Combined waste treatment and growth chamber process

Claim 2

A method as in claim 1 wherein said liquid medium includes bark fiber strips to which said colloidal solids are attracted and caused to adhere and separate from the liquid in areas whereat the biochemical reaction between said solids and microorganisms occurs.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 wherein said separation medium is an activated sludge system wherein the circulation of said oxygen-containing gas is performed by forcing air under pressure through said system.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 wherein said separation medium comprises a trickling filter of rocks covered with slime over which the waste liquids pass.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide level is at least 700 parts per million and the relative humidity approaches 95 percent.

Claim 6

In a continuous substantially hermetically sealed method for separating organic and other solid waste materials from waste liquid while simultaneously promoting the accelerated growth of valuable plants, the steps of forming an aqueous liquid medium, enclosing a number of plants in an air environment in a growth chamber, mAintaining said chamber under light and heat conditions favoring photosynthesis, circulating an oxygen-containing gas through said medium, continuously introducing the waste liquid-containing suspended solids into said medium in the presence of aerobic microorganisms consuming a portion of said solids and releasing carbon dioxide to an air layer above said medium, continuously directing the carbon dioxide-enriched air to said growth chamber wherein a portion of the carbon dioxide is consumed during photosynthesis of the plants and simultaneously directing air of a lower carbon dioxide content from said chamber to said medium.

Claim 7

In a continuous substantially hermetically sealed method for separating organic solids, including colloidal solids from waste liquids while simultaneously promoting the accelerated growth of valuable plants, the steps of forming an aqueous liquid body, depositing a plurality of bark strips in said body, enclosing a plurality of plants in an air environment in a growth chamber, maintaining said chamber under light and heat conditions favoring photosynthesis, circulating an oxygen-containing gas through said liquid, body, continuously introducing the waste liquids-containing suspended colloidal solids into said system in the presence of aerobic microorganisms to cause a biochemical reaction to remove the colloidal solids from the bark strips in said liquid to permit the renewed use of said fibers in attracting colloidal solids, said reaction releasing carbon dioxide to an air layer above said medium, directing the carbon dioxide-enriched air to said growth chamber wherein a portion of the carbon dioxide is consumed during photosynthesis of the plants and simultaneously directing air with a lowered carbon dioxide content from said chamber to said liquid body.

Claim 8

In a substantially hermetically sealed method for separating organic and other solid waste materials from waste liquids while simultaneously promoting the accelerated growth of valuable plants, the steps of forming a first aqueous body, forming a second aqueous liquid body in liquid communication therewith, depositing a plurality of bark fiber strips in said second liquid body, suspending a plurality of bark fiber strips above said first liquid body, enclosing a number of plants in an air environment in a growth chamber, maintaining said growth chamber under light and heat conditions to favor photosynthesis, introducing the waste liquid-containing suspended colloidal solids into said liquid body for partial clarification of liquid, circulating an oxygen-containing liquid through said second liquid body, directing said partially clarified liquid to said second liquid body wherein the colloidal solids are attracted and caused to adhere to said deposited bark strips in the presence of aerobic microorganisms, continuously removing the colloidal solids from the bark strips in said second liquid body to permit the renewed use of said fibers in attracting colloidal solids by means of biochemical reactions therein which release carbon dioxide to an air layer above said second liquid body, circulating a portion of the intermixed liquids in the second liquid body upward and over said suspended fibers whereby said intermixed liquids descend slowly down the surface of said suspended fibers, returning said circulating portion of said intermixed liquids to said first liquid body to effect further intermixing, directing said carbon dioxide-enriched air from said air layer to said growth chamber wherein a portion of the carbon dioxide is consumed during photosynthesis of the plants, and simultaneously directing air of a lowered carbon dioxide content from said chamber to said suspended bark fiber strips.

Claim 9

A substantially hermetically sealed apparatus for separating colloidal materials from waste liquids while promoting the accelerated growth of valuable plants comprising: wall means forming a first enclosed reservoir, means for introducing waste liquids into said first reservoir to form a first body of liquid therein, wall means forming a second enclosed reservoir in fluid communication with the first liquid body, thereby forming a second body of water in said second reservoir a plurality of elongated bark fiber strips disposed in a substantially fixed position in said second body of water, means forming an enclosed housing above said first reservoir in fluid communication therewith, means supporting a plurality of suspended elongated bark fiber strips disposed in said housing, a liquid circulatory system in fluid communication with said second liquid body, said circulatory system including both distribution means disposed within said housing and means for conveying liquid from said second liquid body to said distribution means to distribute the liquid circulating from said liquid body onto said suspended bark fiber strips, discharge means leading to a point of discharge outside said second reservoir, growth chamber means for enclosing a plurality of plants in an air environment, said growth chamber including fluorescent lighting means disposed within said chamber means above the plants, a gaseous circulatory system for gaseous communication between the inside of said second reservoir and the inside of said chamber means.