AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING OR DISINFECTING SEWAGE AND COLLECTING THE AMMONIA AND OTHER SUBSTANCES CONTAINED THEREIN TO SERVE " AS MANURE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, SAMUEL DEADMAN Cox, of New Charlton, in the County of Kent, Operative
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING OR DISINFECTING SEWAGE AND
COLLECTING THE AMMONIA AND OTHER SUBSTANCES CONTAINED THEREIN TO SERVE
"
AS MANURE and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for purifying or
disinfecting sewage and collecting or recovering the ammonia and other substances
contained therein which are useful as manure.
According to my said invention I accomplish these objects by means of apparatus
consisting essentially of one or more tanks or series of tanks, into which the
sewage is conducted from the drains or sewers either directly or by means of a
pump or pumps, and wherein the said sewage is caused to pass through a series of
strainers or frames containing peat or other suitable material and through one or
more filter-beds or layers of peat or other charcoal.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown an apparatus constructed according
to my said invention, wherein I employ a series of three tanks, through which the
sewage passes successively as hereinafter set forth.
Figure 1 is a plan of the said apparatus.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof.
Figure 3 is a front elevation, and
Figure 4 a horizontal section, of part of the said apparatus
A, B, C are the three tanks. D, E are the walls or divisions between the said
tanks. These walls or divisions are made of such height that the liquid will flow
from the tank A into the tank B and thence into the tank C.
The tank A may be either open at the top as shewn, or it may be closed in by
any suitable means. In this tank I provide several rows of plates or walls F
which are arranged at suitable distances apart and extend upward to about midway
between the bottom of the tank and the level of the sewage therein, so that they
tend to break or interrupt the flow of the sewage through the said tank, and thus
permit the whole, or the greater portion, of the heavy or insoluble matters
contained in the sewage to settle or become deposited at the bottom of the tank
before they reach that end thereof where the liquid flows over into the tank B.
The plates or-walls F are shown in the drawings so arranged that those of one
row are opposite the spaces between those of the adjacent rows; they may, if
Price 11

page_text: desired, be otherwise arranged for the purpose above specified, but by placing
them as shewn they serve very effectually to accomplish the desired object.
In the tank B I provide a number of rows or sets of strainers G through which
liquid will flow very rapidly, each row or set extending from one side to the other
of the said tank.
These strainers are adapted to slide, in the manner hereinafter described, into
grooves or channels in the posts H which are secured to a base-piece H¹ so that
the lower ends of the strainers, when in place, are about twelve inches above the
bottom of the tank. The several rows of strainers, which are marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
in the drawings, are placed at suitable distances apart and so arranged that the
liquid flowing from the tank A passes successively through the said rows of
strainers, and is gradually purified or disinfected thereby, so that it flows from the
tank B in a comparatively clear state.
The said liquid, as it flows over the wall or division E at the end of the tank B,
falls between the walls E, E¹ to the bottom of the tank C, which has a perforated
false-bottom C¹. Upon the said false-bottom is placed a filter-bed or layer I of
coarse peat-charcoal, and on the top of this bed or layer is placed another bed or
layer K of powdered or granulated charcoal. These beds or layers are, by
preference, made about six inches thick, and provided with a cover of cast iron or
other suitable metal perforated to permit the water to flow through it. After
passing through these filter-beds, the liquid will be bright and clear and may be
allowed to flow over the end C of the tank C into a river or elsewhere, as desired.
The strainers G are more clearly shewn in Figures 3 and 4. Each strainer
consists of a frame a of wood, iron or other suitable material, which is covered
on the front and rear sides with wire gauze as shewn at b, or with coarse fibrous
material such as cocoa-nut matting, and which is filled with peat or other suitable
substance as shewn at b¹.
The said strainers are, moreover, provided with handles c of wrought iron or
other suitable material to facilitate their removal and replacement.
I have shewn in the drawings parts only of the wire gauze with which the
frames a are covered, the remainder being omitted to allow the peat or other
straining material to be shewn,
The posts H are made of iron or other suitable material and are firmly sccured
by bolts or otherwise to the base-piece I which extends across the tank B and is
secured to the bottom thereof. Each of the said posts is formed with grooves or
channels d d so that, before a strainer is removed from one set of grooves, a fresh
strainer can be inserted behind or in front of it, in the adjacent grooves or
channels ;-for example, assuming that it is desired to remove one of the strainers G
from the grooves or channels d, a fresh strainer is first lowered into the grooves or
channels and the aforesaid strainer is then withdrawn from the grooves or
channels d; the straining operation can thus be carried on uninterruptedly. The
said posts and strainers must be made sufficiently strong to withstand the pressure
of the liquid which flows from the tank A into the tank B.
To facilitate the insertion of the removable strainers into the said grooves or
channels, and their withdrawal therefrom, when necessary or desirable, I provide
platforms L which are arranged at one or both sides of, and slightly above, each
row or set of strainers so that the attendant or other person can pass along the
same from one side of the tank or tanks to the other side thereof. When the
apparatus is of large size, I provide pulleys, overhead travelling cranes, or other
suitable means for raising and lowering the strainers.
In some cases I make the posts H with apertures e and provide sluice-valves or
doors f, or other suitable devices, for closing the said apertures, so that should one
row or set of strainers become choked or obstructed, the said apertures can be
opened to permit the flow of the liquid through the same to the succeeding row or
Bet of strainers.
I prefer to use peat in the strainers G, because, by reason of its well known
antiseptic properties, it fixes or retains nearly all the ammouia contained in the

page_text: sewage, but I can, if desired, employ other material, such as straw, which will
retain the portions of the sewage not held in solution.
Any ammonia and dissolved organic substances that may remain in the liquid
when it flows into the tank C are extracted and retained by the peat or other
charcoal therein.
At suitable intervals, the liquid portion of the sewage is allowed to drain from
the tank A, and the heavy or solid portions of the sewage which are deposited
therein are collected and can be used as manure. If it is desired to store this
manure, the dust charcoal from peat ovens can be sprinkled over it to thoroughly
disinfect it, if necessary. The charcoal contained in the tank C is removed when
it has become impregnated with ammonia and can also be used as manure; or it
may, if desired, be added to the heavy or solid matters contained in the tank A
after the liquid has been removed therefrom.
The strainers G are removed when they become foul or obstructed, fresh strainers
being previously placed in the corresponding adjacent grooves or channels as above
described. The peat or other material is then taken out of the strainers thus
removed, and can be utilized as manure either alone or in combination with the
substances collected from the tanks A and C. Thus the whole of the refuse from
the sewers will be rendered completely odourless.
By my invention, therefore, sanitary interests, as well as agricultural interests,
are provided for; the most fertilizing and most effective manures are saved; and
the refuse of the city can be employed to enrich the plain.
In some cases I employ two or more series of tanks, so that, while the manure
is being removed from one series of tanks and the latter are being prepared for
recominencing their operation, the purification of the sewage in the other series of
tanks can go on without intermission. And, in cases where the quantity of sewage
to be treated is small, I sometimes use a single tank divided into compartments.
Instead of employing the horizontal filter-bed of charcoal above described, I can,
if desired, fill the last row of strainers with charcoal, so that they will act as filters.
In this case the tank C will be unnecessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. The above described improved method of treating sewage, consisting in
passing the same through a tank provided with means for retaining the heavy or
solid portions of the sewage matter, then through a series of strainers composed of
frames containing peat or other suitable material, and then through a tilter or
filters of peat or other charcoal, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second. In an apparatus for purifying or disinfecting sewage and collecting the
valuable substances contained therein, the employment of rows or sets of strainers
consisting essentially of removable frames covered with wire gauze or the like and
filled with peat or other suitable material, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Third. In an apparatus substantially as above described, the employment of the
posts formed with apertures and provided with sluice-valves or other suitable means
for closing the said apertures, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fourth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for tho
purposes specified.
T
11004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.