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CLASS 210,	LIQUID PURIFICATION OR SEPARATION
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SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION

STATEMENT OF CLASS SUBJECT MATTER

This is the primary class for patents directed to treating water or waste liquid, and when not more specifically provided for, the class for patents directed to treating liquids in general or of any kind and provides (1) process and apparatus for (a) separating a component from (b) purifying or (c) effecting a change in water or waste liquid, such process or apparatus not being more specifically provided for in another class; (2) process of treating liquids in general and treating liquid compositions of either general or diverse utilities; (3) apparatus not provided for in other classes, for performing the foregoing processes and treating liquids of any kind; (4) filter materials or compositions peculiar to the above-mentioned processes; and (5) Processes for purification of liquids containing hazardous or toxic waste to produce a nonhazardous or nontoxic product.

SECTION II - LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS

A. GENERAL GUIDELINESS

1. Placement of Patents

a. A claim directed to the production, regeneration, or purification of a particular compound or composition (including) solutions in water is classified with the particular compound or composition. The classes providing for these compounds or compositions are set out in section III, B, 2.

A claim directed to purification or separation of water or of liquids in general with disclosure of several species each differently classifiable is classified in this class (210).

b. In classifying a claim to a combined process in which a liquid (e.g., sewage, etc.) is treated, and a useful by-product, energy or treatment is also recovered or achieved, placement is in Class 210 where the primary purpose is liquid treatment and the by-product, energy or other treatment is incidental. Placement is in the other pertinent class if the liquid treatment is incidental to the other process. If it cannot be determined which is the primary purpose of the combined process, placement is in the appropriate chemical class(es) when a chemical by-product is recovered and in this class (210) in all other instances.

Since the identical combined process may be placed as an original in either of two classes, based on intent of the inventor, a cross-reference copy should be placed in the other class involved.

See section II, A, 2 infra, for exceptions to the general rule here stated.

2.. Specific Exceptions.

a. Class 95, Gas Separation: Processes, will take a process including a liquid separation step in a Class 95 operation (e.g., regenerating a scrubbing liquid in a gas scrubbing operation, etc.).

b. A purely physical separation, e.g., filtering, specifically directed to mineral oil, is classified in this class (210), subclasses 767+.

c. A claim to a process of drying a flowable slurry or mass by physical separation, e.g., centrifuging without a step or means of contacting with a gas, is in this class (210) rather than Class 34. See line note to Class 210 in (3) Note to Class 34 definition.

d. Some classes which provide for compositions which may be used in a Class 210 process may also take a claim to a mere use of such composition. These classes include 424 and 521 and the line notes in section II, C set out the conditions which govern placement of patents in these circumstances.

e. The rehabilitation or regeneration of a filter medium, in situ is classified in this class (210), subclasses 791+, rather than in Class 134, Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids.

f. Separating liquids by direct application of electrolysis or electric force to the liquid, alone or combined with a step provided for in subclasses 767-808 of this class, is classified in Class 205, Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, and Methods of Preparing the Compositions, when electrolysis is involved, or in Class 204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, when other electrical force as provided for in the Class 204 definition is involved.

B. CLASSES PROVIDING FOR RELATED SUBJECT MATTER.

1. Classes Providing A Specific Unit Operation Treatment Of Liquids.

References to Other Classes, below, contains classes pertaining to the following specific unit operation treatment of liquids.

Analyzing:

Burning;

Chlorinating;

Condensing;

Crystal Forming, Single;

Crystallization;

Degassing;

Disinfecting;

Dispensing;

Distilling;

Drinking Storage;

Electrolysis;

Emulsifying;

Evaporating;

Fluoridating;

Freezing;

Handling;

Heating;

Magnetizing;

Mixing;

Preserving;

Refrigerating;

Separating, Centrifugally;

Softening;

Sprinkling, Spraying, Diffusing;

Sterilizing;

Storage;

Testing;

Transporting;

2. Classes Providing Treatment Of A Specific Liquid.

References to Other Classes, below, contains classes pertaining to the following treatment of a specific liquid.

Beverage;

Black Liquor;

Cleaning Fluid;

Colloids;

Coolant;

Culture Broth;

Detergent;

Drug;

Dye;

Electrolyte;

Emulsion;

Fats;

Fertilizer;

Food;

Fuel;

Ink;

Inorganic;

Lubricants;

Medicine;

Oil;

Paints;

Photographic;

3. Classes Having Liquid Treating Apparatus.

References to Other Classes, below, contains classes having liquid treating apparatus in the following art areas.

Analysis;

Carbureting;

Cooling;

Crystal Forming, Single;

Crystallizer;

Dispensing;

Distilling;

Evaporating;

Gas Contact;

Handling;

Heat Exchange;

Mixing;

Oil Refining;

Packing;

Preserving;

Reaction (Chemical);

Reaction, Physical;

SECTION III - REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:

SECTION IV - GLOSSARY

The meaning to be given various "Art" terms appearing in this class, but which have not been included in the GLOSSARY below, is the same as that generally accepted or in common usage.

ABSORB

See SORB.

ACCELERATOR

Agent which promotes an action, but does not necessarily cause the action. An example is a catalyst as contrasted with a reactant. In subclasses 696+ and 702+ no distinction is made between an agent which promotes or one which causes and a search for a compound used as a flocculant is the same as if the compound reacted to cause precipitation.

ACTIVATED SLUDGE

Common term for an aerobic process of treating sewage with micro-organisms in which part of the settled sludge from the treatment is diverted and introduced into the feed of incoming sewage.

ADDITIVE

An agent added to a liquid being treated to either cause a desired result or to promote a result which would occur more slowly or incompletely without the additive. Catalysts filter aids, chemical agents, seeding agents, buffers are all additives.

ADSORB

See SORB.

AEROBIC

Treating liquids, generally sewage, with micro-organisms in the presence of oxygen generally supplied as air or other source of oxygen but sometimes using residual dissolved oxygen. Best known method is "activated sludge". The micro-organisms convert noxious materials to less noxious stuff, e.g., to water, methane, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide.

ALGAECIDE

Any material capable of inhibiting or destroying algal growth.

ANAEROBIC

Treating liquids, generally sewage by micro-organisms which change noxious stuff to innocuous materials, in the absence of oxygen. Some solids are made into water and gases as methane, carbon monoxide, etc. A septic tank is an example of anaerobic digestion of sewage.

ANGSTROM

A unit of length used to measure wavelength of lights and diameters of atoms or molecules.

Designated by A and equal to 10^-8cm.

AQUEOUS

A liquid containing water. Generally water is the major part as in blood, brine, milk, etc., but may comprise a substantial but not major portion as in a water-alcohol mixture of various proportions. Usually trace amounts of water are not considered aqueous.

BACTERICIDE

Any material capable of inhibiting or destroying bacteria.

BRACKISH

Somewhat salty, but substantially less so than sea water.

BRINE

A relatively concentrated salt water solution sometimes from wells or industrial sources and including sea water.

CENTRIFUGE

A process or means in which a liquid is revolved about an axis at such a number of revolutions per unit of time that the apparent weight of constituents increases to a point where the constituents tend to concentrate in strata similar to gravity-induced separation based on relative densities.

CHROMATOGRAPHY

A process in which a liquid is flowed along a linear path comprising a sorbent, with which the liquid competes in affinity for a constituent of the liquid. The constituent is sorbed from the moving liquid by the relatively immobile sorbent and redissolved by a later passing portion of the liquid until an equilibrium of the sorbing-dissolving step is set up causing the constituent to concentrate in a specific volume of the sorbent and to move along the path of the liquid at a slower rate than such liquid.

A comprehensive treatise on chromatography is to be found in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 2nd ed. Vol. 5, pp. 413-450.

COALESCE

The merging together of small droplets or particles of a material or constituent dispersed in a liquid to form larger bodies of the material or constituent which may be more easily handled.

COLLOIDAL

A state of very fine division of a material dispersed throughout a liquid almost to the point of a true solution and either impossible or extremely difficult to filter or cause to settle.

CONDUCTIVITY WATER

An extremely pure water characterized by high ohmic resistance due to very low rate of ionization. See POLISHING.

CYCLONE