1. An apparatus for the anaerobic treatment of waste water, comprising:
a plug flow bioreactor having a plurality of sidewalls, a top cover, a bottom wall, an inlet for the waste water to be treated, and a discharge for treated waste water;
a single bed of inert microbial attachment media having anaerobic microorganisms attached to a substantial portion of the inert microbial attachment media, the bed of inert microbial attachment media substantially covering the bottom wall and having a top bed surface;
at least one baffle member having upper and lower surfaces and side edge surfaces, the side edge surfaces being disposed in a substantially sealed relationship with the side walls, the upper surface being disposed in a substantially sealed relationship with the top cover and a portion of the at least one baffle member being disposed in contact with the top bed surface of the bed of inert microbial attachment media, the baffle member having at least one opening disposed above the top bed surface, whereby the at least one baffle member forms a first zone and at least one second zone above the bed of inert microbial attachment media within the bioreactor;
at least one clarifier disposed in the first zone, the at least one clarifier in the first zone having a recycle line and an opening for entry of waste water from the inlet;
at least one clarifier disposed in the at least one second zone, the at least one clarifier in the second zone having a recycle line and an opening for entry of waste water from the first zone;
a plurality of nozzles disposed in the bed of inert microbial attachment media at least some of the plurality of nozzles in communication with waste water from the recycle line of the at least one clarifier in the first zone and at least some of the plurality of nozzles in communication with waste water from the recycle line of the at least one clarifier in the second zone; and
the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member is in fluid communication with the clarifier in the at least one second zone, whereby waste water, after passing through at least some of the plurality of nozzles and upwardly through a portion of the bed of inert microbial attachment media into the first zone, may pass from the first zone through the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member into the clarifier in the at least one second zone, and thereafter outwardly from the bioreactor through the discharge.
2. The apparatus of clam 1, wherein the at least one second zone has a discharge clarifier through which waste water, after first flowing into the at least one clarifier in the at least one second zone, flows through the bed of inert microbial attachment media into the at least one second zone and into the discharge clarifier.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member is in direct fluid communication with the clarifier in the at least one second zone.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the at least one baffle member is disposed within the bed of inert microbial attachment media and below the top bed surface of the bed of inert microbial attachment media in a spaced relationship from the bottom wall.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert microbial attachment media is sand, garnet, volcanic cinders, flyash, coal, glass, plastic, activated carbon, alumina or diatomaceous earth and mixtures thereof.
6. A method for the anaerobic treatment of waste water in a plug flow bioreactor having a plurality of side walls, a top cover, a bottom wall, an inlet for the waste water, a discharge for the treated waste water, and a single bed of inert microbial attachment media having anaerobic microorganisms attached to a substantial portion of the inert microbial attachment media, the bed of inert microbial attachment media substantially covering the bottom wall and having a top bed surface, comprising:
providing the bioreactor with at least one baffle member having upper and lower surfaces and side edge surfaces;
disposing the side edge surfaces in a substantially sealed relationship with the side walls;
disposing the upper surface in a substantially sealed relationship with the top cover;
disposing a portion of the at least one baffle member in contact with the top bed surface of the bed of inert microbial attachment media;
providing the at least one baffle member with at least one opening disposed above the top bed surface;
forming with the at least one baffle member, a first zone and at least one second zone above the bed of inert microbial attachment media within the bioreactor;
providing at least one clarifier in the first zone, the at least one clarifier in the first zone having a recycle line and an opening for entry of waste water from the inlet;
providing at least one clarifier in the at least one second zone, the at least one clarifier in the second zone having a recycle line and an opening for entry of waste water from the first zone;
providing a plurality of nozzles disposed in the bed of inert microbial attachment media with at least some of the plurality of nozzles in communication with waste water from the recycle line of the at least one clarifier in the first zone and with at least some of the plurality of nozzles in communication with waste water from the recycle line of the at least one clarifier in the second zone;
disposing the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member in fluid communication with the clarifier in the at least one second zone;
flowing waste water through at least some of the plurality of nozzles and upwardly through a portion of the bed of inert microbial attachment media into the first zone; and
flowing waste water from the first zone through the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member into the clarifier in the at least one second zone, and thereafter outwardly from the bioreactor through the discharge.
7. The method of claim 6, including:
providing a discharge clarifier in the at least one second zone; and
flowing waste water from the at least one clarifier in the at least one second zone through the bed of inert microbial attachment media and into the at least one second zone and into the discharge clarifier.
8. The method of claim 6, including disposing the at least one opening in the at least one baffle member in direct fluid communication with the clarifier in the at least one second zone.
9. The method of claim 6, including disposing the lower surface of the at least one baffle member within the bed of inert microbial attachment media and below the top bed surface of the bed of inert microbial attachment media in a spaced relationship from the bottom wall.
10. The method of claim 6, including utilizing as the inert microbial attachment media, sand, garnet, volcanic cinders, flyash, coal, glass, plastic, activated carbon, alumina or diatomaceous earth and mixtures thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for lifting a mattress so as to eliminate a need for physically lifting and manipulating a heavy mattress during the bed making process, thereby making changing bed linens less strenuous, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a generally rectangular inflatable member disposed between a mattress and a supporting structure of a bed in an unsecured manner so as to make changing of such bed linens easy, said inflatable member having a predetermined size and being formed of a predetermined material;
(b) a fluid communication means engageable at a first end thereof with said inflatable member;
(c) an air pump engageable with a second end of said fluid communication means for providing up to about 3 PSI of air for inflating said inflatable member;
(d) a power means engageable with said air pump for providing power to operate said air pump;
(e) a switch means engageable between said power means and said air pump means for activating and deactivating said air pump; and
(f) a valve means disposed in one of said fluid communication means and said air pump for controlling both inflation and deflation of said inflatable member.
2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said air pump is electrically controlled.
3. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said switch means is one of a foot pedal and a hand operated switch.
4. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said power means operates at a voltage and amperage appropriate for said air pump.
5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said power means is a standard 110 volt house circuit.
6. The apparatus, according to claim 5, wherein said generally rectangular shape of said inflatable member is a generally rectangular shaped donut.
7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined material is one of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and plastic.
8. The apparatus, according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined material is plastic.
9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said inflatable member further includes a non skid surface which serves to help keep said inflatable member in place between such mattress and such box springs.
10. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said switch means includes a deflating position.
11. The apparatus, according to claim 10 wherein said apparatus further includes a vent means disposed one of in said pump means and said fluid communication means for venting said inflatable member as necessary.
12. The apparatus, according to claim 11, wherein said air pump deflates said inflatable member through said vent means when said switch is turned to said deflating position.
13. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said supporting structure is a box spring.
14. In combination with a box spring the improvement comprising an apparatus for lifting a mattress so as to eliminate a need for physically lifting and manipulating a heavy mattress during the bed making process, said apparatus including:
(a) a generally rectangular inflatable member engageable with said box spring and disposed between said box spring and such mattress, said inflatable member is disposed in an unsecured manner with such mattress so as to make such changing of such bed linen easy, said inflatable member for providing lifting support of such mattress and wherein said inflatable member is sized to support edge portions of such mattress;
(b) a pump means engageable with said inflatable member for providing up to about 3 PSI of air for inflating said inflatable member; and
(c) a control means engageable with said pump means for controlling both inflation and deflation of said inflatable member.
15. The combination, according to claim 14, wherein said combination further includes a fluid communication means engageable with said inflatable member, said pump means and said control means.
16. The combination, according to claim 14, wherein said pump means is an air pump.
17. The combination, according to claim 15, wherein said combination further includes a vent means disposed in one of said air pump and said fluid communication means for venting said inflatable member as necessary.