Apparatus for treating waste water

An apparatus for treating waste water in which a large number of soft ribbon-like contact members having loop-like fluffs for retaining the active sludge are vertically spread between a large number of suspension rods arranged vertically inside the catalytic oxidation tank in order to permit the ribbon-like contact members to retain the active sludge, to promote the biological oxidation reaction and to permit the catalytic oxidation liquid to flow through the gaps between the implanted ribbon-like contact members that are capable of swaying, thereby preventing clogging of the passages due to the active sludge. Both ends of each of said large number of suspension rods are interconnected by bendable ribbon-like gap-retaining members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to an apparatus for treating organic waste water by 
catalytic oxidation and more specifically to a support structure for a 
large number of soft ribbon-like contact members that are spread in the 
vertical direction in order to retain active sludge. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Dipping filter beds employed conventionally for catalytic oxidation of 
organic waste water make use of an aggregate of a large number of thin 
pipes or a honey-comb structure but since their size becomes great as a 
whole, they are difficult to transport or to assemble. Moreover, thin 
water passages are likely to get clogged because the passages are fixed 
and once clogging occurs, the operation of the apparatus must be stopped 
in order to clean the filter bed. The cleaning work itself is not so easy, 
either. To solve these problems, a dipping filter bed has been developed 
in which a large number of ribbon-like contact members, consisting of a 
synthetic fiber and having a large number of fluffs projecting therefrom, 
extend in the vertical direction. 
According to this filter bed, a large number of suspension rods are 
juxtaposed with one another in the vertical direction of the catalytic 
oxidation tank and a large number of ribbon-like contact members are 
spread vertically between the suspension rods. Since the gaps between the 
implanted ribbon-like contact members serve as the passages for the waste 
water and since the ribbon-like contact members sway in the water, the 
filter bed has less tendency toward clogging due to the sludge as compared 
with the fixed filter bed. However, it is an extremely complicated and 
troublesome work to fix a large number of ribbon-like contact members at 
the upper and lower positions inside the tank. If a large number of 
ribbon-like contact members are fixed in advance to the suspension rods in 
a factory for shipment and a large number of suspension rods are then 
arranged vertically at the site of treatment, the long ribbon-like contact 
members are easily entangled with one another and impede smooth assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a first object of the present invention that a large number of soft 
ribbon-like contact members having loop-like fluffs for retaining the 
active sludge are vertically spread between a large number of suspension 
rods arranged vertically inside the catalytic oxidation tank in order to 
permit the ribbon-like contact members to retain the active sludge, to 
promote the biological oxidation reaction and to permit the catalytic 
oxidation liquid to flow through the gaps between the implanted 
ribbon-like contact members that are capable of swaying, thereby 
preventing clogging of the passages due to the active sludge. 
It is a second object of the present invention that the ribbon-like contact 
members are spread vertically between the suspension rods juxtaposed with 
one another at the upper and lower positions inside the catalytic 
oxidation tank in such a fashion that the long ribbon-like contact members 
describe a corrugated form in the vertical direction. According to this 
arrangement, the ribbon-like contact members can be fitted continuously 
and easily thereby to facilitate the assembly and can also be spread 
slantingly with respect to the vertical direction thereby to improve the 
contact property with the water for treatment. 
It is a third object of the present invention that a large number of 
suspension rods, to which the ribbon-like contact members are fitted, are 
unitarily interconnected at their ends by supple belt-like gap-retaining 
members so as to render the gaps between the suspension rods contractable. 
According to this arrangement, the dipping filter bed is a cubic structure 
having a large number of ribbon-like contact members spread in the 
vertical direction and is contractable in the vertical direction as well 
as to the right and left, thus facilitating the transportation, storage 
and assembly of the filter bed. 
It is a fourth object of the present invention that clamping pipes having 
openings that extend in the axial direction are fitted to the suspension 
rods on which a large number of ribbon-like contact members are spread so 
that the ribbon-like contact members can be easily fixed to the suspension 
rods. 
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become 
more apparent from the following description to be taken in conjunction 
with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference 
to FIGS. 1 through 6. 
Reference numeral 1 represents a catalytic oxidation tank for treating 
organic waste water such as city sewage, industrial waste liquor and the 
like by catalytic oxidation. Pipe support poles 2 are implanted inside the 
tank 1 at its front and rear and to the right and left, with suitable gaps 
between them, and upper and lower pipe girders 3a, 3b are interconnected 
to these support poles 2, thereby defining a three-dimensional frame into 
which a filter bed main body 4 is to be fitted. Secured to opposite sides 
of the frame are a pair of horizontally extending upper rail members 5a 
and a pair of horizontally extending lower rail members 5b, the rail 
members of each pair being laterally opposite one another. Each rail 
member has a U-shaped cross-section, and the upper rail members 5a open 
upwardly while the lower ones 5b open downwardly. Each rail member 5a, 5b 
is secured to each support pole 2 by means of a pair of fillet plates 7, 7 
formed on the external surface of a bottom plate 6 at each end of the rail 
member so as to extend in the transverse direction. Each support pole 2 
vertically penetrates through the bottom plate 6 between these fillet 
plates 7, 7 and a bolt 8 is inserted through the support pole 2 and 
through the fillet plates 7, 7 and is fixed by a nut 9. 
The filter bed main body 4 consists of two sets of gap-retaining members 
10a, 10a and 10b, 10b that are disposed at upper and lower positions so as 
to be horizontally opposite one another, suspension rods 12a, 12b that 
extend horizontally parallel to one another at suitable intervals and are 
connected between these gap-retaining members 10a, 10a and 10b, 10b with 
their ends pivoted to the gap-retaining members via anchor members 11, and 
a large number of soft ribbon-like contact members 13 that extend between 
the upper and lower suspension rods 12a, 12b. 
The gap-retaining members 10a, 10b are ribbon-like members made of a 
bendable material such as a flexible sheet or synthetic fiber fabric such 
as rubber or nylon, and through-holes 14 for determining the distance a 
(a=50 mm-80 mm) between horizontally adjacent suspension rods 12a, 12b are 
bored in them at suitable intervals. 
The suspension rods 12a, 12b are composed of synthetic resin pipes and have 
a length substantially equal to the distance between horizontally opposite 
rail members 5a, 5a and 5b, 5b. A large number of suspension rods are 
juxtaposed with the gaps a between the gap-retaining members 10a, 10a and 
10b, 10b opposing one another in the horizontal direction. Disc-like 
anchor members 11 are fitted to both ends of the rods where they engage 
with the rail members 5a and 5b. A cylinder shaft 16, formed so as to 
protrude from the inside of each anchor member 11, slides on the free edge 
of a flange 15 of each rail member 5a, 5b and is fitted and fixed to the 
end portion of each suspension rod 12a, 12b. Projecting out from each end 
of each anchor member 11 is a shaft 17 that is fitted into and fixed to 
each through-hole 14 of the gap-retaining member 10a, 10b. Each protrusive 
shaft 17 is shaped in such a fashion that its tip is conical and its 
diameter progressively increases axially outwardly to some extent from the 
suspension rod 12a, 12b. 
Each soft ribbon-like contact member 13 is formed by permitting the fiber 
to protrude in a large number of loops from one surface of a narrow fabric 
consisting of a synthetic fiber of polyamide, polyester, polyvinylidene 
chloride, polypropylene or the like, then twisting the narrow fabric 
unidirectionally and applying a tension in the longitudinal direction so 
that a large number of loop-like fluffs or tufts 19 protrude around the 
core fabric 18. 
The longitudinal ribbon-like contact materials 13 thus formed are then 
trained alternately in zigzag over upper and lower suspension rods 12a, 
12b so as to form the corrugation in the vertical direction between the 
upper and lower suspension rods 12a and 12b. There are a plurality of 
ribbon-like contact materials 13 engaged with each suspension rod 12a or 
12b at intervals b (b=30 mm-60 mm). Clamping pipes 21a, 21b, each of 
C-shaped cross-section to have at its top or bottom an opening 20 that 
extends in the axial direction, and each consisting of a synthetic resin 
pipe, are fitted to the suspension rods 12a or to the suspension rods 12b 
in such a manner as to clamp and fix the ribbon-like contact members 13 
that are engaged with the suspension rods 12a and 12b. 
Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be explained. 
First, in order to fold the apparatus and to reduce its size for 
transportation, a large number of upper and lower suspension rods 12a, 
12b, that are mounted between upper gap-retaining members 10a, 10a and 
between lower gap-retaining members 10b, 10b, via the anchor members 11, 
are brought together by bending the gap-retaining members 10a, 10b, 
thereby reducing the spaces between the suspension rods 12a and 12b as 
small as possible. Next, the ribbon-like contact members extending 
vertically are folded close to the upper and lower suspension rods 12a, 
12b, reducing the size as a whole. 
The apparatus can be assembled into the catalytic oxidation tank 1 at the 
site of treatment in the following manner. The ribbon-like contact members 
13 that have been folded are extended vertically and the upper and lower 
anchor members 11 are then engaged with the upper edges 15 and lower edges 
15 of the upper and lower rail members 5a, 5b, respectively, utilizing the 
resiliency of the ribbon-like contact members 13, thereby spreading the 
ribbon-like contact members 13 in the vertical direction. Next, the 
cylinder shafts 16 of the anchor members 11 which engage with the upper 
and lower right and left rail members 5a, 5b, are slid on the flange edges 
15 so as to expand the gaps between the suspension rods 12a and 12b and to 
extend the gap-retaining members 10a, 10b that have been folded. Both ends 
of the gap-retaining members are then anchored and fixed to the tank 1 or 
to the support poles 2 while being maintained under lengthwise tension. 
The water for treatment is then introduced into the catalytic oxidation 
tank 1, in which a large number of ribbon-like contact members 13 are 
spread in the above-mentioned manner, and is permitted to flow while 
oxygen is being introduced into the tank, whereby the active sludge is 
deposited on the ribbon-like contact members 13 and the biological 
oxidation reaction is carried out with the aid of the oxygen that is fed 
into the tank. Since the ribbon-like contact members 13 spread in the 
corrugated form in the vertical direction cross the passages of the water 
for treatment flowing vertically, good contact is established between the 
water for treatment and the active sludge deposited on the ribbon-like 
contact members 13. Even if the active sludge becomes locally enriched by 
any chance, it is swung and peeled off from the contact members 13 by the 
water stream so that the apparatus is free from clogging. 
FIGS. 7 through 9 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, 
in which the catalytic oxidation tank 1 has a cylindrical shape. A draft 
pipe 23 for forming an air exposure chamber 22 is erected at the center 
inside the tank 1 in such a manner as to define a passage portion in the 
vertical direction. Rail members 5a, 5b are disposed vertically and 
annularly along the inner circumferential wall of the catalytic oxidation 
tank 1 and the outer circumferential wall of the draft pipe 23. A large 
number of suspension rods 12a, 12b are radially disposed between the rail 
members 5a, 5a and 5b, 5b that are adjacent one another in the horizontal 
direction. Elbow-type anchor members 11 are fitted at both ends of each 
suspension rod 12a, 12b and are slidably engaged with the rail members 5a, 
5b. Ribbon-like gap-retaining members 10a, 10b are inserted through 
through-holes 24 bored in the anchor members 11 in the radial direction 
and the anchor members 11 are engaged with the gap-retaining members 10a, 
10b in such a manner that they are prevented from moving by knots or 
swellings that are formed on the gap-retaining members 10a, 10b. 
A large number of ribbon-like contact members 13 are suspended from and 
fixed to the upper and lower suspension rods 12a, 12b in such a fashion as 
to form a continuous corrugation in the vertical direction and to describe 
concentric circles spaced at intervals between the outer circumference and 
the inner circumference. The distances between the concentric circles are 
preferably smaller towards the outer circumference and become 
progressively greater towards the inner circumference so that the 
distribution density of the ribbon-like contact members 13 becomes 
substantially uniform. 
The other construction and action of this embodiment are the same as those 
of the aforementioned embodiment. 
In accordance with the present invention, a large number of soft 
ribbon-like contact members for retaining the active sludge, having 
loop-like fluffs, are vertically suspended from a large number of 
suspension rods juxtaposed vertically inside the catalytic oxidation tank, 
so that a large number of ribbon-like contact members are implanted inside 
the catalytic oxidation tank, hold the active sludge thereon and are 
capable of promoting the biological oxidation reaction for the water for 
treatment that flows in the vertical direction. Since the ribbon-like 
contact members are movable, the passage of flow of the water for 
treatment is not restricted by them. If clogging occurs due to excessive 
deposition of the active sludge, the ribbon-like contact members are 
capable of automatically causing it to peel off. Because the ribbon-like 
contact members are extended between the upper and lower suspension rods 
in such a manner as to form a continuous corrugation in the vertical 
direction, the longitudinal ribbon-like members can be easily installed by 
vertically folding them and fitting the clamping pipes to the respective 
suspension rods. Since the ribbon-like contact members are spread not 
vertically but slantingly in the corrugated form, they slant across the 
passages of flow of the water for treatment and are thus capable of 
improving the contact effect of the water for treatment. Because both ends 
of the multiple-stage suspension rods are connected to bendable belt-like 
gap-retaining members, the size of the apparatus can be reduced as a whole 
for storage or transportation by bending the bendable belt-like 
gap-retaining members so as to narrow the distances between the suspension 
rods and, further, by folding the ribbon-like contact members so as to 
narrow the distances between the upper and lower suspension rods. The 
cubic filter bed main body can be easily assembled by extending vertically 
the bent ribbon-like contact members and then stretching the upper and 
lower gap-retaining members. It is thus possible to assemble the filter 
bed main body in a factory, then to reduce its size for transportation and 
to expand and fit the filter bed at the site of work. As a large number of 
ribbon-like contact members are fitted in advance between the upper and 
lower suspension rods, they never get entangled with one another during 
work at the site, thus permitting the smooth operation. 
To clean or repair instruments disposed below the filter bed main body such 
as air spray pipes or the like, maintenance of these instruments can be 
carried out without removing the filter bed main body from the tank, by 
bending the upper and lower gap-retaining members and pulling a large 
number of ribbon-like contact members to one side like a curtain.