US1477894A

US1477894A - Apparatus for facilitating bacteriological propagation

Info

Publication number: US1477894A
Authority: US
Inventors: Perry George Elliot
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1915-11-08
Filing date: 1915-11-08
Publication date: 1923-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1940-12-18

Description

Been m N23, L EJYZQQQ- G. E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BAGTERIOLOGICAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov. 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet Th Dec. 18 1923. IAYZSW} v G. E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BACTERIOLOGICAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov, 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 18; 1923. RATZWJ LL G. E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BAC'VIERIOLOGICAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov. 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 X72067 222 7" fleorgiZZzfoffirvy Dec. 18 1923. 11,477g894 A E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BACTERIOLOGICAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov. 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet 4;

* Z 24 ig. 52 25 a /25 z W at Dec. 18 1923. L4Ff7fi4 I G. E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BACTERIOLOGICAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov. 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 1% 1923. 1,471,894

. E. PERRY APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING BACTERIOLOGIGAL PROPAGATION Filed Nov, 8, 1915 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 GEORGE ELLIOT PERRY,

or cnrcaeo, ILLINQIS.

APPATUS FOR FACILITATIN BACTERIOLQGICAL PROPAGATIGK'.

Application flleii November To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, GEoncE ELLIOT PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use-' ful Improvements in Apparatus for Facilitating Bacteriological Propagation, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating bacteriological propagation.

It will be explained as applied to the purification of sewage, although'it may be util iz ed in other fields.

ne of the objects of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for encouraging the reproduction and propagation of aerobic biological organisms".

Another object is to provide improved apparatus for providing an adequate and sustained supply of dissolved oxygen for the rapid and healthy growth and propagation of aerobic bacteria.

Another ob'ect is to provide apparatus for prolonging the contact of oxygen bearing fluids with the culture medium.

Another object is to provide apparatus whereby the supplyof oxygen is mademore' dependable.

Another object is to provide apparatus which may be readily relieved of the excess growth of biological organisms, their life products and admixed culture'media.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus for the continuousbiological treatment of organic matter.

Another object is to provide apparatus which .will not readily become clogged or choked and inefficient through the growth and collection of the organisms and precipitated matter.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus especially adapted for the purification of sewage.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

As applied, forexample, to the treatment of that culture medium known as sewage, the invention contemplates the continuous passage of'the fluid sewage through an aerobic bacteria propagating receptacle or receptacles, wherein means are provided for insuring a continuous abundant supply of soluble oxygen in prolonged contact with such as the ordinary s, 1915.; Serial No. acac a.

the sewage stream. Preliminary treatment processes of screening,- grit removal, chemical admixture and sedimentation or precipitation may be employed prior to the bacteriological treatment, it any of these steps are necessary or deemed desirable; The growth and propagation of the bacteria and the formation of the resultant or accompanying sludge is carried on upon shelves located in the receptacle and disposed at suitable inclinations to insure t e proper avalanching matter so that the maintenance of the system at a desired degree of efficiency is insured.

Attempts have beenmade to successfully aerate fluids bearing organic matter under going biological treatment, by bubbling air therethrough. More complete dispersion of air through the treated fluid h tempted by employmg beds of stone, etc,

to flow. Such expedients' are ob ectionable because the time the air is in contact with the fluid is relatively short, reducing the time available for oxygen solution. Also of rash e use of stone or ciency. Such cleaning is expensive, tedious and unpleasant.

ursuant to my invention the stream of organic matter laden fluid has a stream of treating fluid, for example air, conveyed in a tortuous path therethrough and in contact therewith. The air is substantially confined to a definite, predetermined tortuous path which prolongs its contact with the treated or solvent fluid. The air path is so constituted that, in case of interruption the source of supply, there is still a con siderable quantity of air trapped or retained within the solvent fluid.

The sloping shelves, upon which the desired aerobic bacteria propagate and whereon sludge is deposited cleanse themselves of surplus accumulations. The sludge of the collecting employed in the purification gathers until the weight of the accumulation overcomes the adhesion between particles, whereupon quantities will slough off or avalanche and settle to lower levels and finally reach the bottom of the receptacle where it may be removed readily. Thus the aerated propagating grounds are self cleansing to the extent that they will not clog and foul because of excess accumulations of sludge. The accompanying drawings illustrate how the invention may be advantageously of sewage. The views in the drawings are as follows: Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectionthrough a sewage treating system.

Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a series of built up air conducting purifying tile.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of one of the tiles. Fig. 7 's a section taken thru the structure shown in Fig.- 5 where one tile is superposed upon anothershowing the bottom tile and the one immediately section taken on line thereabove.

' Fig. 8 shows a perspective bottom view of a difierent form of tile used for the same urpose as those shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 1s\ a plan bottom view of tile shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section shown on line LO-10 ofFig. 3. y

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

. In-all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts. i

It may contribute to a better understandingofmy process if in describing the appato the processesthat take place in the various receptacles ratus I incidentally refer andsubseo uently describe the entire process more fully In the schematic representation of my invention I have illustrated two separate sets. or independent series of. tanks, containers or receptacles and in describing them I will place reference characters on one set 0 series of duplicate receptacles and indicate similar parts ponent pr1me().

A sewage receiving tank into twocompartments by a wall 21. The wall does not extend to the bottom of the tank 20, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, but extends in an angular direction towards the intermediate dividing wall 22 forming a hopper like receptacle 23. '24 is the receiving receptacle into which the sewage is primarily admitted thru a conduit 25. In the receptacle 24 are a series of inclined 20 is divided

screens

26, 27 and 28, consisting preferably f 44 and 44' may in the other set when necessary .by similar'characters with the additional exthe bars of screen 27 and those of the screen 24 are than are those-of the screen 28, so that much'of the material that is the screen 26 will be caught and the most of that which is not caught by the screen 27 will be caught by the screen 28. I do not limit myself to this particular screen construction, but may use any efficient type ofv screen or dispense not caught by by the screen 27,

the screen 26 are further with them without prejudice to my claims.

' The receptacle 24 is divided into three

screen chambers

29, 30 and 31, separated by the respective screens and having hopper like bottoms. The screens rest upon'the top of the walls dividing the hoppers and are inclined in, a direction toward the flow of the confluent. The it per edges of these screens are a few inc line 32 of the screen chamber and rest upon tapered

troughs

38, 34 and 35, respectively, which pass thru'the partition wall 21, into the sludge chamber 36. Slide valves 38,

i 39 and 40 are adapted to close the ports thru whichthe screenings pass so as to entirely separate the screen chambers from the receiving chamber 36. The floating dbris being held or restrained by the screens and thus caused to take an upward path will be caught in the troughs and the heavier mineral matter will be deposited in the hopper bottom of the

chambers

29, 30 and This heavier sediment usually contains very little ofi'ensive matter and in the course of time, as it accumulates, may be removed from the screen chambers a series of pipes 41. The sewage flows from screen chambers thru a valve port 42, controlled by va valve 43 into a conduit 44. This conduit is divided from the conduit 44.'by another valve 45 so that the conduits be connected. should occasion require. The water line. or water level in the receptacle 36, is at 46, and is maintained lower than is the water line or level 32 in the screen chambers. In practice there isabout six feet diiference in the water heads for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

When the sewage flows from the screening chambers into the conduit 44, it passes therefrom into the relatively long narrow flow or purifying chamber 46. The puritying chamber is provided with a bottom formed into a series of sloping walled hoppers 48, and consists of a series of like sections, preferably about eight to twenty es below the water incaagsee or more, depending upon the character and as theside wall 57 and serve as guides volume of sewage to be purified, of which the air escaping thru a tuyere of the tile eaclrsection contains a hopper and duypliimmediately below. Made in the side walls cate apparatus. Therefore, my description 57 and 58 are obliquely positioned semia will be confined to a single section. circular depressions 64: which with the ad ach section containsaplurality of stacks jacent tile in the same horizontal plane of-

tiles

50 and 51, (the purpose and use of fdrm a circular opening for an air conductwhich will be hereafter more fully deing pipe 68 which passes down between adscribed) arranged or stacked in theorder 'acent stacks of tile. Transversely of the 1 more clearly shown in Fig. 10, inclined for nopper d8 in the chamber 4:7 are bar or '7 instance, from the right upwardly toward beam supports 69 upon which are secured the left and another series of similar tiles angular supports l0,v upon which the first.

2 and 53, the same in every respect, with tile, of the stack of tiles, rests, and therethe exception that the tiles 52 and 53 are after each tile afiordsa support tor these 155 stacked so as to beinclined in the opposite jacent superposed tile.

direction, that is to say, from the left up- It will be observed that each sup-porting wardly toward the right. Each of the rib 56 has its upper surface wetted stacks referred to is composed of a series which is inclined at a predetermined angle of individual tiles 5 t, made preferably oil so that deposits accumulate thereon and 2 cement or some other suitable non-absorbent upon which the organisms desired to be 8 material, having a relatively smooth upper cultivated may live and flourish in their receiving surface of the wall 55 and a series close proximity to the air within the conof internal ribs or bailles 56 projecting from duits or passageways 59 which constitute the other side of said wall. The ribs 56 the source of oxygen so necessary to. the

extend transversely across the under side of growth, propagation and maintenance of 99 the tile from the side wall 57 to the oppothese desirable organisms.-

site side wall 58. When the tiles are in- Located below the lowermost inclined tile clined, as shown in F 1g. 10, and submerged of the stack is an air distributor of any in the sewage liquid there is contained beacceptable or efficient design, as for instance tween the under surface of each of the ribs ;in this embodiment, consisting of battle 56 and the wall 55, an air pocket or path plates 72 and 73, joined by a hollow parti- 59. Looking at Fig, 9,.it will be observed tion 74%, thru which the air conducting pipe that there are 12 cross ribs 56 and that the 68 passes to the bottom thereof. llmmedifourth rib from the bottom and the eighth ately below the terminalend 68 or" the rib from the bottom extend in unbroken pipe 68'is an air deflector 75'and immedi- 1W continuity from wall 57 to wall 58, but ately above the end of the pipe 68 is an that the other ribs have at their ends, air 0

lique wall

76 and 76*" that form an air passages or notches 60, alternate ribs havpocket 77 above the end '68 of the pipe. ing notches at the same endQ lhis divides The bafie plates 72 and 73, are provided 40 the under side of the tile into three secwith notches thru which the air, coming the tions or air paths, each section terminating thru the pipe 68, passes to the underside in a tuyere, or air passage 61, for escape of of the, first superposed tile; Lookin at the air from t e passage 59 to a" similar Fig. 10, the air streams that will pass rrorn passage in theadjacent superposed tile, as the pipe 68 thru the notch 69 is indicated will be hereinafter morefully'shown,- The by a series of bubbles 180 which enter be- He side walls 57 and 58 of the tile are provided tween the second and third ribs, 'near the withlate'rally projecting lips62, by means bottom of the first tile. The air will pass of which the tiles may be supported or susalong the longitudinal air passages or conpended from proper support, or one upon duits 59 betweenadjacent ribs-untilit comes so the other, as shown in Fig. 10. to an air opening 66, from whence it will 1116 it will be readily seen that as the deposits pass into the next air pocket and so on thru of solid matter upon these wetted sloping each adjacent rib in the opposite direction, surfaces 56 increases and as the zoologic until it comes to the tuyere 61. It will then growth increases thereon, therewill come a as time when the surfaces will become overbig. 10, along the-nose 63, which guides it 326 loaded and the mass will develop cleavage into the first air passage of the next superplanes and will thereupon avalanche, slide posed tile. This same stream of air will 'or slough away from the surfaces .56 delivt en pass along the adjacent air passages ering a certain more or less compacted mass in the same manner, passing thru the air so of sludge therefrom which will deposit upon opening 60 at the alternate ends or the H25 the surface 55 immediately below, thus freerib 56 until it encounters the next tuyere in the surface 56 for further accumulation. 61 when it will again pass to the next tile lrojecting inwardly from the wall 57 and immediately thereabove and to the third intermediate of tuyre 61 are inwardly pro-. tile in the series and in like manner will as jecting noses 63which are of the same width continue to pass from the lower section of re sludge storage the tiles to the move upwardly be applied to tile immediately above in proper'consecutive order until it reaches the top tile of the stack, from whence it will escape to the outside atmosphere, above the liquid contents.

Another stream of air 83 from the pipe 68 willfiow from the opposite side of the baflle plate 7 3 and pass into air pockets between the fourth and fifth ribs, and in like manner it will pass in alternate directions thru adjacent air pockets and escape upwardly again and be directed by the nose 63 into a section of the tile immediately thereabove. .The air stream 8i escaping thru the opening 78 in the bafile plate 72 willpass upwardly thru the liquid until it strikes the last series of longitudinally extending air pockets from whence it will escape thru the last tuyere 61 to thesimilar pockets of the immediately adjacent superposed tile and thus it will be seen that the air coming thru pipe 68 is provided with a plurality of tortuous paths, thru elongated passageways or pockets beneath consecutive tiles and in which it is detained immediately above a relatively large surface area of the fluid contents, giving the opportunity and sufficient time within which to absorb the oxygen from the air as'it slowly passes thru this elongated path.

Of course it will be understood that the buoyant tendency of the air will cause it to thru the passages without artificial means but that slight pressure may the air coming in the pipe ()8 to accelerate this effect and thereby the speed with which the air may move thru this elongated path may be slightly varied by varying the pressure applied to it while in the pipe (58 or the reservoir with which it connects. It will be observed that immediately below each of the air pockets 59 is a relatively smooth inclined receiving surface provided by the tile immediately below so that any precipitation from the passage for theliquid contained therein will be caught by the surface 55.

Precipitated matter sloughed away from the surface will descend to the hopper 48 and at appointed times may be removed therefrom thru siphon pipe connected to main 82 by a valve 81. Main 82 is connected to the. sludge pump or air operated sludge forcing ram 83 and is also furnished with discharge means delivering by gravity into tank 36. Since it will be found that much higher life abounds in these tanks, it is necessar to so order the outflow means as to keep within the tank, crustacae, fish, mollusks, etc. as might attempt to escape or be carried out with the effluent, as it is desirable that such life be retained to aid the process of purification. Therefore, I leave clear at the outlet end of tank a considerable'space so that any current set up in .80 and pipe 82 is preferably delivered fluid contents ampleas merely inoffensive in the flowing sewage may be somewhat stilled and a comparatively slowilow be accomplished for the ellluent.

The sludge withdrawn thru siphon pipe I to the sludge storage tank 36 by means of suitable discharge outlets and asthe level 36 of the sludge storage tank is lower-than the level 32 which is also the level of the treating tank there will be set up, upon the opening of the proper valves 81, etc. a flow by gravity from the hopper in question to the sludge storage tank. When it is thought that a sufiicient quantity of sludge has been delivered from that particular hopper, then valve 81 is closed. The sludge in the sludge storage tank is kept aerated by air retaining tile which constitute a series of tortuous passageways or conduits for the air to traverse on its passage to the surface Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, 90 represents a unit of these troughs or tile. They .are here shown as suspended from above but they may be supported in any suitable manner and they may be made ina single structure. if desired.

The eiiluent flowing beneath baffle 84 escapes to outfall conduit or sewer 85 by means of weirs or gates 86 and flows away, aerated water to the point of outfall or discharge. Should it be desired to sterilize the effluent by chemical means, chlorine gas may be injected into the air supplied to the last few rows of tile and 'this will thoroughly and effectually sterilize the effluent, or beneath the tile may be placed electrically energized electrodes of iron which will also produce the same effect, the gases escaping from the electrodes being collected by the tile and held until absorbed or replaced by more gases.

The sludge withdrawn thru siphon

pipes

80 and 82 is preferably delivered to the sludge storage tank 36 by means of a suitable discharge outlet and as the level 36 of the sludge storage tank is lower than the level 32, the level of the purifying or treating tank, there will be set up, on the opening 0 the proper valve 8L. etc. a tlow by gravity from the hopper in question to the sludge storage tank. When it is deemed that sufficient sludge has been delivered from that certain hopper. then valve 81 is closed.

The sludge in the storage tank 36 is also aerated by air retaining tile 90 which constitute a series of tortuous path ways or conduits for the air to traverse on its passage thru the sludge to the surface.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, a unitof these troughs or tile, as also shown in Figs. 1 and 4. and they are here shown as preferably suspended from above by air pipes and rods but they may supported in any manner without departing from the spirit of my invention.

90 represents or tuyere 98 thru which 'air above. Thus 1n imageee As will be seen in Fig. 5 the

suspension rods

91 and 91 are solid, but 92 and 92 are air conducting pipes. These rods and pipes extend thru all the tile to the bottommost andare suitably headed at the lower ends as for instance by a nut and washer, so that the weight of the tile is upheld bythe tensile strength of the pipes and rods.

Now referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the air conducting tile consists of a 93 braced longitudinally by the reinforced rib 94 and divided into

compartments

97, 97, '97", by cross braces 95 95 and 95", which may "be of greater or less, number as the tiles are short or long. At either end of ribs 9.4 is a sleeve or bearing column 96 and 96*, thru which the supporting tile rods are passed." At the end compartment 97" will be seen an opening trapped be- 93 when augmented b a may escape to the trough Fig. 7 the streams of air being supplied at the end of 93?, bubbles neath a trough further supply,

under

cross ribs

95, 95 and then beneath 95", B

enteringin turn spaces orcompartments 97*, 97, etc. and lastly 97". Thus it esca es thru tuyere 98 and is immediately con ned by compartment 97 in tile 93, while in Fig. 5 it is shown that from 93 the air escapes to 93,

thence to 93, and from that tile it bubbles is broken away to ,show

thru tuyere 98 to 93, then to 93 and will thus traverse the vertical spiral pathway around the unit until it is delivered to the atmosphere from the final exit at the top.

However, had the tile been supported from two rods instead of four as is clearly shown in Fig. 5, the ends a and I; would have alternated above each other and thus the air would have traversed a pathand a return path back and forth until it reached the top. Thus it is shown that these tiles or troughs will contain numerous air'surfaces, as shown inFig. 5, in tile 93 which the air and water line 98. These surfaces are being constantly agitated by the continued bubblin of the air beneath the partitions 95 w ich th agitation aids greatly the absorption of oxygen from the air exposed. This bubbling agitation is also shown in Fig. 10.

While the sludge which is delivered into a tank 36 from the hopper 48 has already been more or less worked over by animalculae'of various genera the action will continue as long as the liquid is aerated and organic matter remains, though I deem it wise atthe'time of delivering the first sludge from hoppers 48 into tank 36 to agitate the contents,- then or at another time, by means of air released thru pipes 99 or by pumpsor other means, so that the sludge may be thereby thoroughly mixe and incorporated with the screens 26. 27 and 28,

the older and more reduced sludge and thus I avail myself of the greater quantity, of organisms existing in the old sludge and which will at 'once attack and act upon the fresh increments and also receive the benefit of the digestive enzymes and active ferments produced in excess to that re: quired to digest the older sludge. After the period of agitation has ceased or the contents of the tank be thoroughly mixed the tank is allowed to remain quiescent save for the constant circulation of air thru the tile so as to separate by quiescent precipita tion the solid from the more liquid parts of the sludge and just before again receiving fresh sludge the supernatant liquid is drawn ofi' thru valves 100 and delivered by pump 83, back thru pipes not shown, to the settling tank, preferably at the fresh or raw sewage end, thus seeding the fresh sewage with micro-organisms and obtaining the benefit of enzymes, active ferments, etc. produced while the sludge is being digested to aid in fiocculating the dissolved and suspended matter of the raw sewa y opening valve 81 and eductingy pump .83from tank 36, we can thus empty tank 36 of its more or less liquid contents which may be disposed of by compressing in sludge presses; drying the same on sludge beds or bypumping direct to burial beds or trenches.

I prefer to press the sludge in sludge presses, thereafter drying the cakes and de greasing same by percolation if necessary and after the sludge cakes are dry, to granulate or pulverize same, thus producing a fertilizer which may be used either as roduced or mixed with other materials and t en used for fertilizing purposes.

Having disclosed the apparatus which I use to obtain the results desired I will briefly refer tomy process.

The sewage is received, as for instance, in the chamber 24, and as chamber 24 is of much larger'cross section than the incoming stream, a desired drop in velocity isobtained. This for one reason is to allow e inorganicsolidsin a large measure to subside thru hopper bottoms or

chambers

29, 30 and 31, and as the sewage passes thru the floating and larger dbris'is separated therefrom and is either raked into the

troughs

33, 34, and 35, or is deposited therein by the action of the current. These screenings are delivered by gravity into the sludge storage tank 36, thru valves 38, 39 and 40, from time to time.

The screened raw sewage is passed from chamber 24, thru-passage 43, and enters the transverse gallery or conduit 44 from which it may be discharged into either or both of the purifying chambers 46 of this tank, or may be carried to any other tank of the same installatiom ormaybe bypassed, by

suitable by pass, not shown, direct to the outfall 85. Should it be necessary to add any coagulating chemical to aid this precipitation in the purifying tank this may be done at any point between and the entrance to the tank 46.

The sewage passing from fiume 44 into tank 46 impinges upon tile 52 and 50, on the one side which is directed upward and on the other side directed downward, so that in passing thru the tank a continuous vertical repositioning of the liquid takes place in a manner that causes a somewhat spiral path of the sewage thru the tank 16, thus causing all parts of the flow to be treated equally.

As the sewage passes thru the stacks of tile it is separated into a multitude of thin streams or ribbons of sewage by the bodies of the tile bridging fromsupport to support. Above these ribbons or streams is a constantly renewed supply of fresh air and below them is a plate surface covered with an infusorial and bacterial growth and slitted up with an absorbent and attractive massof activated sludge which is constantly withdrawing organic matter from the flowing stream for the sustenance of this infusorial and other life and it is also giving out continuous streams of coagulating enzymes by reason of the surplus of digestive juices produced while the organic material is being digested by this resident life.

sewage, mixing At the same ing ribs of the tile above aid in producing eddying currents which tend to stir the that which has absorbed the oxygen from the. air streams with the less oxygenated liquid and exposing it all continuously to the infusorial and other life upon the various wetted or submerged surfaces and to the absorptive action of the spongy mass of reviously deposited sludge and jelly like col oidal matter upon the shelf like part.

It will be observed that each rib has a plane surface wetted, which rests at a predetermined angle, so that deposits may accumulate thereon and upon which the organisms desired to be cultivated will live and flourish in their close proximity to the air streams in the conduits or passages 59 which constitute the source of the oxygen so necessary to the growth, propagation and maintenance of these desirable organisms. And it will be readily seen that as the deposits of solid matter, upon these wetted sloping surfaces 56, increase and the zoologic growth also increases therein, there will come a time when these. surfaces will become overloaded and the mass will develop cleavage planes and will therefore avalanche, slide or slough from surface 56 delivering a more or less compacted mass of sludge therefrom which will deposit upon the sur the conduit 25 the first stack of consumed had such time the downwardly project-c face 55 immediately below, thus freeing the surface 56 for further accumulation'ad infinitum. In the act of discharge'of sludge from 56 and the deposit of same upon surface 55 the mass delivered from 56 becomes distributed more or less widely upon the surface 55, thereby exposing its inner substances to an added biological reworking upon surface 55 until at such times as gravitational effect of the mass of material deposited by these means upon surface 55 overcome the natural adhesion of such. material to the sloping surface of 55, cleavageplanes will thereupon develop and the surplus of the deposit will avalanche toward the bottom of the tank thru the spaces between the piles of

tile

50, 51, 52, 53, etc. and in a state much more compact than the were when-in the raw sewage upon entry to the tank, and therefore since they are thus more compact the act of traversing the distance between the tile from whence they were discharged and the hopper bottom will consume less time than would have been particles been deposited from the sewage in their highly comminuted and separated form at their entry to the tank.

Now, therefore, between the enzymes, gravitational attraction of the tile, the absorptive action of the previous deposited sludge, and the continuous and growing appetite of the bacteria, infusoria, rotifera, vorticella, crustacae, and worm and larvael life in general, not to speak of the purifying efiect of distomaceous and higher plant life-the colloidal matters in the sewage will be coagulated and withdrawn, the gross suspended matter deposited and the dissolved organic matter precipitated, and these actions with a large amount of oxygen dissolved in the efiiuent by reason of the air supplied, will give a crystal clear etiiuent stable and nonputrescible.

Now in more or less polluted water of streams or lakes will be found diatomaceous and higher forms of lant life such as sphaerotilus natans, eug ena, leptoniitus lacteus, carchesium, oscillatoriee, green flagellata, protococcus and other actively motil green cells, which lower green forms can according to high authorities, take their nitro gen and carbon dioxide better from organic sources than from inorganic, and consequently take an important part in the action of purification. It is well known to science that the action of sunlight upon the green or chlorophyll cells of aquatic and other plants, to break apart or separate the carbon of carbon dioxide, from the oxygen, and as the carbon is utilized in building up the tissues of the plant, the surplus oxygen is freed and becomes dissolved in the water or diffused in the atmosphere and therefore these same solids lid . great actinic power may be successfully subthe results obtained by va Lid tions crease the nitrogen chlorophyll bearing plants thru the action of the sunlight will augment the oxygen suply of the water in which they exist. Thereore, I have purposely provided spaces between the stacks of tile so that the sunlight may penetrate into the sewage between these stacks and thus give these chlorophyll bearsolved "Within the water and. deliver to sewage the oxygen from and should itbe deemed these tanks with a roof, the roof should be more or less transparent or constructed in a similar manner as in green-houses. Artificial sources 'oflight, having relatively the said carbon dioxide necessary to cover stituted for sunlight.

When I have placed one of myinstallain operation I purposely seed the tanlrs with cultures of desired organisms-by any suitable means, in accordance with the result which I wlsh to obtain in the precipitated For instance, utilizin organisms which have a preference to tats as food should we desire to consume the fats which ordinarily would be therein, or the augment ingof the fats to produce mone thereof than furnished 'means for the artificial 'stimulag propagation of the tion of the work and workers of both, fixed and sw mming animalculee of various types, crustacee, worm and larveel life and lant life from the lowest to the highest wll ereby their efforts may be ited from the fluid, as

A battery B, or other source of electric in connection with the by provide a buoyant, gas or fluid, such as oxygen or the like, within the liquid instead of introducing such a fluid or gas therein from extraneous sources as described. Any other known means of providing such gas or fluid is within contemplation of my inven tion.

Having described my: invention, what I claim is: M

1. Apparatus for promoting the developent of procleansing propagating. ground fort e organisms.

2. Apparatus for promoting the development of organisms, comprisinga receptacle for a fluid body in which the organisms develop, and a series (if-sloping walled open 7 bottomed tiles for confining a gas below the surface of the fluid and in contact therewith, the slope of the walls of the tiles being suf-- ficient to allow gravity avalanching of excess accumulations of sludge.

3. Apparatus for promoting the develo ment oi organisms, comprising a receptac e for a fluid body'in which the organisms develop, and a series of sloping walled open bottomed tiles providing a definite tortuous passing and trapping a treating gas in contact with the fluid, the

slope of the walls of the tiles being sufi'icien't to cause gravity avalanching of excess ac oumulations of sludge.

at. An apparatus for liquid bearing putrescible organic matter comprising a structure provided with an inverted ohanneland inclined surfaces thereinfusoria, motil green below, submerged in said liquid to receive matter precipitated from the liquid and means for introducing air in said channel.

5. Apparatus for promoting the precipitation of organic matter from fluid bodies,

having a receptacle't'or a fluid body, and

means for passing a stream of air through and in contact with the fluid body over a tortuous predetermined confined path submerged within the body, and means for trapping and holding air in the paths.

n testimony whereof ll hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEGRGE ELLIUT PERRY, In the presence of onnn Barn, Mann" F; ALLEN.

purification of a.-