Patent Publication Number: US-2012031823-A1

Title: Apparatus for the Treatment of Wastewater

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of wastewater, in particular on boats. 
     It is required that wastewater from ships and boats not be directed into the ocean without treatment. Various apparatuses for the treatment of wastewater are thus known for ships as well as for boats. Such an apparatus is described for example in DE 100 10 610 C2. The known apparatus has a reservoir or tank, which is divided into two areas, namely into a receiving and a separation reservoir. Both reservoirs are separated by a wall, which forms a lateral gap between the reservoirs on both sides, in order to hold back larger solids in the receiving reservoir. The outlet of the treatment reservoir is in turn connected with itself via a pump and a chopping station in order to provide for the reduction of solids and mixture with a disinfecting agent; in particular, a connection for sea water and one for the disinfecting agent are provided on the treatment reservoir. 
     An apparatus for the treatment of wastewater also became known from EP 1 726 521 A2, in which several sensors are arranged in the treatment reservoir, which check the fill level in the treatment tank. The wastewater is directed from a storage reservoir by means of a pump into the treatment tank, which can also be supplied with sea water via a pump. Another pump serves to dose a disinfecting agent and a maceration pump guides the treated wastewater in the cycle, wherein the treated wastewater can be directed overboard with the help of a three-way valve. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to create an apparatus for the treatment of wastewater, with which a particularly effective treatment can be achieved within a short time. 
     In the case of the apparatus according to the invention, a guide wall is arranged at a distance from the upper intake in the receiving portion, which ends at a distance above a sump. The arriving wastewater is thereby first directed in the direction of the sump. In this manner, a large amount of solids is already separated out in the sump. The wastewater is directed back into the receiving reservoir below the guide wall and arrives via an overflow in an intermediate reservoir with a preferably sloping side wall, the tilt of which runs in the direction of the receiving reservoir. The separating wall is mounted in a moveable manner, via which in the open position solids deposited in the intermediate reservoir can move into the sump. A further wall situated towards the treatment reservoir is provided with another overflow, via which the wastewater then arrives in the treatment portion. It is displaced with sea water there and is disinfected with a suitable disinfecting agent, e.g. chlorine. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the lower edge of the second overflow lies slightly above the upper edge of the first overflow. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the sump is funnel-shaped so that in the receiving portion the solids can enter the sump in a simple manner and can be conveyed on out of it. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the further wall slopes downward so that solids in the intermediate reservoir can slide along this wall in the direction of the sump and arrive in it when the flap is open. The flap is preferably pre-stressed into the closed position by gravitational force and the hydrostatic pressure of the medium. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the first overflow is formed by at least one U-shaped pipe portion, the ends of which point downward. It is especially important that the overflow into the intermediate reservoir creates a flow downward so that the flow is forced to flow into the lower area of the intermediate reservoir and return upward to the overflow to the treatment portion. 
     At least one sensor, which is connected with a controller for the apparatus according to the invention, which controls the individual pumps and valves according to the requirements of a specified program, is arranged in the treatment portion. The sensor determines when wastewater is approaching, in order to add, which is generally known, sea water and a disinfecting agent, for example chlorine. In the case of the apparatus according to the invention, the treated wastewater can also be circulated via a mixer and a maceration pump in order to reduce the still present solids. 
     The inflow to the receiving portion takes place via a pump, wherein a preliminary reservoir is preferably provided, into which the wastewater accumulating on the boat can be directed. 
    
    
     
       One exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below in greater detail using a drawing. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view diagonally from above of a treatment tank of an apparatus according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of the representation according to  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a cut through the representation according to  FIG. 2  along line  3 - 3 . 
         FIG. 4  shows an end view of the treatment tank according to  FIG. 1  with attached aggregates. 
         FIG. 5  shows the side view of the representation according to  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a circuit diagram for the apparatus according to the  FIGS. 1 through 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated 
       FIGS. 1 through 5  show a treatment tank  10 , which is open in  FIGS. 1 through 3  and closed by a cover  12  in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The treatment tank is mainly square-shaped. 
     Two inlets  14  for wastewater are arranged in the upper end area on the right end in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . They are connected with a receiving portion  16  in the treatment tank  10 . A guide wall  18 , which ends at a distance above the bottom of the treatment tank  10 , is arranged parallel and at a distance from the end wall of the treatment tank  10 . A sump  20  is arranged below the guide wall  18 . The wastewater flowing in over the intakes  14  hits the guide wall  18  and is directed downward. It can then turn around on the lower end of the guide wall and flow upward into the receiving area  16 . Towards sump  20 , inclined planes  22  are formed, which form a type of funnel in the direction of the sump  20 . The sump  20  is connection with a connection  24 , via which solids can be transported away. At a distance from the guide wall  18 , a separating wall  26 , which is designed as a flap that can swing open to the right, is arranged in the treatment tank  10  for restricting the receiving area  16 . The flap is arranged slightly sloped so that it is pre-stressed by gravitational force in connection with the hydrostatic pressure of the filled receiving area  16  into the closed position shown in  FIG. 3 . In the upper area of the separating wall  26 , three U-shaped pipe portions  30  are arranged such that they ensure an overflow of the liquid from the receiving portion  16  to an intermediate reservoir  32  with an outlet pointing downward in a sloping manner, which is separated from a larger treatment portion  34  by a wall  36 . The wall  36  extends in the lower area downward in a sloped manner in the direction of wall  26 , so that a part with a triangular cross-section is formed between them. Solids can slide downward along the wall  36  and reach sump  20  when the wall  26  is open. 
     In the upper vertical area of wall  36 , three spaced angled pipe pieces  38  are arranged as overflow into the treatment portion  34 . The lower edge of the overflow  38  lies slightly above the lower edge of the overflow formed by the pipe pieces  30 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 through 3 , an outlet  42  can be seen in the lower rear area of the receiving portion  34  and in the upper area an intake  40 , which is covered in greater detail below. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the outlet  42  is connected via a maceration pump  44 , which is driven by a motor  46 , and a vortex mixer  47 , from which liquid is directed back into the intake  40 . In the connection to the intake, a three-way valve  50  is arranged, which connects it optionally with an outlet  52 , via which treated wastewater can be directed overboard. 
     A housing or a terminal box  54  for an electrical connection to the control device, which will be briefly explain below in terms of  FIG. 6 , is arranged outside on the treatment tank  10 . 
     It is also noted that sea water can be directed into the treatment portion  34  via an intake  56  and a disinfecting agent, e.g. chlorine, via an outlet  58 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a reservoir  60  for a disinfecting agent, which is directed into the treatment tank  10  via a dosing pump  62 . A pump  64  directs sea water via a corresponding line via the intake  56  into the treatment portion  34 . 
     A pump  68  directs wastewater  68  to the intakes  12  from a collecting tank  66  for wastewater. Fresh water can be directed into the receiving portion  16  via a line  70 . A sludge pump  72  conveys sludge from the sump  20  and via the outlet  24  to the reservoir  66 . A line  74  is connected with the three-way valve  50  in order to direct treated water overboard. 
     The shown pumps and valves are connected by the controller, not shown in greater detail, which is connected with the terminal box  54  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     During operation, a certain amount of wastewater is either directed into the receiving portion  16  either with the help of the pump  68  or through gravitational force, namely via inlets  14 . The inflowing wastewater flows against the guide wall  18  and is thereby forced downward in the direction of sump  20  so that a large amount of solids can already be deposited in the sump  20 . The flow around the guide wall  18  is then directed upward into the receiving portion  16 . With the help of the overflow  30 , the water collecting above the overflows is then directed into an intermediate reservoir  32 , wherein the flow is directed downward into the area, which is formed by the wall  26  and the wall  36 . Further solids are thereby separated and also arrive in the sump  20  when the flap is open. Liquid that is mainly free of solids is directed into the treatment portion  34  via the overflow  38 , wherein a sensor (not shown) determines whether liquid is in the treatment portion  34 . If this is the case, sea water is added to the treatment portion  34  via the pump  64  and directed into this portion by means of dosing pump  60 , e.g. chlorine. The maceration pump  44  ensures the circulation of the liquid from the treatment portion  34  via a vortex mixer  46  and the pump  44 . After a certain period of time, the valve  50  will be switched and the liquid will be directed overboard out of the treatment portion  34  via the outlet  52 . 
     The described cycle for a batch of wastewater takes approximately six minutes. Subsequently, a new batch of wastewater can be added to the treatment portion  16 . 
     This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.