Inventors:
William C. Bowne - Eugene OR
Gary L. Thorsby - Eugene OR
International Classification:
B01D 3516
Abstract:
A system for treating wastewater and improving the quality of wastewater effluent by preventing solids from being discharged in the effluent is disclosed. Wastewater having a concentration of waste solids flows into a wastewater collection container through a waste-water inlet and solids are allowed to distribute into a lower horizontal sludge layer and an upper horizontal scum layer with a horizontal layer of liquid therebetween. A substantially upstanding elongate tube is immersed in the wastewater within the container and the interior of the tube is exposed to the horizontal layer of liquid through a plurality of inclined slots in the tube. Liquid flows from the horizontal liquid layer through the slots into the interior of the tube and thereafter through a liquid effluent outlet of the container. Preferably, the slots extend vertically along a majority of the depth of the wastewater in the container. A cleaning implement is moved along the interior of the tube while the tube remains immersed in the wastewater within the container, thereby cleaning the tube without removing it from the wastewater container.