Sludge collection apparatus and method

USRE35668E · kind E · reissue

Inventor

• Orris E. Albertson · Salt Lake City, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 26, 1996
• Grant date: Nov 25, 1997
• Expiry date: Mar 26, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

A sludge collector for removing sludge from the bottom of a tank for clarifying wastewater includes an elongate curved housing placed on the bottom of the tank, with the focus of the curve being the center of the floor, the housing defining an interior cavity, and a plurality of relatively small inlets spaced along the length of the housing for the introduction of sludge from the sludge blanket. The inlets are disposed adjacent the floor to remove the most concentrated sludge therefrom. The cross-sectional area of the housing increases from the ends to the midpoint, where an outlet pipe removes the sludge from the cavity under positive hydraulic pressure and applied negative pressure. The sludge collector is designed for most efficient use with spiral or curved scraper blades in a cylindrical clarifying tank.