Specification of Burton Henry Vallé : treating sewage.

  • Vallé, Burton Henry.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Burton Henry Vallé : treating sewage. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Valle's Improvements in Treating Sewage. latter is effectually defecated and rendered fit for domestic use before being allowed to flow into any river or other channel. The Invention consists more particularly in treating the sewage sludge remaining in the tanks in such a manner as to completely utilize it by converting it into illuminating gas, and a substance capable of defe- 5 eating sewage, and of being used for other useful purposes, as hereafter described. I provide two or more series of tanks, to which the sewage is conveyed by conduits from the outlet of main sewer, said conduits being so arranged as to effect a gentle flow of the sewage into the tanks, and the 10 latter are so constructed that the sewage as it flows therein is screened and filtered, and the solid matter retained. There are, say, two or more tanks for each series, each tank being divided by partition walls into a number of compartments, through which the sewage filters as it flows. The bottom of each compartment also consists of a filtering bed having 15 an inclined permanent water-tight floor beneath, on which the effluent water drains, and whence it flows through sluices into a suitable channel in which it may be applied as a source of motive power for use in the works. Over each compartment of the tanks provision is made for the admixture. Over each compartment of the tanks provision is made for 20 the admixture of a small quantity of quicklime, as occasion may require, to accelerate the subsidence of the solid matter of the sewage. The sets of tanks one intended to be used alternately, that is to say, the fresh sewage is run into the one set whilst the sludge is being removed from the other set, and so on. 25 In order to remove the sewage sludge from the tanks the filtering bed is constructed to be raised at one side by a mechanical arrangement, so as to cause the sludge to flow through sluices into a receptacle or bed outside the tanks, wherein it may be allowed to remain a suitable length of time exposed to the action of the atmosphere. 3Q Suitable works are erected in convenient proximity to the tanks for the manufacture of the sewage sludge into illuminating gas, provision being made for readily charging the retorts with the sewage. The sewage sludge is propelled by machinery through one or more cylindrical retorts placed within a suitable furnace, the ends projecting a convenient 35 distance beyond the exterior walls of the furnace. At the end where the retorts are charged there is a syphon from each retort to the upper