outlet extending through the outlet end of the bladder, the bladder moveable from a collapsed position wherein the bladder is folded into a substantially flattened state to an expanded position wherein the lower end and the sidewall of the bladder cooperate to form a water treatment chamber, the wastewater inlet of the bladder in fluid communication with the water treatment chamber of the bladder such that a wastewater stream can be introduced into the water treatment chamber at the inlet end of the bladder;
• a frame connected to the bladder so as to support the bladder in the expanded position;
• and
• a plurality of filter plates disposed in the water treatment chamber and connected to the bladder so as to remove a substantial portion of the solids from the wastewater stream introduced into the bladder and thereby produce a reconditioned water stream dischargeable from the bladder via the treated water outlet of the bladder.

A method of making a water treatment digester, comprising:

• providing a flexible bladder having an inlet end, an outlet end, a closed lower end, a sidewall extending from the closed lower end, an open upper end, and a treated water outlet extending through the outlet end of the bladder;
• expanding the bladder from a collapsed position wherein the bladder is folded into a substantially flattened state to an expanded position wherein the lower end and the sidewall of the bladder cooperate to form a water treatment chamber;
• connecting the bladder to a frame so as to support the bladder in the expanded position, the frame having a wastewater inlet in fluid communication with the water treatment chamber of the bladder such that a wastewater stream can be introduced into the water treatment chamber near the inlet end of the bladder;
• and
• inserting a plurality of filter plates into the water treatment chamber of the bladder and securing the filter plates to the bladder so that the filter plates remove a substantial portion of the solids from the wastewater stream introduced into the bladder to produce a reconditioned water stream dischargeable from the bladder via the treated water outlet of the bladder.

A method of making a water treatment digester, comprising:

• providing a flexible bladder having an inlet end, an outlet end, a closed lower end, a sidewall extending from the closed lower end, an open upper end, a wastewater inlet extending through the inlet end of the bladder, and a treated water outlet extending through the outlet end of the bladder;
• expanding the bladder from a collapsed position wherein the bladder is folded into a substantially flattened state to an expanded position wherein the lower end and the sidewall of the bladder cooperate to form a water treatment chamber, the wastewater inlet of the bladder in fluid communication with the water treatment chamber of the bladder such that a wastewater stream can be introduced into the water treatment chamber at the inlet end of the bladder;
• connecting the bladder to a frame so as to support the bladder in the expanded position, the frame having a wastewater inlet in fluid communication with the water treatment chamber of the bladder such that a wastewater stream can be introduced into the water treatment chamber near the inlet end of the bladder;
• and
• inserting a plurality of filter plates into the water treatment chamber of the bladder and securing the filter plates to the bladder so that the filter plates remove a substantial portion of the solids from the wastewater stream introduced into the bladder to produce a reconditioned water stream dischargeable from the bladder via the treated water outlet of the bladder.