Fluid treatment apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS OR SYSTEM IN WHICH A STREAM OF LIQUID IS SUBJECTED TO TREATMENT IN THE COURSE OF ITS FLOW THROUGH THE APPARATUS AND WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR PUMPING SAID LIQUID AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESSING FLUID, MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID APPARATUS FOR RELIEVING EXCESS FLUID PRESSURE OR PRESSURE VARIATIONS OCCURRING IN A PART OF THE SYSTEM AS AN INCIDENT OF THE FLUID TREATMENT THEREIN, SAID PRESSURE RELIEF MEANS COMPRISING A CHAMBER HAVING A LIQUID INLET AND A LIQUID OUTLET AND A VENT OPENING FOR THE RELIEF OF PRESSURE ON THE LIQUID IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID LIQUID INLET BEING IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PART OF THE APPARATUS TO RECEIVE TREATED LIQUID THEREFROM, SAID LIQUID OUTLET BEING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PUMPING MEANS FOR THE PUMPING OF PRESSURE RELIEVED LIQUID FROM SAID CHAMBER TO ANOTHER PART OF THE APPARATUS, SAID PRESSURE RELIEF MEANS COMPRISING MEANS TO VENT AIR OR OTHER GAS FROM SAID LIQUID BEFORE THE FLOW OF THE LIQUID INTO SAID CHAMBER, SAID LIQUID OUTLET BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER AT A POINT BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE LIQUID IN SAID CHAMBER IN THE OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS, SAID PRESSURE RELIEF MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH AN AUXILIARY LIQUID OUTLET FOR THE DISCHARGE OF LIQUID IN EXCESS OF THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID PUMPED FROM SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID FIRST MENTIONED OUTLET, SAID AUXILIARY OUTLET BEING ABOVE SAID POINT OF COMMUNICATION OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED OUTLET WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER SO THAT LIQUID MAY RISE IN SAID CHAMBER TO THE LEVEL OF SAID AUXILIARY OUTLET.