An Improved Process for Disinfecting and Purifying Sewage."
Year: 1888

page_text: An Improved Process for Disinfecting and Purifying Sewage."
I, ROBERT EDWARD PHILLIPS of 70 Chancery Lane in the parish of Saint Andrews
Holborn in the county of Middlesex, Member of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been communicated
to me from abroad by Francis Strudwick Harwood now residing at Carcavellos, in
Portugal, Electrician, to be as follows :-
The objects of this invention are to disinfect and purify sewage, and to precipitate
its manurial matter before the liquid portion of it is discharged into rivers, streams
or other outtalls. I attain these ends by ozonizing and oxidizing the sewage
as it passes through or from the sewers or channels, to the deposits or out-falls.
1 cause the sewerage to pass over suitable sills of non-oxidable electrical conductors,
discharging into it positive electricity from any convenient position approximate to the
floor of the sewers or channels.
The electricity may be furnished from any suitable source, preferably from dynamos
delivering continuous currents.
When positive electricity is discharged into the sewage it produces ozonized
oxygen by decomposition of a portion of the liquid itself, which oxygen causes its
disinfection, and determines the deposition of the solid matter held in suspension.
The equivalent hydrogen gas produced I collect in suitable receivers, and utilize the
same for heating or lighting purposes or for fuel for the motors required for driving
the dynamos. When practicable I also utilize the flow or fall of the sewage either
or both before or after its treatment, for driving the dynamos either directly or
indirectly.
Dated this 94th day of February 1088
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An improved Process for Disinfecting and Purifying Sewage.
[, ROBERT EDWARD PHILLIPS of 70 Chancery Lane, in the parish of Saint Andrews
Holborn in the county of Middlesex, Member of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been communicated
to me from abroad by Francis Strudwick Harwood now residing at Carcavellos in
Portugal, Electrician, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of this invention are to disinfect and purify sewage, and to precipitate
its manurial matter before the liquid portion of it is discharged into rivers, streams, or
other outfalls. I attain these objects by ozonizing and oxidizing the sewage as it
passes through or from the sewers or channels to the deposits or outfalls.
I cause the sewage to pass over suitable sills of non-oxidizable electrical conductors,
discharging into it positive electricity from any convenient position approximate to the
floor of the sewers or channels.
The electricity may be furnished from any suitable source, preferably from dynamos
delivering continuous currents.
When positive electricity is discharged into the sewage it produces ozonized
oxygen by decomposition of a portion of the liquid itself, which oxygen causes its
disinfection, and determines the deposition of the solid matter held in suspension.
The equivalent hydrogen gas produced I collect in suitable receivers, and utilize the
same for heating or lighting purposes, or for fuel for the motors required for driving
the dynamos.
When practicable I also utilize the flow or fall of the sewage either or both
before or after its treatment for driving the dynamos either directly or indirectly.
The accompanying diagram illustrates a convenient manner of carrying my inven-
tion into practical effect.
I lay on or near the floor of the sewer A at convenient points in its course, sills or
plates B B etc. of any suitable non-oxydable metal forming electrical conductors, or
I otherwise cause the sewage to flow over such sills in any suitable and convenient
.manner. These sills are joined to the positive pole (+) of a powerful dynamo or
other convenient source of electricity suitable to the quantity of sewage to be dealt
with.
The negative pole (-) of the same source of electricity (dynamo or otherwise) I
join to suitable plates CC etc. forming the negative conductors, these plates are
immersed near the surface of the stream of sewage at a convenient distance behind the
sills B B etc. forming the positive conductors so that the stream of liquid flows from
the negative towards the positive pole. I cover the negative conductors C C etc. with
an inverted open-mouthed chamber D, forming an air tight collector for the hydrogen
gas evolved at the negative electrode. To the collector D a pipe d is attached which
passes loosely through the structure of the sewer, or through a tube or pipe fixed
therein, so that the chamber D is free to rise and fall with the quantity of sewage
passing through the sewer.

page_text: The chamber D which may be of any other convenient shape than that shown is so
arranged above the negative electrode CC etc. as to collect the gas arising therefrom
the said gas being conveyed away through the pipe d.
,
The disinfectant oxygen gas obtained by the action of the positive electricity on the
sewage is carried forward by the stream as fast as produced, and absorbed by the
organic matter present in it. This organic matter, after oxydation, subsides as soon
as it is allowed to rest.
Where the sediment can be made use of the sewage is conveyed to settling
tanks.
The explosive gases evolved at the negative pole are led away by means of the
pipe d attached to the chamber D, to be consumed in heating the engines for driving
the dynamos, or for any other purpose for which it can be utilized.
It is well known that the most efficient way of disinfecting putrifying matter, is to
cause it to absorb oxygen. I supply oxygen in its most active form direct to the
sewage, making it from the sewage itself in any required quantity. The organic
matter present immediately absorbs it, increases in weight, and subsides, leaving the
effluent pure.
In my plan there is no danger of explosion from the mixture of the gases as those
evolved at the negative pole are conveyed without being allowed to mix either with
the gas evolved at the opposite pole, or with the atmospheric air.
I am aware that electric currents have already been passed through sewage for the
purpose of disinfecting it and I therefore do not broadly claim the use of electric
currents for this purpose, but 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 :-
•
1. Disinfecting and purifying sewage during its passage or flow through sewers or
over sills, specifically in the manner hereinabove set forth.
2. The use of ozonized oxygen generated from a positive electrode or electrodes for
disinfecting sewage substantially as set forth.
3. In a process for disinfecting sewage by discharging into it positive electricity,
collecting and utilizing the hydrogen gas evolved at the negative electrode or electrodes,
as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a process for disinfecting sewage by discharging into it positive electricity,
the use of the oxygen and hydrogen gases for the separate and independent purposes
specified, as set forth.
a
Dated this 21st day of December 1888.