Template for Training Examples
Project TE128, new example
Level / Categories
CL 1a, 1b, 2a1, 2b1, 2e
AL 1a, 1b, 2a1, 2b1, 2e
Documents
This is an artificial example.
Short Version of the Disclosure
The invention is concerned with a method of treating a solution which contains at least one of
thiocyanate and cyanide, which includes the step of contacting the solution in a reactor with at
least the active bacteria contained in a microbial culture of the type deposited at the Australian
Government Analytical Laboratories under the Accession number NM 98/11331.
Thiocyanate and cyanide ions are common constituents of effluents which arise in
metallurgical plants, particularly in gold recovery operations which make use of the
cyanidation process.
The method may include introducing air into the solution in the reactor. In one form of the
invention the method includes subjecting material, discharged from the reactor, to a
liquid/solid separation stage and returning at least a portion of the separated solids to the
reactor to maintain an active biological population in the reactor. Preferably the method
includes varying the absolute retention time of the solution, in the reactor, from 4 to 24 hours
depending on the influent concentration of thiocyanate and cyanide.
In a variation of the invention, the solution is directed to a counter current heavy metals
removal stage in a heavy metal adsorption reactor containing the said active bacteria, before
being fed to the aerated mixture of biomass sludge and water.
The patentee isolated a microbial culture from a mine in South Africa where a natural
destruction of effluent containing thiocyanate and cyanide takes place. The patentee
determined the conditions under which a fast rate of activity is obtained, and deposited the
microbial culture at the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories under the
Accession number NM98/11331.
If the solution contains heavy metals such as copper, gold, arsenic and nickel which are to be
removed, e. g. for commercial or environmental reasons, then a modified process of the
invention may be employed, whereby an aqueous thiocyanate and cyanide solution is fed to a
counter current metal adsorption reactor. Heavy metals and cyano-metal complexes are
removed from the solution by adsorption onto the biomass. The biomass sludge from this
reactor is not agitated. This allows the biomass sludge to settle in the reactor, thus
automatically giving rise to a liquid/solid separation step. The separated biomass sludge
containing heavy metals is purged and thereafter treated in any appropriate way to recover the
heavy metals.
The thiocyanate and cyanide are degraded to relatively harmless inorganic compounds of
carbonate or carbon dioxide, sulfate and ammonium, and carbonate or carbon dioxide and
ammonium respectively.
Invention Information
I1: A method for treating an effluent solution containing thiocyanate and/or cyanide, by
contacting the solution with at least the active bacteria contained in a microbial culture of the
type deposited in the above laboratory in Australia.
Additional Information
A1: In addition to removal of thiocyanate and/or cyanide, heavy metal removal is mentioned
as a variation of the invention, including removal of copper, gold, arsenic and nickel (this is
inapplicable to the core level since the indexing schemes in C02F are not in the core level).
When this heavy metal removal is for commercial reasons, this equates to production of these
metals.
A2: The origins of the effluent are mentioned as metallurgical plants, especially for gold
recovery (this is inapplicable to the core level since the indexing schemes in C02F are not in
the core level).
Identification of Potential Subclasses
Subject Matter
Tool
Query
IPC Places
I1, A1, A2
Catchword Index
Treatment of WASTE water
C02F
I1, A1
Catchword index
Production or refining of METALS or
alloys in general
C22
I1
TACSY
“harmful chemicals”
A62D
Analysis and Selection of Classification Symbols
Core Level
I1: (a) Treatment of water, waste water, sewage, sludge or any other aqueous effluent is
covered by function-oriented subclass C02F, which is subject to the common rule. Biological
treatment of waste water is in main group C02F 3/00, and treatment characterized by the
micro-organisms used is covered by group C02F 3/34. This is the group that most adequately
represents the invention and is therefore listed first. The process can also be regarded as an
activated sludge process and should therefore be classified in C02F 3/12.
(b) Note (1) after the subclass title of C02F makes it clear that processes using microorganisms classified in C02F are not further classified in subclass C12S. Moreover a similar
reference in the subclass title of C12S makes it clear that biological treatment of water, waste
water and sewage is classified in C02F 3/00. It is therefore clear from these notes and
references that no classification should be made in subclass C12S.
(c ) Despite there being no adequate Catchword Index entry here, it appears that subclass
A62D is relevant. This group covers making harmful chemical substances harmless or less
harmful by effecting a chemical change in these substances. Since the thiocyanate and
cyanide are degraded to relatively harmless inorganic compounds of carbonate or carbon
dioxide, sulfate and ammonium, and carbonate or carbon dioxide and ammonium
respectively, A62D 3/00 seems relevant.
A1, A2: (a) Production of heavy metals is mentioned in note (1) under the subclass title of
C02F; this states that production of metallic elements themselves is in C22B. The relevant
term here for liquid/solid separation is C22B 3/00.
(b) The indexing schemes of C02F 101/00 to 103/44 are not in the core level. The nature of
the contaminant and the origins of the effluent cannot be recorded in the core level.
Advanced Level
I1: (a) Treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge is covered by function-oriented
subclass C02F, which is subject to the common rule. Biological treatment of waste water is in
main group C02F 3/00, and treatment characterized by the micro-organisms used is covered
by group C02F 3/34. This is the group that most adequately represents the invention and is
therefore listed first. The process can also be regarded as an activated sludge process and
should therefore be classified in C02F 3/12.
(b) Note (1) after the subclass title of C02F makes it clear that processes using microorganisms classified in C02F are not further classified in subclass C12S. Moreover a similar
reference in the subclass title of C12S makes it clear that biological treatment of water, waste
water and sewage is classified in C02F 3/00. It is therefore clear from these notes and
references that no classification should be made in subclass C12S.
(c ) Despite there being no adequate Catchword Index entry here, it appears that subclass
A62D is relevant. This group covers making harmful chemical substances harmless or less
harmful by effecting a chemical change in these substances. Since the thiocyanate and
cyanide are degraded to relatively harmless inorganic compounds of carbonate or carbon
dioxide, sulfate and ammonium, and carbonate or carbon dioxide and ammonium
respectively, A62D 3/00 seems relevant.
A1: The nature of the contaminant and heavy metal removal are covered by the indexing
scheme of C02F 101/00 to 103/44. Thiocyanate is covered by C02F 101/16, cyanide is
covered by C02F 101/18, and heavy metals by C02F 101/20. Indexing terms are regarded as
additional information. Production of heavy metals is mentioned in note (1) under the
subclass title of C02F; this states that production of metallic elements themselves is in C22B.
The relevant term here for liquid/solid separation is C22B 3/24.
A2: The origins of the effluent (metallurgical plants, especially for gold recovery) are covered
by indexing term C02F 103/16.
IPC CL
Subject
Matter
Analysis of Subclass
Selection
Subclass
I1
Subclass title covers
subject matter; Note (1)
after C02F subclass title.
C02F
Common rule
C02F 3/34,
3/12
C02F 3/34,
3/12
I1
Subclass title covers
subject matter
A62D
Common rule
A62D 3/00
A62D 3/00
A1
Subclass title covers
subject matter
C02F
Indexing terms
None
C02F
101/16,
101/18,
101/20
A1
Note (1) under C02F
C22B
Common rule
C22B 3/00
C22B 3/24
(2006.01)
A2
Subclass title covers
subject matter
C02F
Indexing terms
None
C02F
103/16
Analysis of Group Selection
IPC AL
IPC(2006)
Complete Classification
The complete core and advanced level classification for this document based on the above
analysis is as follows:
Core level
Int. Cl. (2006)
C02F 3/34
C02F 3/12
A62D 3/00
C22B 3/00
Advanced level
Int. Cl.
C02F 3/34 (2006.01)
C02F 3/12 (2006.01)
A62D 3/00 (2006.01)
C02F 101/16 (2006.01)
C02F 101/18 (2006.01)
C02F 101/20 (2006.01)
C02F 103/16 (2006.01)
C22B 3/24 (2006.01)