A New or Improved Method or Process for Purifying Sewage or Foul Water.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method or Process for Purifying Sewage or
Foul Water.
I JOSEPH TERTIUS WOOD of Butts Chambers Rochdale in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object and purpose of this my invention is purification of sewage or foul
water from sewers, manufactories or other works generally, and water supplied for
domestic purposes, which object I accomplish by means of an oxidating process, I
have conceived the idea that by the universal method of nature as regards the
purification of sewage, that if the sewage to be treated, be split up into finely divided
particles, and in such state oxidated by means of a blast or current of atmospheric
air, or air and supplemented oxygen, ozone, or other suitable gas, in such a manner
that the sewage so treated may dissolve to its utmost capacity a sufficient quantity
of air, or oxygen, in order to insure the best results.
According to my arrangement, the sewage when subjected to the blast may be
thereby cooled, and the oxidating action or process facilitated, also the promotion
of partial deodorization.
The application of the blast being capable of action in a dual capacity, not only
acting as an oxidating agent but also acts as a motive force, agitator, or mixer,
whereby any chemical precipitant and deodorant applied may be effectually blown
into or blended with the sewage, and thus to effect or insure a complete blend or
incorporation.
Sewage and foul water of any manufacturing process, though of very complex
nature contain two distinct forms of obnoxious elements viz. :-Firstly, the solid
and mechanically suspended matter. Secondly, the matter in chemical solution.
This dual character of impurities or pollution requires dual treatment, viz. :-
Firstly, the abstraction of the solid matter by forcing it to gravitate by means of
a chemical precipitant, and Secondly, the oxidation of the matter in solution and
their conversion thereby from dangerous and putrifying substances into harmless
ones. For the first stage it is necessary that the precipitant should be thoroughly
blended and incorporated with the foul water so that the particles of impurity in
the water and, the particles of the precipitant may cohere, and fall together, and
that there should be a period of absolute quiescence to permit them to gravitate at
the incipiant stage thereof. I claim for my invention that the motive force of the
blast will insure complete incorporation of the foul water with the precipitant with-
out any further mechanical aid, than that required to generate and apply the blast.
For the second stage it is necessary that the remainings, and to a certain extent the
invisible impurities, those which are in chemical solution should be subjected to
some form of oxidating process or other, and to the best of my knowledge this is
automatically accomplished by either passing the water through an artificial filter
bed, containing a layer or series of layers of porous material, secreting oxygen
within its pores, the water in passing through, dissolving the secreted oxygen the
process being intermittent so that the porous material may have its exhausted
oxygen replenished from the atmosphere, or by intermittent passage through the
soil of the field; the process being one of oxidating as above described, but requiring
a larger area than the artificial filter bed; or irrigation, by means of which the
process of oxidation or precipitation is assisted by the assimilating function of
I claim for my invention that the process of oxidation will be more vigorous,
searching, constant, and of more certain effect than by any other means, that it will
require less area for its operations, and can be applied indiscriminately where large
crops.

page_text: or small volumes of sewage or foul water have to be treated or purified, and as a
supplement to any existing system; a modification of the blast, or a judicious
admixture of pure oxygen, ozone, or other gas with the atmospheric air suitable to
the strength of the sewage or foul water, or the specific nature of its impurity, being
substantially the variation only consequent upon the application of my invention
with respect to its oxidating function.
The application of the blast may if desired be applied at various stages of the
process, for instance, a secondary or other aeration or purification might in some
cases be necessary, as may be the case in the treatment of sewage of a very foul
nature. This secondary or other application may be applied to, and is, according
to my arrangement applied at a certain stage or stages when the sewage is deprived
of its solids or matter in suspension. By means of the secondary or subsequent
applications the matter in solution may be then further dealt with, as may be
necessary, thus by the application of two or more blasts or doses of air or other
purifying gas at different stages of the process consequently according to the
multiplication of such applications more or less the sewage may be more or less
purified.
I will now describe the apparatus by which my process is carried into effect.
SHEET OF DRAWINGS No. 2.
Fig. 8. is a plan of filter beds.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a plan shewing the application of my process to the weir of a river or
stream.
Fig. 11. is a sectional elevation of Fig. 10.
The apparatus used for carrying my method of purification into effect
of any number or series of tanks, in order that the process of purification may take
may consist
place in one or more of the said tanks, whilst the remainder may be undergoing
cleansing operations. As shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed the apparatus
for conducting my process of purification is represented in duplicate see Fig. 1,
(Sheet 1), and Fig. 8 (Sheet 2), a set of 3 tanks j and duplicate filter beds o or
chambers n' are shewn respectively.
The sewage or foul water passing through the pipe or conduit a, flows into a
screening chamber b, thence through the orifice a into the pneumatic oxidating,
mixing, and cooling chamber d, the sewage being intercepted in its flow from the
chamber b, to the chamber d, by means of screens c, c¹ at any convenient part of the
chamber d I provide a suitable mixing or distributing apparatus e, consisting of a
hopper and motion rollers e¹, ell, see Fig. 2, and at or near the inflow of the sewage
I lead from a suitable air generating apparatus f, air tubes g, leading into the
chamber d, in a convenient manner and below the inflow of the sewage see
Figs. 5 and 7. The sewage thence passes from the chamber d through the orifice h,
into a channel i, wbich channel may have communication with one or more
precipitating chambers or tanks j, but as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed
precipitating tanks are shewn, in which tanks the solid matter is allowed to deposit,

page_text: a convenient period of quiescence being allowed for the settling or deposit of such
matter, the fluid thence passes out through the exit orifices k, into a channel k¹,
thence allowed to flow on to the oxidating stairs the risers or faces being
perforated or provided with openings, in connection with which openings are
provided any convenient number of tubes m, which branch from a main tube m¹
supplying atmospheric air ozone etc., from a suitable air compressing apparatus f,
from which apparatus atmospheric air ozone etc. may issue or any suitable admixture
of one or more gases suitable for the purpose of purification which component gases
may be led into the compresser at f, in any suitable manner.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-
:-
As the sewage passes from the screening tanks into the oxidating chamber d,
compressed air, oxygen, ozone, or other gas under pressure, is distributed from a
suitable apparatus at f, and in proximity to the sewage flowing into the chamber d,
and by the force of the blast, the consequence is, that the sewage is split or broken
up
into the form of spray, during this period, the precipitant from the hopper e, is
discharged by the action of the motion rollers so as to be distributed 'inter' the
spray, consequently at this part the precipitant is completely blended or incorporated
with the sewage in a finely divided or broken up state. In this condition the
sewage is then allowed to pass into the settling tank or tanks which are situated at
a lower level, the relative levels of the chamber d and the tank or tanks j being
determined or controlled more or less according to the topographical state or slope
of the ground. The fluid matter being then allowed to flow on to the oxidating stairs
which are situated at a lower level with relation to the settling tank, which fluid is
then again subjected to a secondary dose or doses of air or other gas, caused to pass
through the tubes or thoroughfares m, which branch from the main supply tube m',
which tube extends to and is fed from a compressing or air generating apparatus
situate at f
The fluid discharged' from the settling tank or tanks may if desired be lifted by
means of a pumping apparatus or pump, on to the oxidating stairs, this may be
necessary in case where the fall or slope of the ground does not admit of the stairs
being placed at a lower level than the precipitating tanks.
If desired the oxidating stairs may be dispensed with altogether, which may be
admissible particularly in the case when sewage is to be treated which may not be
of a very foul nature, I purpose to apply the oxidating stairs in connection
with my apparatus more particularly when sewage of a very foul nature is to be
dealt with.
I will now proceed to explain modifications shewing the application of my process
to a filter bed, also to the weir of a river or stream respectively. The modification
or arrangement as shewn in Fig. 8 is an arrangement adapted to be, and may be
applied, to the precipitating tanks illustrated in plan Fig. 1. connected by means
of the channels h, h.
The said arrangement of filter beds consist of a series of chambers /', in which
chambers I provide beds of filtering media o, which may be of any convenient
material, for instance, may consist of a material of a very finely porous nature, such
as vegetable carbon, pulverized engine ashes.
The sewage is allowed to pass from the tank or tanks j, into the channels n and
to overflow on to the first filter bed of the series, and thence to pass on to succeeding
beds by means of the said channels. The beds are arranged in such a position with
relation to each other, so as to admit of the sewage to descend from a higher to a
lower level, thence to pass out at p in a purified state.
The blast of air, oxygen, or other gas is applied or directed in or into the filter
chambers, by means of the tubes p', p", in the manner as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9,
by which arrangement the sewage may be thoroughly impregnated with the gas
during its admission on to the first of the series of filter beds, until it reaches the
outlet or exit thoroughfare p consequently oxygen or air may be replaced within
the pores or interstices of the filtering media as soon as exhausted, which exhaustion,
is caused by the passage of the water through the media, and by this means of

page_text: absorption of the oxygen or gas, the water may be purified, at the same time the
chamber and the filter or filtering media may be maintained in a cool and wholesome
state, and so maintained during the continuance of the blast.
This
I will now describe the modification as shewn in Figs. 10 and 11.
modification consists of an application of my process to the weir of a river or
stream According to such arrangement the risers » consist of perforated plates or
front pieces, in connection with which are connecting tubes t, which branch from a
main supply tube t' through which oxygen or compressed air may be passed, the
object of this arrangement is to apply a blast during the passage of the water over
the weir, which may be applied at each step or stage between the higher and the
lower level, thus by the application of the blast as specified, to the flowing water of
a river or stream, the water may be thus charged with oxygen or other gas to assist
and maintain self purification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
CLAIMS.
1. Admitting into a chamber foul water or sewage in conjunction with a blast of
atmospheric air, ozone, or other gas under pressure, or suitable admixtures thereof,
or the application of a blast of atmospheric air, ozone, or other gas under pressure
or suitable admixtures thereof to flowing water, so that the sewage or water may be
thoroughly disentragated or broken up by the force of the blast into finely divided
particles, or spray, at the same time oxidated or deodorized, which blast may be
applied in conjunction with or not in conjunction with a precipitant, as herein
described and for the purposes set forth.
2. The construction substantially as herein described in reference to Figures 1
and 2. whereby the sewage is first subjected to the oxidating and deodorizing process
and to precipitate during a period of quiescence, then to pass on to the oxidating
stairs and again subjected to a secondary oxidating process.
3. The construction referred to in Figures 8 and 9 shewing the application of
or directing the blast into a descending series of chambers provided with filtering
media or beds.
4. The oxidating chamber d which may be interposed between a screening
chamber or receptacle 6 and a precipitating tank j, as herein described.
5. The oxidating stairs having perforated risers 7, and graduated air tubes m,
which graduated pipes or tubes are provided in order to equalize the pressure or
action of the blast on the volume of water, which may be passing over the series of
stairs.
Dated this 23rd day of December A.D. 1891.