The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1997
Sidney E Clark, Madison, WI (US);
John R Currie, Batavia, IL (US);
John J Fassbender, Batavia, IL (US);
Other;
Abstract
An anaerobic sludge digester has a top, a bottom, sloped sides leading to the bottom, and a draft tube with an upper end spaced downward of the top of the digester and a lower end spaced upward of the bottom of the digester. The draft tube may have a propeller, impeller, or jets that enable liquid to be transported through the draft tube from one part of the digester to another. The digester has a discharge mouth positioned within the digester to receive heavy material that is pumped from the bottom of the digester and which flows outward across the liquid surface. One or more spray nozzles are located above the liquid surface to break up foam and emulsions. The mouth may also be used to effectively remove scum and light solids from the liquid surface. A shutoff valve on a discharge pipe extending from the discharge mouth can be closed while sludge is added to the system, causing the liquid level to rise above the mouth. After the spray nozzles are used to create a swirl in the surface liquid, the shutoff valve can be opened to draw in significant quantities of scum and light solids.