Patent ID: 8715498

Claim:
A water treatment system ( 10 ) comprising: a clarifier ( 30 ), said clarifier ( 30 ) including, a vertically-oriented vessel ( 100 ), a tubular diffuser ( 110 ) vertically disposed within said vessel ( 100 ), said diffuser ( 110 ) defining an annular chamber ( 126 ) between an exterior wall of said diffuser ( 110 ) and an interior wall of said vessel ( 100 ), said diffuser ( 110 ) extends downwardly from a top ( 102 ) of said vessel ( 100 ) and includes an open bottom ( 116 ), said diffuser ( 110 ) includes a first plurality of ports ( 134 ) radially disposed about the circumference of said diffuser near said top ( 102 ) and includes a second plurality of ports ( 136 ) radially disposed about the circumference of said diffuser below said first plurality of ports ( 134 ), said diffuser ( 100 ) includes interior upper, middle, and lower chambers ( 120 , 122 , 124 ) and defines an exterior annular region ( 126 ), said annular region ( 126 ) includes upper, middle and lower areas corresponding generally in elevation to said upper, middle, and lower chambers ( 120 , 122 , 124 ), respectively; and a mixer ( 140 ) disposed within said diffuser ( 110 ), wherein said mixer ( 140 ) and said diffuser cooperate to create upper and lower circulation patterns in said vessel ( 100 ), said upper circulation pattern includes axial down-flow from said upper chamber ( 120 ) into said middle chamber ( 122 ), radial out-flow from said middle chamber ( 122 ) to said middle area of said annular region ( 126 ), axial up-flow from said middle area of said annular region ( 126 ) to said upper area of said annular region ( 126 ), and radial inflow from said upper area of said annular region ( 126 ) to said upper chamber ( 120 ), and said lower circulation pattern includes axial up-flow from said lower chamber ( 124 ) into said middle chamber ( 122 ), radial out-flow from said middle chamber ( 122 ) to said middle area of said annular region ( 126 ), axial down-flow from said middle area of said annular region ( 126 ) to said lower area of said annular region ( 126 ), and radial inflow from said lower area of said annular region ( 126 ) to said lower chamber ( 124 ).