Patent ID: 6126815
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: B03D

Abstract:
A sequential air dissolved floatation apparatus, providing zero pool velocity and nonmechanical waste removal wherein a number of floatation tanks are filled with waste water charged with dissolved air, floatable waste material in the waste water being allowed to rise to the surface by floatation leaving clarified water as a bottom layer in the tank which is then drained from the bottom of the tank followed by draining the top layer of floated waste material, the apparatus comprising:a) any number of floatation tanks each with a central port positioned at a lowest vertical position and a fill level sensor mounted near a top of each tank,b) a tank filling valve fitted with an operation actuator and inlet pipes connected to the central port of each tank which control inlet flow of waste water charged with dissolved air through the central port of each tank,c) a clarified water valve fitted with an operation actuator and outlet pipes connected to the central port of each tank which control outlet flow of clarified water through the central port of each tank,d) a waste material valve fitted with an operation actuator and outlet pipes connected to the central port of each tank which control outlet flow of floated waste material through the central port of each tank,e) a water clarity sensor mounted in an interior of each tank near the central port which detects the presence of clarified water, andf) a control system including a controller operable for receiving electrical signals from the fill level sensors and the water clarity sensors, such that the controller sends electrical signals to the valve actuators controlling a sequential tank filling flow rate with dissolved air charged waste water through the central port of each tank and controlling a retention period whereby waste material is allowed to float to the surface of the waste water in each tank, controlling outlet flow rate of the clarified water from the central port of each tank, and controlling outlet flow rate of the floated waste material from the central port of each tank allowing the tanks to be filled and drained sequentially to achieve a net flow of waste water to the apparatus.