CHLORINE INJECTOR FOR TREATMENT OF EFFLUENT

INJECTEUR DE CHLORE POUR LE TRAITEMENT D'UN EFFLUENT

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A chlorine injector for treatment of effluent,
comprising apparatus which provides two separate vacuum forces
that supplement each other to create sufficient vacuum force to
draw chlorine from a chlorine tank and inject it into a sewage
effluent tank for treatment of the effluent therein. The
apparatus includes a water chamber positioned above the surface
of the effluent, an airlift tube extending from the water chamber
having its intake end submerged in the effluent and its discharge
end inside of the water chamber at the upper portion thereof, an
overflow return pipe extending from the water chamber to return
excess effluent to the tank, and the chlorine injection assembly
having the double vacuum means comprising a first eductor nozzle
leading from the bottom of the water chamber to discharge into a
second induction nozzle having a flared intake end, creating a
first vacuum at this point by the venturi effect. Chlorine is
introduced at this point by an inlet port opening in the side
wall of the flared end region of the second nozzle, a chlorine
supply hose being connected to the inlet port and leading to the
chlorine supply tank. The second nozzle is connected to an
injection tube which provides the second vacuum by virtue of a
"hanging column of water" achieved by positioning the second
nozzle an appropriate distance above the surface of the effluent,
such as 40 inches or more, then providing the injection tube with
sufficient length for its discharge end to be below the surface
of the effluent, nd proportioning the diameter of the second
nozzle in relation to the diameter of the injection tube whereby
a continuous column of water extends from the second nozzle to
the discharge end of the injection tube while the treatment
apparatus is in operation. Such proportion may for example be a
1/2 inch diameter far the nozzle and a 3/4 inch diameter for the
injection tube. The injection tube discharges into a coaxial
dispersion tube of larger diameter whose discharge end is below
the discharge end of the injection tube. Effluent is lifted from
the effluent tank to the water chamber through the airlift tube

by a pressurized air supply, connected near the lower end of the
airlift tube submerged in the effluent. The effluent water then
flows downward from the water tank through the eductor and
induction nozzles and the injection tube, then the dispersion
tube and back into the effluent tank, creating the two vacuums as
it flows through this assembly of nozzles and tubes, drawing the
chlorine in as it flows past the chlorine intake port and mixing
the chlorine with the effluent water as it flows into and through
the injection and dispersion tubes.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An injector of a water treating substance for
treatment of water, comprising means defining a fluid passageway
in communication with said water to be treated, first vacuum
means to create a first vacuum in said passageway, second vacuum
means to create a second vacuum in said passageway adjacent to
and downstream from said first vacuum to add to and supplement
the force of said first vacuum to provide a total vacuum force
greater than either of said first and second vacuum means can
provide acting separately, means defining a port opening to said
passageway to introduce a water treating substance therein when
said first and second vacuums are created, wherein said first
vacuum means includes a venturi tubular member in said
passageway, said venturi tubular member including a first nozzle,
said first nozzle including an upstream end and a downstream end,
a second nozzle positioned downstream of said first nozzle, said
second nozzle including a flared end portion in registration with
said downstream end of said first nozzle to create said first
vacuum when fluid is flowed through said passageway, into and
through said first and second nozzles of said venturi tubular
member and the said flared end portion of said nozzles, wherein
said second vacuum means includes an elongated tubular member in
said passageway, said tubular member including an upstream end
and a downstream end, means defining an inlet port opening to
said upstream end of said elongated tubular member positioned
above the surface of said water to be treated, means defining a
discharge port opening to said downstream end of said elongated
tubular member positioned below the surface of said water to be
treated, said water to be treated providing back pressure at the
said discharge port, and flow means to flow a fluid into said
tubular member at a rate to fill such tubular member until the
pressure within said tubular member begins to exceed said back
pressure resulting in more rapid discharge into said water to be

treated and in creation of said second vacuum, said fluid filling
said tubular member constituting a column of fluid extending from
said inlet port to said discharge port of said tubular member,
said column of fluid as it moves from said inlet port toward said
discharge port causing a vacuum to form between said inlet port
and said column of fluid as it moves toward said discharge port
and said column of fluid as it moves toward said discharge port
thereby creating said second vacuum, wherein said fluid
passageway includes means defining a water chamber positioned
above a body of effluent water to be treated, an effluent water
inlet tube extending from said body of effluent water to said
water chamber, pressurized air means operatively associated with
said effluent water inlet tube to flow effluent water upwardly
into said water chamber, the bottom portion of said water chamber
opening for flow of said effluent water outwardly of said chamber
and past said first vacuum means to create said first vacuum,
them past said second vacuum means to create said second vacuum,
and means for introducing a water treating substance into the
passageway wherein said water treating substance introduced into
said passageway when said vacuums are created mixes with said
effluent water flowing in said passageway for eventual discharge
into said body of effluent water to be treated.
2. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 1, wherein said fluid passageway comprises a
completely unobstructed bore throughout to avoid clogging.
3. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 1, including an overflow pipe extending from said
water chamber to said body of effluent water to return any
surplus effluent water which may build up in said water chamber
back to said body of effluent water.
4. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 1, including a second larger diameter elongated
tubular member coaxially surrounding said first mentioned
elongated tubular member, said second elongated tubular member

extending beyond the discharge port of said first mentioned
elongated tubular member and terminating at a discharge port
which is spaced apart from and beyond the said discharge port of
said first mentioned elongated tubular member.
5. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 1, wherein said flow means to flow a fluid into
said elongated tubular member at said rate includes a bore of
said venturi tubular member opening downstream adjacent to said
inlet port of said elongated tubular member, said bore of said
venturi tubular member having a first diameter, said elongated
tubular member having a second diameter, said second diameter
being slightly larger than said first diameter.
6. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 5, wherein said first diameter is about one-half
of an inch and said second diameter is about three-fourths of an
inch.
7. An injector of a water treating substance as set
forth in claim 1, wherein said means for introducing a water
treating substance into said passageway when said vacuums are
created is a means for introducing chlorine.
11

Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of chlorine
injecting devices and apparatus which introduce chlorine into
waste water or sewage effluent for treatment.
A major problem for apparatus of this kind is that the
pumps, screens and conduits of prior art devices would become
clogged with particulate matter if the effluent water was itself
used as the flow medium. Other prior art devices attempted to
avoid this problem by using clean water or treated portable
water, but as much as 10,000 to 15,000 gallons of water per day
are needed which makes it expensive to use already treated or
cleaned water all of which goes to waste when it is used as the
flow medium ending up in the effluent or waste water~ Prior art
devices also use pumps to lift the water used as the flow medium
into the water chamber, but they have a short life span when
operating 24 hours a day. Pump maintenance and replacement costs
become excessive.
Examples of prior art devices in this field of waste
water treatment and water purifying devices are disclosed in the
following United States Patents,No. 4,250,144; No. 4,247,531; No.
4,1~3 J 712; No. 3,531,40~; No. 3,30~564; No. 2,999,797; No.
2,957,474, No. 2,36~,~07; No. 2,064,627; No. 1,085,348 and No.
897,940.
The present invention overcomes a number of the
problems which exist with prior art devices, since it uses an
airlift tube and pressuriæed air supply ra~her than a pump to
lift water into the water c'namber. It also provides a continuous
Elow passa~eway throug~ the entire assembly w,hich is large enough
in diameter to permit the passage of particulate matter which may
be in the effluent, thereby making screens unnecessary and
permitting the use o the effluent water itselE as the ~low
medium rather than re~uiring a separate cleaned or treated water
supply. The particular construction of this invention provides
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two separate vacuum forces working together to supplement the
total vacuum created which is sufficient to draw chlorine from
its supply tank, then induce it or mix it with the effluent
carrier fluid, after which the chlorinated effluent is injected
into the body or tank of effluent water that is to be treated.
SUMM~RY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a chlorine
injector for treatment of sewage which does not re~uire a pump.
It is an object of the invention to provide a chlorine
injector for treatment of sewage which can use the effluent water
itself as the carrier fluid.
It is an object of the invention to provide a chlorine
injector for treatment of sewage which has a clog-free through
passageway for the carrier fluid and chlorine when mixed
therewith.
It is an object of the invention to provide a chlorine
injector for treatment of sewage which creates two separate
vacuums which supplement each other to provide a total vacuum
su~ficient to draw chlorine from its supply tank and induce it
into the carrier fluid for mixing prior to being injected into
the effluent to be treated.
It is an object of the invention to provide a chlorine
injector ~or treatment of sewage which creates two separate
vacuums to supplement each other r comprising one vacuum created
~y a venturi effect and a second vacuum created by the principle
of a hanging column of water extending from a point above the
surface of the effluent to be treated to a point below the
surface thereoE.
BRIEF DE~CRIPT~ON OF_T~E DRAWINGS
~ igure 1 is a perspective view of a chlorine injector
for treatment of sewa~e in accordance with this invention shown
in position for treating a body of effluent waste water.

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accordance with this invention.
Figure 3 is a section view taken on line 3 - 3 of
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section view taken on line 4 - 4 of
Figure 2.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A chlorine injector 1 for treatment of sewage in
accordance with this invention is mounted for operation to the
side wall 2 of a sewage treatment tank 3 having effluent 4
therein to be treated.
The chlorine injector 1 includes a water chamber 5
positioned above the surface 6 of the effluent 4, and three
tubular members or conduits 7 leading from the water chamber 5
down to the body of the effluent water 4.
One of the tubular members 7 is an airlift tube 8,
having its intake end 9 below the surface 6 of the effluent 4,
and its discharge end 10 extending into the interior 11 of the
water chamber 5 near the upper portion thereof. An air supply
port 12 opens through the side wall of the airlift tube 8 near
i~s intake end 9, and an air supply conduit 13 extends from the
port 1~ to a source of pressurized air. Such pressurized air
injPcted through the port 12 into the airlift tube 8 and upwardly
to the discharge end 1~ cause effluent water 4 to flow from the
tank 3 upwardly into the water chamber 5.
A second one of the tubular members 7 is an overflow or
return pipe 14, for return of surplus effluent water 4 to the
tank 3. The return pipe 14 includes an inlet end 15 inside of
the water chamber 5 located at a level below that of the
discharge end 1~ of the airlift tube 8. Thus, when the level of
the effluent water ~ in the water chamber 5 reaches the level of
the inlet end 15 of the return pipe 14, the excess effluent water
~lows through the return pipe 14 back to the effluent tank 3
through the discharge end 16 of the return pipe 14 which is above
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the surface 6 of the efEluent 4.
The third one of the tubular members 7 is the chlorine
injection assembly, comprising a first eductor nozzle 17 opening
at its upper end 18 to the bottom of the water chamber 5. The
lower end 19 of the eductor nozzle 17 opens to the flared end 20
of a second nozzle 21, which may be called an induction nozzle or
venturi nozzle. A chlorine discharge port 22 opens through the
side wall of the induction nozzle 21 at its flared end region 20
for entry of chlorine into the apparatus in a manner subsequently
described herein. A chlorine supply hose or tubing 23 is
connected between the chlorine discharge port 22 and a chlorine
supply tank (not shown). Effluent water flowing through the
first and second nozzles 17 and 21 creates a first vacuum as
explained below to draw chlorine from its supply tank into the
device.
The chlorine injection assembly further comprises an
iniection tube 24, coaxially mounted within a larger diameter
dispersion tube 25, both extending downward into the effluent 4
and having their respective discharge openings below the surface
6 of the effluent water 4.
The injection tube 24 is connected at its upper end 26
as an integral extension downwardly of the second or induction
nozzle 21, and it extends downwardly into the effluent 4
terminating at its discharge opening 27 which is below the
surface 6 of the effluent water 4~ The upper end 26 of the
injection tube 24 is above the surface 6 of the effluent, and
during operation oE the chlorine injector a continuous column of
~ater is a}wa~s present in the injection tube 24 from its upper
end 26 above the effluent surface 6 to its discharge end 27 below
the surface 6. This continuous column of water flowing from
above the effluent surface 6 to below the effluent surface 6
pro~ides a second vacuum force, as ex~lained in more detail
below, to coact with the first vacuum force. The com~ined force
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of the two vacuums is sufficient to draw chlorine from its supply
tank into the induction nozzle or venturi nozzle 21 at its flared
end region 20, and to mix the chlorine with the effluent water 4
as it flows from the water chamber 5 through the first and second
nozzles 17 and 21, into the injection tube 24 for discharge into
the effluent 4 in the tank 3 for treatment.
The diameter of the orifice of the induction or venturi
nozzle 21 must be in a predetermined ratio to the diameter of the
injection tube 24 in order to a continuous column of water to be
present throughout the length of the injection tube 24 during
operation. Various combinations of diameters may be used, the
diameter of the injection tube 24 being slightly larger than the
diameter oE the orifice of the induction or venturi nozzle 21. A
preferable combination of sizes is a 3/4 inch diameter of the
injection tube 24 and a 1/2 inch diameter of the orifice of the
induction or venturi nozzle 21, both diameter sizes being
sufficiently large to enable particulate ma~ter which may be in
the efluent water 4 to freely pass without clogging.
The discharge opening 28 of the larger diameter coaxial
dispersion tube 25 is positioned below the discharge opening 27
o the in~ection tube 24, both being below the surface 6 of the
effluent 4 in the tank 3.
A vent 29 is provided in the top 30 of the water
chamber 5 to relieve pressure build up within the chamber.
In ope}ation, a source of pressurized air is fed
through the air supply port 12 into the airlift tube 8 which has
its intake 9 below the surface 6 of the effluent 4 in the tank 3.
This causes a flo~ of eEEluent water 4 to flow upwardly through
the tube 8 and its ~ischarge end 10 into the interior 11 of the
water chamber 5. The 10w of effluent water 4 into the chamber 5
is greater than the flo~ out~lard through -the chlorine injection
assembly of nozzles and tubes, so the chamber 5 will gradually
fill. Any surplus ef1uent water 4 enters the intake opening 15

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of the return pipe 14 for discharge back into the effluent tank
3.
As the water chamber 5 fills, effluent water 4 flows
into the upper end 18 of the first nozzle or eductor nozzle 17,
through the opening at its lower end 19 into the flared end 20 of
the second nozzle ~1, or the induction or venturi nozzle, and
continuing downwardly into and through the injection tube 24 for
eventual discharge at the submerged discharge opening 27 of the
tube 24. The effluent water 4 flowing into the injection tube 24
flows at a slightly faster rate than the efEluent water 4 flowing
out its submerged discharge opening 27 because of the back
pressure of the body of effluent water 4 in the tank 3, until the
tube 24 fills, at which time the pressure of the water within the
length of the tube 24 begins to equal and exceed the back
pressure of the body of effluent water 4 in the tank 3. A faster
rate of flow through the tube 24 then begins until the outward
flow through discharge opening 27 into the body of effluent 4 in
tank 3 is equalized with the inward flow from the venturi nozzle
21 into the upper end 26 of the tube 24. Thus, what is sometimes
called a "hanging column of water'1, or a continuous column of
water is p~esent within the tube 24 while the chlorine injection
device in accordance with this invention is operating, and such
"han~ing" or continuous column of water creates a vacuum effect.
A first vacuum effect is created just upstream from the
continuous column o~ water vacuum by virtue of the venturi nozzle
21, and the discharge into its flared end 20 of the effluent
water 4 as it flows downwardly from the water chamber 5. By
being positioned immediately downstream from -the venturi vacuum,
the continuous column oE water vacuum enhances r adds to and
supplements the strength or force of the venturi vacuum. The
total force of the two vacuums combined is sufficient to draw
chlorine into the venturi nozzle 21 through the chlorine port
232 r and to thereupon mix the chlorine with the effluent water
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flow medium as it passes on downwardly through the injec-tion tube
24 for eventual discharge into the body of effluent 4 in the tank
3 which is to be treated.
That portion of the dispersion tube 25 which extends
below the discharge opening 27 of the injection tube 24 serves to
maintain more or less equalized back pressure of the body of
effluent 4 at the discharge opening 27 of tube 24 and protect it
from fluctuations in pressure which might otherwise occur due to
external disturbances on the body of effluent 4. Fluctuations in
back pressure at the discharge opening 27 may cause the tube 24
to lose part or all of its "hanging" or continuous column of
water thereby imparing its vacuum effect. By having the coaxial
dispersion tube 25 extend below the discharge opening 27 of tube
24, this possibility is minimized or avoided altogether.
Once operation is begun, it can be maintained
continuously as long as a supply of pressurized air is fed into
the airlift tube 8. There are no motors to service or replace,
no screens to unclog, no separate supply of water to provide as
the flow medium.
The upper end 26 of -the injection tube 24 should be at
an appropriate distance above the surface 6 of the body of
e~luent water 4 in order to ~rovide the "hanging" or continuous
column of water which creates the second vacuum. This distance
may, for example, be 40 inches from the upper end 26 of injection
tube 24 down to the surface 6 of the body of effluent water 4,
when the diameter of the injection tube is three-fourths of an
inch as described above in the example given. The total weight
o~ a column of ~ater extending from the upper end 26 of the
in~ection tube 24 having a 3~4 inch ~iameter and spaced 40 inches
abo~e the surface 6 of the body of effluent water 4 is sufficient
to equali2e the back pressure of the body of effluent water 4.
In this way, the amount of effluent water 4 flowing into the
upper end 26 is substantially equal to the amount of water
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flowing out of the discharge end 27 of the injection tube 24,
thereby maintaining the "hanging" or continuous column of water
while the chlorine injector in accordance with this invention is
in operation.
It will be obvious that various modifications in
structure, dimensions, materials and the like may be made without
departing from the scope of this invention.
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