PATENT ABSTRACTS 175

5156742

LIQUID TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS

John W Struewing assigned to Smith & Loveless Inc

An improved method and apparatus for treating liquor containing biodegradable wastes wherein the liquor is first delivered to a quiescent primary settling zone and then to an aeration zone. The aerated liquor is delivered downwardly through a column of submerged lixed media having a high surface area to volume ratio so that aerobic microorganisms can grow on their surface. The liquor is recirculated through the aeration zone and fixed media, and is withdrawn from the unit after treatment. A portion of the aerated liquor from the top of the fixed media is recycled back into the primary settling zone to denitrify the ni- trate rich aerated liquor by deoxygenating the dissolved nitrates and to equalize the BOD load in the secondary aerobic treatment zone.

5158593

BIOREACTOR FOR COMPRESSIBLE, PARTICULATE,

POROUS SOLIDS

Daniel D DeLima

Lignocellulosic material such as agricultural residues, e.g. straw and bagasse, can be con- verted into products that can be easily trans- formed into feeds, fuels, and soil improver. The reactor described herein affords simple efficient transformation of lignocellulosics to acidic or- ganic liquid, heat, and ligneous sludge residue in a typical use. The acidic organic liquid may be used as the main component in the production of SCP, the heat may be used subsequently for heating or drying, and the ligneous sludge, when dewatered, used as soil improver or as fuel.

5158595

SOIL BIOREMEDIATION ENZYMATIC COMPOSITION

Neil W Stillman assigned to H20 Chemists Inc

A soil bioremediation material. A material for improvement of soil conditions includes a mix- ture of about 8592% by weight water, about 5-

9% by weight molasses from raw sugar, about 2- 4% by weight unrefined sugar, about 0.515% by weight malt, about 0.05-0.2% by weight yeast with the malt to yeast ratio being in the range of 8:1 to 121.

5158686

IMPURITY REMOVAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS

Mark Y Kigel assigned to Envar Services Inc

A process and associated apparatus for removing contaminants such as heavy metals from contaminated water, waste water, sludge or flushed soil elutriates, or leachates. The remedia- tion method utilizes a combination of chemical oxidation/reduction reactions and physical separation techniques employing a pseudo- fluid&d bed and is carried out in a unitary reac- tor comprising zones for activation, flocculation and phase separation.

5159694

PORTABLE REACTOR FOR CARRYING OUT GAS-EVOLVING

BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PROCESSES OR GAS

CONSUMING PROCESSES WHILE MAINTAINING A PACKED

FIXED-BED ARRANGEMENT

Horst Overath, Carl-Johanne Soeder, Nazir Sal- bani, Juelich, Federal Republic Of Germany as- signed to Kemforschungsanlage Juelich GmbH

The coalescence and release of bubbles from packing that supports the growth of micro- organisms is promoted by mechanical action on the packed bed arrangement, in particular by continuous or intermittent vibrations, rotations, or by rocking motions. With particular advan- tage, a reactor vessel which is typically tubular is filled with packing upon which microbial growth is sustained, preferably leaving a free space of IO”/, to 35x, in particular 15% to 20%. The reac- tor vessel has an axis that is substantially horizontal but preferably inclined by at least ab- out 3 degrees, and is set continuously or intermit- tently, for example, by an axle drive or by means of friction wheel drive, into rotational or rocking motions about that axis. The gas can be dis- charged, for example, via valves and a cam mechanism. Alternatively, a vent pipe, taken