An Improved Method of Purifying Water or Contaminated Water, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Purifying Water or Contaminated Water,
and Apparatus therefor.
I, HERMANN KRIEG of Reichenbach Silesia in the Empire of Germany,
Official Architect 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 purpose of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for purifying
by mechanical means water or contaminated water whether for drinking purposes
or to ensure an unobjectionable effluent, and to kill bacteria therein.
Observation shows that if contaminating water is allowed to pollute a stream the
latter becomes gradually purified the further it runs from the source of the pollu-
tion. The greater the fall and the greater consequently the swiftness of the
running water the more rapid is the purification which thus appears to be due to
the greater agitation of the particles of the water and consequent rubbing and
attrition of the suspended solids and the more perfect oxygenation of the water by
the atmospheric air.
To reproduce these conditions in a mechanical manner and in the form of an
apparatus or machine I employ the device represented in secțion in the annexed
drawing.
The water to be purified and freed from bacteria is fed by pipe a into a vertical
pipe 6 which carries it down to near the bottom of a revolving vertical cylindrical
vessel c. This vessel is fitted upon a vertical central shaft e carried above and
below in bearings and 9 and having a pulley h by means of which it may be
revolved. The shaft e from its upper end down to just above the boss of the
vessel c is hollow and at its lower end it is solid. At the lower termination of the
hollow are openings d in the shaft; these openings will thus be near the boss of
the vessel cand to the inlet from pipe 6 into the said vessel. This hollow is for
admission of any chemical in solution or otherwise or of carbonic acid gas or other
gas if any is desired to be used for the treatment of the water.
The rotary speed given to the vessel c causes the water to rise on the walls by
centrifugal force in the known way until it issues at openings o in the walls of the
vessel c near their upper edge. The water issuing at these holes falls within the
outer cylindrical casing i and it is further subjected to friction and agitation by
pins & projecting on the one side from the casing i and on the other from the rotary
vessel c. The water then passes out at the outflow pipe l.
To provide for the aeration of the water a suitable fan or equivalent air
propeller m is placed on the shaft e within the upper end of the pipe 6 which is
enlarged for that purpose. The inlet n to this fan is provided with a cover by
which it may be closed when air is not to be admitted. The air drawn in by the
fan issues at into the pipe b and mingles with the water throughout its course
through the machine and finally passes out at the opening s in the pipe 7 which is
also provided with a cover for closing it.
u illustrates the pipe for supply of carbonic acid gas when this or any other gas
is used. In this case the air inlet n and outlets are closed and a certain pressure
of gas may be maintained in the machine by combining the pipe with the water
outlet pipe / so that the water may rise to a certain desired height in this pipe v
and give a relative amount of back pressure.
Where the nature of the water is such that one passage through this machine is
insufficient for its purification the water may be similarly passed through a second
like machine and if necessary through a series.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1.) The method of purifying water consisting in subjecting it to centrifugal
action in a rotary vessel together with aeration with air or gas and addition of
chemical reagents where necessary; and subsequently to agitation by passing between
projecting pins substantially as described.
2.) Apparatus for purifying water, comprising a rotary vertical vessel with
hollow shaft for induction of air, gas, or chemicals, a water inlet pipe, an exterior
casing, pins on the vessel and on the casing and an outlet pipe arranged substan-
tially as illustrated and described.
3.) The combination with a rotary vertical vessel with water inlet pipe b of a
fan or equivalent air propeller on the shaft of said vessel with air feed opening n
and an outlet openings in the eduction pipe 1 substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4.) The combination of a rotary vertical vessel, a hollow shaft e thereto with
outlets d, feed pipe to said shaft water eduction pipe and pipe v adapted to be
put in communication with the eduction pipe for the purpose of producing by the
water column in pipe e a back pressure when gas is introduced through pipe u or
otherwise into the apparatus for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th dex of Anil 1002
R. HADDAN,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent to Applicant.