Screen decanter for removing solids from wastewater

Abstract

A screen decanter for screening solids from waste water in a waste water treatment system comprising a drain manifold and a plurality of cylindrical cartridges mounted to the drain manifold, each of the cylindrical cartridges having an outer screen defining a cavity. Each of the cartridges includes a drain standpipe disposed within the cavity in communication with the drain manifold. Each drain standpipe includes a plurality of patterned openings arranged in at least one row along the length and partial circumference thereof and preferably comprises three rows of patterned openings, each row being disposed at a 120 rotational angle from the adjacent row of patterned openings. Each drain standpipe is disposed at a 30 rotational angle from its neighbor drain standpipe such that no row of patterned openings in any of said drain standpipes faces directly at any other row of patterned openings in any other drain standpipe.

Claims

1. A screen decanter for screening solids from waste water in a waste water treatment system comprising: a) a drain manifold; and b) a plurality of cylindrical cartridges mounted to said drain manifold, each of said cylindrical cartridges having an outer screen defining a cavity therewithin, wherein at least one of said cartridges includes at least one drain standpipe disposed within said cavity and in communication with said drain manifold, and wherein said at least one drain standpipe includes a plurality of patterned openings arranged in at least one row along the length and partial circumference thereof.

2. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of cylindrical cartridges are arranged on said manifold structure in parallel rows and wherein each of said cartridges includes a drain standpipe as claimed in claim 1.

3. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said drain standpipes comprises a plurality of rows of patterned openings.

4. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 3 comprising three rows of patterned openings, each row being disposed at a first rotational angle from its adjacent row of patterned openings.

5. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first rotational angle is 120.

6. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 4 wherein each of said drain standpipes is oriented at a second rotational angle from its immediate neighbor drain standpipe in both the same row and the adjacent row.

7. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second rotational angle is 30.

8. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 3 wherein no row of patterned openings in any of said drain standpipes faces any other row of patterned openings in any other drain standpipe.

9. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 3 wherein the shape of said patterned openings is selected from the group consisting of horizontal slots, vertical slots, circular, screening, and combinations thereof.

10. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a deflector plate disposed between said plurality of cartridges and said drain manifold.

11. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer screens have pores that are between about 25 micrometers and about 75 micrometers in diameter.

12. A screen decanter in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a perforated air plenum disposed adjacent each of said outer screens.

13. A screen decanter for screening solids from waste water in a waste water treatment system comprising: a) a drain manifold; b) a plurality of cylindrical cartridges mounted to said drain manifold in a plurality of rows, each of said cylindrical cartridges having an outer screen defining a cavity therewithin, wherein each of said outer screens has pores that are between 25 and 75 micrometers in diameter, wherein each of said cartridges includes a drain standpipe disposed within said cavity and in communication with said drain manifold, wherein each of said drain standpipes includes a plurality of patterned openings arrayed in at least one row along the length and partial circumference thereof, and wherein no row of patterned openings in any of said drain standpipes faces any other row of patterned openings in any other drain standpipe; and c) a deflector plate disposed between said plurality of cartridges and said drain manifold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a first isometric view from above of an embodiment of a screen decanter (SBX) in accordance with the present application;

(3) FIG. 2 is a second isometric view of the screen decanter shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 3A-3G are elevational views of alternate configurations of patterned openings in a drain standpipe;

(5) FIG. 4 is an isometric view from above of an individual screen cartridge of the screen decanter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric view from above of a manifold of the screen decanter shown in FIG. 1; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of a portion of a the screen decanter shown in FIG. 1, showing a currently preferred orientation of each of the drain standpipes with respect to adjacent drain standpipes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Throughout the following description, specific elements are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, in some embodiments the invention may be practiced without some of these elements. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It is to be further noted that the drawings may not be to scale.

(9) Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a preferred embodiment of a screen box (SBX) assembly 01 in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one cartridge 10 and, in a currently preferred embodiment, eight cartridges disposed in two rows of four cartridges each. Each cartridge 10 comprises a screen 12 forming a cavity 14 within which one or more drain standpipes 16 are located to draw waste water through the screen. Screens 12 are preferably shaped in the form of a cylinder with a circular base, although other configurations are possible. In a preferred embodiment, screens 12 are ultrafine screens having pores that are approximately fifty micrometers in diameter. A frame 18 removably attached to and supporting screens 12 serves to further define cavity 14 and forms the bottom of each cartridge 10, providing a barrier so that liquid may pass from outside of cartridge 10 into cavity 14 exclusively through screens 12 as the SBX assembly 01 operates during decanting.

(10) The vertical placement of SBX assembly 01 relative to the surface of liquid in a tank in a wastewater treatment system is such that the SBX assembly is submerged only to the depth necessary to bring liquid approximately to the tops of screens 12 but no further to prevent fluid from spilling over the top of frame 18.

(11) At least one opening 20 is located at the bottom and inside of cartridge 10, through which liquids may flow from cavity 14 inside the cartridge to outside the cartridge. At least one drain standpipe 16 is located inside the cavity 14 at opening 20 forming a channel for the flow of liquid from inside cavity 14 to opening 20.

(12) In a currently preferred embodiment, at least one row of patterned perforations 24, and preferably three longitudinal arrays of such patterned perforations as are described below, is formed in each drain standpipe 16. (For convenience, the terms perforations, holes, and openings are used interchangeably herein.) The cross-sectional areas of perforations 24 increase with increasing height along the length of each drain pipe 16. Perforations 24 receive decanted fluid from each cavity 14 and are distributed along drain standpipes 16 to promote uniform flow by counteracting the gravitational head of filtered effluent within each screen 12.

(13) Referring to FIGS. 3A-3G, in exemplary drain standpipes 16 various configurations of suitable perforations 24 (holes 24a, vertical slots 24b tapering or of variable length, horizontal slots 24c, and screening 24d) are shown.

(14) Referring to FIG. 3E, in a currently preferred embodiment, a drain standpipe 16 is of constant diameter along its length. A plurality of holes 24a perforate the drain standpipe 16, and are vertically spaced along the length of the drain standpipe with at least two of the holes 24a having different diameters.

(15) In a currently preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, holes 24a are arrayed in three vertical rows of holes with each row evenly spaced about the circumference of said drain standpipe 16, i.e., so that each row of holes is disposed at about of the way around the circumference of the drain standpipe, that is, 120, from the next row of holes. The holes 22a promote uniform flow at all depths of immersion across each screen 12. The same arrangement of holes applies to the other types of holes shown in FIG. 3.

(16) Referring now to FIG. 6, drain stand pipes 16 are disposed in a currently preferred arrangement in SBX embodiment 01. In plan view, each drain standpipe 16 having three rows of holes at 120 from its adjacent row of holes is mounted at a 30 rotation from its immediate neighbor drain standpipe, in both the same row and the adjacent row. (The centerlines 50 of each row of openings 24 is shown for each drain standpipe 16.) Thus no row of openings in any drain standpipe 16 faces any other row of openings in any other drain standpipe. Various combinations of drain standpipe orientations can be shown to meet these criteria and all such combinations are fully comprehended by the present invention.

(17) Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, a manifold 24 collects liquids from each drain stand pipe 16 via opening 20 in the bottom of each cartridge 10. Further, in a currently preferred embodiment, a deflector plate 26 is disposed between cartridges 10 and manifold 24 in screen box assembly 01 to suppress vertical motion of liquid in a tank below the screen box assembly, in effect preventing larger settled BOD particles below the SBX from moving up in the tank and fouling the screens 12 of the screen box assembly.

(18) In a currently preferred embodiment, an air plenum 28 is attached to a lower region of each frame 20 in screen box assembly 01, each air plenum being supplied from a source of compressed gas and being provided with exit openings such as slots or holes 29 so that air bubbles exiting the air plenum 28 through the exit openings 29 flow upward along, near, and through the surfaces of screens 12 of the screen box assembly to scour and clean the screens.

(19) Referring now to FIG. 5, manifold 24 comprises a central drain channel 30 terminating in a drain outlet 32. Central drain channel 30 is transected by a plurality of feeder channels 34 that drain into the central drain channel 30. In turn, cartridges 10 (not shown here) transect and drain into feeder channels 34 via mating ports 36 that are sealed between the cartridges and feeder channels. Compressed gas from a source, not shown, enters manifold 24 via gas intake port 38 and exits the manifold via air exit ports 40 that are sealed between the cartridges and feeder channels. Lifting columns 42 are provided for railing and lowering decanter 01.

(20) While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.