Specification of William Knox Stuart : treating and utilizing sewage.

  • Stuart, William Knox.
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Knox Stuart : treating and utilizing sewage. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Specification. 2 Stuart's Improvements in Treating and Utilizing Seivage. are to be conducted. At sucb establishment the main channel supplies the sewage to large reservoirs and numerous depositing tanks, the arrangement and construction of which mainly constitute the present Invention. The sewage first enters and spreads over a large shallow reservoir which is formed with a deepened channel or race along the 5 side opposite to the inlet. A grating or set of rails is fitted along both sides of this race to keep back floating and bulky articles. In the race there is an agitator somewhat in the form of a shuttle which is made to reciprocate from end to end of the race by means of cords passing over pulleys and actuated by means of a water wheel which may be driven by 10, the sewage current itself. The action of the shuttle agitator is to drive out some solid matters over the inclined ends of the race, and to assist lighter solids in floating over the front edge of the reservoir into a series, of depositing tanks arranged adjacently to the reservoir.. At about the surface of the water in each tank there is arranged a layer of straw or 15 other open absorbent material, which is held between a couple of gratings; this layer serves to absorb gaseous and floating matters and is changed periodically. The heavier solids find their way beneath the absorbent layer into the lower parts of the tanks, each of which is formed with a central well down to which the bottom generally inclines. 20 Conical or pyramidal covers are applied to the wells, and being mostly below the water level are made hollow so as to be partially floated and consequently easily raised or lowered. After a well has been emptied in the manner herein-after explained its cover is slightly raised and the solid matters in the sewage find their way under it into the well. A 25 tunnel is formed under the tanks, and the bottom of each well is fitted with a sluice or door; and when a well is full of solid matter the hollow cover is screwed down and the bottom sluice is opened to allow the matter to fall out into a waggon placed below to receive it. In order that the matter may fall out freely a tap or valve is opened in the 30 top of the hollow cover to allow air to enter above. The solid matter separated in this way may be conveyed by waggons and by rail to farms to be used as manure. The liquid flows from the depositing tanks onwards to filters or absorbing beds of various materials to be dealt with according to known chemical processes for absorbing and removing 35 gaseous and other matters from the water which is finally delivered or discharged in a pure or nearly pure condition.