Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying Water.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying Water.
We, LEONARD ARCHBUTT, of 11, Charnwood Street, Derby, Analytical
Chemist, and RICHARD MOUNTFORD DEELEY, of 10, Charnwood Street, Derby,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
In purifying water by precipitation according to the method described in our
Specification No. 1791 of 1889 and subsequent Specifications, it is convenient in
some cases to make the process a continuous one.
For this purpose we cause the impure water mixed with the proper proportion
of chemicals to flow through a tank divided into two parts, in the smaller of
which the chemically treated water is thoroughly mixed and agitated with the
precipitate of former operations, whilst in the second and larger division of the
tank the precipitate is allowed to subside so that clear or nearly clear water may
be drawn off from the top.
In one form of apparatus the tank is provided at one end near the top with a
distributing trough, extending almost across from side to side, into which the
impure water mixed with the chemicals is discharged. The current of water
passes downwards from this trough through short vertical pipes into the mud mixing
tank where it is at once mixed and agitated with the precipitate of former operations
kept in suspension by means of a current of air forced through perforated pipes at
the bottom of the mixing tank. The rising bubbles of air set up circulating
currents which cause the water to pass through this division of the tank with a
spiral motion, and having at length reached the side opposite to the distributing
trough the muddy water overflows into the settling tank, the current being directed
downwards and along the bottom of the tank by means of one or more baffle plates
extending across the tank and terminating about half way down. On the other
side of the first baffle plate there is fixed a trough into which the clarified water
overflows and from which it is drawn off by means of a pipe provided, if
necessary, with apparatus for carbonating the water as described in our previous
Specifications.
In order to provide for the return of some of the mud from the settling tank to
the mixing tank, two or more large pipes, perforated with holes on the underside,
are laid in the mud at the bottom of the settling tank and are extended,
unperforated, through the partition, nearly across the mixing tank, where they
pass into vertical pipes, open at the top, and about two thirds the height of the
tank. A portion of the air current is forced into these vertical pipes, near the
bottom, through small branch pipes from the delivery pipe of the blower, and thus
a current of water is set up through the large pipes from the settling tank to the
mixing tank which brings enough mud with it to maintain the proper quantity of
old precipitate in the mixing tank.
If the mud should become very dense over the return mud pipes, either from the
apparatus being allowed to stand idle, or from any other cause, so that the current
set up by the rising bubbles of air does not bring sufficient mud with it, it will be
necessary in order to loosen the mud to provide stirring apparatus within the pipes
which can be operated from the outside of the tank by manual labour or by power.
The settling tank may be furnished with additional perforated collecting pipes
along the bottom communicating with a cock for discharging the mud into a drain
or other receptacle outside the tank or with a steam water lifter or sludge pump
for the same purpose."
1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying Water.
We, LEONARD ARCHBUTT, of 11 Charnwood Street, Derby, Analytical
Chemist, and RICHARD MOUNTFORD DEELEY, of 10 Charnwood Street, Derby,
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 :-
In purifying water by precipitation according to the method described in our
Specification No. 1791 of 1889 and subsequent Specifications Nos. 3051 of 1891 and
11708 of 1891, it is convenient in some cases to make the process a continuous one.
For this purpose we cause the impure water mixed with the proper proportion
of chemicals to flow through a tank divided into two parts, in the smaller of which
the chemically treated water is thoroughly mixed and agitated with the precipitate
of former operations, whilst in the second and larger division of the tank the
precipitate is allowed to subside so that clear or nearly clear water may be drawn
off from the top.
In one form of apparatus the tank is provided at one end near the top with a
distributing trough, extending almost across from side to side, into which the
impure water mixed with the chemicals is discharged. The current of water passes
downwards from this trough through short vertical pipes into the mud mixing tank
where it is at once mixed and agitated with the precipitate of former operations
kept in suspension by means of a current of air forced through perforated pipes at
the bottom of the mixing tank. The rising bubbles of air set up circulating
currents which cause the water to pass through this division of the tank with a
spiral motion, and having at length reached the side opposite to the distributing
trough the muddy water overflows into the settling tank, the current being directed
downwards and along the bottom of the tank by means of one or more baffle plates
extending across the tank and terminating about half way down. On the other
side of the first baffle plate there is fixed a trough into which the clarified water
overflows and from which it is drawn off by means of a pipe provided, if necessary,
with apparatus for carbonating the water as described in our previous Specifications
Nos. 3051 of 1891 and 11708 of 1891.
In order to provide for the return of some of the mud from the settling
tank to the mixing tank, two or more large pipes, perforated with holes on the
underside, are laid in the mud at the bottom of the settling tank and are extended,
unperforated, through the partition, nearly across the mixing tank, where they pass
into vertical pipes, open at the top, and about two thirds the height of the tank.
A portion of the air current is forced into these vertical pipes, near the bottom,
through small branch pipes from the delivery pipe of the blower, and thus a
current of water is set up through the large pipes from the settling tank to the
mixing tank which brings enough mud with it to maintain the proper quantity of
old precipitate in the mixing tank.
If the mud should become very dense over the return mud pipes, either from the
apparatus being allowed to stand idle, or from any other cause, so that the current
set up by the rising bubbles of air does not bring sufficient mud with it, it will be
necessary in order to loosen the mud to provide stirring apparatus within the pipes
which can be operated from the outside of the tank by manual labour or by power.
The settling tank may be furnished with additional perforated collecting pipes
along the bottom communicating with a cock for discharging the mud into a drain
or other receptacle outside the tank or with a steam water lifter or sludge pump
for the same purpose.
In order that our invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal and vertical section of apparatus in accordance with
our invention. Figure 2 is a transverse section and Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
a' a' is a tank divided by a partition a into two compartments. The foul water
to be purified and already mixed with the precipitant enters the trough and is
mixed with the chemicals such as lime or other matter in this trough, it then
passes down into the tank by the short pipes b¹. cc are perforated pipes by which
air is blown into the water in the compartment a¹. The air is supplied by the air
main c leading from a blower capable of maintaining an adequate pressure of blast..
Considerable agitation is thereby produced and a thorough admixture is brought.
about not only of the water with the chemical newly supplied but also with.
previously precipitated mud which is brought in by the pipes d. The water thus
treated overflows the partition a into the second compartment a² of the tank and is
directed downwards by the baffle plate a³. This compartment of the tank is of
such dimensions that the water is in sufficiently slow movement in it and remains
sufficiently long to deposit the precipitate. The clear purified water overflows into
the trough e and it passes away by the outlet e'. The precipitate falls to the
bottom of the tank amongst the pipes in which are somewhat large perforations.
80 that the precipitate enters the pipes f freely. The pipes fpass through the
partition a into the first compartment of the tank and here the pipes are not.
perforated but they are connected with the upright pipes d d to which also air is.
admitted from the air pipes by connections at d₁ d'. The air produces an upward
current in the pipes d and the mud from the perforated pipes f is drawn in, and is.
expelled at the top of the pipes d.
To draw off the mud and to prevent too great an accumulation in the tank other
perforated pipes similar to f may be provided or by arranging suitable connections.
the same pipes f may be used for the double purpose of returning the mud to the
first compartment of the tank and of drawing it off out of the tank. Instead of
propelling the mud by means of air, pumps or other appliances may be provided
to withdraw mud from the compartment a² of the tank and propel it with sufficient.
force into the compartment a¹. Screw or other propellors may be provided within
the pipes to aid in moving the mud. The tank may be further divided by
additional partitions so that the water may be kept as still as may be to favour the
deposition of the precipitate. It will be observed that the water leaves the
apparatus nearly at the same level that it enters; there is little loss of head which
often is of great importance. Various chemicals may be employed as stated in the
Specifications of our previous Patents.
The drawings are not made to scale; frequently the tanks will need to be of
large dimensions and the pipes will then be more numerous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Apparatus substantially as described consisting of a tank with suitable inlet, and
outlet, and partition, and mud conveying appliances; the whole so arranged that.
the water to be purified flows continuously through the tank, entering one
compartment and afterwards passing into another; and that the water in the first.
compartment is agitated with mud and chemicals and in another compartment.
remains at rest and deposits a precipitate, a portion of which is returned to the
first compartment and is agitated with the incoming water.
D001 1.
1000
LEONARD ARCHBUTT.
R. M. DEELEY.